AIESEC International Congress 2006
I`ll try to keep it short otherwise you will get bored reading...
IC was nice... maybe not that fancy as in India, but seeing so many people from all over the world is still amazing.
... was nice meet old friends from AIESEC, some fo them I haven`t even expected. Since I had only 4 days,I gave up the idea to have good talks with everyone, but at least seeing their presence, a hug, a smile, was enough.
... I still had some GREAT talks, which I appreciate a lot. I cannot transcribe or record them, but they are all in my heart, thanks guys!
Everyone who has `coordinator` saying on their badge... Teambuilding with the Global Coordinator Gang was awesome! It`s good to be an corporate guest! Fancy hotel, no lining up for the food, and meeting completely different crowd. Although being out of @ is also tough sometimes.
... Running external agenda, coordinating ING participation, having country meetings - my agenda was packed. And productive.
... AIESEC Parties, yeah, baby!
After ING Chances for Children workshop: Heske (Unicef), Charlotte (ING), Patrice (Curcuma), Joep (ING CfC), myself, Declan (Bridging Divides)
... And again, I love people I am working with!
Labels: AIESEC, Diary, Musings
Musicroom: the top of the pops in The Netherlands
Labels: Fun, Musicroom
here there and everywhere
I am just so good with updates! Another week in A`dam..
Last weekend we went out with other interns to De Pijp, very Dutch area with nice places for drink or dance. Very very nice crowd, apart from the awesome intern gang, including some of the people whos presence was a pleasant surprise.
On Sunday I took a trip to Brussels, to see the Flower Carpet 2006 in Grand Place, meet some people, pick up some of my luggage, sort out my membership at
Fitness Passage, which is the service I am not happy about. One advice guys - check for terms and conditions before signing anything in Belgium. But it`s ok, you live you learn. I learned not to go to Fitness Passage anymore, it`s just too much trouble. Also it ws cool to catch up aith Rasa, the MC team, experiencing extreme rain conditions and Belgian sarcasm which makes me paranoid.
The whole past week went faster than lightning, IC is next week and there was just a lot to prepare, ship, communicate. It seems like most fo the stuff is ready though, yey!
By facing the distance from my place to teh centre of Amsterdam, I realized that bike is just necesarry to live here:) As in the evening when I get back home it`s so difficult to motivate myself to go somewhere :) Like now, I know there is a huge festival happening in the centre, but I am just too lazy :)
And I think it`s nothing wrong that I sleep a lot, don`t go out every night and just take it easy :) I like sleeping!! I love lazying around :) But I promise I will get involved into social life a bit more from now on.
BTW, last Friday we had a first go-out with my teammaes from ING. We went to one cool tapas bar, then continued chtatting over a glass of wine. I work with amazing people I tell you!
I am finally not living in a suitcase, my room is nice and cosy now, just missing some artistic touches. The room is only for two months, I am looking for a place to move in in October, but still nice to have a good living environment.
Today I met Rita for a coffee and ended up chatting about life and work for the whole afternoon. Nice to meet great people.
I realized that I haven`t been taking pictures of me in The Netherlands so far! I have to improve this!
The only thing that is bothering me now, is my wisdom teeth, they sometimes turn into nothing else but plain pain in my mouth. Not so good.
And to make this post one of the most random ones, I would recommend you to check out the
TO-DO list blog. You can submit your own to-do list which will be published in a book! Deadline is on Sept 15, I think I will submit something, as I have some sophisticated TO-DOs :)
Labels: Belgium, Brussels, Diary, Friends, Fun
First week in A`dam
Short wrap up of the first week, based on your questions coming to me from different sources:
- I feel like at home!
- I am healthy, I don`t have a headache, I sleep enough
- Work is getting more an more interesting, seems like there is a lot of things where I can work in the company, which is very exciting! I will write a separate post abt that a bit later.
- Yes, I started drinking Dutch beer - Belgian MC rule is not valid anymore. The beer is not that good though. Btw, in the supermarket I saw
Westmalle Trappist for - attention Pedro and other fans of this beer! - 1,25 EUR ! Cheap stuff :) Best cost benefit is the same wherever you go :)
- I will try to watch my figure and reduce the percentage of beer consumed. And I also eat healthier!
- I know a lot of people living here. Most fo them are aiesec people, some just came, some are leaving, some are here forever, but every day I find out some nice surprises - different persons I know from verious places :) Small world.
- I have TV at home!
- My personal time is not managed very well these days, because of settling in and having all those small things sorted. boring things, but have to happen.
- I am going to Brussels tomorrow for two days, to take some more stuff. yey!
Labels: Amsterdam, Diary
Fast forward - new country, new life
I was about to sit back and do a proper reflection on my past year in Belgium, but a lot of things m already in a different train now.So reflection will come later tonight, now nothing else, but update...
Let`s start with the last mentioned but not explained event -
MC transition party. Explanation in human language: this is the moment when the new team of AIESEC National Committee takes over the positions of the outgoing team. For that, there is a huge fiesta being organised, in order to see the outgoing team for the last time, as well as meet the lads from the new team, also a bunch of aiesecers from the country and beyond, have fun together.
The party was nothing but awesome. Soo many people - around 60, all nice people I got to work with or just meet up, interns or former interns(one even with tequila :)), other MCs (guess from three times... French MC again!), some old and new friends... a lot of talking, waterpipe, some people getting wasted, then saying official speeches, takeover presents, partying at the brazilian bar till very late night with teh best caipirinha I`ve ever had, having some team time with the 5 of us last time together, getting back home and finding an intensive sharing and drinking circle happening. being tired, going to bed and sleeping until teh sun came through my window.
Saturday after that was showing Francois and Martina from French MC the best of Brussels, having a beer in Delirium, and then almost expecting them to miss rtheir train. Unfortunatelym tehy made it to it, so they were not staying longer... :(
Moving on... week after that was finishing uo some stuff, like Annual Report! It was designed and sent for printing, and i hope it`s gonna turn out good :)
On Wednesday I was in shock. Bad news about Ondra reached us... I still cannot believe it, it feels like he`s still somewhere in Prague, where I`m going to visit him... He was one of the most outgoing and life-loving people I ever knew. He is missed by many, you can
see it. So sad that his life was so short..
Thursday - my last
intern drink. It was raining, also there was yesterday`s shock in the air, but it was nice to see all those people, especially Jaders, I ahvent seen them for ages, also have some very nice conversations with Charmaine and Boris, then coming back packed in Celine`s car.
I was packing throughout the week,however, my room was a disaster until saturday,my actual leaving day. All morning I was holding my head with a thought `how the F#$% I have got so much stuff in one year??` But actually, I managed well to separate amd throiw out most fo teh unneeded stuff.. funny how things that were memorable in teh beginning dont mean anything to you after a while... That doesn`t mean memories go... You just find other way to have them in your heart! Beofre leaving I met up with Ingrida, another long time not seen friend, who moved to Paris recently! I tell you, paris is just becoming the coolest place to go to :D
Then I took a train to Amsterdam... Regular train ride to The Netherlands, like other previous 5 times in past year.. No Way! My room is not mine anymore, I possess no keys that open any doors in brussels, I will never be the same again... I cried a bit, that`s true, a lot of things ahve happened there. However, every change brings something new, and something good - In Aasterdam I was met by Veds, who also picked up his friend Anna from the station. We dropped our stuff and, of course, went out for a first drink. Great time, amazing people and amazing talks, then joining other interns for a party, I really got introduced to social life fast :)
Sunday mornings are always lovely - we slept until late afternoon. veds provided us with breakfas almost to bed. Then met up with Bieke, another friend of theirs, went for a beer, for dinner and then I moved to my place in Amsterdam - an awesome house with all facilities, even terace! I will upload pics at some point, it`s lovely! And the roommates are very nice - it`s Sigis (another Lithuanian! very sweet guy, helped me with everything here), Alicia (Spanish girl, ex-aiesecer as well) and Fernanda, a Brazillian girl. Also on teh same night there were another 4 Lithuanians staying over in teh house, was a nice evening in native language :)
Monday-Tuesday I had nothing much more than work. So far it has been very great - the team is awesome, we have meetings and I`m getting more and more into my role. The atmosphere is very supporting and positive, it`s so nice! Seems like it will be a great challenge, but also a very exciting 6 months ahead!
I`ve been relaxing for pas evenings, as my head is boomimg with new information, but I will keep you updated :)
Labels: AIESEC, Diary, Friends
First morning in Amsterdam
Hapy sunny happy!
Labels: Amsterdam, Diary
