Anca. Just being myself...

Let's do it, Romania!

2010-09-23T12:34:00.001+03:00

Sentimental

2010-09-02T00:42:00.002+03:00

Se pare ca e singura stare care ma impinge sa scriu pe blog. Si uite ca iese numai in romana.

Ma intrebam asta seara de ce devenim sentimentali de ziua noastra de nastere? O fii pentru ca a mai trecut un an si avem in cap obsesia imbatranirii?

Eu simt ca imi merit varsta si vreau sa o port cu mandrie. Pentru nimic nu e tarziu inca, nu vreau sa ard etape, totul se rezolva pas cu pas ;) Avem timp pentru toate nu?

Multumesc ca-mi sunteti alaturi. De fapt, cum transmiti asta tuturor oamenilor care au contribuit la ceea ce esti si la varsta ta?

Momente efemere...

2010-04-07T23:52:00.003+03:00

Weekendul acesta de Pasti a fost petrecut intr-un loc nou. Nu atat de nou pt mine cum ar trebui deja sa fiu obisnuita cu limba si peisajele frantuzesti. Insa nou totusi pt mine.

Am fost la Grenoble (locatie mai exacta pe google map, insa undeva prin sud-estul Frantei). Oras superb numai pt ca se afla intr-o vale si din orice colt aproape poti vedea muntii. Si nu oricare munti, ci Alpii.

Din departare, de sus, se vede si Mont Blanc-ul. Sau creasta lui...

Statiune de schi impresionanta. Multe, multe piste. Oameni, in numar rezonabil. Anca, speriata de cazaturi initial, reuseste sa doboare cateva piste verzi (cele mai usoare, stiu!), si una albastra - si deci sa isi "challenguiasca" un pic frica de inaltime si de viteza! E clar un da pt imbunatatirea la iarna a tehnicilor de schi :) cine mi se alatura?

In plus, am luat lumina de la biserica romaneasca dintr-o comuna de langa Grenoble (deci un progres fata de acum 2 ani cand nu intelegeam nimic din slujba in rusa). Din nou, challenguind cum ne raportam noi si cum se raporteaza ei la sarbatoarea Pastilor (cine e noi, cine sunt ei oare?)...no conclusions yet!

Poze in postul viitor.

Si posturi poate mai dese. Poate mai interactive. Poate in romana.

Oricum, pt cine mai citeste blog-ul...noapte buna!

Mi-e dor....

2010-02-12T23:59:00.003+02:00

Mi-e dor de "casa" si mai ales mi-e dor de oameni dragi. M-am indepartat cu adevarat de prietenii mei din liceu, de cei din universitate, de cei pe care ii stiu de cand eram in carucior, pana si de cei din minunanta organizatie care ne-a animat anii de studentie.

Mi-e dor de tot ce e vechi si ce am lasat in urma. Mi-e dor de tot ce am uitat. Mi-e dor de locurile unde am locuit, de toate camerele pe care le-am amenajat ca sa ma simt ca si "acasa", la fel cum fac acum la mutarea in noul apartament. Mi-e dor de stabilitatea pe care poate ca nu am avut-o niciodata si pe care mi-o doresc, de care ma agat ca de o idee prosteasca si copilareasca.

Mi-e dor sa nu imi mai fie dor...si sa "stau", sa "ma asez" cu calm. Imi doresc acel calm, o directie, un vis, o sclipire...sau poate doar sa stiu ce caut. Atat...

PS: Un prieten e un dar pe care ti-l faci singur. Ei, oare cate daruri mi-am facut eu mie? Sau poate pe cate le-am pastrat?

Updates about a new beginning...

2010-01-15T22:18:00.002+02:00

Welcome back, Anca!

This is what my blog should now say to me. As he's been missing me for some months now. I seem to get on track with writing about me and then I get back inside, I keep it all to myself. I'll just consider them as ups and downs and I hope you'll bear with me the downs.

So I am back on track with a new year to start and to enjoy. Just as an update, I am still in Paris, finished my internship in November and stayed in my previous position, but as an employee (yupii). This means of course not only more money (which is always good), but another type of responsibility, another feeling when waking up early in the morning, another way of seeing things.

Done, the road to becoming an adult with responsibilities and bills to pay is...there!

Nothing to complain though, I do enjoy my job, even if it's mostly challenging. I love Paris and the dear people who are now close to me. I definetely enjoy my life and I can say for sure that 2009 was the best year lately for me!

....if somehow, somewhere, I lost the touch with some of you, I must apologize...it is probably because I've been too stressed to grow stability in and around me!

Impatiently waiting for a year meant to make things even clearer and much more stable in my life.

For you all, for 2009 and 2010, chapeau!

Helping people

2009-11-03T17:52:00.002+02:00

I know I am not extremely active on my blog lately, but I wanted to use this channel to try helping out someone who needs it. Help, if you can.

“Constantin Botezatu, or Coco as friends know him,2008-2009 President of AIESEC SIBIU, is in need of our help.

On the 29th of October he was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of cancer, which progressed too fast and he is currently fighting for anoher chance.

He needs to go to a clinic in Turkey for a proper medical care (an operation that costs 50.000 Euros). Whatever help you may offer, bellow you can find the data where you can make a donation:

Contact: Ruxandra Calinoiu
Cont: RO73ABNA0000001001312457
Banca RBS BANK, sucursala Sibiu
SWIFT code: ABNAROBU [1]

The world is always on...

2009-09-01T23:59:00.001+03:00

This is what all of us, interns, have to say!

I won't waste a minute...without you!

2009-08-26T15:36:00.002+03:00

....Snow Patrol and one of the best videos I've seen with Paris:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1XUbJEPShE

(check it online...sorry, but embedding was disabled)

Lucky...

2009-07-27T12:15:00.003+03:00

Everyone is asking me if I am still going to continue my blog, if I am still alive :). Well, to tell you truly, I am more alive than ever! I am probably living the best times of my life until now, so I'd better enjoy it and make it last.

To keep it short and simple, I still have about 2 months and a half till my internship ends. Turning a quarter of a century (hihi) in some weeks. Closing an amazing personal past half of a year. And this is only if I look at quantity and if I count. But in the end, it all mixes up in a feeling of great content. It must be sounding cheesy or idealistic if I say that I am living the best times of my life, but it is by far true.

And to make it public for everyone, yes, it is true, I decided I want to stay in Paris and continue my life abroad for a while...don't know for how much time yet! I have not much of an idea about my future, but I am building it piece by piece. What matters is that I am not alone!

Hugs and enjoy your summer, accompanied by a cool song:

Jason Mraz - Lucky
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My bye's

2009-04-22T18:37:00.003+03:00

Sometimes, only sad events teach us that we are just passers-by on this planet.
I learnt this one more time last week.
It was too sudden and sad.
It is painful to be left alive while the loved ones pass away.

All my best thoughts go to a great man who was my grandfather. He was a strong and hard-working man and for sure I will never forget all the moments we spent together!

To remind us of how we should spend our lives, I give you again a movie I adore (thanks, Stefan!)

Wake me up....

2009-04-21T18:18:00.001+03:00

green day-wake me up when september ends
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If I were to sum up....

2009-03-31T13:35:00.015+03:00

....I could say I had damn, good weekends!

Everything started with MY Romanian eXperience :). I went home for a weekend, to see my family. And to feel if it's the place to come back to! I had one of my best weekends with my parents, as we were celebrating my mum's birthday and we were having a long dinner with good food and music :)
Everything made me feel that I have 2 homes, that I do feel at home in Paris and that I do feel like belonging here!

The next weekend was relaxing; we went to Strasbourg, a city in the North-East of France, situated at the border with Germany. It is a half French, half German city, as it was under German occupation for many years! I enjoyed discovering another side of France, a quiet and calm city where people ride bikes and enjoy their walks in the street! After the busy, crowded Paris, this was like a break, like an escape!

The next weekend was dedicated to another country. We went to Bruxelles for 2 days and I must say it was a good choice! As a city, my conclusion is that it is quite "random" :), as I did not get an idea of what it wants to transmit or what is the core of the city; but in the end, I enjoyed a lot meeting old good friends and many people whom I haven't seen in a while!

And the first weekend of the month was dedicated to cooking and football :). After discovering that I can cook "sarmale" on my own :), on Sunday we went to the football game PSG-Nice (final score: 2-1). I enjoyed very much the atmosphere of my first ever football game watched live on a big stadium! And I enjoyed feeling partly Parisienne...Allez Paris!

What do you do in your weekends? :)

If...

2009-03-27T11:13:00.000+02:00

if you hadn't found me,
I would have found you
I would have found you

Angels

2009-03-13T15:48:00.001+02:00

robbie williams-angels
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Scrisoare catre liceeni

2009-03-05T14:54:00.002+02:00

O scriere ce m-a miscat si ma simt datoare sa o dau mai departe!

"Noi am pierdut. Dar voi, voi mai aveti o sansa. Noi am fost fericiti ca am descoperit Coca-cola si bananele si am crezut ca daca noi citim, si ei vor citi. Si ca toti vom progresa si tara o sa aiba scapare. Noi ne-am inselat. Unii dintre noi au plecat de aici. Castiga bani acolo si tanjesc dupa orasul asta imputit. Voi insa, voi aveti o sansa. Voi, aveti sansa.

Nu va ganditi la furat. E calea cea mai simpla. Stiu ca ati aflat ca asa te imbogatesti. Daca ai pamant sau daca faci afaceri cu statul. Stiti voi ceva despre tva si cum ai putea sa-l furi, dar nu va e inca foarte clar. Nu asta e drumul. Cu cat se va fura mai mult, cu atat se va construi mai putin, iar copiii copiilor nostri vor mosteni un imperiu de cenusa. Sunteti tineri si totusi habar n-aveti ce inseamna un Bucuresti in care se circula normal. Daca voi habar n-aveti si daca Ei continua sa fure, ganditi-va la copiii nostri. Nu e nici o sansa.

Cititi. Cititi mult. Cititi tot ce va pica in mana. Nu-i mai ascultati doar pe profesori. Cititi orice, fara discernamant. Nimic nu e mai important ca lectura, acum. Apoi, cautati-va intre voi. Vedeti care cititi aceleasi lucruri si inhaitati-va. Numai in haita de oameni destepti o sa reusiti. Unul singur dintre voi va fi mancat. Zece insa, s-ar putea sa reusiti. Ganditi-va de pe acum sa-i inlocuiti. Timpul lor trebuie sa se termine. Trebuie sa-i dominati. Dar nu cu gandul ca veti fura mai mult ca ei. Asta e calea simpla care va va sufoca mostenitorii. Ce-o sa faceti cu milioanele intr-un oras mort? Ce-o sa cumparati, cu banii gramezi? La ce-ti foloseste un Lamborghini cand n-ai o autostrada? De ce sa ai o vila intr-un cartier sufocat de inundatii?"

Continuarea pe:
http://tudorchirila.blogspot.com/2009/03/scrisoare-catre-liceeni.html

Printemps...

2009-03-02T14:18:00.005+02:00

I wish you all a sunny spring, with warmth and love in your heart!

Vama (Veche) - Primavara
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Ce poate fi mai frumos si mai pur decat vocea unui copil?

2009-02-27T16:04:00.002+02:00

Lost generation

2009-02-25T12:00:00.001+02:00

(thank you, Sandra, for a great video!)

Intelepciune

2009-02-20T15:27:00.004+02:00

Cuvinte de intelepciune. Stiu ca e un citat popular, insa "ne mai misca"? Ne gandim oare ca vorbele astea sunt atat de adevarate????

- Ai vrea sa-mi iei un interviu, deci… zise Dumnezeu.
- Daca ai timp… i-am raspuns. Dumnezeu a zambit.
- Timpul meu este eternitatea… Ce intrebari ai vrea sa-mi pui?
- Ce te surprinde cel mai mult la oameni? Dumnezeu mi-a raspuns:
- Faptul ca se plictisesc de copilarie, se grabesc sa creasca, iar apoi tanjesc iar sa fie copii; ca isi pierd sanatatea pentru a face bani...iar apoi isi pierd banii pentru a-si recapata sanatatea. Faptul ca se gandesc cu teama la viitor si uita prezentul, iar astfel nu traiesc nici prezentul nici viitorul; ca traiesc ca si cum nu ar muri niciodata si mor ca si cum nu ar fi trait.
Dumnezeu mi-a luat mana si am stat tacuti un timp.
Apoi am intrebat:
- Ca parinte, care ar fi cateva dintre lectiile de viata pe care ai dori sa le invete copiii tai?
- Sa invete ca dureaza doar cateva secunde sa deschida rani profunde in inima celor pe care ii iubesc...si ca dureaza mai multi ani pentru ca acestea sa se vindece; sa invete ca un om bogat nu este acela care are cel mai mult, ci acela care are nevoie de cel mai putin; sa invete ca exista oameni care ii iubesc dar pur si simplu inca nu stiu sa-si exprime sentimentele; sa invete ca doi oameni se pot uita la acelasi lucru si ca pot sa-l vada in mod diferit; sa invete ca nu este suficient sa-i ierte pe ceilalti si ca, de asemenea, trebuie sa se ierte pe ei insisi.
- Multumesc pentru timpul acordat, am zis umil. Ar mai fi ceva ce ai dori ca oamenii sa stie? Dumnezeu m-a privit zambind si a spus:
- Doar faptul ca sunt aici, intotdeauna.

Octavian Paler

How does COMPLICATED become SIMPLE?

2009-02-18T12:59:00.006+02:00

How can I choose where to live in the future? Have any ideas to share?

Oradea - my hometown

Timisoara - where I spent my university years

Paris - the city I currently live in

Le reste du temps...

2009-02-17T20:55:00.001+02:00

This song gives me a feeling of GOOD...PEACE...LOVE:)

2009-02-09T10:58:00.017+02:00

I am sure now how much an internship outside Europe would have opened my eyes! Now I understand all of you who advised me to do so! But then as well it might not have been what I needed now for myself.

Anyway, let’s not switch subjects. Let’s stick to my trip in UAE. This week spent here has been absolutely charming! I’ve had the possibility to grow personally and professionally. I am not only the owner of a great overview on how an office of a multinational is being run from the HR perspective, but I also got the view on this region, its business, its strategies to attract foreigners to work and invest here. I had a “professional guide” in Nader (HR manager for ALU UAE and Qatar), who has talked enormously to me about the country and the region, the problems on the market, how the crisis affects them, why he is doing HR and what can you learn out of it! Wow, it has been amazing to work at such a high level with a great professional!

I’ve also had the chance to get close to Jinane, a French-Palestinian girl who lived all her life in Saudi Arabia! She studied in France for 5 years and now she is married, has a sweet little kid and lives here! It is amazing how much energy and personal approach I could get from her! I also understood better the people in the region; we’ve had talks about religion, life in different parts of the world, future goals, food, weather, books, etc. It is also incredible how fast we got close and how helpful and supportive she was.

More than this, I had the chance to see 2 amazing cities. Abu Dhabi is more like a “family city”, pretty quiet and relaxing. It is also rather small, just a few streets, “locals” would say (“locals”=10-20% of the population, as majority of UAE inhabitants are expats, mostly from Pakistan, India or Philippines). On the other hand, Dubai is extremely “posh”, high-class, extravagant and fancy. I’ve had the best guide ever in Dubai and I’ve enjoyed seeing “another world”. Tops on my list of best things I’ve seen in UAE: Emirates Palace Hotel (a huge and beautiful hotel built to imitate a real palace; Durj Al Arab (the most expensive and famous hotel in the world); Atlantis (probably the second best hotel in the world, designed all around the aquatic theme); Durj Al Dubai (the highest building in the world – not yet finished, but it has more than 900 m high); Dubai Mall (the biggest mall in the world). As you can notice, Dubai and UAE is all about being the best and the first…mostly in hotels and malls! If you ask anyone what you should visit there, it would be out of these 2 categories! No museums included :)…well, the country only exists for 30 years and has been built by foreigners!

I had so many a-ha moments in this trip that I can’t believe it has been only a week! So many things happened that I found it hard to catch up and arrange my memories in little “drawers”! In any way, it has been a beautiful journey teaching me about breaking barriers, breaking thoughts, thinking behind the line, asking for comfort and accepting differences! I have challenged again my view on my next choices and new criteria are getting in the picture.

And no matter what, the feeling I have now is: “mda, I could live there!” :)
Enjoy the pictures and be sure that I brought sun with me to Europe! We need it to be sunny and smiley each day! So, have a “smiley day”!

LATER UPDATE:
Burj al Arab is the hotel and Burj al Dubai is the tower, building, highest in the world! Thanks Dragos :) I knew I mixed them up!

“Live and always discover”

2009-02-01T15:46:00.001+02:00

I’ve always loved traveling! If you checked my travels map you would see I tried to explore each opportunity to see more places, more cultures, new lands, and new stories.

I’ve been given a great chance in my internship and in my project: I am traveling for a business trip to UAE (United Arab Emirates). Actually, while writing these words, I am flying towards Abu Dhabi, where I will spend 5 days! Of course, I cannot miss seeing Dubai, so I arranged that the last 2 days of my trip, the weekend actually, to be spent visiting one of the most famous cities in Middle East!

Everyone kept asking me if I am excited or scared about the trip. Now, I should say it is both of them :) I feel scared for going there alone! But I am more than this excited as it is my first time out of Europe (ok, the Asian side of Istanbul does not count much!). It will be a short time, for sure, to get to know the culture, but it is amazing that I can at least get a glimpse! It is something so different from “our world”, from Europe, from what I’ve seen until now! Will I like it? Will it feel strange? Will it feel cold or too much?

Will write impressions as soon as I get to form some!
Keep fingers crossed, this is such an important part in my project and I have to perform at high standards!

Greetings from the Middle East :)

Later update:
I have to write these thoughts now, when I am lying in my hotel room in Abu Dhabi! First of all, the flight was amazing! From the fact that each of us had our own TV and the latest movies or music; to the fact that you could watch a live camera with the landscape while flying; or to the fact that food and serving was excellent (we even got ice cream); or the fact that they even gave us pillows, socks or covers for your eyes so you can sleep :P…
I arrived at the airport where a lady was waiting for me (everything was arranged by the hotel); she took me through all the procedures (including eye scan, where they actually made me look to a machine and they made a digital scan of my eyes!); the airport is packed and crowded, but amazingly beautiful! Everything is in the Middle-East design…old and new!

But when I got the first “taste” of the city, I must say that the air reminded me of Istanbul! The city looks amazing – lights, palm trees, lovely, rich houses, huge sky-scrapers! It feels like another world…well, it is! And I started loving it! It is so much different from Europe!
Even later update:
I am now writing from the Alcatel-Lucent office in Abu Dhabi. I did not manage to get internet until now to post my thoughts. So I just wanna add how amazing this city looks like in the daylight as well! It is a small city, actually! Just a few streets! But inhabited by about 1 million people, out of which only 10% is local! This place booms with multiculturalism!
I can’t wait for the evening to go for a walk! Ah, and it is so so so so warm! You can wear shirts and you can actually swim in the sea :) It is like summer! I would have never believed that I would have lunch outside, on a terrace, in February, with the HR manager of Alcatel-Lucent UAE and Qatar!

Imagine: a 24-years-old “kid” gets sent to an amazing country to work with the people here! It is an amazing chance that I would not have imagined living some years back! Why are our hopes so low, I wonder?

Gros bisous from a hot, hot country! Soon, pictures!

“ Nu tot ce zboara, se mananca”

2009-02-01T15:44:00.000+02:00

…in literal translation, “not everything that flies should be eaten”. But at least it can be tried out! One more lesson on my board, one more try not succeeded. One more choice between Yes or No – and it is No. I should stop trying once and for all and start succeeding!

But then again, as I said before also, you only get what you NEED in life, which should not always be what you WANT!

The latest version of...me

2009-01-21T22:53:00.014+02:00

I thought you might appreciate some pictures with me and Paris...or with both :). More, on facebook :) long live the era of facebook!

Paris is..too much!

2009-01-19T23:36:00.002+02:00

The words I have in my mind for a few weeks are exactly these: Paris is...too much!

I am living an amazing experience. I work with true specilists, with the most important people in the HR of Alcatel-Lucent in the world, I am given extra tasks and being sent to business trips (yes, I am going to UAE for a week!).

I live in the city of culture and art, light and love; I live in a real "melting pot" as you can hear 3 or 4 languages each day on the street (not only French or English). I very often hear Romanian while walking on the street or going by metro!
It is a city that you either fall in love with, or dislike! The same thing applies to the country: either you like France and French people, or you totally dislike them!

I hang out with people from all around the globe. We go out, throw in parties, have anniversaires, dinners and lunches together; we try out new clubs and bars and we go to the Opera; people come, people leave; it is both happy to know so many people, but also hard to integrate, hard to keep up!

With all these, after I draw the line, I still feel like saying: Paris is...too much!
As it is too sudden! Too much! Too much responsibility, too much work, too much into the unknown, too many people, too much lonelliness. I know for a fact that my cultural shock is in the anxiety phase :) which means I am somewhere down; but it is a nice time, anyway. I am analyzing a lot the world around me and what I am doing here and what I want to do next!
I have to take the most of everything and everyone, I know. And I will.

As to how France is, I have no further impressions...if curious, post a comment! I am not fully feeling the French spirit anyway as I am so much working and hanging around in a multicultural environment!

Last but not least, what you can listen to:

Anna Nalick- Just Breathe (2AM)
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Words

2009-01-06T00:51:00.005+02:00

If I would put my holiday in a few words, those would be: a great sister, relaxing, new friends, frustration, dissapointment, anger on our society, fun, jokes, skiing, wine, amazing sceneries, enjoying, new thoughts, decisions and feelings, change, a new beginning.

I feel this year is going to bring me what I need, not necessarily what I want. As maybe what I want is not what I need. So, I will just wait for it while trying to grab it!

Whatever happens is the right thing to happen!
And the song for the beginning of the year is:

Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
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And the perfect song for this time of the year!

2008-12-27T01:46:00.001+02:00

The most beautiful Romanian carol,
Merry Christmas :)

la vifleem colo-n jos
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I wish...

2008-12-27T01:11:00.007+02:00

Is it true that, in the past days, most of you took a sheet of paper and started thinking about what you wanna do next year? I guessed so!

I have always been a big fan of planning, structure, being organized, keeping track! Well, it seems that lately I have come to forget why we should do all this! And I stopped doing it, as I saw it overwhelming, suffocating!

Still, today I could not resist the temptation of evaluating my last year and drawing up plans for the next one. I came to the conclusion that it is more than an interesting process, as it is a truly self-discovery one. You realize that you've done half of your plans, but still you dream high and decide on high goals for the year to come!

When I look at myself, still, I see that for me 2008 was an excellent year! I enjoyed the diversity in it, I enjoyed the changes, I enjoyed me changing. I enjoyed each and every person I met and who enriched me! I enjoyed the discoveries I made alone! I enjoyed the loneliness, but also the busy, hectic times! I enjoyed travelling, having fun, doing crazy and original things! I enjoyed a year I DID NOT plan for it to be like this! Maybe that is why I enjoyed it so much! Maybe that is why I learnt so much out of it all!

And you might wonder then, what do I wish for 2009? Did I plan anything?
And I should say YES! This time, I decided to plan in advance my future steps and to take decisions more consciously! My "resolutions" for the new year do not fill in 10 pages of my diary, but are very simple: I'll have most probably a very professional year, focusing on my work and getting the most I can for my future career! All this, while enjoying Paris and beautiful people around!

And if I would continue the title of the post, I'd just say: I wish...you were here!

Happy new year! May next year be the best for you, in the way you dream it, in the way you feel it! Just follow your heart!

Warning sign

2008-12-04T17:34:00.000+02:00

Coldplay - Warning Sign
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1 month already...am I becoming more and more "Parisienne"?

2008-12-01T01:27:00.001+02:00

“It has been already more than 1 month since I arrived in Paris. I feel that it has been more than some months! Time passes fast and many things around me changed! I live a totally different life than the student life or even than my times in Latvia! The effort and expectations are much bigger! Now I have to prove what I am capable of! Now the “real life” starts!

The internship is a great opportunity for me! To make it clear (as everyone is asking me about it), I work for Alcatel-Lucent, the global communications provider company. I work in the Human Resources department on a certain project. More exactly, the company wants to become smarter and more efficient, to cut costs and to reduce unnecessary workforce in the HR field. So, they are implementing a Global Information System called myHR. As part of this project, they will transfer their administrative HR transactions to something called a Service Center, located in Timisoara (for the region of Europe, Middle East and Africa). Now, where do I come in? I will be the link between the countries and this Service Center, supporting both in the process of transferring knowledge and learning from each other. Mostly, I have to make sure that the Service Center is able to answer questions about HR processes and procedures to the requests of employees! Did anyone get it? If not, comment and I will explain more :)

So I have a huge job and responsibility and do not know yet HOW I am going to deliver it or where to start even! But yeah, I have to admit that the environment and the colleagues are the best to learn from! The feeling of working in the headquarters of a company is totally unbelievable! You get to feel the speed and the fast pace, to be around the best of the best, to learn from the best! I can say that for sure my internship will lift me up and I want to take advantage of every opportunity to learn as much as I can from everyone!
In my next post, find out about my impressions on France and Paris and about what else I have been doing except for working :). And yes, now I have internet at home, so I will be more active. For pictures, check facebook :)

Till then, Happy 1st of December for Romanians – read here more about why this is the National Day of Romania -
http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=2586

And enjoy also the song of the week:

Mircea Baniciu - Magazinul de vise
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Je suis Parisienne!

2008-11-05T18:23:00.002+02:00

I guess you were all expecting for me to write about my trip and arrival in Paris. Well, here it goes! The trip was a bit more tiring than expected: 4 hours till Budapest with my parents and sister, a 2-hours flight to Paris Beauvais and a 1-hour trip by bus to Porte Maillot, Paris!
I got to my accommodation for one year being helped by the owner of it, an old friend of my dad’s. I am super lucky to rent this place as it looks really nice and it is close to my job and to Paris (as I do not live in Paris, my dears, I live in the Parisian region – Paris is only a 6-8 square km region with all the attractions you know and with a residential part. But many, many people live outside Paris, more or less far from it! I am lucky to live just close to it, near La Defense (the well-known business centers are all located here and the Grande Arche is also well-known). From there, I can reach Paris in 20 minutes by metro (and now I manage to get by metro in many places with the help of a map, it is quite easy, I am not lots anymore!)
I live in a studio flat, actually a small room with a kitchen on one side and a separate bathroom. It looks extremely nice, I have most of the things you need in a house and it is so cosy! I am really satisfied and I will transform it in my own little place!
During my trip, I was thinking about the purpose of my blog and what I want to transmit through it. So I decided that this blog will be from now on more than my public journal or a way of informing all of you what I’m doing, but an observation of the “world” I live in, of the country I moved in or of the people I hang out with. I wanna see how a different place can be seen through different perspectives, how different and still similar it can be! And as there is a great connection between Romania and France, I want to see where it comes from and why does it exist! Why does our culture and language get influenced by the French one? I have tones of questions in my head now and I will read and talk to people and travel around in order to get some answers!
Let’s start with Paris, still. I was walking through Paris and the Parisian region and I discovered a lovely city! It is both crowded, diverse, dirty even, but also organized, beautiful and charming! I’ve already started to fell in love with it (yes, I know it is just a city!). It is both peaceful and noisy, it is big and small, and it is all in one somehow! I visited some of the famous attractions, but for sure on top of the list is Notre-Dame. Yesterday I attended even the evening religious service and it was incredible! It is an amazing place. For sure, the well-known Eiffel Tour did not impress me at all, sorry!
How are the French people? Well, they are focused on their job, extremely busy, always dressed up. The fashion is interesting, they looks all the time very chic and trendy! The life seems rather dull though: everyone goes to work by metro at 9 or even at 10 and return at 17 or 18. There is this feeling of a system that everyone is part of and cannot get rid of! I hope I will not turn into a psychic workaholic once I start working next Wednesday!
I am extremely excited to start working and cannot wait for it! I visited the offices and saw some of the interns also working there so this got me even more curious about it!
In the weekend, visiting Rennes and Angers, in the West of France! So I’ll come back with more impressions on France soon!

The song of the month!

2008-10-30T10:52:00.002+02:00

Tudor Gheorghe - La Paris

Tudor Gheorghe - La Paris
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Astept sa vad daca e asa, intr-adevar!
Promit sa va tin la curent si pe voi!
Ne vedem la Paris!

Eu cu cine votez?

2008-10-21T21:05:00.003+03:00

Se apropie alegerile in minunata noastra Romanie. Chiar daca nu voi fi acasa, sper sa reusesc sa votez. Insa cu cine votez? Sau vreau sa votez intr-adevar?
Noile legi propun "reformarea clasei politice". In schimb, se pare ca vom vota doar "nume tari" si personalitati! Cand partidele politice se aliaza fara sa mai tina cont de orice ideologie sau spectru politic, cand guvernul nu face nimic altceva decat sa ofere "mila electorala", eu, simplu cetetean, cum stiu ce sa aleg? Dupa ce ratiuni ma ghidez? Sau poate e mai usor sa renunt de tot la dreptul meu de cetatean si sa nu merg la vot?

Eu cu cine votez?

Listen to...

2008-10-20T10:27:00.001+03:00

A-Ha - Lifelines

A-Ha-Lifelines
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Our new family member

2008-10-19T18:16:00.003+03:00

It all started in a beautiful, sunny Sunday! My parents came home with a present...for themselves! They thought they will be left home alone after I leave to France and therefore they decided to buy a dog!!!

So they just surprised me and came home with a cute, little puppy! It is a HE and it's a TECKEL (those long-body and short-legs type of dog). Of course that now he is scared about the new place and new people, but he is so, so cute! I started already to get attached and I think that he will now be part of our family with full rights!

We just have to figure out a name for him! Any suggestions?

Another Tuesday's song!

2008-10-07T12:04:00.002+03:00

Another great recommendation for you to listen to - Red Hot Chilly Peppers - Otherside
Soon I will post here more than music :) haha!

Red Hot Chilly Peppers - Otherside
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Tuesday's song!

2008-10-02T11:14:00.001+03:00

This represents a lot the way I feel now in my life!

Iris - "Steaua mea"

iris-steaua mea
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Paris - my new home!

2008-09-28T12:50:00.003+03:00

All summer long, I have been searching for opportunities for my future and for the beginning of my "real life". As many of you know, I was searching for an internship abroad as I got the taste of internationalism and cannot get rid of it!

After many months of applications and interviews, I finally got the perfect MATCH: Paris, France, Alcatel-Lucent. Yes, it is final and sure: I will be working in Alcatel-Lucent for the future next year, starting with 1st of November. My job is mainly in the field of HR and it is both challenging and interesting!

Even now, when I say it: "Anca, you are going to live for one year in Paris", it is still unbelievable. It gives me chills and it makes me smile. For those of you who don't know, France and Paris is a dream I had since I was little and Frech was always my favourite language.

And as my sister said, when you dare to dream high enough and you fight for it, it will come true!

Will keep you updated about my experience and you are invited to visit me:

Tuesday's song!

2008-09-25T23:39:00.006+03:00

I did not forget about my promise to post a great song each Tuesday. Some "technical challenges" made it impossible for me to do it sooner.
After a great concert I witnessed in Budapest, here it goes, the best song of the week:
COLDPLAY-FIX YOU

Coldplay - Fix You
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(You can read more about the concert at:
http://www.cremeneanu.ro/scriere.php?id=56)

Oare vine iarna?

2008-09-16T21:13:00.002+03:00

Seara, frig si intuneric. Semn de toamna-iarna. Ploaia se aude in geam.
Astazi am dat drumul la incalzire in casa, sa ne dezmortim. E prima data cand o pornim in toamna asta.
Acum cateva zile, ma adopasteam de caldura si vroiam mai putin soare, mai putina caldura, mai mult vant. Acum mi-e de ajuns. Oare suntem vreodata multumiti de ce avem in prezent?

Muzica din fiecare marti!

2008-09-16T13:01:00.001+03:00

Ultimele zile au fost "imbatate" cu muzica buna. As vrea sa va transmit si voua emotia unor melodii speciale, asa ca voi recomanda in fiecare zi de marti un cantec ce mi-a placut in saptamana precedenta!

Pentru inceput, Rob Thomas - Little wonders:

Rob Thomas-Little wonders
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Cum iti sarbatoresti ziua de nastere?

2008-09-09T22:41:00.004+03:00

Nu stiu daca voi v-ati pus vreodata aceasta intrebare, dar eu anul asta m-am intrebat asta.
Ziua mea a trecut deja de o saptamana. Am avut parte de zeci de felicitari (facand o adunare, ar fi undeva pe la 60 de "la multi ani", dintre care mai mult de 30 venind din alte tari - Letonia, Egipt, Germania, Franta sunt doar cateva!). Am avut parte de tortul nelipsit (bineinteles, cu frisca), de lumanari, cantece de la multi ani de cred ca s-au adunat putin norii, dar si de iesiri neasteptate incununate cu putin vin si glume razlete!

Printre toate astea, ce inseamna o zi de nastere? De ce "ne" sarbatorim in fiecare an? Sau poate de ce in fiecare an de ziua noastra, dar si de Anul Nou ne punem obiective si juram sa le indeplinim? De ce oare insa nu le indeplinim mai mereu?

Toata lumea m-a intrebat daca mi-am facut "goal setting-ul" binemeritat de ziua mea. Ei bine, nu inca :) pentru ca a implini un nou an de viata nu coincide cu dorinta mea de a-mi planui restul vietii!!! Stiu rolul obiectivelor si chiar ma bazez pe ele, insa de ce trebuie sa faci asta chiar de ziua ta?
Eu sustin deci ca "the vision of life" se decide si se contruieste in fiecare zi prin deciziile pe care le iei si prin experientele pe care le traiesti! Iar ideea planificarii o voi lasa sa fie anuala :) 1 ianuarie e oricum o zi al noului inceput!

Totusi, revenind la intrebarea initiala, cred ca cel mai fain e sa-ti sarbatoresti ziua de nastere facand ceva ce nu ai mai facut pana atunci, ceva pentru tine! Anul asta pentru mine a fost bowling si vin pe malul raului :) ...sa vedem ce-mi aduce anul urmator!

Grey's Anatomy

2008-08-29T20:14:00.002+03:00

Just one scene from Grey's Anatomy.
Ok, maybe you have the opinion: another movie like ER; something connected with hospitals that I cannot even watch if I am not a doctor...but I would dare you to try :). What I like about it is that it has a small story and even wisdom thoughts behind each episode! And it does really keep you alert :). You can watch it on TVR1 at midnight (Monday-Friday) - for Romanians :). If not, I am sure torrent and youtube is a good option.

Ah, and yes, I am still enjoying my holidays...what is wrong with my matching process, I wonder?

Simply amazing!

2008-08-20T23:03:00.004+03:00

Muqimyar relishes Olympic place

Sprinter Robina Muqimyar does not have a qualified trainer, she has no sponsor, she comes from a country ruined by war and she grew up under hardline Islamist rulers who would not tolerate girls playing sport.

Little wonder that she stands little chance of a medal at the Beijing Olympics.
But Muqimyar, the only woman among four athletes representing Afghanistan at the Games, said she would just be happy if she could improve the 100 metres time she clocked up at Athens four years ago, 14.14 seconds.
"I'm the luckiest girl in the world to participate in two Olympic Games, and I hope to get to London," she said after a ceremony to raise the black-green-gold tricolour of Afghanistan among a sea of flags at the athletes' village.
Although Afghan society remains deeply conservative, some things have improved for women since 2001, when U.S.-led and Afghan forces ousted the Taliban rulers.
Muqimyar, dressed in a headscarf, said that most people in her country would be very proud that a female athlete was representing them in a world sports event.
Her Olympic teammates include two taekwondo competitors and a men's 100 metres runner, Masoud Azizi, a 23-year-old.

No training facilities
There is not a single proper running track in the whole country and athletes in Kabul, the capital, train at a sports stadium where the Taliban used to hold public executions.
"We have to run on concrete," said Azizi, another Athens Olympian who went to Malaysia for five months before the Beijing Games to train.
His best time in the 100 metres is 10.87 seconds.
"Under the Taliban regime it was very difficult to be an athlete but now with (President Hamid) Karzai things are better," he said.
"Afghanistan faces a huge funding crisis. At international donor meetings funds go to schools, health and construction but no one considers sports," he said.

(Thanks Dan for the article, it is really impressive: passion, hard-work and committment)

Romania is good in sports :)

2008-08-17T22:05:00.008+03:00

These days, everyone is checking the Olympics to see if his/her own country won something. Everyone or almost everyone is talking about results on TV, showing more or less criticism. As for Romanian media, I would say more criticism ...everyone expects a lot from our representatives to Beijing.

But I would say we should be proud: after 10 days of Olympics, the result for Romania is ranked on the 12th place in terms of medals won:

4 Gold medals:
Judo: 48 kg: Dumitru Alexandra
Women Gymnastics: Izbasa Sandra
Rowing: Women pair: Andrunache Georgeta, Susanu Viorica
Athletics: Women Marathon: Constantina Dita

1 Silver Medal:
Fencing: Branza Ana-Maria

3 Bronze Medals:
Fencing: Mihai Covaliu
Women's team in Gymnastics
Rowing: Women Eight

All in all, I would say that Romania is on top during these Olympics and we should not criticize them so much if they are not winning! We are between the best countries in the world and we are known in some sports! We are really good in rowing, gymastics, handball, athletics, swimming. We made history in some of these sports (the first and also last perfect 10 in Gymnastics belong to Romanians: Nadia Comaneci and Lavinia Milosevici!!!).

The only problem is that sports could be at such a high level in our country if there would be more investments made in infrastucture and also if more young people would be taken to sports by their parents! We continue to live in a country with low focus on sports in schools and with big problems of obesity which causes many illnesses!!!

Congratz for all our representatives and keeping fingers crossed for next competitions, tomorrow and until the end of the Olympics! I am proud to be Romanian and to be represented by such people to such a competition!

Blog in action day

2008-08-16T21:18:00.000+03:00

One idea on how to act :).

In the last few weeks, I followed the conflict in Georgia and was amazed by how our world is upside down! Maybe one day like this will not do wonders, but it can try! JOIN!

Romania-Latvia playing football :)

2008-08-05T16:19:00.002+03:00

Just found out that Romania is going to play a football match against..LATVIA :D.
The date: 20th of August
Location: Urziceni, Romania (great place :D. I remember the abandoned train station I passed by some years ago).

Quite funny, interesting coincidence? :)
Well, Romania defeated Latvia in handball in the winter, maybe now Latvia can be more successful?

I love these 2 countries :) my 2 countries!

Enjoying the universe of books!

2008-08-02T12:52:00.002+03:00

As lately I have been going to a library to read and enjoy the new building of our Municipal Library, I am quite much into the universe of books now. So I also found one really nice book I got as a present some years ago which says (sorry, it is in romanian:) you can use google translate :D):

"Prima lectie a iubirii consta in a nu solicita iubire, ci in a o darui. Fiti dumneavoastra cel care daruieste. De regula, oamenii fac exact invers. Chiar si atunci cand daruiesc, o fac numai cu speranta ca iubirea lor le va fi returnata. Ei nu daruiesc de bunavoie, ci doar conditionat. Ei daruiesc, dar privesc cu coada ochilor sa vada daca primesc ceva inapoi. Ei nu cunosc legea naturala de functionare a iubirii. Este suficient sa turnati, sa va revarsati, iar iubirea va veni.

Si chiar daca nu vine, nu este nevoie sa va ingrijorati, caci adevaratul indragostit stie ca a iubi inseamna a fi fericit. Daca iubirea vine inapoi, foarte bine; atunci fericirea va fi cu atat mai mare. Dar chiar daca ea nu se intoarce inapoi, actul iubirii v-a facut fericiti, de-a dreptul extatici; atunci, de ce sa mai fiti ingrijorati in legatura cu intoarcerea ei?"

I was reading one post on another blog about love so I think this fits as an excellent answer to what it means. So I just wanted to share with you great lines from a good book! Will keep on doing so as I am much into reading :)

Simple thoughts...

2008-07-28T22:35:00.002+03:00

"As vrea sa precizez acum un lucru: eu nu sunt nationalist. Evident, aceasta nu inseamna ca neg existenta natiunilor, ci doar faptul ca eu nu consider ca apartenenta la o anumita natiune iti poate determina in mod crucial existenta. Nu fac parte deci dintre acei oameni care cred in, vorbesc mai tot timpul despre radacini. Arborii au radacini, or eu am convingerea ca oamenii nu sunt arbori. Cat de departe poti sa mergi in aceasta cautare a radacinilor? Ce anume castigi cu adevarat "sapand" dupa ele? Sa ne amintim ce au spus romanii: ubi bene, ibi patria, adica patria se afla acolo unde este bine... Prin urmare, daca patria vrea sa raman , trebuie sa faca in asa fel incat sa-mi fie bine, altfel sunt pe deplin liber sa plec si sa-mi caut o alta." (Serge Moscovici, fragment preluat din interviul acordat de acesta lui Adrian Neculau si publicat de Editura Polirom in 2002).

Serge Cosmovici este un mare teoretician al psihosociologiei. A formulat cunoscute teorii precum cea a reprezentarii sociale si cea a influentei sociale. Si este...francez de cetatenie, dar de origine romana! Un mare om, un adevarat savant, un om inteligent care insa prin anii '50 a fugit de regimul comunist in Franta, la Paris, unde locuieste si acum.

M-a impresionat cartea citita, dialogul lui cu Adrian Neculau tocmai pentru ca vorbeste si despre parasirea tarii natale si inradacinarea in alt loc! M-a facut sa ma gandesc la cazul meu si la situatia din prezent. De altfel, cel putin pentru moment, sunt de acord: casa este acolo unde o faci tu sa fie :). Da, ai o origine, exista un "dat istoric" (parca asa-i zicea), insa experientele pe care le traiesti, oamenii pe care-i intalnesti te schimba si te poarta pe unde ti-e drumul, pana la urma.

Asa ca voi lasa si eu pe Dumnezeu sau soarta (cum preferati sa-i spuneti) sa-mi arate drumul :) care poate va fi departe de Romania :).

Enjoy good books!

Turning points in life :)

2008-07-22T20:04:00.005+03:00

Some great moments happened these past few days.
One of it is that my best friend since childhood got married! Anca, a friend I know since I was 10 (by my words) and since we were 3 (by her words, but I don't remember :D). Neighbors, going to the same high school, sharing lots of moments, stories, memories! I still cannot imagine that she is really married :). It seems like all our childhood is totally gone, which is true :)
Anca and Sergiu had a really nice wedding and I enjoyed mostly the religious service (the roman-catholic one). They shared their oaths and they really expressed union in front of God! They love each other very much!

All in all, a really close friend is settling down, setting her path in life and committing to one person for a lifetime! It is such a beautiful moment for them both that I wish them all the best :). I think that this moment "touched" me also a lot :) but I am still searching for my prince!

More pictures in my picassa album :) http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi

And stay tuned for news about my future, i am applying for a super cool job abroad :) I hope I'll get it, so keep fingers crossed!

2008-07-17T19:57:00.001+03:00

A really really inspiring and relaxing song!
I could listen to it for hours :) and I did!
Enjoy!

Somebody told me I should update my blog :)

2008-07-10T16:33:00.002+03:00

I have been "pushing" myself to write here for over a month now. My last post was just after I came back from Latvia, in a moment of beginning for the reintegration period. I must say reintegration was a bit strange and unexpected. Besides all the specific conclusions about my beloved country, generally proving that we are still at least 5 years behind Latvia, Slovakia or Poland, besides meeting quite a few number of people, but still dear people who stayed close to me, besides getting used to living at home again (after 5 years of being away from my parents), it was a time to relax and think about the future. I passed lots of ups and down, lots of moments of questioning, deciding and questioning again. All of you who talked to me lately know that either I am bored, or I am undecided about my future. Or maybe I start talking about Latvia too much, showing pictures and repeating how much I miss the times and people there!

I guess all these syptoms are part of reintegration and i had to go through them. In the end, it is a turning time for me as I am choosing where to start working, what field to start working in and well, it is not that easy :). Of course that a lack of orientation and career planning in school, plus the low level of my university which did not teach me much contribute a lot to this undecisiveness!!!

But after more than one month, I realise for sure that going abroad for one year makes you wanna go abroad again! It is a disease hard to cure :). I decided that I want to be finally a trainee (after working so much with the exchange program in AIESEC, I have to try it myself!). I am officially since today an Exchange participant (EP-In-RO-TM-2008-1386) and I am about to become a number for AIESEC Timisoara :).

Anyway, the update is that I am leaving Romania again to get more work experience this time. I might decide to stay abroad also for a masters and then come back to work in Timisoara or Bucharest :P.

What are your plans? :) i guess whatever you decide, the best advice is to choose whatever you thought about first and whatever your heart says it's the best!

Home, sweet home!

2008-06-05T12:03:00.002+03:00

It is 5 days already since I am back home, in Oradea, Romania. I arrived home on Saturday in the late evening or night, after changing 2 planes (Riga-Vienna and Vienna-Budapest) and driving by car with my dad and sister till home.

It was hard to leave Riga, honestly. My last evening I had a party where all my dear AIESEC people came. They all brought cool and crazy presents (will tell the story about my new T-shirt in private:D) and I found it hard to say good bye. Great emotions, cool thoughts, special thanks...I do thank you all for coming and again for being who you were this year! You have all contributed to who I am today!

We spent the night dancing and then the crazy ones stayed till the morning and we had to visit the French Bar :). Eventually, I had some 2 hours of sleep and then packed and cleaned and jumped in buses to go to the airport. This was the most difficult part (well, my luggage was about 27 kilos :)...but thanks Pasha for negotiating!
It was hard to see you 3 staying in the airport and waving at me...knowing that maybe some years will pass till I will come back to Riga. I enjoyed watching for the last time the sea and Riga from the airplane...as if I was saying good bye to such a dear place for me!

Now I am home as I said. And it feel both good, comfortable, refreshing, but also strange, different. I was thinking about how my re-integration will be and I decided to stay active and meet people, try to fastly readjust. Still, there are things I do not understand and some which surprise me! Firstly, it is hard to get used to such a hot weather! Also, the noise and crowded streets, cars that do so much noise, people who yell in buses...it is somehow too much! To this I should add the difficulty of living with parents again...it has been 5 years since I last lived at home!

All in all, I am wondering now what to do next and what to choose, a job or going in an internship with AIESEC...visiting people in Timisoara next week I hope...and doing my best to enjoy my new life! I still miss Karums, Riga, Brivibas Iela with its traffic, our small office without windows, my huge bed and great flat, meeting great people, volunteers parties, my MC team, LC people, trainees...:)

Never good bye because I will see you all again!

2008-05-22T22:46:00.003+03:00

I was thinking about this post for a while already. For the last 2 months, I was thinking about me leaving, wanting to postpone it, not believing that actually ONE YEAR "flied" so fast!

I was at the point when I did not want to leave as I felt comfortable here, then I decided that I have to move on and to accept reality :) and now I am very excited about going home, spending a great summer with my family, planning my future...

While trying to sum up what Latvia meant for me, I decided to gather pictures...then I had thoughts in my mind...so I made up a nice movie...a THANK YOU movie...but still, it does not say how much this year changed ME!

Some of the things I did here and some learnings I had:
- first time to fly by plane:)
- first time in Baltics :) and Latvia :)
- first time to live alone in a flat
- first time to speak English all day long :)
- first time to live in another country for a longer period than 2 months
- first time away from family for more than 2 months :)
- first time to work in a National Board in AIESEC and in a multicultural team
- first time to roll into the snow in February after staying in a sauna for some 2 hours
- first time to swim in the Baltic Sea
- first time to visit a lot of coutries: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Poland, Turkey (Istanbul was my favourite!)
- meeting incredible people and making friends from all around the world
- making connections that matter :)
- enjoying each moment, learning how NOT to PLAN everything! Especially free time :)
- incredible parties and weekends spent with volunteers :) and lots of sleeping on the floor, lots of beer, lots of crazy moments, lots of fun!
- enjoying culture shock and learning from it
- enjoying friendship and bonding with Alisa and Danny
- enjoying ups and downs :) and learning how it is to feel alone in a world of unknown people :)
- feeling like home in a totally new country, culture, with new language...

But in the end, I lived my year at great intensity, I enjoyed the people, the moments, the places...and I leave now home a bit more mature, a bit more confident, a bit stronger! I wish you all the challenge of being alone in the world :) it damn helps a lot!

Watch the movie for more insights on my Latvian experience. Also, almost all my pictures are uploaded in my album (http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi):

I am not saying good bye, but SEE YOU SOON Latvia!!!
Bucas and Ata!

Being GREAT!

2008-05-20T16:40:00.000+03:00

Sometimes I just enjoy posting nice things you find on the internet...
Enjoy!

Be a day starter!

2008-05-16T12:33:00.001+03:00

This week’s focus: At home

My wife, Dawn, usually wakes up before I do. Sometimes she wakes up by alarm, and other times by the gentle tugging of one of our two little girls, Eliana (5) and Ariela (4). Then around 6:30a.m., it’s my turn. This is how I wake up: Dawn hugs me and whispers good morning until I wake up. It’s a beautiful way to begin a day; I am loved awake. Dawn starts my day.

And then I continue the cycle. I step out of bed and head upstairs to my little girls’ rooms. I quietly walk into their bedrooms and wake them up with a big hug. It is one of my favorite parts of the day. I start their day.

How do you wake up in the morning? What is your first interaction of the day? What do you do and say when you first see someone in the morning?

Be A Day Starter in Your Family

If you’re not already beginning your day as warmly and positively as you can, be a Day Starter for one week: When you wake up in the morning express your love with your words and your actions.

If you normally complain right after you get up, express your love first. If you have to begin your day with a cup of coffee in the morning, do it after you have hugged and kissed everyone (And if you don’t normally hug and kiss your family, let me know what impact it has on your life when you do.). Suspend your normal wake-up habits for one week. Be a Day Starter at home.

Be A Day Starter with Your Roommates

If you live with roommates, be the first to greet everyone. Be the first to smile. Make the coffee. Offer to make their breakfast when you make yours. Demonstrate your interest in them. Start their day.

Be A Day Starter if You Live Alone

And if you live alone, call someone you care about. Email a kind note to a friend. Exercise with friends, or grab a cup of coffee with them. Start someone’s day.

Invite Your Family and Friends to Join You

And if you want your family or friends to join you on your journey, send this post along to them.

Have a great week, and let me know how it goes.

(taken from David Pollay blog, http://www.davidjpollay.typepad.com/)

Even if I live alone, I will take his advice! Thanks!

Enjoying the sun and the seaside :)

2008-05-13T17:40:00.005+03:00

I had a pretty nice and relaxing weekend in Saulkrasti (North East from Riga, very nice small city with a very very nice and lonely beach). We were saying good bye again for someone, this time Ahmet from Turkey. We enjoyed Turkish Kebab, foggy weather in the first day, football and frisby on the sand, nice talks, warm fire until 5:30 in the morning and really nice sun and warm water the next day!

I realised once more how much I enjoy sun and water! and how much I missed them!

Some pictures with the girls swimming :)

All in all, I said good bye to the Baltic Sea...until I come back!
I had a great time and I feel now totally relaxed and ready to work...even if tired :) and a bit ill :)

Now I am enjoying my time saying good bye to people, places, memories, AIESEC...and preparing for real life!

Spending Easter in Latvia with my sister and Ivan

2008-05-04T12:00:00.007+03:00

Easter, the most important celebration of Christians and so also for Orthodoxs due to its important religious significance, has always been for me and my family an important moment of the year and we usually spent it together. This year, I had no other choice but to spend it away from home, from Romania, but not alone. My sister and Ivan (her boyfriend) came to visit me in Riga. We had a wonderful time while visiting Riga and Latvia and cooking traditional Romanian food.

They arrived on Friday and were quite tired after a long trip by train and bus (they came all the way from Bratislava). We decided still to visit the city and Aurelien and Adrien joined us. We even had a tea in the famous Tea House that I enjoy a lot (btw, we plan to make our own in Romania). We had then night adventures through the forest next to my place (remember how scared I am about it...), we had to ask people in the street to give us their phone to make a phone call (the first guy was rude, but the second gave us the phone - my sister was also better in negotiating than Ivan :)....

On Saturday it was the day for cooking. We prepared mostly what we prepare at home also for Easter: we coloured eggs, we baked cozonac, we prepared chiftea, we made salata de beouf and mamaliga cu branza si smantana (sorry, don t have translations :)... All turned out pretty well, we discovered we are not bad cooks eventually :)..

In the evening, we went to the seaside. It was a very nice weather and we enjoyed the sunset. We also met all the other volunteers who were celebrating Evelyn's and Judith's birthday...(Happy birthday once more!

In the night, we went as usual to the church to receive the light for Easter. We chose the Katedrale (Russian Orthodox Church in the center of Riga). Many people, kind of the same rituals and religious service...I enjoyed diversity and the possibility to actually practice my religion in another country!

Sunday was the day of staying at home :) we had my MC team invited to lunch! They all enjoyed the food and changed their mind about me cooking (wow, Anca can cook :)...

Monday was again visiting Riga, going to Mezaparks (a nice and huge park at the end of Riga)...we made crazy pictures and had nice picnic...Tuesday we decided to go somewhere out of Riga and we chose Sigulda and Turaida castle.

All in all, they had a great time and enjoyed Riga and Latvia (I hope, I was too much trying to make it cool). But we for sure enjoyed having Easter together and respecting the traditions and cooking together. I realised once more how much I enjoy Ioana in my life and how much I need her close to me. I know for the next year we will again not be together as she is going to Ecuador for an internship and I am going...somewhere for an internship :P...but we know we will live together somewhere in the future!

As far as it concerns this weekend (a long one as Latvians are free since Thursday), I went to Auce finally to see if it really is countryside (and I decided it is not)...met lots of volunteers...enjoyed the party...and then took the bus to Dobele. Evita welcomed me in her grandmother house, showed me family spirit in Latvia, good cooking skills of her grandmother, great time in the evening with her and Gatis playing the guitar! Guys, you are my favorite Latvians :) and I enjoyed the visit to Tervete with crossing the river through the water, climbing on children wooden "toys" and getting lost in the Labirints. Muchos muchos PALDIES!!!

Enjoy more pictures in my album on picassa...I am off enjoying my last month in Latvia!!!

Coincidences :)

2008-04-22T00:20:00.003+03:00

In the past years, I realized through wondering around the AIESEC world that the world is small, coincidences happen each day and you will always meet a person who knows another person who knows another person...yes, the importance of network!

But actually what I wanted to share is different. I have this weekend experienced coincidences happening outside AIESEC :) daaa, logical...there is life outside AIESEC!

I will not tell what it is about, as it is too personal for the friend who shared with me, but I will just say that I am so impressed by the fact that the world is so small...it is absolutely incredible!

Anyway, I think this year I opened so much my eyes to the world and I discovered both that we live in a huge world and sometimes we are not aware of how different the others are doing things, but also that the world is small...if you keep it small :) and if you keep contact!

Last but not least, wanna say a huge ATTA to Alex, Kelly and Caroline. Three of the greatest volunteers i have met here in Riga. I enjoyed you girls so much, each of you for being special. Really hope to meet you again....

As everybody is leaving, i am also preparing...have my good bye's set...17 for volunteers, 30 for AIESECers :)

Happy Easter for all of you celebrating it this weekend! and wish you sun in your lives!

Wow, long time since I posted something here!

2008-04-16T23:11:00.002+03:00

It has been at least 2 weeks since I wanted to sit down and write up here. I seemed to never have enough time or the right thoughts to do it!

I wanna tell you a bit about my adventure in Lithuania. I went there for a week, to visit Vilnius and Danny and also to facilitate in the OPS track in Synergy. I was waiting for some time to decide which of the cities in the Baltics I like the most, and I stick to RIGA-TALLIN-VILNIUS (in this order). Vilnius is nice, but somehow it is nothing special :). I enjoyed the most the castle from where you can see all the city. We had very interesting weather...snow, sun, rain...al in 3 hours!

What I enjoyed the most actually was getting together with Alisa and Danny, connecting again, sharing, talking about life, speaking in Romanian again :) and noticing how much strange accent we got in our native language! It made me realise once more how much I care for them and ...well, how lost I am for my plans for the future. Thanks guys for your words of help! Hope to decide soon to fly on another continent :)

Synergy was...different :). I enjoyed analyzing my personal experience and understanding where I am in my cultural exercise :) I enjoyed working with Danny, Alisa, Egle and Elin. Really loved our teamwork! Wish you a great year as I know how interesting it will be for each of you :)

As it is for me, I have been having since then working hours, sleepless nights, parties with volunteers (crazy party in Gulbene), a wonderful Kick Off (full of memories, inspiration, dreams, challenges, worries, feelings).

I have now 45 days left from an incredible journey in Latvia. I have Easter with my sister and Ivan coming to see Riga and me, I have NPC, visiting Dobele with Evita I hope, a free weekend with my MC team I hope to say good bye, some 2 parties with other volunteers, good bye parties (on 17th with volunteers and on 30th with AIESEC people)....

I never thought Latvia would be a home for me :) and that it would be so hard to leave!

But now I am focusing my mind on the future and what I am doing next...so searching for an internship! I wanna fly on another continent..so if you have suggestions, shoot!

Enjoy spring and check pictures from my trips in my album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi

Travelling around Latvia :)

2008-03-24T13:32:00.002+02:00

I am sitting in the Orange Bar in Old Riga. Really nice place. I am waiting for the bus to Vilnius to leave in some 1 hour and a half. Finally leaving as I was supposed to leave yesterday but I missed the bus :) Bad connections from the middle of nowhere to come back to Riga :).

But I had a very cool weekend...and adventurous I would say...
We went on a trip in the South East of Latvia, visiting mainly Jekabpils, Daugavpils and Rezekne. Latgale is the name of the region actually. The group was small, me and 4 guys :) Aurelien, Guilamme, Adrien and Patrick. It was so much fun :)....

In Jekabpils, we visited the city center :) of course, some small streets, the bank of Daugava and some church we found in the way. Then we had tea and coffee in a very cheap and also nice pub in the center of the "city" :). In the evening, we were hosted by Marine, a French volunteer. We were cooking and playing cards and having fun and it all ended up with sleeping ...on the floor :D as there were only 2 beds in the flat, where "owners" were sleeping. What was worst is that in the morning the Turkish volunteers came back from the disco making lots of noise..it was terrible...

So after not much sleep and a singing breakfast (listening to music from our origin countries - they liked Iris and Vama Veche :P)...we ran for the bus to Daugavpils. After we walked half of town and had many many snow fights and my shoes started getting wet :D, we managed to get in the crowded bus where I continued my reading of Dracula :D ... (I am enjoying the book so much... ).

In Daugavpils we had Ilona (LCP elect of Riga :D) as a guide. She showed us some main attractions from the city. It is the second biggest city in Latvia and mostly inhabited by Russians :D (around 80%). It is kind of nice :)...

Hasty decision took me to Rezekne afterwards, to some improvised party organised by Giovanni, Italian volunteer. We arrived there and we went into such a nice pub with all these things you sell for tourists, but traditional Latvian:). We spent around 3 hours there waiting for other people to come, but we enjoyed hot wine and the nice atmosphere...

When we finally gathered, we went to the hostel. And here the adventure started, as the guard did not want to let us in. When she finally let us in, she decided that we cannot sleep there and we have to go away at 11. So we went out to this nice place where we played bowling...my first time :D. And I was not that bad :D. I had so much fun!....

But we had to sleep somewhere so we decided that we are getting in the hostel on the window :D so we did, but at around 5 the guard woke up and came into the rooms and started yelling that we have to go out and she even called the police :D....That is why I said adventure :D. When she came with the police, of course that Angelika did not open the door, but yeah it was frightening :D...

Hope they will not have many problems now...

We were back in Riga after a long 5 hours trip and as the bus to Riga was too late for me to catch the bus to Vilnius at 18:45, I missed it :(...But I got some rest and some good sleep at least...

Now leaving for a week in Vilnius to meet Danny and Alisa and then from Friday I am a faci in Synergy :D for the OPS track. I will enjoy it a lot!

What I got out of this weekend was not only having fun and visiting places, but meeting new people and getting to know Latvia behind only Riga and people in Riga. I got to know and see small cities, how people act and how life is in these cities...I enjoyed it a lot!

Thanks my dear Auri :)

Till the next adventure, enjoy snowing spring!

For the crazy ones :)

2008-03-18T20:38:00.000+02:00

Cleaning-up Riga

2008-03-17T22:49:00.003+02:00

This weekend was really amazing. I felt like I can do again something for the environment I am leaving in.

Maggie, German volunteer in Riga, initiated the project concerning Cleaning-up Riga!
So we gathered around 12 volunteers and some Latvians (small number I would say) to clean up a region of the capital city :). Maggie chose for this the bank of Daugava, the river crossing through the city. it was really awful view and we did a great job I think! We collected 50 bags of rubbish and we left a much cleaner place to walk on.

For me, this is not the first experience of working with cleaning the environment but it is the first one I do abroad. So it was very cool to see that volunteers from France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and Romania :) caring for the city of Riga, not our country at all. I wish only we could have made this more public so more people join us. Otherwise, I feel that Latvians do not care so much, or at least the ones we asked :)...

You can see some pictures below and more in my album!
Hope to make this public, trying to put it now in some newspapers!

Enjoy clean environment and don't trow away rubbish!

Uploaded new pictures!

2008-03-14T11:50:00.002+02:00

You can find most of the pictures from my last 9 months in Latvia at the following link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi

If the world was made of 100 people

2008-03-13T13:43:00.001+02:00

I guess we have heard about this comparison lots of times, but are we doing something?

When does it end, when does it start again?

2008-03-10T16:55:00.002+02:00

I was wondering if in life one of the hardest part is to let go...To let go people, to let go things you have worked at and put passion in, to let go places, to let go memories...

I have experiences in the last years many moments like these ones. I had to let go my parents, hometown, friends when moving to Timisoara for university. I had to let go then my LC where I was working so much, where I was building ideas and mostly friends. I had to leave it for the next people to come, with their ideas. I had to let go family and friends again when coming to Latvia. I was moving from home for one year, to a different country, different language, different people I did not know at all! I did this also and everything was fine, I survived!

But now I have to let go love. I know that I have to let it go forever. I know I have to let him go forever. It might come back, but under another face. A better one maybe, a different one for sure! I am saying good bye to you, my love, may life treat you well!

And after all this will pass, I will have to let go also to Latvia. My host country for a year. My home, lovely friends, lots of heart and effort put in, lots of unslept nights, lots of stress and worries. Everything will become past in 3 months! Only 3 months or even less. I am leaving Latvia at the end of May! Time passed so fast and now, more than before, I feel I don't wanna leave. yes, I miss home, I miss my folks, but somehow I love Latvia for its unique experience it gave to me!

So this is me now, learning to let go again...what is next?

Silence, I kill you :)

2008-03-06T00:26:00.000+02:00

I totally like it and I enjoyed it. I hope you will also :)

The earth in miniature

2008-03-04T17:41:00.000+02:00

Are we really doing something against it each day?

Updates from my life currently

2008-03-01T22:32:00.010+02:00

Still in Riga. Have still 3 more months to live here and finish my MC term. Enjoying a very very small start of Spring in Latvia:). Enjoying my MC team a lot. Enjoying Latvian lessons with Jana and weekends spent at her place.

But what have I been doing lately?

- today I participated in LC Riga legislative meeting (they have voted their first compendium :)..and selected a new LCP. Congratz Ilona:) it will be challenging, but beautiful:).

- had a great EVS mid-term training, had loads of fun and relaxing time while getting to know new people. Had fun on Hungarian-Romanian relations and how people mistake Bucharest with Budapest :). Also realised how cool project I am involved in and how cool AIESEC is :P. And decided to work on my Latvian:) that is why I am taking lessons with Jana.:P
Pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.lv/okisLV/20080218Evs

- spent weekends at Jana's place. Feel like home. Her family is very nice and welcoming. The house is on the shore of a lake:P and they have sauna.

-BTW, got into the snow just after sauna. Yes, me; I rolled in the snow just in my swimming suit :) after some 1 hour spent in the sauna. Another first time in life happening in Latvia :)

- getting ready for the future :P well, thinking too much lately on what to do when I am back in Romania. Well, so now I am just taking things easy and decided to see when I get there :D

-Love my MC team; I totally enjoy spending time with them. will miss Latvia and them :( and Karums :(

- had a cool Valentine's Day with Jana, Evita, Lelde and Laura. We had fun watching stupid american movies and eating ice-cream :). You can see pictures on my web album, http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi.

This is me now :P Don't get confused by the rose :)

NatCon 2008

2008-02-10T21:48:00.000+02:00

A week has already passed since NatCon ended. It was the National Conference of Latvia organised by IG Ventspils in Liepene, a camping site in the middle of the nature and 200 meters away from the sea.

The conference was a wow...turning point for us as AIESECers, big learning for me as conference manager, new start for many people and for our MC.

I will not post about what we did there or what was the content or who was there, but I want to post why creating NatCon was special for me.

NatCon was for my term one of the moments when I knew I want to put my fingerprint. I started working some time ago for it, had troubles with finding international facis and even my initial chair gave up the job. The OC had troubles finding a venue with sleeping places :), a normal house, but they managed; they had some issues with raising food and internet; they still managed (even if we ate potatoes for all 4 days :)). They were awesome!

With all the problems we had, we managed. And in the end, it all turned out how I dreamt it! Everybody enjoyed the conference, the externals, the international facis,the inspiration they got, the knowledge they got, the fun they had.

I had the best chair ever, Vish, he is now since yesterday MCPe in Belgium :P. I had the greatest facis, from 5 countries in total (latvia, lithuania, russia, turkey, romania). They put so much effort in understanding the reality and for sharing with the delegates. Thank you all so much!

When I was pouring water in the Closing Plenary for the special moments in my life, I left it pour a lot for NatCon...because it was such an enriching experience for me that I had to express it! It was a shaking moment I will never forget :).

Thank you dear MC for giving me the chance to experience this and for your support1 Could not have made it without you!

In the end, why I am extremely happy for NatCon is because it was different than anyone expected it! I managed to make something different for AIESEC Latvia. Finally they saw that national conferences can be useful for them and they can gain a lot from them. I am happy also because all the things there had my vision and my fingerprint and were made how I pictured them :).

All in all, it was very very cool :)

You can see pictures to convince yourself on my web album: http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi.

Wish you meaningful moments in life!

Love my MC team!

2008-01-28T23:04:00.000+02:00

It has been too long time since I have not posted anything here and I feel now it is the right moment!

I have had one of the best weekends in Latvia till now. We had GA and MCP elections, where we elected the future President for Latvia, the ....new Karina:), I mean the current MCP who ran for the second time in order to assure continuity and to give more to the country. Wish you a great term ahead!

Then, we had the coolest team days :) We went to billiards, then dancing :P and then we came to our flat and ....well, had some drinks, not allowed to say more! We just enjoyed the wine and palinca I brought from home! We had fun till around 6 in the morning and we hope that the owners will not kick us out after all this!

The second day, after waking up at 14:00, we went to Karinciks to eat wafels with icecream! We were kind of sleepy and tired, but we watched a movie and had fun of the last evening.

Totally great anyways! Had the best fun and laughed so much!

Now NatCon in in front of us and me as conference manager, so I will try to manage it as good as I plan it so keep fingers crossed!

I am in love....with Iris!

2007-12-27T18:17:00.000+02:00

Finally back in Romania for holidays!

2007-12-23T21:14:00.000+02:00

First time to write after getting back home, in Romania. I am here for 3 weeks for my winter holidays!

I arrived a week ago, in Budapest, in the airport. My parents were waiting for me. I was home last time in July, so they missed me a lot :). After hugging me a lot and asking me how I am and so on, we finally took the car heading towards Oradea, my hometown. It was great to see again the place where I grew up and to hear all the people speaking an understandable language :).

What is strange a little bit...well, I was waiting for someone to sell me the ticket in the bus, then to separate the garbage as we do it in our MC flat, to have bearable trips with the car without jumping all the time because of the stupid roads...and some others:)

Mostly, Romania is not very different from what I left here in June...the same city, the same traffic, the same roads being built all the time, the same smell of pollution :), the same Christmas decorations and all in all, the same city!

What I discovered is in the end that I don't need any thoughts or preparation to come back home, as initially I was thinking a lot how will I adapt...but everything is almost the same! (ah, they modernized the train station...that was the only wow )....

It is still hard to come back, even if to visit...everybody you know is just somewhere where you cannot reach or handling his/her own business...everybody goes on with his/her life :) but this is all about life right? But then, who really matters in life?

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and good luck when reviewing the year that ends!

Apply for MC in Latvia!

2007-12-12T15:46:00.000+02:00

And you will never regret it!

Finally my pictures are online!

2007-12-06T00:29:00.000+02:00

If you wanna check how I am, look and feel, check my pictures album online:

http://picasaweb.google.com/anca.silaghi

I will keep it updated!

La multi ani Romania!

2007-12-01T13:19:00.000+02:00

Acest post va fi in romana caci..he...este despre Romania!

La multi ani Romania! Astazi, de ziua nationala a Romaniei, parca toti ne mandrim mai mult ca suntem romani.

Putina istorie: sarbatorim astazi unirea Transilvaniei cu Moldova si Tara Romaneasca. Evenimentul s-a intamplat in frumosul oras Alba Iulia, unde romani din toate partile tarii s-au strans pentru a declara unirea.

" Marea Unire din 1918 a fost şi rămâne pagina cea mai sublimă a istoriei româneşti. Măreţia ei stă în faptul că desăvârşirea unităţii naţionale nu este opera nici unui om politic, a nici unui guvern, a nici unui partid; este fapta istorică a întregii naţiuni române, realizată într-un elan ţâşnit cu putere din străfundurile conştiinţei unităţii neamului, un elan controlat de fruntaşii politici, pentru a-l călăuzi cu inteligenţă politică remarcabilă spre ţelul dorit."

Dar asta e numai istorie...de fapt, ce simt romanii despre tara lor? Sunt ei mandri de ea? Suntem noi ambasadorii tarii si promovam noi ce e bun si tare numai la noi in tara? Imi pun intrebarea asta de la OPS incoace si de la discutiile pe care le aud in media. Opiniile exprimate acolo sunt diverse, dar multe pun raul in fata mereu.

Draga natiune si drag popor, oriunde ati fi veti fi tot romani! Veti fi parte tot din cea mai frumoasa tara, cu o natura minunata, cu oameni incredibili care au oferit artei si culturii, cu perspective cu adevarat mari pentru viitor!

Tot ce trebuie sa tineti minte este ca FIECARE dintre noi facem ROMANIA ceea ce este!
Putem sa stam si sa ne plangem ani de zile si nimic nu se va schimba daca noi nu avem initiativa de a schimba ceva in tara asta! Avem insa 2 optiuni: fie plecam din tara si ne dam batuti si invinsi, fie luptam si schimbam ceva. Eu cred cu tarie ca daca esti desptept si ai putina initiativa, reusesti sa traiesti bine si in Romania!

Eu iubesc Romania si sunt mandra ca sunt romanca! Nu mi-a trebuit sa plec din tara ca sa simt asta, o stiam si inainte...acum simtamantul e insa si mai puternic.

Pentru cei care se indoiesc de ce inseamna tara noastra:

Wondering about my future?

2007-12-01T00:29:00.000+02:00

I am drawing where I would like to go next year...wanna guess?

Facis in Highway!

2007-11-30T22:49:00.000+02:00

Faci roll-call!

And me and Ivan...had to help him:P

Had lots of fun! Ah, and we were so random because we practiced it only for 10 minutes before :)

First OPS in AIESEC Latvia!

2007-11-27T12:41:00.000+02:00

The weekend brought me the first possibility to be the agenda manager of a conference. We organised Outgoing Preparation Seminar for all the members and students who want to leave in Exchange.

Even if the number of people coming to the conference was rather small and unexpected, I believe that all the delegates had a cool experience while talking about why to go in an internship, what are the benefits, what other stories say about an exchange and how to prepare. We had the interns invited and we had a very nice evening of sharing where we discovered each how good ambassadors we are and how much we love our countries.

Sharing some pictures now with you:

Sharing with trainees in the Tea House

Talking about what is unique in Latvia with trainees

Energizers :)

Thank you Danny for chairing the conference!

All in all, it was very interesting to discuss topics like culture, culture shock, cultural differences. We made simulations and we set goals for our internships, and in the end each of us draw where she will go in an internship.

Actually, do you know that culture shock is not the reaction you might have when you see a cultural difference? So, if you see something in that country that is different to your culture and your expectations and this surprises you or even shocks you, this does not mean that you have a culture shock! A culture shock is a state of mind when you start challenging your being there and the culture you are in. You start questioning your existence and your future plans. It is a deep self-reflection period and it can be used positively in order to plan your next years:).

Inviting you to discover more about culture and yourself!

Spaga - afecteaza atat de mult societatea romaneasca!

2007-11-23T00:00:00.000+02:00

Va invit sa vizitati:
http://www.primaspaga.ro/index.php

E un site foarte misto care spune multe despre problemele Romaniei.

Si mai jos un clip, sugestiv:

Highway to Slovakia!

2007-11-20T16:21:00.001+02:00

Yes, it was long way to Slovakia..not on the highway but going to Highway:) the conference.

I attended the national conference last week in Slovakia.
Venue: 3 stars hotel in High Tatras, an amazing view of the mountains and surrounded by snow all around.

Getting there...well, some 2 days of travelling (including the stay in Warsaw for waiting the train).
Lots of missunderstandings with the tickets...lots of worries and unslept nights...but it was all worth it:).

The conference had around 230 delegates. I was a faci at the oldies agenda and we had around 80 oldies present. We were only working in hoemgroups and I had the best one! We were called Mumuland, the most optimistic and energetic people in the conference. We were joyful and always happy, we had the best team spirit ever and we were the loudest there:).

The conference objective was motivation for leadership and self-reflection for each individual. We had interesting sessions addressing their values and vision. It was more than inspiring even for us, the faci team. It was hard and challenging, we barely had breaks and we were all the time there, with 11 other individuals waiting for our reactions and comments. We had outdoor activities in the snow for some hours and we were totally freezing but it was more than fun!

What I learnt is that people matter:) and that if you open your heart, people around can inspire you very much! My dear Mumu team, you inspired me so much through your feelings and deep thoughts! I loved every minute spent with you and I hope to meet again!

I hope our Mumu spirit will continue surviving!
And thank you AIESEC Slovakia, you are great!

Until next time, enjoy winter!
Anca

PS: Bratislava is nice, even if a small little capital!

First visit in Ventspils!

2007-11-09T00:47:00.001+02:00

Finally, I got to visit Ventspils. Second LC in Latvia, actually still an IG.
The city is a harbour at the Baltic Sea. A nice small city of 10 000 inhabitants. Nice university, close to the sea, nice and welcoming people, a new perspective on AIESEC there...this is what I experienced.

The city itself is not as small and not interesting as people described it for me. I actually liked it.
The people are very nice, they thank you and greet you, the streets are the ones from small towns, the sea is so close! For me it is totally unusual to go to the sea in the middle of autumn and to get there in 10 minutes! Well, I guess it is because I leave at 16 hours by train to the Black Sea in Romania.

I also got some new extra activities in my portofolio..I went to a basketball game. It was so cool to see the energy, joy and frustration on the supporters faces, to observe teamwork in the players and to decide once more that sports should be a part of our daily life not only because it keeps you fit, but it refreshes your all activities. Thank you Lasma for taking me there and taking so good care of me!

In general, I liked the visit and I also got some results that I hope AIESEC Ventspils will capitalize on! Inviting you to read more about the city at www.ventspils.lv.

Hugs from the MC flat...

Snowing for the first time this winter....and adventures with going out:)

2007-11-04T22:19:00.000+02:00

Remember the days when you wake up and see everything white around you? You look outside and you see an unbelievable white scenery...
That is how I felt yesterday morning.
It was snowing in Latvia for the first time this year...I mean, this winter:).

I had that positive feeling that I am a child again and will go out to play in the snow...so I decided to go outside as soon as possible...so, after having some talks with my dear parents and with my grandfather, I jumped outside to taste the snow :).
Ok, it was melting...so not so nice...but still, I enjoyed the view of the forest next to our flat being dressed in white...

Then I called Marcio, out trainee...his first time to see snow (he is Brazilian)...he was more than excited...imagine, he had so many first times here...:) loving exchange for that..

For the day to be complete, we went out in the evening to dance...we went in such a nice club with nice music. At the beginning, not so many people joined so me and Karina started the dance...but then everybody kind of collapsed there. It was very nice to feel the energy of dancing again, I remembered how much I love dancing. And I also remembered to look after guys..well, you can say that Riga is not so bad...saw and admired some good-looking guys:).

But there is one more thing I should learn...Anca, don't become a workaholic!

Until next time, enjoy!

Energy 2007 - best conference ever!

2007-10-23T22:12:00.000+03:00

October 2007 - after Energy 2007.

Energy is a Baltic AIESEC conference. This year it happened in Estonia, Tartu. Around 200 delegates, 13 facis, 1 very nice chair and 7 OC members. 2 days of pre-meeting and 3 days of conference. Venue - a school:). Interesting to sleep on the floor:)

Actually, the best conference I had for some time...
I rediscovered some parts of me that I was hiding for a while...I rediscovered how crazy I can be and how much I appreciate friendship and teamwork. I discovered that if you are not satisfied with your life you can change it!

I realized how much I appreciate people around me!
I realized that I need motivation to move on...and that I want to move on and reach higher!
The faci team was absolutely great. We were so diverse and also not knowing each other before . Still we made a great team and everything worked well. We had some missunderstandings and some miss communication, but it turned out well in the end.
I learned how to handle stress, how to challenge myself (I had my first plenary session in front of 200 people), how to manage emotions in difficult times, how to adapt to people.
The only thing that I missed was the possibility to connect more with my country. I wish I spoke more to my dear Latvians. But time is not my enemy yet:P

I wish you all such an experience...I enjoyed it...Come to the Baltics!

Love you all my dear facis, delegates, chair:) and OC.

A happy and sunny person today!

Cute love quotes...ce sa-i faci daca sunt fluffy:)

2007-10-15T01:52:00.000+03:00

Cum mai e viata mea...

2007-10-14T01:14:00.000+03:00

Am implinit deja adevarata varsta de 4 luni de cand sunt in Letonia. Mai exact Riga. Capitala aglomerata locuita de 800.000 de locuitori.
Am aceeasi slujba: parte din MC-ul Letoniei. Arie: tot Exchange!
Deja e octombrie. Ca si orice "an de AIESEC", toamna este foarte aglomerata. Recrutare...planuri de realizat....conferinte...intalniri "la nivel inalt"....

Dar postul asta nu este despre munca...sau despre planuri..sau despre realizari...
Este despre mine.

Imi place sa cred ca traiesc o experienta frumoasa inca. Are multe hopuri ca si orice experienta. Sincer, cred ca ma bazam mai mult sa traiesc diferente culturale si sa ma absorb intr-o noua cultura. Insa cred ca experienta ce ma surprinde si consuma cel mai mult este cea de echipa. Poate ca eu aveam o impresie gresita despre culturalitate...ma gandeam mult la limba..cladiri..obiecte...nu asa mult la oameni..Cel mai bine descoperi o cultura prin oamenii din ea. Si asta fac eu acum. Descopar diferentele dintre colegii mei de echipa..Un polonez incapatanat. Si atotstiutor:). Restul de "nativi" sunt impartiti in rusi si letoni. Unii cu mare influenta rusa. Bineinteles ca pt mine este mai mult decat ciudat sa i aud cum zic ca ei sunt rusi, dar locuiesc in Letonia! Stau aici, s-au nascut aici, si se numesc rusi! Si sunt vreo 50 %! Da de unde identitate nationala? As zice plafonare...
In fine. Ziceam despre cultura. Toata lumea ma intreaba daca e diferit. Pai, este! Dar nu incredibil de diferit. E tot Europa de Est, cu influenta foarte mare rusa. Cu acelasi ritm incet de crestere. Cu aceeasi mentalitate putin inchisa...Ei, hai sa fiu sincera ca sunt putin mai dezvoltati ca si noi.

Cam asta e tara in care traiesc...pe foarte scurt.
Doar vremea ma omoara...ploaie si ploaie...atat stie cerul aici! Si un vant incredibil.

Ce am mai facut iesit din comun: o vizita scurta in Vilnius, capitala Lituaniei. Oras frumos, ingrijit. Putin mai elegant ca si Riga.

Ce planuri de viitor am? Pai, peste cateva zile plec in Estonia sa fiu faci la Energy. raman cam o saptamane si am chiar si 2 zile libere. Iar noiembrie ma duce in Slovacia, Bratislava si Muntii Tatra...vizitand o surioara draga...

Da, o experienta interesanta. Trebuie insa sa aduca mai mult echilibru in ea. Prea ma muncesc...iar AIESEC Letonia nu a platit ca eu sa ma omor de munca...:) Mai mult echilibru...

Till next time,
Enjoy the sun!

PS: O sa ne vedem mai des caci tehnologia mi-a adus in dar un dragut de laptop care ma face sa fiu mai prezenta...

Emotions...how much do we express them?

2007-10-14T01:10:00.000+03:00

2007-10-08T18:46:00.000+03:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Ce zona frumoasa!

2007-09-23T17:41:00.000+03:00

Uau...ce zona frumoasa e cea in care locuiesc acum. La cam 20 de minute de mers pe jos, e un lac micut si un parc. Toata lumea iese la picnic acolo, dar are mai multa grija de natura ca si acasa la noi...In general, de ce imi place de letoni este pentru ca au un mare respect pentru natura si pastreaza totul foarte natural. Come on, am padure la 5 minute de bloc! Si nu parc, ci padure. Totul e linistit, lumea se relaxeaza cu familia...Cateodata ma simt ca si pe Meziadului Street :)

Asta da duminica!

Merg sa gatesc:)si sa-mi mai pun ordine in ganduri...vreau sa mi stabilesc termen pana cand ma decid ce fac cu viata mea :)

Enjoy every minute!

2007-09-23T01:48:00.000+03:00

Cat de multe lucruri nu le luam de-a gata..sau le gandim prea putin. cat de multe decizii gresite luam...sau poate ca sunt intr-adevar doar niste lectii si acestea...
De cate ori nu ne intrebam ce ne aduce viitorul...ce sa alegem...ce e mai BUN pentru MINE!

Foarte inspiring....:

Bestial!!! Sa radem sau sa plangem?

2007-09-23T01:38:00.000+03:00

My new home...

2007-09-12T14:27:00.000+03:00

And the moment came...we moved into our new MC flat!

So nice and peaceful neighboorhood ...
Close to some lakes and to the woods.. (for me it is still strange...).
3 rooms, nice bathroom(we are renting the shower, 10 Turkish lira for 10 minutes shower), small nice kitchen...but all in all, everything we need. Thanks Julie, our dear teammate and my personal buddy for fingding it:)

So, write down when you want to send postcards :
Celmu Iela 10-24, Riga!
And the phone number (as everybody was confused on my birthday:):
+37129775145.

Waiting for your visit in Riga, Latvia!
I have where to host you!

My birthday...turning 23..

2007-09-09T15:47:00.000+03:00

23 de ani...cam atat am implinit acum o saptamana, pe 2 septembrie. Am petrecut ziua cu noii mei prieteni, echipa de MC. Dupa o plimbare binemeritata prin oras si multe ganduri despre ce inseamna varsta asta si ce am invatat pana acum, am mers in Opium unde am sarbatorit cum se cuvine. Seara insa mi-a adus surpriza unui tort si a unor daruri reprezentand manusi si fular pentru iarna. Multumesc Cute Team!

All in all, chiar daca am fost singura si ai mei nu mi-au fost aproape (erau cu Ioana in Bratislava), am reusit sa ma simt bine eu cu mine, eu cu gandurile mele, eu cu noii mei prieteni.

No pictures yet:(

Pictures from IC!

2007-09-09T15:33:00.001+03:00

Here are some pictures with my dear romanians from IC:

All romanians in IC and You Can...We were so many....38 in IC only:) and You Can delegation was amazing...

With Gabitza, PAI for this year, but romanian:)

Timisoara-i municipiu!...Miss U my dear LC!

Wish you millions of ICs or at least one!

2007-09-09T15:33:00.000+03:00

But IC is over....now back to reality!

2007-09-01T12:24:00.000+03:00

Sometimes you loose the track of time and you find yourself lost in the world. It happened to me and I think everyone at IC. Two marvelous weeks passed so fast and I woke up back in Riga and back to reality.

Actually, what I got out with after this IC was not only the agenda, sessions , getting to know the global reality and the global innitiatives, but mostly meeting PEOPLE. You had there another 649 persons with the same goals and aspirations as you. And this is incredible. Also, I had there other 35 romanians, one of them being my sister and others being my friends from university. We had a romanian gathering and we invited Gabitza. What is actually our role for this year? How are we going to grow our countries? I discovered that I started to feel more and more a part of Latvia and that I am proud to represent it in the world:).

But I also got ambitious. I am changing a lot of my plans, improving them, and mostly making AIESEC Latvia move further. We work now at low capacity and we can do MORE.

This was IC. An adventure for 2 weeks that can hardly be put in one post. But that will stay in my heart. Who knows where will I go further? And what future has in steak for me?

Now I am waiting for tomorrow ....I am turning 23...I am rediscovering what this point in my life gets for me...and I am trying to be happy even if I am faraway from my parents and my close friends...

Happy birthday Anca!

IC 2007 in Turkey! Again me!

2007-08-23T21:16:00.000+03:00

Salutare Salutare!

Coming back with more news from IC. I was thinking that I should start writing some ideas and mostly feelings because this is unique experience for me.
We had until now all sorts of sessions and discussions, there has been a lot of networking and sharing. But mostly I think what is special for each IC is diversity and energy. I finally got to meet people from Tanzania, Rwanda, Peru, South Africa, Pakistan, Kyrghistan, Taijikistan.....
It is amazing! Can you imagine sitting in one room with other 650 delegates and 100 countries and territories? can you imagine each Growth Network trying to show that their shout is the best and the loudest?

We had already Global Village and I gathered many stories of countries all around the world. We had an official opening where the Mayor and other externals were invited to talk about the importance of AIESEC in the world.

We met the new AI. We talked to partners. We got in touch with the global perspctives and innitiatives.

We had presents from companies:).

We represent Latvia and we sing each morning our shout:
Ram tai Ram tai Radi Ridi Ridi, Ram tai Ridi LATVIA!

I met friends, I met people I knew from the start of my years in AIESEC, I got inspired, I started missing home and thn started creating a network.

Your Latvian friend.....

First words from IC!

2007-08-20T13:50:00.000+03:00

Hello,

In the last 3 day I have been attending the IC in Turkey. The feeling is amazing. We are here only 300 people but we will be 700 starting from tomorrow. Everybody is shouting and promoting their GN.

But amazing for me wa meeting all my old friends. Romania has I guess the biggest delegation in IC. We are more than 30 people spread around the world. Even the PAI is romanian :P. My LC Timisoara is also top of list, as we are 6 people in IC:Victor from MC Russia, Bella from MC Italy, Mishu LCP in Timisoara, Mada MC Romania and me..in Latvia...
We have also people in Slovakia (my sister:), Kyrghistan, Austria, Macedonia, Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, ...and the list can go on...actually, if you want to gossip, don t speak in romanian, for sure somebody will hear you!

So now I am going for lunch and I will come back with more news.
Tomorrow craziness starts!yuuuuhuu

Istanbul...just amazing....

2007-08-17T23:42:00.000+03:00

I wanted to post my feelıngs towards Istanbul startıng wıth yesterday...but somehow tıredness got ınto my way.

I arrıved ın Turkey yesterday morning, at 09,20, at Attaturk aırport, along wıth all the delegatıons from Baltıc countrıes. After a hard day and nıght of packıng and sleeping only half an hour, I fırst steped ın turkısh aırport and then somethıng sımılar caught my eyes:everybody around was smokıng...well, ıt ıs the same ın Romanıa, but ın Latvıa I already got used that all pubs and cafes are wıthout any trace of cıgar smoke...

We had a very long trıp to the venue of IC, a huge Unıversıty center wıth parks and forest around. And a lot of dogs...agaın sımılarıtıes wıth my home country....Actually, what was amazıng was that ıt was my fırst tıme ın Asıa...Istanbul ıs sıtuated on 2 contınents (Europe and Asıa) and goıng to the venue we had to cross Bosfor and get to the Asıan part of the cıty. I enjoyed the ferry trıp so much because ıt offers amazıng vıews of mosques, brıdges, hılls, houses, ın one word:Istanbul!

Leavıng luggage there, we decıded to run towards sıghtseeıng. How? By taxı because out guıde was ın a very bıg hurry. So I experıenced taxıs ın Istanbul:cars goıng lıke crazy all around, the drıver changıng sıdes and gears and goıng wıth 90 km ınsıde the cıty, so preety crazy. In Istanbul, all cars go crazy and I am really afraıd to cross the streets sometımes because you really can get an accıdent ....yes, Tımısoara ıs lıke a lıttle chıld comparıng to Istanbul, but Bucharest ıs gettıng closer...

Our fırst walk ın Instanbul started...we fırst walked ın the Asıan part on the streets, had Kebab ın a restaurant, along wıth Turkısh coffee. It was so cool how the waıters were so kınd and nıce..All streets were crowded wıth shops ın open aır and people tryıng to sell you anythıng! Then we walked by ferry agaın and then we got to Taksım, center of Istanbul, where a crowd of cars and busses merge and where a long and crowded street starts. I never saw ın my lıfe so many people on one street. What ıs amazıng about Turkey and Istanbul ıs the energy, the pulse, the huge amount of movements ın the street (well, 17 mıllıon people lıveın Istanbul so...).

Lots of shops, cafes, stoppıng for boys to smoke Nargılea ...(there are doıng ıt rıght now also on the balcony of our guest whıle playıng some games - table ın romanıan). Gırls havıng coffee or fruıt juıce...enjoyıng the energy of the cıty...In the evenıng, thanks to our dear guests, we had Turkısh tea and fruıts for dınner...and a well deserved sleep...

Today we started the walk agaın...of course, goıng to famous places that our guests advısed us to go. We started ın the early mornıng wıth Grand Bazzar, a market kept ın our days for tourısts as there are pretty expensıve stuff also. there are long streets of tables wıth produtcts, tradıtıonal or not. Agaın, everybody wants to sell you somethıng. They are so ınsıstent that somehow I dıdn t lıke ıt so much. And the rule ıs that you need to bargaın for what you buy. They usually start from the double prıce. What I bought :)...earıngs, a beatıful scarf and a nıce blouse and some souvenırs. It was nıce, but once more I decıded that I don,t lıke sales and bargaınıng.

Movıng to more cultural and spırıtual places, we fınally vısıted the Mosquesand the museum of Haıga Sofıa. We were fırst at Blue Mosques. I wanted to enter ıt but ıt was prayer tıme. There were lots of people stadıng ın front and just prayıng. And asıde...tourısts...Another amazıng part of Istanbul ıs the fact that ın the mornıng you can be awakened by the sound of prayers from the Mosques. It ıs so loud that many tımes a day you can get surprısed by the same sound of a man sıngıng. I dıscovered once more that I am passıoanate about relıgıon...

Haıga Sofıa, now a museum after beıng a chourch ın Roman tımes and then a Mosque ın Sultan tımes, was also an amazıng hıstorıc place to vısıt. I got to see mozaıcs and paıtıngs from 9th century!

Afternoon was calm and just reserved a walk for us. We were very tıred and stopped to eat and drınk coffee. ıt had been an amazıng day...Evenıng brought a short meetıng wıth my sıster, Ioana (she ıs also joınıng IC as MC member of Slovakıa) and a present from her (candıes from Harrods). I was very happy to see her as I have,t seen her for some months now.

Now we are back ın our guests house. We are stayıng at Evren and Erdı, two nıce twın brothers workıng ın AIESEC Istanbul (and also ın the CC for IC). thank you very much guys for all the trouble for us and for hostıng us! You are always welcomed ın our countrıes!

In the end, what ıs specıfıc about Istanbul ıs : a lot of possıbılıtıes to travel (bus, tram, metro, funnıcular, ferry...car:), there are no garbage bıns on the streets (for securıty reasons), people are kınd and nıce when you enter shops or cafees, ıce-cream lıke a rubber - served by a crazy guy who throws ıt ın the aır, Kebab and Turkısh strong coffee, ferrıes goıng randomly on Bosfor, sound from Mosques ın the very mornıng, huge cıty wıth mıllıons of people just steppıng eachother...

In one word, really amazıng!
I am enjoyıng so much that I am thınkıng that I need to see more from Turkey...

Tomorrow IC starts...another experıence...meetıng old frıends...energy...network...passıon...crazıness...

Cannot waıt,

Keepıng you updated!