2094 days of Experience

Yesterday, 2094 days passed since I joined AIESEC, the world's largest student-run organization with great vision. Capturing all that 6 years, I'm gretful for every minute I had the opportunity to act and learn here.
Thank you AIESEC for being here for more than 60 years already!
Thank you AIESEC Slovakia for giving me the opportunity to make us grow!
Thank you my MC team for challenging me and making my MCP experience a truly experience!

Now it's time to take next journey... let's see what that's gonna be :)

Manual - Starting with the books for adults ;)

Couple months ago, if somebody would ask me if I read the books my reply would be something like this: "I actually do not, last things I read were Ariel when I was 8 (because it had many pictures in it) and then White puma from "I don't remember" author when I was 14 years old."
While answering the question this way, I at the same time I was fully aware of advantages of reading - gives you better imagination, puts you in front of opinions of other people-authors, can give you drive to some of your actions in the life, can improve the language skills of yours, etc. I was also admiring people who is regularly reading.
In spite of all that, I simply didn't find the time for reading - I would rather watch the movie or do something where I can "move my body" rather than just sitting and reading. We all know that "Life is about setting the priorities", so I decided to set one for me - start reading the books! :) In last two and half months, I managed to read 8 books so I decided to post here a short manual how to do it.

Starting with the books for adults :)
1) Make sure you know the benefits of reading for you
2) Research the books, talk to the people who reads the books and ask them for the best books they've ever read
3) Make your own list of books that fits your current interests, hobbies or could have an answer for your "life questions"
4) Invest! Buy at least 10-15 new books - it puts you into position of reading something you payed for already :)
5) Start with something short, easy and meaningful - I personally started with the book I read in 15 minutes (The man who planted trees from Jean Giono)
6) Talk to people about your reading experience, share your learning and thoughts
7) Give your books to your friends to read, don't keep it for yourself!

This step by step manual is based on my personal experience. If you want to read the books but didn't start yet, then you are free to use this manual.

P.S. Thanks to all people that inspired me to read the books! ;)

My eleven&one desires

Is there any girl who...

(1) ...doesn't consider money as her desire?
(2) ...doesn't hesitate to sacrifice own comfort for own dreams?
(3) ...want to help and doesn't want others to know about it?
(4) ...care about day after tomorrow and live the moment at the same time?
(5) ...shine for others?
(6) ...can talk hour about solutions rather than own problems?
(7) ...value authenticity and strongly believe in own success?
(8) ...doesn't give up even after hundreds failures
(9) ...dream BIG for others?
(10)...love without judgments?
(11)...is so strong to admit own mistakes?

(&1) Is there any girl who dares to act this way?

then I only desire to be with you...

The blind.

Exactly one week ago on my way back home from a conference I experienced something I want to share with you:
"I went to the cashier at the train station in Nitra to buy my ticket home. While waiting in a line I noticed blind guy buying his ticket somewhere. I was observing how he is able to buy a ticket. It was the first time in my life I focused on every single move of his and listen to every single word cashier was telling him & vice versa. It will sound maybe funny but I was amazed. I tried to put myself into his shoes and imagine how I, as blind person, would deal with so easy situation - buying a ticket. Suddenly, while imagining it, it just became so complicated - I was full of questions - how would I get to train station? How would I know where to buy a ticket? How would I know how much money I'm giving to the cashier? How can I check if I have the right ticket? Can I trust the cashier she will give me exact change? How do I get into the right train? and many others... Despite of all my questions and concerns I would face, the blind guy looked so humble, smiling not thinking of any of those questions of mine...
So I approached the guy (he looked only few years older than me) and offered him my help as I thought he cannot find the exit in the train station (he was going around the hall). Stupid me! He was just looking for some wending machine to get some Sprite :) As there was nothing like that inside, I took him out and told him to wait, that I'm going to buy him some water. I brought him a water and we chatted a bit. I figured he was buying the ticket to Prague for the conference about barrier-free solutions. Another questions popped out in my head - how is he going to get there? Train, public transport, specific address... just imagine how would you get at some place if you cannot see anything?
Dear blind guy, thank you for this short talk, I'm very grateful for that. It showed me how much I should value small things in my life that I take usually for granted. Also it showed me that dreams and passion are in everyone of us and there is no reason to keep them inside but rather make them alive..."

Istanbul, a wave of life

It took me 16 months to come back to Istanbul, again for only couple of days. The purpose of my last visit was international Congress in August 2007. Now I'm coming back for smaller event where most of presidents of AIESEC countries from Central and Eastern Europe are meeting (around 20 people all together). Same as the last time I made sure I come to Istanbul couple days before the meeting starts, just to hang around the city and absorb the energy that is present in Istanbul, especially on Istiklal street. I have to say I love it here. Coming back was like coming home even I spent only few days in Istanbul before...
When we finally found MC office, we've been introduced to Rejep (originally from Turkmenistan but living with his brother in Istanbul for 4 years already), cool guy who is taking care of MCPs meeting. After that we had nice dinner and couple drinks in various places also with David(Hungary), Aigul(Russia), Barbara(Brazil), JuanCa(Colombia) and Mehmet(Turkey). It's amazing to experience different nationalities coming together to work on one goal. This is what people experience LIVE! in AIESEC and becomes normal after some time even the world is still facing different crisis mainly because of not understanding and being enough tolerant to other cultures.
On Saturday morning, after I woke up in the MC office which is extremely cool (many rooms, kitchen, shower, big meeting room, MCP has even own room) I got to know few people from Turkish MC that came to office on Saturday to work on their ATEMCO conference, which will happen in few days. I had a short talk with Duygu(VP TM) and great talk while drinking the coffee in the kitchen with Irem(VP OGX). We spoke about different cultures and countries and funny traveling stories of ours. Thanks Irem for the talk ;)

But what was that wave of life that hit me? Tons of people in the city - shopping, eating, drinking, celebrating, watching football, selling baked chestnuts on the street, 4 floors bars and restaurants, people eating outside and inside, diverse languages and colors of skins - that's what hit me like a wave full of life. Coming from country of 5 million people to the city of around 12 million and culture like Istanbul won't let you stay "cold" - energy just pops up in you and you're suddenly surfing on that wave...

My Copenhagen story

Vienna-Copenhagen | 1 h and 40' | 78 Euro - thanks to low cost airlines and fast flights I can share my warm-cold story from Copenhagen - The cold was for the weather ;)
Taking nap after arriving to Copenhagen was the best thing to do to recover from a tough week. My short nap was followed by a nice evening in a Moroccan coffee place where I got a beer, Carlsberg of course! Meeting my friends from EuroCo conference which happened 2 months ago in Slovakia was great. It brought my EuroCo memories back...
The thing I like the most here so far was the French brunch which took more than 4 hours! Amazing! :) Four hours of eating and talking, sharing the stories and our realities was absolutely amazing - 6 people with roots from Iraq, Algeria, France, Denmark, Slovakia, Bahrain and Syria (Lucie, Fatima, Khaled, Christina, Leila and me). After a long brunch, me and my full stomach went to Tivoli - huge garden with a lot of stands and roller coasters, beautiful buildings and everything lighted - pretty place, especially for daters ;)

I again met couple of my friends from EuroCo but also several interns from Colombia and Poland, but also Fernando from Bolivia, Prateek from India and Dora from Romania - they all work for AIESEC. I also got a glass of "glogg" - hot vine with rum and spices inside, the same as you get at the Christmas market in Bratislava.

I think Copenhagen is definitely a city worth visiting - beautiful old architecture, a lot of places to have fun, Tivoli garden, bicycles all around the city, a lot of statues, etc...
But there is only one reason I travelled to Copenhagen which I didn't mentioned in this post yet - of course it's the girl, my girl - thanks Leila for making my stay in Copenhagen an amazing one!

Non ducor, duco or Welcome in Sao Paulo

Capital of the state Sao Paulo | largest city in Brazil, first in South America by population | 4th biggest city in the world | 1.523 square km | 11.000.000 people - Bem vindo a Sampa {welcome in Sao Paulo}.
My first day in Sao Paulo was very cool. I spent the day with Hugo from Portugal, Betsy from Colombia and Odette from Puerto Rico. We were wondering around the city. We went to the big market place full of people and energy, small park in the city with the church on its side and the last destination was main avenue, where we found quiet street in parallel with the main avenue and had cold beer and nice food.
My general feelings about "Sampa" are very positive and I'm looking forward to experience another day in this energetic city ;)

Picture from Sao Paulo >>here<<