AIESEC International experience in couple words

It has been a story of discovery and learning.

It has been a discovery of new cultures.

Having lunches with Colombian, dinners with Nigerian, night tee talks with Australian, shisha with Mexican, playing pinc-pong with Hungarians, working with Norwegian and rediscovering Russians. Getting to know Indonesian, feeling so familiar with Romanian, understanding American.

Having random and miningful talks with Ugandan, getting drank with Chinese and playing with Portuguese, Missing Canadian, having fun with Indians and feeling so proud of being Ukrainian.

It has been discovery of new countries.

Relaxing Netherlands, Incredible India, Special Belgium, Sunny France, powerful Germany, Big China, Beautiful Hungary, Sweden fairy tail and different Ukraine.

It has been discovery of new feelings.

Fulfillment from small victories, excitement from surprises, happiness of seeing sun and colors, anger of never having enough time to do things, disappointment with failers and persistence in getting things done.

It has been learning of myself, my values and my path.

It has been life of thousand peaces:  productive meetings, long discussions, arguments, laughing, sleepless nights, talks, long flights, challanges,rainbow, first snow, colors, team buildings, rendom jokes, big concepts, small victories, tears of missing someone, tears of feeling proud, warm, positive, chellanging, funny, different people, people united to fulfill the promise and unleash the future.

AIESEC International is a special experience, which cannot be explained it can be only lived...

Incredible India: Except and understand

I've just finished my first trip to the land of richest and one of the oldest history and traditions, land of diversity, happiness and colors, land of being rich having nothing and being poor having everything, -

INCREDIBLE INDIA.

Except and Understand: if you want to enjoy this country, you need to spend time to learn their culture and except the way it is, so different from what you could imagine.



I love it the way it is:
I like the food, Dal, Paneer with butter Naan and all those crazy spaces which make it so delicious and special.
I like my Indian friends driving through Delhi at night on full speed of the car, listening to Punjabi radio and singing songs in Hindi
I like to have conversations till the morning, just because you have so much in common
I like watching Indian wedding and compare it to Ukrainian traditions (surprise we have more in common you could ever imagine)
I like hospitality of Indian families and I understand why people behave they way they do
I like the holly spirit of Taj Mahal and craziness of old Delhi
I like Sari and Kurta suits

See you soon, India
Next destination Mumbai in a month. 

my trip to Den Haag

Last Sunday I spend visiting the most amazing town in all Netherlands, at least from what I've seen so far, - Den Haag. 

This strange combination of narrow streets, restaurants everywhere, lots of people sitting in summer terraces, beer, wine, feeling of summer, sea, beach and many many tourists. 

After visiting this town, I really understand why Queen is living there, its kind of "Queen place".

Just look at pictures (mine will be uploaded soon):

     

During this day, I manage to spend some hours at the beach, read a book and participate in some rock festival. I' must say they know how to make festivals, people getting crazy there, all from 3 years old to 60 years old grannies, who barely can walk. At the same time, the mass and % of garbage everywhere, made me feel proud, in Ukraine at any festival I have never seen so big mass, even after Sheshory, which took 1 week.

Keep on discovering Europe, next week going for Belgium for planning week, to the smallest town in Europe.

First days in new "home"

Today is exactly 1 week seance I've moved to Rotterdam. Which gave an opportunity basically to see all the most important things here or at least almost all
So, here is my observations and filings:
1. This week there were no rain at all, even people told me to be prepared for rain every day, I'm still lucky not to see it on my first week.
2. I manage to visit 2 night clubs, and spend my entire salary I used to receive in Ukraine for 1 night, but yehh the party was just awesome.
3. I think I manage to eat in 10 or so cafes, having, pizza, pasta, tai food, traditional food, and many many more, so I'm already keen on my coolest places, where I want to come back, and those I really don't like at all.

As a normal foreigner here, I got surprised by # of bicycles this city has, that's impressive, but what is more important they really don't care how they look, until it has two wheels and can move you. Some of them so old, that My mother would tell me if see me on one of those, - you are not homeless to use it. But here is really doesn't matter, and next weekend I really plan to get one :)

Second big surprise, they have a market, by market I really understand this massive place where you can get food from farmers (in case of Ukraine from old babushkas), noisy, crowded, and really alive. So, every Saturday, you can find it in Rotterdam. i've been there yesterday, and its worth doing, you can bay massive verity of fruits and vegetables, so cheep (a lot of those cheaper then in Ukraine).

Today, I manage to see Ersamus bridge (this white one), huge park, take a bout trip and visit street with all flags :).
Keep on discovering Rotterdam.

Couple words about couple things

Rotterdam..
Interesting, if someone will want to read my blog in 20 years, will they get a logic what a hell I'm doing here (Rotterdam)? But this is not the topic of this up-date.
Shortly about important:

I started my trip on 14th of May, and it was quite long: I've stacked in Kiev airport for couple hours because of delay of my flight. Traveled to Hungary, and suppose to have around 2 h before my 2nd flight to Poland, however as my 1st flight delayed, the 2nd was waiting only for me, can you imagine me entering into the plain and looking at eyes of all those people? I arrived to Warsaw early evening and spend in the airport entire night (13 h), in the morning I suppose to take a flight to Gdansk, and yehh they found my luggage was 2,5 kg bigger than it's allowed, so I was re packing in front of line of people waiting to take a tickets.
But that was not the final adventure, in Gdansk (small polish city) they even didn't know my flight Gdansk - Berlin exist :) So it took me a while to prove that I'm on this flight and its actually going in 2 hours from this airport. Finally I got to Berlin. Thanks to Nastya Bilous, who took care of me.
I spend hm around 50h in Berlin, which allowed me to see couple of things and understand, - I want to see this city once again.

And then I suppose to take a train to Rotterdam, but no one told me I have to make 3 connections in the middle of nowhere in Germany and Netherlands.
The fanny thing about german trains ,they come quickly and they leave even quicker, so you have from 1 to 5 min to jump into the train and make sure you do it correctly, as usually there are 2 trains connected and there are special calculation system, which sure I didn't know :)

I'm here almost for a week, and I really enjoy, working all day and parting all night, I guess weekend I'll spend in a bad, just eating and sleeping.

I have mixture of feelings, which I don't know how to express -  excitement, curiosity, surprise,just feeling positively strange about my life and where it brought me.

the best...

Through all my AIESEC experience I've been experiencing, something what I could name as "the best". In a while, having five years of the experience, I'm getting more and more "the best" things into my memory book.
There are some events, people, decisions, actions, achievements, which I truly may name as those memorable, good to remember, good to keep and get inspiration from.

2010 is definitely the year for "BEST" moments when dreams come true.

January :
The best rest in hometown full of love and joy, with someone I really like )
The best horse ride lessons and lovely horses farm
The best new MC flat MCs ever were living with amazing view to the river and bridge

February:
The best experience of selection, reflection and self understanding
The best position I could ever dream about
the best cafe in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia

March:
The best faci experience
The best faci team
The best emotions and people around

To be continued ........

weekend

Yehh, it has been long time since I’ve written last post here, lots of things happened, but I hope I can manage to ketch up with that in next week.

Today I want to share with amazing experience I’ve got this weekend.

Experience of meeting new people, experience of looking at people growth, experience of total happiness and satisfaction from observations, experience of meaningful talks and long night conversations - experience of Summer LCC in my dear LC Franik.

I was not sure should I agree as chairing is definitely not my top strength in AIESEC. Then I remind words of one my friend, about challenges and doing things that scares you every day.

It was really right choice; I spend amazing, relaxing weekends with lots of new people, new friends in family atmosphere.

I was speaking with lots of people during this conference, they are young, they are building their AIESEC, and I’m so happy about their experience. Some of them made me think about my AIESEC experience, some challenged me with the questions, some were so open then it seams we new each other already for years, and all those people are part of organization I was leading.

Thank you dear new friends for your thoughts, ideas, smiles, jokes, eyes, behavior, I’ll remember this weekend for long time.

Thank you EB 07-08, for being there and small re union we had yesterday :))

Thank you EB 09-10, and good luck in your term!!!!

NGO sector development in Ukraine

“I am a positive person living my life to the fullest and making an impact on the world around at the same time. I love what I do and I am always looking for more to come, live and experience.

I’m working in Educational spare, everyday helping people to discover, learn, experience and take more out of education they get.

Through my leadership skills I’ve gained being active member of AIESEC, I’ve found NGO for children in my local and successfully leading its operations toward happy childhood for everybody“.

This is my description of the future I wrote in my application half year ago. on Sunday I had "aha" moment or just a discovery of what it is really for me and what I want to do. It did not change which mean I'm more and more confident on what I want to get at the end.

The phenomena of NGO sector in Ukraine is strange I would say, we have couple strong NGOs - which usually not Ukrainians and 2 more or less stable Ukrainian (Plast and Forum Molodyh Lideriv (who actually changed their name already)) all rest or really small, existing on their local or founded just for hidden profit from corporate sector (and you really find a lot of them).
On Sunday I went to the biggest book market in Kyiv and I think in whole Ukraine to buy some books for my diploma. I was surprised than I couldn't find anything connected to NGO management, ehh 1 book which is legality of NGO - but even it, was on Russian, - how come when the low is on Ukrainian.

That made me think that having so much problem which goverment cannot solve by them saelf can be put on NGO sector, - but the thing which is needed is development and structure approach towards it. When I came back home I wrote couple thoughts what can be done, and it seams really posible, and even more I would like to make it happen.

Starting something new is a big thing :)

SprinCo 2009

Yesterday, I had probably to many emotions to write everything I want. Today, even the working day has started I cannot stop my self to express my feelings and thoughts about last week.
I was always wandering what will be my best working conference, I got one when I was delegate, and was hoping to experience something like this with any working conference, and I did, last week, sprinCo was and amazing experience, full of fun, emotions, smart decisions, night talks, parties, team experience, meeting new friends, discovering people, yehh a lot to say, a lot to remember :)
There were couple parts which made my conference so great XP, first is my new MC Team, - they are committed and they have a passion to lead this country. Really different, sometimes too fluffy, but can be serious and so productive when is needed, + they ave outstanding sense of Humor, it seams I'll be laughing a lot during this year. I must say all of them surprised me with level of their preparation and openness, it was a big please to work with my core team and deliver first conference.
Second this is NST team, unfortunately I didn't get chance to speak with them a lot, but yes they did great job, especially OGX, without any support from MC VP, I'm proud!!! TMU, yehh new year ad new achievement I'm sure we will do it :)) Thank you TMU corner
Then goes, chair of this conference, - thank you Patryk, for all those conversations, I'm already missing them really much, I got big energy out of them, and your sense of humor, he -he let's go to eat today in Asia :)) it as great, now I understand truly what does it mean right people at right time, hope to meet you this year somewhere :)))))
Delegates , - wow, it was more then I expected, - your preparation much better, understanding and positive aproach towards this conference, I'm sure you will rock the house this year, smart, confident and easy going, please stay like this all year long :)))
MC current- I was looking all conference to see you on the venue, to hear your voice, as Yes I miss you my darlings ;))
OC team, - you never know what to expect when you have conference in Ukraine, I'm happy that my expectation were met, guys your work was great, I'm happy that you got this conference :))

Thank you my SprinCo :))

One Sunday day

Today was a good day!
I woke up quite late, the sun was shining so brightly in the room , that it was hard to sleep more. I took good Lipton tea, checked the mail boxes and went to take a shaver.
After words had some breakfast and realize that Ukraine as other 100 countries changed the time, so it was already mid day. I spend couple of hours for me, making manicure/pedicure etc, while doing those procedures I was thinking, actually it was really random thoughts, but I've understood something really important from that.
I've realized that I'm free, thing which was keeping me all the time stressed is almost over, - this is about my studying. My university is almost over, just to write diploma work, - on the topic I like and on the bases of organization I'm so passionate about - AIESEC. So, the end, On Friday I've passed last exam... and.. hmm I got strange feeling that I'll miss those crazy days of studying even i cannot tell it was so much impact full on me. It just about the atmosphere of being student, of having this crazy, relax life. In couple month I'll become graduate, which means I am really smart :)) But actually am I? I know a lot of things, a lot of subjects, but mostly I've learned this from books or AIESEC seminars, not from university teachers. So probably my diploma is not so important to me as my parents think it is. Those thoughts and couple other made me realize that I would like to study once again but in some European University or American, who knows maybe its my next step after AIESEC.
Other conclusion which made me happy about today, I again have more time for myself. I've started my running exercises couple days ago, so today I was able to run a bit more then previous time and still was not dieing, which is really good. If I can keep promises to myself, I'm going to do those exercises every day at least for next 2 weeks. Will see..
The 3rd thing, I've started to read a book "The future of Competition" by C.K. Prahalad, It's really interesting and cheap so I would recommend you to read this book, it gives even more understanding of why AIESEC is really cool organization, ans we should be proud to be part of it. But all conclusions from it in next posts.

like this Ukrainian Christmas song

MCP election

I know a lot of people were waiting for this post. Finally I feel like doing that. Sharing those emotions with those who weren't at MCP election of AIESEC in Ukraine.
Yes, I was along, - and it made me much more stress before the conference , that usually it can take, but there were 1 big plus I was really calm and happy during the conference and election day.
so, my first speech (Motivation for the position) looked like this:




Then 1 hour of Question on external awareness:

Second speech and again 1 hour of answers :)) They went so quickly for me, and liked the process, when you confident in what you propose and what you want to continue, change and make, - answering becomes fun :)
Last speech - inspirations to members, - yee the Star in each of you!!!!
and....
announcement:

good day and something more...

today i was walking in my home city, enjoying a bit cold weather. I really wanted to find some postcards with my city, to write sugars on it during new Horizons, however I didn't find something I really like. Ahh from other hand I found something much more interesting, Christmas postcards are already available in the shops..

I remind to my self how often I was buying them and sending before Christmas. Right now everything goes through e-mail, or even worth through facebook, skype or other social networks.

So I got an Idea, for those who will comment this post and write ur address I'll send Christmas wish by snail mail :)))

Yeee, I started to feel Christmas ))))

I choose to be ...

myself...
be positive..
caring...
friendly...
smiling...
enjoying...
growing every day...
telling something good...
discovering something new...

I'm standing 1 week before my future will be defined at least for 1 more year :) And I really got the point, of people telling me enjoy the moment of waiting, answering, working, getting in and going out, it's worth trying... Yehh it is :)
see you on New Horizons

Positiveness

What is being positive?

Positive thinking means different things to different people. However, generally it is about facing up to the situation, and finding ways of coping with it. People do this in many ways. What works for one person may not work for another.

When you talk to people with cancer, even the most positive of them will admit to low times when they felt depressed and anxious. No one can be positive 100% of the time. It’s important that you don’t feel that you must always stay on top of things. Being positive doesn’t mean having to feel happy and cheerful all the time. It’s a positive thing to acknowledge and talk about your feelings – even when you’re feeling tired, worried, depressed or angry.

Why Think Positively?

All of our feelings, beliefs and knowledge are based on our internal thoughts, both conscious and subconscious. We are in control, whether we know it or not.We can be positive or negative, enthusiastic or dull, active or passive.

The biggest difference between people is their attitudes. For some, learning is enjoyable and exciting. For others, learning is a drudgery. For many, learning is just okay, something required on the road to a job.

"Most folks are about as happy as they
make up their minds to be."

I choose to be positive :)))

Sophivka

It’s right time to write something sweet and positive here.
7 hours of walking, of making pictures, of inhaling fresh air, of positive emotions, 7 hours of enjoying the beauty of my homeland J
I’ve just back from my trip to Sophiivka park, I even don’t know what to write it’s just must be seen.
Here some pictures:

And me:

oh, and me again:

FlashMob from Nadya

Ну як цій фотокартці не бути особливою, на ній зображена дуже дорога мені людина, яку я не бачила майже рік і нарешті нині зустріла і провела чудесний день :)))

Люблю тебе Легенька і дякую за нинішні прогулянки

ПЕС. НЕ знаю правда чи завтра з ліжка встану, щось мене ноги болять.

Hey hey, I’m backed home,J
Have couple things to share about my new page of AIESEC life that is starting soon. Yep is about my MC team, so thankful God for giving me opportunity to work with them, even we are so different we have the same values, same dream and passion J
First conference spend together, unfortunately Shasha was not with us, from other hand I’ve realized haw much I started to miss him, could I even think last year when I met that guy with origin of band member, that we ganna work together? Sure no, but I really happy for that. Zagasss, how is your health? J
Our lovely MCP, What to say, there is truly leaders that can lead so naturally, she is definitely one of those. Thank you my Bashen’ka for your workJ.
Lyubas from Donbas, love her way of behaving, I thought she is so shy and silent, but she is not J Crazy and smart, well as all of us probably
Kate, “I cannot get the point” – well it’s not about her, but still is funny to rapid when we say something too smartJ)) Katya, I love you sooo muchJ))
Larusha, - it’s obvious to call you so, I know you for so long that is seams I know you all my AIESEC life, even we met just two years ago J
And the Last but not the least, Rostya, our dear teammate from Ch. Republic, - you so sweet, even I don’t understand you humor sometimes, I just want to hug you J)) na-na na na – nana…..
Stay it touch with MC up-date

MC life

I’m in Kiev, on the second transition week of MC teams. Ahh we have so much fun working together with all those random words that are becoming our Core Words.
Today, we realized that we already started to use common movements when we explaining something, so funny J))))
And you know how is to live 13 people in 1 flat, I thought that it will be impossible but it’s ok, I don’t feel like it’s 13 of us.
Preparing the best conference everJ)))

Euro Expro part 2

Again, it’s about people, about new peopleJ)) I’ve met.
Well starting with my almost Russian speaking home-group and Ira Ruseva – the best faci everJ):
It was so easy to share and work, to discuss and ask questions. I remember that “random” simulation of LC life, which we were completely lost at, but started to share some GCPs from our life’s and simply talk about random stuff, however we had fun those 1 hour. Remember us sitting on the floor and discussing AIESEC Way and our commitment to 2010, things that we know but where so many new questions can be asked (Pasha, you were talking smart things I’ve never thought before).
Remember our GTKEO games, and the way some delegates were shocked what they suppose to do, and the best “Murder game” I’ve ever played. Again creating logo, shout and name of our Home group – KGB, I even now cannot remember why we choose this name, No. No here is nothing connected to what you’ve thought about. Keep Getting Better!!! caz results always matter. J))

I was satisfied with content of the conference, it fitted my expectations. The logic behind the sessions and blocks was good and understandable, it seamed that those sessions where prepared not one hour before the session haw it sometimes happen. The most I remember myaiesec.net simulation, so fanny – even there were a lot of people that didn’t like it, I enjoyed every minute.

Ukraine:
I do believe we made everything possible to be known by GNs, and reached our goal of saying TO the plenary that it’s time for Ukraine to Rock!!!! And We will!!!
Our crazy roll-call during morning plenary, It was so funny to stay in front of delegates and facis and present it, remember those faces of AI, laughing, laughing … and Then going to the breaks hearing people repeated those movement. (TM-TM-members feeling well, partners, partners give us money….)
Aha, and crazy dances in front of Faci rooms (poor people to live near UA delegation is not the best way to get sleep), repetitions before Global village and so Amazing performance on the stage in front of unknown Russian people.
Ahh it’s just my emotions, As soon I’ll get those videos I’ll put a links for you to see, what does it mean to be Ukrainian J)) and to be AIESEC in Ukraine.

One AIESEC – one Ukraine!!!

To be continue ....