Codruta Stefaniga

Incredible India

2011-10-29T14:29:00.016+03:00

24 July 2011- Race for Life, Finsbury Park

2011-07-24T18:37:00.005+03:00

Chateau de Chambord- Loire Valley

2011-07-21T22:18:00.006+03:00

France in April- Strasbourg

2011-07-20T00:07:00.006+03:00

26 April 2011, Nancy- home of Art Nouveau

2011-06-06T23:26:00.003+03:00

24 April 2011- Reims, Champagne region

2011-06-05T23:45:00.011+03:00

Champagne tasting at Pommery, second largest champagne producer in the world

With Sonia- two ladies :)

Widow Pommery had a taste for arts...in the champagne cellars...

Ask me about the process of making champagne...it's so interesting!

They had a different gallery for each market they produced the champagne for...

The road in and out of the cellar...mind the steps!

Pommery estate...looks like a little castle...

Pommery is now a collaboration between the FRench and the Dutch...
Having a taaasty lunch on Easter Sunday...the town was deserted...

Beautiful and old Cathedral..800 years of age...

Very cheesy tourist photo...had to be done...

City Hall...reminded me a bit of home..only much better taken care of...

Detail on the main cathedral...

They brought this mechanical spider to celebrate 800 years of existence of the cathedral...no one knows why...

And the cathedral in all it's glory...a cool day over-all!

Santorini part 3

2010-11-28T21:25:00.004+02:00

Santorini part 2

2010-11-27T22:26:00.007+02:00

Santorini- Oct 2010

2010-11-14T23:26:00.009+02:00

Saint Louis

2010-05-16T19:12:00.005+03:00

The desert: Lompoul

2010-05-09T13:13:00.008+03:00

Senegal April 2010. DAY 1: The Pink Lake

2010-05-02T16:45:00.013+03:00

Senegal: 11 April 2010.

We arrived in Dakar at 3 am to a sea of people asking us if we need a taxi. Luckily we found our guide in no time and upon strapping our luggage to his 4x4, he drove us to a hotel with no name. Pretty clen and decent.

We decided to wake up at 7.30 (2 hours of sleep later) to see the Kora played in a nearby catholic monastery for mass. The Kora is a 21 cord harp-like instrument used by the people of West Africa. It has a pumpkin cut in half overed with cow skin to make a resonator, and it looks like a guitar. It sounds beautiful! You can see one below played by a guy on one of our trips.

You can listen to a bit of Kora by Toumani Diabate here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DEKQjj6Ga0&feature=related

Our first stop after that was the pink lake. It is pink due to the micro-shrimps that populate it. It is also very, VERY salty. Similar to our lake in Sovata.

The lake is free for anyone to exploit, so many people make a living out of extracting salt. Each pile belongs to a different person...

Below- introducing our guide: Amadou, our car...and the fist ever sales man, who sold Manish a painting.

Next we went to a lovely terrace by the lake to have our first meal there: Poullet Yassa. This was chicken with rice and onion sauce and it would become Manish's favourite meal for a week.

We had lovely surroundings....

And had the pleasure to listen to some music during our meal too...

Finally, we had a lovely bath in the salty water...

And upon saying goodbye to our monkey friend, moved on towards the desert: Lompoul.

Grand Central Station

2009-05-17T22:48:00.002+03:00

Top of the Rock

2009-05-17T22:03:00.005+03:00

Easter Sunday meant ''Easter bonnets parade'', Central Park (both coming later) and going up on The Rockefeller Center, which had better views than the top of Empire State building-they say. Enjoy the views...

Times square by night

2009-05-04T22:13:00.006+03:00

Ground Zero and Wall Street

2009-04-25T19:47:00.008+03:00

This is all one can see in the place where the World Trade Centre twin towers were...the place they now call 'Ground Zero'. It is located in lower Manhattan.

A large 16 acres empty space...where they plan to build 6 buildings instead, including a transport hub and a memorial museum. This is the only tour we didn't go on in NYC.

What we did go to see is the church that was miraculously left standing when the towers fell. It served as a place of comfort for people searching the ruins. Truly a touching place that to this day has a collection of memorabilia from those days. If you look carefully to the left of the tall black building in the middle you may see the church.

This is a photo of the inside of the church: St.Paul's chapel. It's now a sort of museum and it was quite touching. This is also the church where George Washington prayed for guidance before being sworn in as president.

Next we ventured onto Wall Street via Trinity Church with its lovely architecture. Apparently this is one of NY's most important houses of worship.

I always imagined Wall Street to be bigger...and...more impressive. But I guess with all the skyscrapers everywhere it doesn't exactly have a 'Canary Wharf' effect on you.

Above the entrance and below the side of the New York Stock Exchange. Love the big flag...a true symbol of America's power.

It's closed for visitors unfortunately...for security reasons.

Right next to it stands Federal Hall...the place where George Washington was actually sworn in as the first president of the US.

Below the inside...Did you know that New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790 and has been the nation's largest city since 1790?

Finally, we had a look at the Wall Street Bull or the 'Charging Bull'. The sculpture depicts a bull, the symbol of aggressive financial prosperity. It is one of the most photographed art works in NYC and has also come to be an unofficial symbol of the Financial District itself. (Everyone loves to just take photos of its balls. :P).

Finally, before arriving at the south most point of Manhattan and taking the boat to Liberty and Ellis Islands, we had a look at The National Museum of the American Indian. This area is called Bowling Green and it is apparently where Dutch leader Peter Minuit bought Manhattan for $24 from Lenape Indians (although that tale is often questioned).

9 days of adventue in NY - Niagara falls

2009-04-25T15:18:00.009+03:00

I sort of have to start this very exciting adventure with the end...as the photos from the very beginning are stuck on a DVD in Juju's office.

So I will start with the very last photos we took...of Niagara falls!!!

After a 3 hour drive from Ithaka (where Sonia- Julien's friend studies temporarily), we finally arrived close to the Niagara Falls. There, the tourist office told us that actually most of the attractions were closed till 7 May :(, as it was still too cold. We had also heard that the view from the American side was not too great, but we thought...'how bad can it be?' So not too discouraged, we bravely started our walk towards the falls. Below you can see the river before the falls, already agitated, knowing what's gonna come its way...

...And few moments later..voilla...the falls! But what? Is this it? Are these the real falls? But they are much smaller than I imagined and have seen on TV.

Lots of people seemed to be taking photos of them...and so did we. Can you see the rainbow? :)

So as it turns out these are actually two smaller falls called 'The Bridal Wave'' and ''The American Falls''.

So here they are...finally! This is what you can see of Niagara falls from the American side.

People were right...the 'horseshoe falls' look towards the Canadian side...so you really cannot see that much from the US side. Disappointment!

But we could still hear its roar and what we did see was very beautiful and quite impressive.

Later on...we put our water ponchos on...and proceeded on the only tour that was open: The Cave of the Winds.

It was called that because there used to be a cave right under the Bridal and American falls.

However, it caved in a few years ago. So now they are trying to build a new walkway around the falls...but this will take considerable time.

We took an elevator down to the bottom of the Bridal falls and got a different view of Niagara falls.

Behind me you can see the very touristy Canadian side, with lots of hotels and towers that offer an amazing view of the falls. In contrast, the American side is kept quite natural, as a natural park, hosting thousands and thousands of seagulls.

At this point I really wished I had a Canadian visa...but oh well...I guess I will have to just come again.

So here is what we did get to see on our mini 'Cave of the Winds' tour: on the left the American Falls and on the right the Bridal Falls.

...and a close-up of each....

There was still quite a lot of snow and ice, so there was no getting any closer. Still, they were very worth the trip as they were. :)

Red nose day

2009-03-14T14:05:00.001+02:00

I was hugely impressed with the British people last night. Every two years Comic Relief organises a day called 'Red Nose Day', where people have to 'Do something funny for money' (meaning do something funny so that they can raise money for charity). All the money raised goes to charity, half to projects in the UK and half to Africa.

Last night, after a 6 hour telethon put on by BBC, but also as a result of huge amount of work from celebrities, shops and ordinary people alike, the UK beat the record set 2 years ago, which was £9 million! They raised an amazing £57 809 938!!! This is amazing, despite recession!

The money will go to Africa to fight malaria, facilitate education, prevent death on child birth, etc. In the UK it will go to child careres, prevention of human trafficking, domestic violence, etc.

And I am hugely impressed with this effort and very proud to have contributed!

Fabulous St. Petersburg

2009-03-14T13:43:00.006+02:00

Moscow by night

2009-03-14T13:28:00.004+02:00

From Russia with love- Moscow by day

2009-03-01T23:33:00.004+02:00

Chinese New Year

2009-02-02T01:29:00.006+02:00

2 weekends of celebration extended from China Town..to Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square...red everywhere and squealing music.

Beautiful dancers freezing in the cold to showcase Chinese traditions in Trafalgar Square...

Getting squashed on a tiny street to see the lucky dragon near Leicester Square...

Next we headded off in search of a Chinese restaurant...for some tasty crispy duck.

Mmmmm....Waited for a table and for the food what seemed forever...but got to taste sake for the first time...

But over all..it was a great fun-filled good old Romanian (and friends) afternoon :) in freezing London.

The name is Ford....Moss Ford : )

2009-02-02T01:04:00.004+02:00

01 Feb 2009, 22.45, London: a new star is born :).

First name: Moss, Last name: Ford :) Welcome to the Mile End gang on 19 Mossford street! :)

Long live the winds coming from Russia! I can't wait to go! 13 days left...

A few recommendations

2009-01-24T12:24:00.003+02:00

If ever in London, part of the experience HAS to be going to a musical.
Recently, Theatre Royal in Drury Lane has premiered a new version of Oliver! based on the story of Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. Starring Rowan Atkinson as Fagin, this has been one of the fastest selling musicals in recent history. And it is an impressive and hillarious production I whole-heartedly recommend.

Check it out and buy tickets here: http://www.oliverthemusical.com/ticket_shop/google_landing/offer.php?gclid=CN-zgov_ppgCFQpOQgod2TUMsQ

Over the Christmas holidays I got to see The Kite Runner. This movie is a moving story about loyalty and character integrity, based in Afghanistan. Its premier had to be delayed in order to take the children actors out of the country, for fear of the Taliban.

It's a moving story and the quote that stayed with me from it is: ''Children are not like coloring books. You can't just put your favourite colors in them.'' You have to let them live their lives according to their personalities and their own dreams.

Finally, the movie I bet my money will win the Oscar for Best Movie and Best Director. From the same director as Trainspotting, comes an impressive story about an Indian who wins 'Who wants to be a millionaire?'. It is nothing like I expected it to be.

President Barack Obama 2009 Inauguration and Address

2009-01-24T12:17:00.001+02:00

In case you have not seen it...very inspiring, articulate and educated. He is a true orator.
So curious to see what he does next after closing Guantanamo and pulling back troops from Iarq.

December in London: Ju's birthday

2008-12-16T21:45:00.008+02:00

Ju's birthday was a little dream. After eating typical French King's cake (in which they hide little objects and if you find them you are the king), we went to Chez Gerard near Picadilly for an expensive French dinner (us and the rich Russian youth dominated the place). Snails, duck and stake tartare were in order.

After that, we had a magical time at Somerset house, a courtyard that reminds one a bit of The Louvre. Fully booked every night- it was a miracle that I managed to find any tickets.

There, a giant Tiffany tree invites people to forget about recession worries and just enjoy an evening of fun. The rink is dominated by posh youngsters, with the exception of a few elderly citizens trying to relieve their good times.

The service was impecable, with a few Ice-guards (salvagheti :p) floating around asking everyone who fell if they needed help.

Later on in the week we managed to buy our Christmas tree and decorate it. This is the first year I have done it so soon. The X-mas present was a ticket to my very first musical: Monty Python's SPAMaLOT. Hugely funny, very impressive and extravagant. Would recommend it if you are in London.

Other than that, London is dominated by wannabe German markets selling sausages and mulled wine. Shops are all having sales and I have never seen Oxford street so empty on a Sunday. Because of recession, Woolworths (a well known and old chain of stores) is closing, people are loosing their jobs every day, home owners around Canary Wharf are losing tennants due to job losses and the government keeps trying to revive the housing market, which is going down. The pound has not been so low in a long time and stores are reporting very low sales. So the atmosphere, just like the weather is: grim. Happy Christmas everyone!

2008-12-11T00:19:00.002+02:00

So what has been going on?....loads of work throughout November. So much so that I did not manage to post anything. I am now recovering and am sooo looking forward to going home next week! Shopping done, gloves ready for the cold and belly anxious for some grandma homecooked food. Yummm!!!

My birthday saw the best gifts ever! Like this very creative piece by my favourite Russian: Zhenia. It's called The Romanians and the city. :) Also received a whole series of the show that inspired it too.

''What??? and a trip to the spa? Really???

Other events were...lunch and the leaving party also of my favorite Russian at a lovely Russian restaurant. I discovered that one can find fabulous Gulash in London too!
And the best news is that we have just booked flights to Moscow for February to visit her!

Finally, my famous Romanians and friends gathered for Alma's birthday for drinks and dancing last Friday.

All's well that ends well. And I cannot wait to end up home. Soon...really soon. Counting the days...

Very cool

2008-11-26T23:32:00.001+02:00

If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple.

But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.

George Bernard Shaw

Hope

2008-11-08T01:11:00.005+02:00

I had to write about this, but I have just been so busy organising an event for a new programme group next Tuesday.

I did not get into the whole elections fever until very close to the actual thing, when I started watching the TV debate between the two candidates to understand what they actually stood for.
It's easy to love Obama, as he is such an amazing and impressive communicator with such a ''down to earth'' family history. And I am very impressed with his campaign team for pulling things off too!

The things he stands for genuinely make me feel hopeful for the future, starting from his propositions for the US economy and ending with the desire to end the war in Iraq and to invest in renewable energy.
I did hope he will win and I am curious to see what he will do with it next! The fight only starts now, when he has to deliver for a nation that put so much trust and faith in him.

The fact that 70% of the population voted, the fact that he is the first African-American president, the speech he gave on the night of the victory- all impressive and quite powerful. I do feel connected to the fact that this all is happening 45 years after Martin Luther King's dream speech and comparisons cannot be helped.

Funnily enough, it appears that part of his speech was written right here in Notting Hill, by a guy who volunteered to help on his campaign.

If you haven't seen it, I would recommend it when you have time- it can be compared I think to all the big, classical US president and not only speeches. (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tQGsP8mnHsg)

Reflective of my mood to explore the world

2008-10-31T15:20:00.001+02:00

"Every man ought to be inquisitive through every hour of his great adventure down to the day when he shall no longer cast a shadow in the sun. For if he dies without a question in his heart, what excuse is there for his continuance?"

Frank Moore Colby, The Colby Essays

My objective for facilitation...

2008-10-29T23:02:00.003+02:00

''Do not try to satisfy your vanity by teaching a great many things. Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds; do not overload them. Put there just a spark. If there is good inflamable stuff, it will catch fire.''

Anatole France

Amazing

2008-10-25T23:00:00.000+03:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson

A wonderous weekend :)

2008-10-20T22:25:00.001+03:00

Thank you Zhenia for the fun Saturday evening! Loved the laser quest and the bowling! And as usual, you were a star...and my favourite naughty russian!

Discovering London gig scene...

2008-10-17T23:13:00.004+03:00

When fenchie suggested we go out to a gig in some random pub on a Wednesday night, the first thought I had was that I would have to put up with some punk bands for the entire evening and that all I would get out of it would be one big headache...

My surprise was not only an amazing evening, but also the feeling like I am a bit closer to home. Once the acts started...I was hooked. Very cool blues voices, poetry, acting and even a lady that sounded like Ada Milea!

Here is a taste of my favourites:
http://www.myspace.com/ilovespeakershoe - funky sound and very cool voice
http://www.myspace.com/hadarmanor - amazing voice

Romanian surprise at Canary Wharf

2008-10-14T00:05:00.010+03:00

Surprise surprise...the CEO of Canary Wharf is a romanian!

I was going through the top 1000 most influential people in London and guess who I found...a romanian is the third most influential under the Property headline after the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor, because Canary Wharf Group owns the Canary Wharf area.

For those of you not from London, Canary Wharf is an area that was redone into London's financial centre from an old dockland that was bombed in the second world war. Today it boasts the 3 tallest buildings in the UK and hosts: major banks, such as Credit Suisse, HSBC, Citigroup, Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Northern Trust, and Barclays, law firms such as Clifford Chance, as well as major news media and service firms, including Thomson Reuters, and the Daily Mirror.

Born in Romania, Iacobescu trained as an engineer, graduated from the University of Bucharest and then emigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto, where he initially worked for the Olympia and York company as an engineer and later as vice president for development and construction at the World Financial Center in New York, and the Olympia Center and the Neiman Marcus Buildings in Chicago.

Iacobescu joined the Canary Wharf Group in 1988 as Senior Vice President, Construction, to oversee the procurement and construction of the first phase of Canary Wharf. He was promoted to the board of Canary Wharf Holdings Limited as an Executive Director in 1994, was appointed Deputy Chief Executive in 1996 and Chief Executive in March 1997.He was awarded a CBE in June 2003 and became a Trustee of the British Museum in 2007.

The Bucket List

2008-10-13T00:54:00.005+03:00

If people ask me what is my favourite movie I never really quite know which one to pick...but The Bucket List has definitely become one of my favourites. Why? Not only because the actors in it are brilliant and interesting people- like I want to become one day- but also because it reflects so well the philosophy of life I believe in.

The basic story is that the two characters meet in the hospital and are both diagnosed with cancer and given just a few months to live. At one point one of them starts writing a list of things that he would like to do before he 'hits the bucket' and so they both end up adding to it and going out there to make things happen.

I have started my list of things to do in life and taking steps towards making things happen too: like chairing a national conference in Kazachstan, which is something I always wanted to do, but also my first ever trip outside of Europe. Travelling will surely be a huge part of my list, and therefore next year I also hope to visit JJ in New York and meet my old MC in Cambodia- also a place I am fascinated by.

Talking to Harman today about the trees that are getting yellow, life cycles and evolution, I remembered a line from the movie which to me right now underlines the basic fundamentals of our lives- as short passers by through the universe. In the movie, one character tells the other as they sit on top of the pyramids, the story about how St.Peter asks everyone who wants to go to heaven just 2 questions: 1. Did you find happiness in your life? And 2. Did you give happiness to others? Something to think about and a very simple way to measure one's impact and whether they have had a good life...

My life...these days...

2008-09-27T21:06:00.010+03:00

Moved house...and even though it's just one tube stop away, I have discovered a whole new world. Close by we have a park, a sports centre and a very cool canal. This canal in one direction leads up to the Canary Wharf buildings lit up beautifully by night, and in the other direction, 3 miles up, it leads to...little Venice (?? in London??- a series of canals by Regents park).

(Up and below my room)

This weekend was the last warm one of the bunch, they say,...22 degrees and a Tshirt, perfect time for Victoria park- also close by. There, people were laying on the grass in the sun with kids, dogs, balls, old people in wheelchairs playing music...hippies, rollerblades, fountains, giant frisbees, man made boats. I love London in the week-end- people just chill out and you feel as if you are not in London:). I am trying to get used to chilled life...it feels good..but after a crazy AIESEC year you just feel like something is missing. And it's almost as if you lose patience for normal life...

Since I work 9 to 5 these days, I have time to enjoy my house, our huge kitchen, cooking...some French lessons, some reading...and lots of theatre. I am getting to know London slowly, slowly and my goal is to read about the city's history as much as I can in October. I want to find out why it became what it is...and what makes it so special. Still...my mind is abroad...at my next trips...Paris, Prague, Cambodia, Kazachstan? And also with my MC who are all abroad (Laura soon in Aussie land, JJ soon in NY, Jule in Viena, Ankit in India, Jan in South America, soon in Cambodia).

(Below my housemates)

And speaking of people abroad...this week will be a tough one. Carlos (below with the Romanian girls and his girlfriend) is leaving back to Columbia tomorrow...which makes me sad...but also excited and happy for his new life...
Laura is also leaving this Thursday..for a year..in skippie land. Which will make me even more sad..
And last but not least Beb is having her last night in London Friday...to go to Copenhagen.
So 3 of my closest friends...gone..in a week.

The biggest reward these days though comes a lot from my work. Common Purpose is fantastic. And every day I get it more and more. CP is a charity, looking to develop leaders at various stages and to show them how to lead beyond their authority. It's all based on the theory that Julia Middleton, the founder, came up with and wrote in a book. And I love her ideas. And it all fits in so well post-AIESEC, to study leadership and training further.

I work on our modular 6 month programme for senior leaders called TheKNOW (below an image from a programme day). Every week we have about 2 training sessions that look at the participants getting to know London better, at them understanding change and leadership challenges while driving change. New question is: are leaders only truely leaders when they drive change?

(Below my team: L to R: Marta, Emily, Niru, Andrea and Tom).
So I am loving my work, as I am doing what I love best: organising thought provoking events. And the best part is that I have moved from students to more senior leaders, which is a whole new experience: new attitudes, new approach, new issues.
Still...I do not see yet where it fits with my bigger picture. And as JJ said, I wonder if we ex-AIESECers are cursed with lack of patience and a need to always kill ourselves to get every little ounce of growth and learning.

That's why I decided to volunteer with kids in East London on the side and spend 2 hours every Sunday helping them develop, as part of understanding whether I am truly passionate about learning and development.

The latest on London radio

2008-09-25T22:29:00.001+03:00

Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire

Culture...in London

2008-09-05T19:05:00.003+03:00

I have tickets in October for this play by Chekhov, starring Kenneth Branagh. Sooo happy!!! :)

About Ivanov: ''Once a man of limitless promise, Ivanov is plunged into debt. His marriage is in crisis, and his evenings are spent negotiating loans, avoiding love affairs and fighting to resist the small town jealousies and intrigues which threaten to engulf his life.
Kenneth Branagh plays the title role in Chekhov’s explosive portrait of a man plagued with self-doubt and despair, which vividly captures the electrifying atmosphere of Russia on the brink of change.''

Same theatre has plays with Lude Law, Judi Dench and other big names. Loving London...

Vanity Fair Top 10 most influential people 2008

2008-09-04T11:18:00.001+03:00

THE VANITY FAIR 100:2007 ranking in parentheses

1. Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister (new entry)
2. Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. (1)
3. Sergey Brin (3), Larry Page (3), and Eric Schmidt (new entry), Google
4. Steve Jobs, Apple, Disney, and Pixar (2)
5. Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway (5)
6. Jeff Bezos, Amazon (23)
7. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai (new entry)
8. Roman Abramovich, Millhouse Capital (30)
9. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt, actors, activists (new entry)
10. Al Gore, eco-warrior (19)

V.F. 100 is based on a number of factors: wealth and influence, as well as such intangibles as vision, philanthropy, and the x factor.

Interesting...

Thanks for this Dan...

2008-08-26T01:09:00.001+03:00

''The thing is, we still live in a world that's filled with opportunity. In fact, we have more than an opportunity -- we have an obligation. An obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and to share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight, and inspiration. To take risks and to make the world better by being amazing. Are these crazy times? You bet they are. But so were the days when we were doing duck-and-cover air-raid drills in school, or going through the scares of Three Mile Island and Love Canal. There will always be crazy times. So stop thinking about how crazy the times are, and start thinking about what the crazy times demand. You get to make a choice. You can remake that choice every day, in fact. It's never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. The best thing is that it only takes a moment -- just one second -- to decide. Why not be great?''

...from Seth Godin's Blog

A long,chilled weekend...

2008-08-25T23:33:00.008+03:00

...one where we were supposed to move into our new house and start our life there, but didn't- we will next week. Instead, some of the highlights were:

- Watching a carribean steel band competition in Hyde Park- as a pre-event to the Notting Hill Carnival
- Drinking coconut juice, eating sugar cane and jerk chicken with plantane- carribean food- all for the first time

- Watching the olympics handover to London- very cool
- Going to a Shakespeare play in the Globe theatre

- And then today- going to Cambridge- the best university in the UK and one of the oldest. Below: Trinity Colledge.

The city is small and full of beautiful old buildings that remind me of middle ages. This is where students live and study. The first record of the city is around 756 and of the university 1209.

The detail on the gothic buildings is fantastic, as you can see below- loved noticing all the gargoils and all the lace.
The most exciting activity in Cambridge is ''punting'' on the Cam. That means boating. :)

This is done using a long pole to push yourself forward along the canal along side all the ducks and underneath beautiful old bridges.

Over all, a fantastic lazy day with friends- very chilled, in the sun and grass.

Recurrent quote- brilliant

2008-08-22T15:10:00.001+03:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

by Marianne Williamson

A moment of happiness

2008-08-19T02:13:00.006+03:00

Frankfurt

2008-08-17T21:34:00.007+03:00

Rule number 1: never go to Frankfurt for more than a couple of days! There's NOTHING to do or see there!

Besides the old city center....which is nice...and full of Spanish people singing and dancing in the middle of the square- and interrupting Indians from filming their movies-

...they have a lot of sky scrapers...

...a nice riverside...

An interesting opera house..

LOTS of banks and financial institutions...

Sausages with potato salads...

...very few central parks filled with rabbits....

...and other strange animals, as shown below. This is Tony doing is impersonation of Bruno, the other character of Sasha Baron Cohen (besides Ali G and Borat). :)

I Am Who I Am Because of Everyone

2008-08-16T06:32:00.001+03:00

Nice concept...

This is all I have to say about my life!

2008-08-09T02:47:00.000+03:00

The most exciting part of my weekend :)

2008-07-22T01:06:00.001+03:00

Smoke on! The Red Bull Air Race happens in about 14 cities every year and it is awesome to watch!!!2nd and 3rd of Aug in London :).

Red Bull Air Race in Rotterdam 07

2008-07-22T01:02:00.001+03:00

Let's see the half cuban turn again...

Red Bull Air Race Rotterdam 2008 HIGHLIGHTS

2008-07-22T00:59:00.001+03:00

And now..one from the professionals...if you don't believe me...:)

Romani in Amsterdam

2008-07-22T00:57:00.001+03:00

As we were chilling and having dinner..I hear ''Barca pe Valuri'' and I say..''I bet they are Romanian''. After running after them I figured...they were...from Bucharest.Happy reunion, kisses on the cheek and a stripping of all our change. Typical.

AI Transition Party Trip

2008-07-21T23:28:00.009+03:00

Spent the whole day with friends and Taco, just chilling in cafes and taking Ankit to the Red Light District. :)
The weather was just as bad as Easter...lots of rain and about 18 degrees.

The city however is as charming in any weather...With its cultural attractions...

..and other sorts of attractions. Rember this?

All sorts of animals can be abused in any weather too, right Ankit?

And while Ankit was mistreating the poor lizards...I was having fun with the dog in Rembrandt's paining from Rembrandsplein.

Mmm...nothing better than your favourite latino combined with some typical canals...

Some boathouses I could never live on (what about the humidity, the insulation and the heat, not to mention the motion sickness :)

Interesting flower..never seen before.

Saturday it was raining so no BBQ in the park or football, so we ended up in the AI office, playing with figures from Kung Fu Panda. Now I am really passionate about this...Does JJ not look like the little guy???

Same old strange statue in the memory of a famous dutch cartoonist apparently...

The beautiful Erasmus bridge...

..by which we had the best bitta balls (typical breadded meat and cheese balls) and Lefe. :)

Saturday night we went to a pretty snazzy club, which wasn't as good as last year because it was not all ours and there was hardly any dancing. Below, the typical picture of the Romanians (not all that were there).

And another cute thing was the CC reunion- although Vish is missing from this photo.

Sunday was all about the Air Race...and chilling.

This one's for you babe. Some old plane they brought all the way from the UK to fly a bit. Can you guess what it is?

The moto of the day was Smoke On! because before each race would start some random guy would announce in a robotic way who would fly and he would end with ''Smoke on!''.

This is JJ demonstrating smoke on. :)

Whoever said that Durex created smaller condoms for Indians? :P

Finally...the journey back by bus was quite tiring and French customs as usual were taking their time...Over all..great weekend! Very relaxing.

Breaking a Guinness Book Record ...:)

2008-07-13T23:03:00.005+03:00

This Saturday we joined ''The Big Dance 2008'', an initiative from the UK government to promote dance around the country (and tourism). 2400 people or more showed up on the day dressed in red, yellow and blue to dance a dance we all learned from a video off the internet. For 5 minutes, all of us danced in sync, under the eyes of a Guinness Book of Records' representative. And we did it! We set an oficial record for the most people dancing at the same time on the same dance (I guess). I will show you the certificate when I get it by post.

The rest of the weekend was great too: private club, brick lane sunday market, dinner with friends, Lashhh Run, shopping, the works. :)

Transition...

2008-07-11T00:20:00.004+03:00

Very strange feeling this transition...feels so hard to let go in the middle of things...and I feel like staying on another Careers Fairs cycle. :) It still feels like there's so much work to do...

I cannot wait till the last week of transition...where we will have nothing much to do...but mourn the fact that the year is over.

Signed the contract with my new job today :). Excited.

These days...

2008-07-08T01:06:00.005+03:00

Great times...transition started...less work...more team time...lots of talking.
Came back from home very refreshed because I was very very spoiled. It was confirmed once more...if possible...that I have an amazing family and I love them all to bits! And the 2 weeks we spent in London and then home were...memorable. :)
I finally graduated from the Uni in Romania and I feel a huge relief...but I am bitterly reminded at how easy it is to get a big mark in Romania, which makes differentiation based on your graduation mark...very hard. On the other hand, it feels rather good to know that my home town hasn't changed and that my friends are still there, unchanged as well.

Highlights of the past couple of days...my reunion with Erica. :)

And all I get paid to do in the next month is pass things on...and thoroughly enjoy my team :).
Good times...I feel relaxed.

Incredible AIESEC Global 60th Anniversary event :)

2008-06-26T16:10:00.005+03:00

Best Careers Fairs Award: Southampton (and Warwick)

Best Local Committee: AIESEC in City

Best venue for an awesome event: the Emirates Stadium (300 participants).

Best MC Team- my team ;)

Best speeches and a fun evening

And finally...Best Family!!! :)

DYNAMIC ROTATING TOWER

2008-06-25T19:48:00.001+03:00

Prima cladire care se misca va fi construita pana in 2010 in Dubai. Va avea 80 de etaje, 420 de metri inaltime si va costa 38.7 milioane de dolari.

Podelele fiecarui etaj vor fi suspendate precum cercurile in jurul unui ax de ciment fix si vor fi miscatoare, oferind rezidentilor perspective impresionante asupra Golfului Persic. Arhitectul sustine ca miscarea de rotatie va fi suficient de inceata pentru ca oamenii sa nu o sesizeze.

Podelele fiecarui etaj vor fi actionate de turbine aerodinamice, instalate intre etaje. Cateva dintre apartamentele penthouse se vor roti cu ajutorul unui computer actionat la comanda vocala.

Cladirea va include spatii de birouri, un hotel de lux si apartamente. (Sursa hotnews.ro)

Ganduri...

2008-06-15T13:03:00.001+03:00

Exista anumite momente din viata oricarui ‘’Vanator de oportunitati’’ in care dupa o perioada agitata in care te zbati sa obtii un anumit lucru si in final il obtii, urmeaza o perioada de respiro in care sa apuci sa si constientizezi lucrul pe care tocmai l-ai obtinut.

Eu n-am fost nici o data adepta obiectivelor si a-ti trai viata conform unor obiective. Da, exista zicale care spun ca ‘’daca nu stii unde mergi o sa ajungi undeva’’, cu alte cuvinte vei ajunge undeva intr-adevar, dar intrebarea este daca de fapt ti-ai si dorit acest ‘’undeva’’. Cu toate astea simt ca inca sunt foarte cruda si inca am un sindrom foarte puternic al ‘’orice luceste e cool’’ (cum zice un prieten bun). Adica ma fura orice concept nou si de asta imi e foarte greu sa definesc unde o sa ma duca viata in 5 ani.

Chiar ieri am intalnit un tanar care lucreaza intr-o agentie de consultanta pe urbanism.

( Paranteza: E interesant cum indienii sunt mult mai treji decat ma asteptam in ceea ce priveste dezvoltarea lor...Se pare ca au chiar o initiativa prin care vor sa vada cum ar putea ei sa obtina urmatorul premiu nobel. Adica nu doar munca ieftina si outsourcing, dar si un pic de strategie...Si le-a casunat lor ca in urmatorii 3 ani o sa poarte discutii si o sa incurajeze: Stiinta in primul an, literatura si cultura in al doilea, si inca ceva in al treilea...lucru care mi se pare fantastic. )

Ei, si discutand cu acest tanar mi-am dat seama ca da, vreau sa fac training si organizare de evenimente, dar daca e sa vorbim de firma mea in viitor, cred ca un impact mult mai mare l-ar avea ceva de genul consultanta in dezvoltare urbana...din mai multe puncte de vedere. Intotdeauna m-a pasionat sa citesc monitorul de Timisoara si sa vad ce initiative mai exista in orasul meu. Si mi-ar placea fantastic sa am un impact in dezvoltarea si strategia unui oras. Iar Londra este un model fantastic in ce priveste transportul,etc si felul in care sunt organizati si privesc transportul de ex.

Lucrul la care am vrut sa ajung de fapt este ca din cand in cand imi pica fisa ca locuiesc in Londra...

Un prieten ne-a tinut un training la o conferinta AIESEC despre Legenda Personala si lucrul care mi-a ramas foarte puternic in minte a fost o analogie: toata viata construiesti la ‘’casa’’ ta si ajungi la 20 de ani si construiesti si construiesti...si ajungi la 40 de ani si construiesti, si la 60 si la 70 si la un moment dat te uiti in jos si iti dai seama ca ai construit toata viata la casa vecinului. Mi s-a parut foarte interesanta analogia si se leaga cu ce am spus mai sus, ca daca nu stii unde vrei sa ajungi vei ajunge undeva.

Ei de aici si mirarea mea atunci cand ma uit in urma la sirul de oportunitati urmat. Daca cineva mi-ar fi spus ca voi locui in Londra si voi avea un loc de munca ‘’permanent’’ acum 2 ani n-as fi crezut. Londra nu a fost niciodata un obiectiv. Si de fapt nu este nici acum. Este doar un mijloc. Totusi, ramane interesant cum drumul de oportunitati m-a adus aici. Probabil ca daca as fi ales sa fiu in MC in Romania as fi ajuns sa lucrez pentru o multinationala in Bucuresti, sau cine stie pe unde. Cu toate astea, sunt aici. Si imi fac cu placere planuri legate de ce cursuri sa iau, la care musical sa merg pentru prima data si la cu ce curs deschis sa incep de la LSE...Iar fascinant, cel putin pentru inca vreo 2-3 ani este ca nu stiu exact unde voi fi la anu’. Pana atunci...va astept in Londra.

Paris...more adventures...

2008-06-13T18:54:00.003+03:00

And finally...in front of the famous Louvre piramid...Have to say I have thought of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code at this time...:)

Opposite that view are the Tulleries gardens- the big gardens by the Louvre and another smaller arch...

...and these gardens are the place where I received THE CALL...the invitation to come to an interview for the job that I finally got :)

And this naturally made me my Goofy and happy self again :)

And thus ended the very first day...filled with fun. So we had to celebrate with a very yummy mediteranean cous cous dinner made by our very own...JJ!

And naturally it would not be the same without some...amazing italian Ice Cream.

Next day came the very beautiful Brussels gardens...where people just sit around this fountain for instance on chairs and smooch and chill all Sunday morning...

and after that we walked around the Invalides Dome.

Louis the XIVth ordered a building in 1670 that would be a home and a hospital for aged and unwell soldiers and this is where the name comes from: hopital des invalides.

The chapel is the home of many famous toumbs, amongst which that of Napolepn Bonaparte.

More adventures to come...the Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomf and more...

Redbull Flugtag- FUN!

2008-06-13T16:10:00.004+03:00

The Redbull Flugtag- great London fun!
One Sunday, many teams who built weird flying machines like badgers and purses ans swans and cocks :) throw themselves off a pier in Hyde Park. Whomever has the best show (to mention some of the ones I liked: Ghost Busters, Ninja Turtles, the Badgers, etc.), the best machine and the longest flight wins.

Watch the action live at:

A Bad example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl3Kyr4idAg

The winners: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL-i32dC78k&feature=related

Song for a moody weather like in London

2008-06-06T17:30:00.001+03:00

I am not a huge fan of American Idol and it's not til this fellow won that I actually listened to him sing. But I actually think he's pretty good and I like this remake.

London Underground Party May 31st 2008

2008-06-02T23:27:00.001+03:00

The first measure Boris Johnson took as the new mayor of London was to ban alcohol from the Underground starting 1st of June. So on the 31st of may through social netwroks such as facebook this massive ''Circle line party'' was promoted to ''celebrate'' drinking on the tube while we still can and to protest against the ban.
Unfortunately, I went there to see what it would turn out to be...and the video shows parts of it. I support the ban, because I think it's only common sense.
For more details also check:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7429709.stm

The Wii Experience- AWESOME!!!

2008-06-02T01:51:00.003+03:00

I am such a sucker for the new Wii Nintendo! :) It reminds me of the good old days in Oradea, playing Nintendo with the kids in the neighbourhood. This version is so so much better though, because you have this wheel you can use for Mario Kart and for tennis you actually have to move in (almost) the same way you would in real life if you were playing. It's just something else! :) (How I got to play is we had dinner with an alumnus and he had this very cool typical male apartment in a redone warehouse). Thanks Paul! :)

Post one of many on Paris- day 1

2008-05-31T14:28:00.017+03:00

Here are the first images of one of the best holidays I have ever had! in a wonderful city called Paris.

I am going to struggle to describe the atmosphere (very bohemian and relaxed), the different style of fashion (quite simple, yet chic- it's not what they wear, but how they wear it!), the wonderful role music plays in the city life (it's everywhere, from metros to street corners), the old buildings and monuments (you can feel history come alive), their bikes system (which I find amazing and which allowed us to get to know the city much better than any other before) and last but not least the food (croissants and baguettes that really melt in your mouth, as well as yummy cheese and hams).

My first Eurostar experience was impecable coming from the UK and 2 hours late coming back, as the online system was down on the French side. Minus one point for the French! :) We travelled very very cheap on £53 return. And it took us from the heart of London straight to the heart of Paris. Beats planes any day, especially because it only takes 2 hours.

During day 1 we just murdered one turist objective after the other...starting with..Notre Dame.

Beautiful and famous gothic cathedral that was finished in 1345...

...and that inspired many stories, including that of Quasimodo, whom we found having coffee at one of the coffee shops down the street (hahahahaha).

From the Ile the la Cite, which is the island in the middle of the Seine, where Notre Dame ''lives'', you can see one of my other favourite buildings: The Conciergerie, which was a prison that held some famous people before their deaths during the French Revolution.

Next we cycled our way...

(The bike system they have is awesome. There are bike racks every 400m in the city center and it only costs you one Euro for a day pass. If you put it back before 30 min you are charged nothing, after 30 min it's 1 EUR, after 60 min, 7 EUR, and so on. So less than 30 min is very do-able. The only bad side is that they block a guarantee of 150 EUR, in case you don't bring the bike back and it may take a while before your money is unblocked- since we are talking about banks in different countries...)

...and we got to the next point of attraction: the George Pompidou Center, which hosts the National Modern Art Museum, one of the most impressive collections of modern art in the world.

...And guess who else I found there...

Soon we were on to the next big thing...the heart of Paris...one of the best places to be in...the Montmartre hill...
...home to the Sacre Coeur...a very very beautiful white church....

...from where you get an awesome view...

...and also home to some of the most expensive coffee places...overlooking some of the most beautiful squares, where all the artists gather to paint idilic scenes of Paris or portraits of the passers-by.

Here ladies with beautiful voices play strange instruments and sing Edith Piaf...

...your eye indulges on small coffee places...

...shops....

and art.

And as we went down, because it was in the neighbourhood...we had to drop by...none other than: The Moulin Rouge....

...where we thought to practise a bit of Can-Can...

and failed... but at least it was fun :). (TO BE CONTINUED)

Song for a Saturday morning :)

2008-05-31T14:18:00.001+03:00

Casa de piatra!!!

2008-05-19T00:55:00.003+03:00

Wow...nu am cuvinte...alte doua colege de clasa s-au casatorit luna asta. Dupa Diana si Alexandra- din cate stiu eu- sambata Andreea a avut petrecerea de nunta din Romania, la care a aparut si Bea- care avea si ea nunta in aceeasi zi. Casa de piatra fetelor! Mi-as fi dorit sa fiu acolo!

Tribute to a great movie...

2008-05-18T23:12:00.001+03:00

..on a relaxed Sunday evening...

Becoming Lisa :) a no comment story

2008-05-15T01:41:00.002+03:00

The last national conference

2008-05-15T01:36:00.001+03:00

With my lovely team...the absolute boat racing champions...again! :)

And finally...with my successor- Ali from Birmingham. Hihi

Pangea Day- a global experience

2008-05-11T15:52:00.010+03:00

Last night...people from 180 countries gathered around huge screens to watch 4 hours of the same programme. The ''event'' was broadcasted live from London, LA, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Rwanda and Egypt- by the pyramids.
The idea was that for one night the people are united to see the world through each other's eyes. In this sense the event had a series of speeches and interviews, music from all over the world, 24 short movies were that were selected out of 2500 made from all over the world,as well as other cool events.
Some highlights were:
- Gilberto Gil- the minister of culture in Brazil performed
- Queen Noor of Jordan had a very heartfelt speech
- Meg Ryan, Cameron Diaz and Goldie Hawn presented
- People laughed together, as part of an Indian practise
- There were interviews with Palestinians and Israelis together, as well as with Lebanese people.
- And we found out of a lot of new very cool organizations who deal with different issues

Over all it was an amazing event and I am so happy to take part in it- it felt unbelievable.
But the true question is what impact did this event actually have? ''How does one measure the impact of a moment of laughter or tears or shock shared between a neighbor, a stranger on the other side of the ocean, a friend in another time zone, an e-pal on the internet? How does one truly evaluate the effect of a film on an audience, on one person versus another? There are so many intervening factors, and yet, at least as I witnessed first-hand tonight in London, Pangea Day heaved opened a new window. A window wide enough for any two people to lean back and forth, to share a story, to whisper a fear, to giggle over a secret - wide enough for communication between three or four...million or more. As Christiane Amanpour and our Middle East friends reminded us tonight, change happens from within. The question remains who of the inspired will take action?''

Do watch the event and the movies at: http://www.pangeaday.org/ and http://www.ted.com/.

These were the people I shared the experience with- some of them total strangers- now potential new friends.

We are what we do

2008-05-07T20:39:00.001+03:00

Change the World for a Fiver:

www.wearewhatwedo.org

Very cool organization. Check it out!

Big Showdown this weekend!!! :)

2008-05-07T16:22:00.004+03:00

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN....

It is with great pleasure that i introduce the greatest challenge of the century...:)

2 of my good friends will battle it out this Saturday to be my next fashion advisor!

Introducing the contestants:

LAURA-the one and only Archer (the tortoise)...

and in the blue corner:

Manish (also known as MANO and Manusa de dus- for the romanians)

Place: Camden town

Time: This Saturday from 12.00-13.30

Task: to get me the best summer outfit with £20 each.

Umpires: me and Urvi :)

May the best fashion adviser win! Bring it ON! :)

Até já, António!!

2008-05-02T02:48:00.001+03:00

If you skip the first 1.50 min, it's great. :)
This is it...I said goodbye...to Portugal for a while, to Coimbra, to the apartment, to my baby.
But the video I saw of the people in Kazachstan made me very happy and confident that this is the right thing for him.
And you know what? This makes me even more excited about the experience ahead...for both of us...because I know we ARE going to make it!How many people can brag about a life like ours? The fab jet setting life...
See you in Prague!I love you! :*

The game of cricket...

2008-04-23T02:10:00.004+03:00

...no such notion to me...a mere eastern european...did not see it before...and certainly not understand it. :) If someone explains it merely..it's almost impossible to get. I remember my teacher Dorothy- Cambridge graduate- trying to explain the rules in a lesson. So funny- I thought I would never get it.

Funny enough, tonight, instead of normal trainee night- which is beer somewhere else- we had the boys play cricket. And I have to say..I feel like a winner- because after the first round I got the rules...and by the end also the scoring system! :) I beat it..and you know what? Next time I may just play too! Ha! :)

TED talks about success

2008-04-18T01:49:00.001+03:00

And go Karting pictures as well :)

2008-04-13T23:52:00.003+03:00

I really wanted to post these for you dad :) We went go-karting as a team building activity- as I mentioned in a post before and we had a really cool time :)

I wasn't as good as I thought I would be, because the steering was really difficult! We had muscle pain all week afterwards. But I realised that I can't wait to learn how to drive! :)

OPS 2008 in London- wonderful! :)

2008-04-13T23:06:00.005+03:00

OPS...The conference we run for all our Exchange participants- students who go to work abroad with AIESEC. It is meant to explain to them what the organisation is, what the process they will go through is and what they will experience abroad- cultural sensitivity trainings, etc.

We had an amazing team of facilitators made out of my colleagues from the national team, trainee friends and people from local committees. And this was all chaired by a great individual, former AIESEC International team member: Taco. All of our experiences made a brilliant conference for around 100 people from all over the country.

We ran some great sessions for them- good case practise for an OPS anywhere in the world, because at the end people actually understood AIESEC and were feeling a part of the organisation- which is a great achievement for just 2 days.
We even managed to run a global village for them in a pub :P
We even cooked sarmale for the romanian stand the night before- and people loved them! :)

Over all we had an amazing time this weekend (11th and 12th of April)...and it looks like we will have to organise another similar one in May or June and I cannot wait! :)

Chairing a conference in Portugal...

2008-04-13T22:30:00.005+03:00

28-30th of March: was a wonderful weekend! I was a chair for RIMT: the induction conference of AIESEC Coimbra NEFE, the Local Committee for which Antonio is LCP (President).
I had a wonderful team of facilitators and a great organising committee and together we were a dream team. :)

We had about 68 delegates (LTMs, EPs and members of Aveiro- a new LC they want to expand AIESEC into).

We had exciting sessions...

Trainings given by alumni...

Teambuilding games...

...and chill out times...

Over all I am sooo soo happy to have had this experience, as I always wanted to chair a conference. Its success makes me think that training, event management and facilitation, as well as agenda creation is something I am good at and I want to do on a longer term. :)So I am now in search of a job that could offer me that again.
See you soon Coimbra NEFE! May you continue to be a great team and may you have a great year ahead!

Amsterdam pics at last...

2008-04-08T18:16:00.017+03:00

It all started off with a very eventful journey to get there by bus. 4 busses left London at the same time and they were all late- due to Easter weekend...and snow storms and so on.

It was certainly not what I expected, but so much more...I suppose I had just a one dimensional image of the city...just with those houses stuck close together and a few canals.

This was the weekend of the Easter holidays for the catholics. But all we could think of was that it was like Christmas. It rained and snowed on us ALL the time! So much so...

..that we had to stop for a hot chocolate every half an hour...

...and we just HAD to buy new gloves!

The first day we took a boat trip on the canals...
Which was wonderful, as we had an audio guide explaining elements of architecture, etc.

Afterwards we went to Van Gogh museum- whose life impressed me a lot. When we came out it was sooo soo very cold!!!! But that didn't stop us from taking more pictures :)

That night we of course had to go see the Red Light District...

And take pictures of Mary here growing in the window...(Marijuana:P)

The next day we were just being silly all day...

Taking pictures with the jumping motive everywhere...

We met Oana and her boyfriend who live here...

Who took us to the flower market and to some secret gardens....

...and of course to a coffee shop :)

Over all this city was wonderful!

I loved its beauty and its spirit...

As well as people's attitude and trendiness...

We still have a few things left for next time..the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank's house and the sex museum...

There WILL be a next time...hopefully soon. :) Now that a good friend is also moving there.

Paintballing

2008-04-07T17:43:00.003+03:00

This weekend I had one of the best experiences in a long time.
A few thoughts from it: rain, camouflage clothes, paitballs flying everywhere, bruises that now turned black, team work, sync, D- day, strategy, team motivation, shouts, falling, mud, burger lunch around the fire, expensive, friends and bonding, strenght in numbers.

I think I am closer to realising what it's like to be in a real battle!

Main learning: everyone needed to do their job and do it well, because no matter how small it was it was very important over all- it can make the difference between winning and losing! :)

Amazing

2008-04-02T17:29:00.001+03:00

I love the song, the atmosphere of the event and the beauty and the strenght of the models. :) These are the kinds of events I want to do some day: with this atmosphere.

Merita cautata?

2008-03-25T19:54:00.001+02:00

Scriitor, sofer de autobuz si impresar literar pentru detinuti. Asa l-am putea descrie, in putine cuvinte, pe Marius Daniel Popescu, romanul care a obtinut, recent, cel mai ravnit premiu literar din Elvetia, "Robert Walser", cu romanul sau de debut "La Symphonie du Loup"- „Simfonia lupului".

Prezent la Institutul Francez din Bucuresti pentru un dialog cu cititorii bucuresteni, autorul a vorbit despre aceasta perioada dificila, printre straini, despre cum este sa fii sofer de autobuz ziua si scriitor noaptea si cum si-a transformat viata in literatura, povestind realitatile unei copilarii "din timpul partidului unic", comunist, pe care si-o asuma cu "drag si fara rusine".

Amsterdam...here I come!

2008-03-13T03:01:00.001+02:00

Two weekends from now...I have tickets to go. :) And we will be many romanians there too! Yu hu!

Recently...

2008-03-09T20:39:00.002+02:00

Public speaking...
I went to a training from a public peaking club called the Toastmasters. It seems to be endorsed by many companies who initiate their own club where employees can perfect their knowledge on public speaking and exercise it. They even have their own national and international competitions...
Karting...
JJ's idea of team building fun was to go karting. One hour of rushing up and down a track left us with sore muscles and other parts of the body we did not know existed :P. Dressed up in proper racing suits my team mates and I competed against each other on a medium long track and I realized how much I suck. Hehe.
Cambridge...
Went there for another event of my Leadership tournament project. It looks like it's out of this world. The little I have seen left me wanting more...but from what I have seen...it looks...medieval, beautiful and peaceful. With towers and churches and historical monuments, not to mention one of the most prestigious universities in the world, this place is ideal for a Sunday out.
Portobello market...
Quite different from the punky Camden, Portobello is situated in the posh Notting Hill area. Here, all the houses are well taken care of, colorful and friendly. Shops display a wide range of antiques, jewelry, photography and art, as well as snazzy clothing.
The science museum...
It still surprises me that such an amazing place is with free entrance still. A huge mill steam engine welcomes visitors who can then go into diverse other galleries. Some of the ones I have been to are:
- space exploration: with pieces of satelites, imitations of apollo capsule that landed on the moon, explanations of how people live in space, etc.
- who am I? which explores what makes humans unique...from genetics to voice patterns
- modern world: which displays everything from machines that break particles to the DNA model that was created by the first people who figured out how DNA works.
My favourite experience though was going on a simulator of a space rollercoaster :).
There are many more exhibitions to explore and I know some that my dad and Antonio would love to see. Next time you are in London guys...:)

Stories...

2008-03-08T01:12:00.002+02:00

...they say people are not made out of atoms or molecules...but that people are made out of stories...because when they die people will remember the stories they used to say or the stories of their lives.
Stories go beyond time and age...people who are young can get a glimpse of what it's like to be old...and people who are old like to remember what it was like to be young.
Stories can even go beyond nationality, race or even species.
The leaders of tomorrow are said to have to be the best storytellers. They need to ''sell'' adventures and quests to employees..
And finally...the strongest thing you can have in a speech is a story...people will always remember and relate to a good story. One that paints a picture.

Thank you Alma to taking me to the Toastmasters club meeting. Really enjoyed it.

VW Polo Singing Dog Ad

2008-03-05T01:05:00.001+02:00

hahahahahahahaha

AIESEC 60th anniversary video

2008-03-04T18:49:00.001+02:00

Impressive

AIESEC UK Leadership Tournament-Oxford Heat

2008-03-04T18:43:00.001+02:00

This is the feedback from our project that was happening on Saturday...while I was in Sevilia. :) My baby project :)

More fantastic inspiration

2008-02-18T01:19:00.001+02:00

Thank you for that!

Inspiration

2008-02-18T00:50:00.002+02:00

What if you could harness the power of the free market to solve the problems of poverty, hunger, and inequality? To some, it sounds impossible. But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is doing exactly that. As founder of Grameen Bank, Yunus pioneered microcredit, the innovative banking program that provides poor people––mainly women––with small loans they use to launch businesses and lift their families out of poverty.

I had the chance to see him speak this weekend. And it was truely impressive. I had no idea what social entrepreneurhip can do before. And I had no idea how powerful the idea of a single man can be..the power of a nobel prize winner. A man who is so humble, smart and courageous, who will not just take the status quo for granted. One of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time.

I wish I had the courage to think like that someday. And who knows...maybe I will!

London...yesterday morning

2008-02-14T02:13:00.004+02:00

All you can see are the over-40- storey towers in Canary Wharf- the financial center.

LDS 2008 Ceiligh

2008-02-13T01:23:00.001+02:00

Dancing Scottish traditional dances :)

MC VP Announcement in LDS 2008 (Glasgow)

2008-02-13T01:17:00.001+02:00

I will go here someday!

2008-02-13T00:40:00.000+02:00

And that is a promise...P.S. This is Dubai :)

Introducing...AIESEC Leeds

2008-02-12T23:07:00.000+02:00

With my two favourite girls...Georgie and Nat at LDS

With the EB in Leeds...

And with the whole Leeds LC...the LC I am coaching...I am really proud of all of you guys! See you next week! :)

LDS 2008

2008-02-12T01:49:00.000+02:00

Old team of AIESEC UK...

And the new team is....Shaun (BD), Harry (TM), Georgie (EP), Will (MCP) Ariane (ER) and Nomalha(OGX) . Congrats guys!

My personal DNA

2008-02-12T01:44:00.001+02:00

My personalDNA Report

Valerie..to keep you company while I´m away :)

2008-02-08T16:27:00.001+02:00

Ships on legs

2008-02-01T15:01:00.000+02:00

Rising from stormy seas, the giant turbine towers of an offshore wind farm seem almost miraculous to the untrained eye. But how do you put them there?

Most boats do not have legs. But a jack-up barge has six, protruding high into the air when the ship is in transit.

Extending to a length of 48m from the bottom of the ship, and penetrating up to 5m into the sea bed, the "legs" of these ships provide a stable "ground" in a place where there is only roiling water.

As the legs push down, the ship is lifted above the waves. Purpose-built at a Chinese shipyard, the £60m jack-up barge MPIO Resolution is an extraordinary piece of engineering in itself.

Read more about it on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7206780.stm

Tata Nano

2008-01-29T01:15:00.000+02:00

Unveiled last Thursday: the Indians from Tata are going to build the cheapest car in the world: worth just $2500.