laziest weekend ever...

Just spent the most amazingly lazy Sunday in my life so far.
Anca and me whent to Bisha's house for dinner yesterday...
Got totally high on wine (and a bit of Baileys).
Bulgarian rakia was the absolute hit, everyone taking shots (although i told them they should drink it slowly)...the alcohol in it being around 50 degree...it is easy to grasp that everyone was so happy and smiling and high in no time ;)
Then...after the alcoholic devastation, we woke up at around 1 and were about to leave...but then we had lunch...then chai and sweet conversations ranging from matrimonials to what are our plans for the near future and from Indian sweets to politics and Dracula (Anca is Romanian after all) and business plans.
Then, when I almost believed we are starting back for Gurgaon, we decided to have dinner...Ridz's cousin Suhil who is working in a hotel, made this amazing mutton with coconut juice...All in all this guy was pretty much spoiling us - making pancakes, tea, chicken soup :)
All in all - we did nothing but chill the whole day...
It was probably the first time that I have had such a lazy day...and I loved it :)

catch the fleeting moments

The colourful kites in the fading Jodhpur sky.
Freedom re-defined.
Marble as thin and subtle as a whisper.
Simple daal and rice eaten with fingers and thus so delicious.
Blissful mornings with coffee and meaningless conversations with meaningful people.
The colours of Rajastan.
Melancholy of fading splendour.
Being tired from too much beauty.
These people. Their smiles, their gestures,their words.
true moments of fleeting happiness I just managed to catch :)

Natural drugs

On a Saturday morning, a list of 45 things that really make u happy...

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling.
14. A good conversation.
15 The beach
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they LOVE you
19 Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS
25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
26. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
27. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
28. Makiig new friends or spending time with old ones.
30. Having someone play with your hair.
31. Sweet dreams.
32. Hot chocolate.
33. Road trip with friends.
34. Swinging on swings.
35. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
36. Making chocolate chip cookies.
37. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
38. Holding hands with someone you care about.
39. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
40. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
41. Watching the sunrise.
42. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
43. Knowing that somebody misses you.
44. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
45. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Good friends we had...good friends we've lost

A lot of friends are leaving these days. Closer friends, or just people that I like. People that have become a part of my life in a way.
Torill...Nata...Isabel...
soon Neeraj...Francois...Henk...Julie...Peter...Burcu...Jenny...
Our "home" in Gurgaon is constantly changing, and I am trying to keep a stiff upper lip, cause if I start to cry about everyone who is leaving, the monsoon will look like a drizzle.
So many people leaving made me think about all my friends I have around the world.
And brings back so many sweet memories, but also raises the question...
Will I be able to spend quality time with these people again? How much have we changed? Will I be able to call them friends?
It will never be the same again...
But why does it have to be the same?
You tought me one important lesson - live for the moment and cherish every single second you have spent with the people you love. Now this lesson is back to remind me I should learn to let go.
Neeraj said something really beautiful:"I want to be happy and to be sad, to enjoy every minute of the happiness and sadness, cause only then I will know I have lived"
We meet people for a reason...maybe this is the answer to a long-posted question.

Tonight...

Too much sex yet too little erotica...
So sad :(

A touch of tenderness

In India I have met another fairy. She is subtle, tender, almost transperent.
Just as I would imagine a fairy to be.
Today she made me a miraculous massage. Just like that, without asking for anything, saying it is a pleasure for her.
I have never been a physical person (mening that I have always considered myself body-less and more spiritual, but the massage made me think of a communication on a different level.
What if your hands can speak? What if they are your universal language to getting to know someone? Could you understand people just by touching them?
I felt in another dimention.
It had nothing to do with the physical touch,it was the tenderness of a fairy tale.
Merci beaucoup, ma cherie :)

Happy Holi :)

Yesterday we celebrated Holi or Festival of Colours.
It is a holiday all across North India that marks the beginning of spring and it is among the most colourful and amusing of all holidays in the country.
On Holi everyone here plays with the colours of the rainbow. Coloured powder is available for 10 rupees everywhere, so are water-guns that people fill with coloured water :)
To be prepared for the colourful war that was about to burst during the day, we put some old clothes and put some coconut oil on our bodies so the paint didn't stick ;) Unfortunately our landlord and his brother took us by surprise and ...you can see what we were like before we even left for the real party :)
The real party was in a farmhouse near Delhi...with a nice lawn and pool. We had drinks and food included in the entrance free and a DJ...so it was the party anyone could dream of. Of course it went mad at some point, after we had "bang" (lasie with marijuana) served. The pool was full of people dancing and the water had the incredible colour of...something indescribable :) (i don't dare to think what the chemical elements in the water were :) )
Well...I don't believe I am going to play with colours again...it is a bit too messy. Yet it was a life-time experience I would recommend to everyone :)

Life is about...

...simple things.
Long conversations over a huge cup of Mocca with a German girl that I didn't know a month ago (Thanks Kat:))
Hearty laughs over the stories of a Spanish guy I just met.
Driving back home on a bike.
Writing an e-mail to my friends on the balcony, with the wind blowing.
My new set of bangles.
The challenges at work.
Having spent 1500 Rs on books (Lonely planet guide on India and Love in the time of cholera).
The anticipation of reading Khaled Houseini's "A thousand splendid suns".
Not knowing what will happen to me in one year and still being sure I have so many oportunities.
Having seen Jodha Akbar - a naive 3-hour long love story, I didn't understand any conversation in, as it was all in Hindi.
Learning something new every day.
It is so simple and beautiful.
Then...why do we go and make it complicated.

Long time no see

Well, I admit I am guilty for not writing here, but well...I got so addicted to my Bulgarian blog that it is hard to switch :)Besides, Being on Facebook, Twitter and everywhere else is quite tiring sometimes.One has to keep addictions in a certain limit :) I don't want to end up blogging all day, instead of doing something more meaningful.
Hm...I have some stories to tell. Lets see where I can start and K.I.S.S. (meaning I will try to keep at short and simple as possible)

Been to the beautiful Budapest in the middle of October.
Wonderful Central European city. Magnificent autumn. I would love to go again, along with my collegue Assya, who lived there for a year. She will be the best guide to some nice unexplored places:)Oh, and it is really unnecessarily expensive!
Some pictures:



Started Yoga classes.
It is fun. I can feel my back again. I realize that I have muscles:) The exercises are simple, but effective. I feel relaxed after. Megan says that there are also some side effects ( Hope she is joking actually;) )


Been two AIESEC conferences

I guess you realize when you are going old when you start going only to the parties of the AIESEC conferences. Well, I went for two - at the Local Introductory seminar of Technical University and at ACT. Actually I was one of the organizers of the alumni party at ACT. Surprisingly so many people came - around 50 alumni! Good try for a first time, I should say ;)

Applied for my first AIESEC internship
It is the position of Communications executive with Alcatel-Lucent in India. Passed the first intervew and I am getting more and more excited :) Is my life going to change so drastically? I want it, but in the same time I am a bit scared. It is surely a challenge!

That's all for now...I hope I will find why blogger wouldn't upload my pictures :(

Oh, what a night!

This is just to give you a tiny hint of the crazy party I went to yesterday night. It was a double birthday party:) I think that maybe 30 or 40 people came and we were dancing like crazy :) Just great!

Friends in need are friends indeed :)

In that case the need was to drink some cocktails...
Thank you Reidi and Pe :)

Chilling out

This weekend I really felt the summer for the first time here in Sofia.
I mean summer in its "chill out" sense.
I listened to nice music - Arabic chillout, Gotan project and Chambao.
I read two e -mails - from Emo (who is in Dubai) and from Mimka (that one reminded me so much of my visit to Krakow). They made me happy :)
I made a small present to a friend.
I met some friends and we went to the wonderful places like
Coffee house where I drank delicious Ice-vanilla.
I drank Mojito in the late afternoon.
I went to Mediterani and sat there, on the leather sofas, in the coolness of the cellar, listening to relaxing music.
I strolled to the park (Borisova garden) and walked barefooted on the grass. I found a bench and sat reading there. I was observing the people. Writing. Listening to music.
I went to drink mint and sprite with some friends at a very nice part of the park - Lodki. It was as if the time had stopped and I was not quite sure we are in Sofia, actually.
Then I took the long way home with Mitko. We walked for about 30 minutes through dusky and almost deserted Sofia boulevards.
Amazing :)

Freedom of speech in this blog

You might be wondering at the strange post and who is the girl at the picture and why is the picture mutilated like that.

The answer is simple:
I consider this blog my own space and I do not accept anyone, even closest friends to censor it.
My feelings are really very positive, but one cannot accept me to agree to remove a certain picture from here just because "I do not want my picture to be on your blog".
Or at least - demanding in this manner is not the right way to do so.
How about politely explaining why you wouldn't like your picture to be there (is it insulting for you?) instead of just giving orders...
I removed the picture from this post, as, however furious I was at Zayo qualifying me as childish etc. and no matter that I really feel that she acted very agressively in this case - I still respect her.
I hope she will not protest against the other picture I put in the post, anyway...
If she does, I will be careful not to put any picture of a friend here.
Problem is, I still do not understand what the problem with the picture was:)

Gay bachelor's party - WTF?

Yesterday I was invited to a gay bachelor's party.
I dunno why immediately when I heard the invitation I pictured myself among 20 gays and lesbians and one stupid man-streaper.
It gave me the shivers just to imagine that:)
And I am not homo-fobic.
Let's just say - enough is enough for now with gay friends!

Jazz-snake

The following video is the exam performance of a very ambitious young guy I happened to know through Internet.
He is studying in the National Academy for Theatre and Film and wants to be a director. Recently he won a prize for a new, unpublished novel.
He also enjoys making photographs.
Here is the video, which I think is quite fresh :)

I love Krakow

Well...here I am, back from that amazing journey in the wonderful Krakow...
I knew nothing about the city when I started my journey, now I am full of stories and beauty:)
Indeed, the pictures are here.
What should I say - Krakow is one of the cities that make you feel at home almost immediately when you get off the bus. It has a wonderful atmosphere - of something ancient, historical and in the meantime - bohemian and cosmopolitan.
Lots of tourists (especially British hooligans, whose sole goal is to get drunk:) ) so the people of Krakow avoid the Ryinek Glovny (the Main Square) and its surroundings.
Anyways, as I had to explore it by myself, I should say - these were wonderful days of discovering beauty at expected and unexpected places.
Things I will surely remember (and some of them deserve a separate post here):
- The city is very compact - if you know the main square - you can get easily to any other place in the centre:)
- Lots of parks, accessibility for bikes and 24-buses
- All the time - life is burning and sizzling everywhere in the streets. Maybe because it was the 750th anniversary of the establishment of the city...Or maybe it is always like that. Especially at the Ryinek Glovny - action is always around in people dancing, performing, singing or playing some instrument.
- Nice little streets with nice tiny cafes where u can just sit with a book and drink a cappucino , forgetting about the time
- Interesting museums ( I only visited three though) but guided tours are preferrable (in some museums, like the Museum of Krakow history almost all writings are in Polish, which, excuse me, is a VERY tough language!)
Well,I really cannot say it all in one post...but if I have to say it in one sentence it might be:
I LOVE KRAKOW :)

Krakow

Krakow,
Here I come!
To explore you and enjoy your beauties :)
Can't wait to reach there and see Mimka!
No work for the next 10 days!

Yupee:)

One of those days...

Today was one of those days...
You know what I am talking about - the days that are all full of little nice surprises and accidental meetings that make you happy:)
Well, going out to the office (as today is a normal working day, as tomorrow will be) I saw on the front door that my first postcrossing card had arrived from Finland:) Yupee!
I walked a bit down the street and just bumped in an old friend I have lost completely track of:) It was great to get her mobile number again (last time I tried to call, some guy picked up and insisted that there is "no such girl here") :)
Then, I had to work a bit...well, I really do not like working on weekends, but my trip to Krakow has to be compensated with an extra workload obviously.
After work I met a friend and we visited the "book fair" in the National palace of culture. I bought five (yes, five ;) ) books - mostly children's books - Karlson, who lives at the roof, one Bulgarian book, Winnie the Pooh's Dao and Pigglet's D and one 'serious' book by Haruki Murakami :)
I decided to visit some friends in Studentski grad and while travelling met one of the sweet salsa instructors. I have never talked to him much, so it was cool to discuss books and stuff. Actually on the bus back I met him once again, which was rather funny :)
I realized that the Placebo concert will take place on the 18th June (not 15th as I first understood), so...if my bus comes back from Poland in the right hour, I might be able to get to the concert! I want it so much...
Then, on coming back home I found another postcard from an unknown girl lying on my table. A beautiful photo of Lisbon (which I want to visit so much).
I love such days - they show me that sometimes things just happen. When you need them to.

A little international afternoon :)

Today I accidentially decided to go out for coffee with Stassy. Should have guessed that she is going to bring some Erasmus students along...
So here we were - me, Stassy, Galya , Jasmina (Austria), Sebastian (Germany) and a Spanish girl (whose name I forgot, but she was sweet).
We went to Apart:mental - it was rather nice, seemed that the teens don't go there so much already. I drank coffee with some liqueur - I do not know what do they do - but it is always marvelous!
We talked a lot about traveling, well...let's say already I have some kind of ideas for travel plans for the summer...Istanbul, Budapest and Belgrade were the first three destination. No it is all a matter of organizing ourselves.Which...indeed is not so easy, but we have to manage!
Then, we went into the nearby garden of "Ugo" where we met Mareike with two other Germans. The girl happened to write a thesis on Media issues and she had met two of my collegues!The world is really so small:)
Then, Vladi promised to drive us home with his car. Yet, he is not a very experienced driver and not without the help of Stassy we got lost 2 times:) It was great fun though!
Tomorrow I am leaving for Turnovo:) I intend to explore some of the streets of the old part of the town I haven't been to...Keep fingers crossed for good weather and expect pictures :)

Truffels extermination :)

Today we made an improvised visit to Bonjour shop and Stel4eto bought a box of chocolate truffels.
I love chocolate, and truffels are one very nice way to consume chocolate...
Obviously - it was the same with Sevi and Stel4eto - so in less than 5 minutes the truffles were gone and we were covered with chocolate :)
Here is a short photo-story of this notable event!

Let us see what is in the box...


Sevi: "I hope this doesn't have too much calories in it..."


Well, who cares anyway ...


How come they disappeared so fast? :)

Lazy labour day at home

This weekend it was labour day.
In fact - 1st of may was Tuesday, but we had 4 days off (Saturday to Tuesday). I spent the Saturday writing...It took me 9 hours to write a Profile of a person - I never imagined it could be so time-consuming. Now I understand why writers are so self-contained.
Then, Sunday I went back home, as Mury came to visit me.
It was rather strange, as just a few minutes after getting on home ground, I met Alx4o, then Kremba, Lili and Velislava. Obviously - Turnovo is a small town and everybody comes back for the weekend. In the next days I met Nasko and part of AIESEC VTU, one girl I had met on the BWB Enterpreneurship classes, one collegue of my mother and Ogi (Megan's friend). Maybe I am missing someone...
Well, indeed it was crowded in Turnovo - it seems that my hometown is becoming a popular tourism destination. Which on one side is good. But from another point of view...not so much so...
The first day (Monday) we went to drink coffee in my favourite Turkish coffee shop - there coffee is prepared on hot sand. It is really nice, and the host is a very welcoming lady. After the great coffee, we went to the popular "40 marthyrs church". It has been renovated recently and the bones of the Bulgarian tzar Kaloyan have been re-buried there. I was quite surprised that the entrance to the place costs 5 levs (I think the last time I went to the museum it cost only 1 or 2 levs). Anyway - I wouldn't be so frustrated if the money we paid was worth it. But indeed, besides having the Omurtag column and some icons...it was a strange thing that the builders decided to leave the electricity sockets visible...As a whole - it was made too modern. And...as anywhere in Bulgaria...not much information boards.
Then, after the Church, we passed through the Vladishki bridge - a wooden bridge I was once very scared to approach.I thought that it might break and I might fall in Yantra. Well...I almost overcame this...not fully it seems.
We reached the other bank of the river, near St Dimitar Church. It was really nice and calm, but also a bit sad...as there were a lot of houses fallinga apart. I dunno why I really feel sad when I see a beautiful old house falling apart:(
After our walk we tried to find a place at the "Shtastlivetza" restaurant, one of the most famous Turnovo restaurants with wonderful huge salads and a beautiful view towards Asenevci monument and the old part of the town. But...of course...no places left.
We went to another place, but what made us a great impression was that instead of enjoying their meal together people were making scandals, pushing the waitresses to work faster (as if if you cook at home, it will take you no time). It was rather unpleasant.
Then, pretty tired, we went to the Asenevci monument, where the previous night there was a concert organised by one of the Bulgarian political parties. It was rather disgusting, cause obviously nobody cared to clean after...
On coming back home, we watched "The march of the emperors".Mury obviously didn't like it...Well..some movies are not made for everyone :)
The next day we went to the Central mall (I am almosta specialist on malls, I just had to show our mall to Mury ). Rather boring...I really do not like the mix of shops there...
Then, we finally found places in "Shtastliveca" and happily had lunch...then we made a little walk down Gurko, making lots of funny pictures (Which can be seen on Flickr)
It was a rather nice weekend...Thank you my dearest Mury for the nice time spent together:)

Petia's Birthday

Yesterday I was invited to the birthday celebration of one of the people I appreciate most in AIESEC - my first "boss" Petia.
When I first met her, I wondered how it was possible for such a tiny fragile girl to be so firm and straightforward!
I have been wondering ever since.
She is such a nice person and I hope she is lucky in life:)
Just a short note how we spend her birthday...
First we went to "Krivoto" ...ah, it was so tough to resist all these delicious things.And...well, finally we didn't resist.
We were only women with just one guy - Johnny. It was Petia, Megan, Sevi, Liana (the sweet Armenian trainee), Maya and Stassy.
Stassy gave Petia a very well packed present:)
Here is Petya trying to unwrap it...
Step 1: "Let's see what is in here"

Step 2: "C'mon, open up!"

Step 3: "Finally:)What a nice surprise!"


After that, we went to "Bar at the end of the world" to dance at some retro music. It was rather nice, especially as John behaved as a real gentleman, and ordered champaigne for everyone. I will be waiting for some pictures...
When we were saying goodbye something Petia said something that warmed my heart.
"Thank you. My friends are my happiness".
What else do I need to be happy than making some other person happy!

Easter

Now, it is high time I said Happy Easter, I guess :)
Apart from all the Eastern -Western traditions that are mixing right now in Bulgaria, I really like Easter.
Maybe I am not so convinced in the existence of the Easter bunny (and I really do not know what is the role of the Easter bunny, frankly)and I didn't take part in the colouring of the Easter eggs this year but...
I LOVE EASTER
Because it is a spring holiday.
It is a feast of resurrection and renewed hope.
It is a time of the year when beauty blossoms all around.
You should not feel sad at this date.
Everything is colourful, everybody -smiling :)
And I am back in my hometown, taking all the incredible atmosphere it has to give me.
From the Christian point of view, Christ's resurrection is even more miraculous than his birth.
It is also a time of spending precious minutes with the family and closest friends. And for self-reflection.
Have I been good enough? Am I doing my best? Is this what I want to do? Am I not envious sometimes? Questions questions questions crossing my mind all the time...
Sometimes I wonder what questions other people ask themselves...Are they the same as mine?Or completely different?

Global village

Today I just thought...
what if I decided to go travelling a bit...
well...I could go to so many interesting places where I have some friends doing an AIESEC traineeship...
...Belgium - I can visit Gery and Belha and of course Maggie
...Poland - Mimka is having so much fun in Krakow it is contageous
...A4o - he is going to Marceille and then to Italy
...Drago - is in Bon, Germany
and Emi - in Prague.
Well, Adi is a bit too far away in Sri Lanka...but there's always a way:)
Tony is going to London soon...
Yep, I guess the promotion message that was on one of the AIESEC posters is true:
The world REALLY IS our playground!

BLDS 2007

I just came back from BLDS 2007. It was really a wonderful experience I will surely remember for a while.
First of all, it was wonderful, because I was invited to speak in a panel with some of the people I admire most in AIESEC - former MCPs that shaped this organisation in Bulgaria and also great personalities. I felt so honoured to be there among them.
Another reason I was happy was that I saw friends - old and new ones being there, smiling and having fun.

I always get so excited when I see so many great people at one place! I just wanted to hug and kiss everybody, to talk to
everybody...Unfortunately time is never enough at AIESEC conferences to do that!
I wish I could keep the spirit longer.
And I should say that...
Thank GOD that I enetered AIESEC and met all these amazing people!
:)

Every time we say goodbye I die a little...

I hate being so emotional.
Every time I loose a friend I die...
And I feel so desperate...
I guess it hurts even more knowing that you cannot do anything about it.

About Plovdiv and accidential meetings :)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I went on a trip to Plovdiv for the weekend. I just needed to get out of Sofia, to collect my thoughts, so I can take one very important decision about my career.
Well, I dunno if I managed to decide. But for sure I had fun and I am inspired.
Yesterday morning I managed to wake up at around 8.30, shower and pack my bag with basic survival stuff - you know - towel, toothbrush, camera and MP3 Player, a book and a sketchbook (it seems I will be back to drawing) some colour pens (I didn't have much time for that, though :( ).
Boris was really kind to meet me at the bus station (frankly didn't expact that someone will bother to meet me...)We had lunch and a fast walk-around the old part of Plovdiv.
I really like the atmosphere of the place, yet I cannot get rid of the feeling that the old part of Veliko Turnovo is more well-preserved, more tourist appealing than this one.

After that Angel drove us to Boris's place, where we had nice coffee and I finally met his so-much-talked-about (or famous) dog Uma. She is rather sweet, just the type of dog I like - not very small, yet not a huge one.
Angel and I went to the "Education fair" and I saw (finally) the famous Plovdiv fair. I really liked it - it looked like an University campus or some big open-air museum...

We walked around a bit, then met with Tony,Svil, Desi and Boris and had dinner. Then - we headed for Angel's place to watch a DVD. The choice of the film was rather...hm...strange "There is something about Mary". Quite a stupid one, yet we had fun.
Angel has a nice white kitty, but I think the poor animal is a bit stressed by him. He is too anxious and she feels that. I took her and I tried to stay calm...so she calmed down too.I like cats falling asleep in my arms:)
Angel's place was really so cool...and the bed was lovely...eeeh...
But sooner or later you just have to wake up and go to EB elections.


These LC plovdiv EB elections were a bit unpreparied, but I stayed only for the LCP speeches. Both candidates seem to me wonderful people, but it made me a very bad impression that their speeches were rather too short, lacked structure and profound message.
Anyway. AIESEC for sure is not what it used to be. Sadly.
Then, I made a wonderful walk alone. I explored the Old Plovdiv ...as you can see by the pictures.Nice place. Feels like home. Angel asked me what do I like about old house so much and I said - I guess their history and atmosphere, the stories they tell...
I managed to get to the bus stop at around 3,30...and while I was wondering how the crowd of people is going to fit in the bus...I thought I saw Gery standing some meters away from me. No, it was not possible!I must be halucinating. Gery is in Belgium, on a traineeship, not in Plovdiv...Such an accidential meeting couldn't be!Well, it seemed it could!It was her, and we travelled back to Sofia together. She had been to the wedding of one of her friends in Plovdiv and is going back to Brussels on Tuesday!

Oh, I love meetings like that so much...
Now I am home, preparing mentally for the working week, trying to take a final decision on the question that is bothering me, willing to draw a picture or two, listening to Madredeus (very nice music), trying to upload some pictures on flickr ( which wouldn't upload, I dunno why). Ah, back to reality, but everything seems so different. Like a rebirth...
Enjoy your week:)

Thoughts at the end of the week :)

It has been a nice week:)
I had the usual dose of stress at work but I didn't care so much.
There were two Bulgarian holidays - the first of march (Baba Marta) when we all tie up the red&white strings (martenitzi) and make wishes. As far as I know there is a tradition like that in Serbia...Correct me if I am wrong, please.
Also, the 3rd of March is the Bulgarian liberation day.
So, I had the reason to be in a festive mood most of the week (especially the later part of it)...
Another good reason - the OSTAVA concert I went to on Friday eve. I accidentially met Katya - a very crazy girl...and the night ended at around 6.30:)Britpop and after that eating "shkembe chorba" (sorry, no translation to that, but anyway - you have to tast it - it is impossible to be explained) with lots of garlic - luckily I didn't eat that.
Some hours ago I watched The last King of Scotland - a deeply moving picture, telling the story of an African dictator in Uganda, killing more than 300 000 people while ruling the country.
Some things made me happy...
-> I watched Irka's pictures from IPM. I love them!!!
-> I tied martenitsi to almost all of my collegues :)
-> I learned that Adi is going on a traineeship. We'll have a party - yupeee:)
-> I saw one friend with his girl. She had that long blong hair...so sweet
-> I decided to apply for a faci of an AIESEC seminar
-> I learned that, even though at work my direct boss doesn't show much appreciation of my efforts, there are people that consider me valuable and would like to work with me if possible
And some things made me sad...
My Dad has serious heart problems.That scares me so much!
Some of my friends are so far away from me.I have no idea if they are all right, what is happening...
I still do not feel at peace with myself
But still - I am waiting to see what this week has got in store for me!
Have a great, sunny and smiling week everyone :)

It's a GIRL!

The new PAI is Gabriela Albescu
also known as
Gabiza!!!!
A girl with one of the most wonderful smiles I have ever seen!

WOW - and - the first woman-president of Aiesec since 1998!
I'm sooooo excited to see what she has got to show us!
Go girl and good luck:)

On this day ...

Sometimes you have a feeling for things before they happen...
Today I felt quite retrospective.
Remembering IPM in the Netherlands.
Thinking how time has flown for me.
365 days have passed since my first post here - I found that while searching the archives.



A lot has changed.
I feel AIESEC quite distant now.
I am working a completely different job from I had imagined - yet quite challenging and interesting.
I was disillusioned.
I am excited.
I will not be at this IPM , but still I am really excited.
Cause some people I can call friends are running for AI.
Cause my successor has chosen the difficult path of building something from scrach.
Cause Egypt will gather 200 great people at one place and the feeling will be amazing.


Like it was at our MCP "crying" session in the Netherlands.
I remember everyones face. More than 50 people and almost everyone with tears in their eyes.
Grateful tears.
I am so happy to have been there.
And I am quite sure these people have stayed as great as I knew them. I sincerely hope they are all OK, no matter where around the world.
Among friends, who could not be OK :)

New AIESEC generation is coming

Previous night at two a.m. one of the leaders I admire most in AIESEC in Bulgaria - the MCP in term 2001-2002 Pavel Panov (Pafo) became a father for the first time.
His sweet wife Dony gave birth to a daughter - Gabriela.
I really wish her to have a very happy and sunny childhood and ...who knows...maybe when she grows up she will become an AIESECer as well:)

One amazing week in one post

Well, I have been a bit lazy this week in blogging.But I will try to sum it up in one post.
It has been quite a strange week for me - without a proper desire to work- i guess there are times like that that you can heardly concentrate. Yet, seems it was good in terms of my job - as I understood from my boss my salary is rising (just a bit:P) and this - in a way - means they are satisfied with my work. I also understood that in future I will have to write extensively in the i-net isssue and keep a real estate blog. Seems like a great challenge to me, so I am gonna give it a try. I was a bit disappointed with some stuff happening in the office, but, as I talked to friends they all told me that it is like that everywhere...
But, my word was not for work though.

Social life:) This week seems to be quite full, compared to previous one. And really nice.

On tuesday, I went to a very pleasant Cuban night in one new place - Tea house. It was like a dream come true - Cuban music (not only salsa),Cuban food ( i ate ham with caramel and pineapple:) ) and ...of course RUM! No pics of course, I was too busy to enjoy!Just one, made by my collegue - to give u an idea of what the place feels like.
Then, to skip the working week ...friday night was an experience - we went with a friends to eat Chineese. I once again thought how much I love the Chineese people for that wonderful food:)After, we moved to a place that I cannot call exactly a bar, as it is a bit too underground. It is called "Hambara" (something like a "Barn)and it lit only by candles. I met some people I haven't seen for a long time.And we had a few nice drinks and talks.


Later, we moved to a disco - "Alcohol". It was cool, though crowded and the music was strange - too much techno.However - we really had a good time there as well.
Saturday was tres legere - again walking around, shopping, eating sweet stuf ...mmm:)
And today - a wonderful ending of the week. I went to drink coffee at one of my favourate places - ONDA. Met a friend there,whom I thought gone abroad.
The evening was full of beauty, as we went to watch the Bulgarian ice-skating champions - Albena Denkova and Maxim Stavisky. They were marvelous!So much beauty and grace...it was as if I was in another world. Besides them there were some other couples - an Italian one (these guys, I can bet, were born on ice!), a Russsian one (he was swinging the girl in such a dangerous way...I couldn't watch), an Ukrainian one ( they did amazing acrobatics, I have never imagined that someone can balance on ice like that). There were also some other Bulgarian skater - they were also pretty talented. And two funny French guys. One of them danced pretending to be a 3-year old girl.He had this pink ballet skirt - so funny:)
Of course, my camer was not good enough to make proper pictures, but soon I hope to receive some from friends I was with. But just if you have some time...and to give you a very little idea of the experience I had - see Albena and Maxim perform their free dance at the 2006 olympics. Enjoy!
And have an inspired week, full of beauty:)

AI 2007/2008 Candidates

44 people applying and so many people I like and care about on the list:)
It seems I will have to read lots of applications (thank God they have some limits to their writing:)
So - PAI candidates
Hm...Nice surprise with Jarda - I think he is a very smart and balanced guy so - he is a strong one:) Go CEE!!!
Gabica - well - that is cool - I dunno when AIESEC had a woman president for the last time.
Ryan - I don't know him very well, but my impressions from the IPM 2006 presentation and talks during the conference - he is also a strong candidate.
Dey - no comment. I cannot say i am surprised. I always believed that repeating mandates contributes to sustainability in AIESEC :)

Directors:
Some people - I knew they were going to run for that - Deniss and Ali.I already wished them good luck, I will do it again now. But Ioana, Ivan, JC, Lars and Tamer were a surprise:)

Vice-presidents:
Here I cannot be objective:) especially in the ER field. Irka, I believe in you, I wish you to show the best of you at the presentation. I know that if you wish for something really strong - it happens :)

So- good luck to all. I am really sad that I won't be able to see the speeches, cos the ones on IPM 2006 held some of the most inspiring minutes in my AIESEC career.

Nevermind. Let the right people be at the right positions - to move AIESEC forward. Or to move the rest of the world forward too...

I just felt like hugging

Sometimes a hug is what I really need.
Like now...
I am so tired of people being so artificial and official.
That's why I want you to watch this and imagine as if I am giving you a big hug :)

Sushi XP

I had a very nice Sushi XP with Boris and Angel :)
I had a chat some time ago with Angel and he promised he will cook for me. To my surprise, he kept his promise and on coming to Sofia this weekend announced "I will teach u how to prepare sushi"
And then, I was sent for products (it was too good to be true - a guy cooking and having all the products ready :P)I had to buy cucumbers, salmon and avocado. I went through the whole ciry centre without finding the avocado (and reseived a solid reproach from the cook afterwards).
Then, the preparation was cool. Angel had brought with him some sticks and taought us how to eat with them ( my favourite part was me, dropping the food in the soya sause, as Boris didn't stop bulshitting:)- it wasn't a very elegant way of eating, anyway...)
Indeed, what I think is needed for a good sushi might be the following:
rice (special type)
fish
cucumbers
special seaweed to stuff the rice in
avocado (if u can find)
a nice guy, willing to teach u how to cook (REQUIRED)
another nice guy, doing nothing but making u laugh (PREFERRED)
Well, I guess the "sushi" lovers already have 1000 reasons to hate me, so I will stop here.
Just before I leave - a HUGE THANK YOU , guys, for the sushi XP ( better than AIESEC XP maybe :) ). I hope u enjoyed it as much as I did!

Tagged, or whatever it is called:)

Well, as I seem to be tagged (or whatever it is called - i will be really thankful if someone explains me this:)as I am a new blogger)by Geri...so I guess I have to continue :)
So, without further ado:
I am thinking about... something I just read…

I said...to the person I really love in such a crazy way "Here is the lyrics of Post Blue by Placebo, just to let u know how I feel, just in case u care"

I want to...get rid of the part of myself that makes me too melancolic and prone to depressions and crying at times.

I wish....people took more time to get to know each other on a personal level.

I miss...my childhood days.

I hear... the lamps in the office whispering, my collegue arranging a beer with his friend on the phone.

I wonder...if I will soon meet someone that will be able to love at least with the half of the love I could give.

I regret…...that sometimes I am thinking too much for stupid stuff.

I am... just Sve - a whole tiny little world to be discovered. Anyone interested?

I dance...sometimes at home, sometimes in the office, on the streets when I listen to cuban music...and in discos.I usually go crazy. I was meant to be a dancer.Too bad I do not have the figure for that:)

I sing...in the shower of course. And on the streets. And love singing - it is a gift of God.


I cry...too much. And often, when I cry, I feel something just breaks in me.In a way that my soul hurts.

I am not always...sure I am a person that you would call "normal"

I write...to understand myself and the world around me. To ease the pain.

I confuse...well, last thing I confused was the name of a very important guy and his secretary called and shouted at me.

I need...a long break with the things that are part of my world. New and interesting people to know.

I should try...being more bitchy:)
I finish...this post with the hope that I will be able to post interesting posts soon (no time...:()

I will miss her...

My dearest Mury, a friend from my first year as EB in LC Varna is going away.
I will miss her...And be happily surprised when I receive a postcard from a part of the world I have no idea of ...When she went to the ocean liner for the first time I received a message "I love u so much even in Sothhampton".Without a signiture. I was wondering who could love there...until she called and the mystery was solved. We are lauthing every time when we remember. Then, the postcards really came at the most unexpected time, when I was really overwhelmed with AIESEC work and problems. And they made my day.

Good to have such friends, that you know will be caring for you even after a lot of years, even if you are miles away. Still,it hurts so much sometimes when u see that they are unhappy or confused with their lives and u know that u do not have the right to interfere...to give advice, to make decisions instead of them.
As, I strongly believe, no matter how close you feel to a person, no matter how much you love and support each other, you are alone in your hardest times, the decisions you have to make that change your life you make them alone. That is the price of being a free man.

Time to relax and reflect in Varna

Since last Friday I am staying at a friend's place in Varna. This is a short break before I sign a contract which will allow me to go on vacation after...only 8 months...which means April 2007 the earliest:)
And I am starting to plan from now to go on ISP in Croatia in the summer:P
Yet, now , I am in Varna, before my final thesis on Friday and trying to enjoy myself...
Me and Mury (my friend) are having fun - just relaxing, walking on the beach, talking...She will leave to work on an ocean liner for 6 months. I am somehow worried about her, as she is so fragile.I know she will handle it, but on the other hand I must admit that I wouldn't stand to go through what she has gone - be away from my family and friends, have a hard job and noone to lean on.

Walking in Varna, strangely, brings me memories mostly of my times in AIESEC. Maybe it is not so abnormal - after all my years at university were mainly AIESEC years. But the strange thing is that I almost do not have memories, or at least I do not feel so much for my 4-year relationship. The streets I am walking, the places I go to...I hardly seem to connect them to times, spent with my boyfriend. Sofia, on the contrary burdens me with memories, connected with a very painful emotional experience.
Maybe that is why I feel so free here - no memories, no painful pictures, sounds and words.Only shadows of happy days, being satisfied with the love I had.
What made me change this?
Why did I run after a dream?
Or maybe, I am always running...
At least, I have the sea. It stays there. No matter where I may run...

My Saturday experience

Saturday was quite a nice experience.
At first I woke up with a bit of an anxiety, as I had to meet with Cveti for the financial documents of the previous MC term. Financial stuff always makes me feel uneasy, as everything I do not understand very well...I guess it's normal, anyway:)
It turned out to be a nice meeting (at least for me) - Cveti calmed me down and I felt that at least someone knows what is going on more profoundly than me.
After that I went to see Sevi and we had lunch together:)
Then, I went with Peca to the National Gallery to see the Exhibition of Ivan Murkvichka paintings (150 years since he was born).
It was really marvelous!
I saw pictures I have seen as a child in my history books and I never imagined I would see them for real.
Some of them were so good that tears started coming to my eyes - so great was the gift of the master, that the portraits I saw were like real, living people!
And, as I was walking through the Gallery halls (it has once been King's residence) I was wondering how was it arranged, what was the furniture when people were living there in the beginning of 20th sentury...
After this wonderful experience we went to drink a cocktail in Toba:co ( which is just behind the gallery) and then - for a little walk in my favourite streets in the central part.
...then - coffee at Onda...
Peca had bought me a birthday present - a purple scarf:)
In the evening - we went out for a beer with Drago,