Gschpürschmii

This song was one from my favourites during my "German" period - always reminding me on home and friends...

For all of you, no matter where on Earth...

Project Management

Had my traineeship in project management
Had a course at university around project management
Had many conferences with project management tracks
Trained twice on project management
In love with project management

And in the last 2 weeks feeling like giving up a project responsibility I got. Not because of the responsibility itself, but because of bad planning, team irresponsibility, short-sightedness. There is non inappropriate team, but inflexible players... really so?

Disappointment for big dreamers or for naive people...
Both me.

Friend

Managed to see each other after so many months. Busy program right now - both overwhelmed. Went out just for a drink. Got the rule to put a ban on one topic (about one NGO - which noone of you know :P) and finally found time for great discussions. Caring. Talks about life, caravans, orientation, jobs... always nice to have someone you can trust. Even more: someone you can laugh with about life, to undertake too wirld and random walks through unbelievable places in Sofia. Someone to trust your spontanious decisions. Someone to make you think from a different angle.
Brighten your eyes, keep the smile on and keep beeing such an unbelievable friend!!!

= = A torn page from an OC diary = =*


My name is Silviya.
I am in my 3rd student year at the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Just came back after one year of wonderful exchange eXPerience in AIESEC St.Gallen, Switzerland.
Currently I work with above 60 people from over 16 nations in order to create an amazing, colourful, full of energy and @ spirit conference.
Hello, I am the OC Delegates on EnterCEE Conference 2007, hosted by LC Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria J
Why I am spending my time to organize a conference, you may ask.
Well, it gives me the opportunity “to taste” 15 nations in such a short period. It challenges me to find a way to communicate effectively with different people. You learn to rely on people you do not know, to work virtually, to challenge yourself every second and at the end of the day to still have a smile on the face and the conviction that this responsibility is really worth!
I think often on my first participation on a PBOX conference when I was an OCP in Switzerland. It was so motivating, so inspiring, so many new contacts and the dream of 20 people to realize their projects. We promised to support each other, to match together, to meet each other around. And we did it J And it was WENA GN guys ;)
Now I want to be there and to feel the great happiness seeing so many project teams, 54 projects on one place, CEE spirit and we will rock the house. And not only the house, but everything around us so that this rocking feeling will keep “echoing” in our hearts for months afterwards. Because this is a conference for YOU – for the EnterCEE participants. Just for you, dear CEEtizens!
***
How does an OC day, exactly 1 week before a conference, look like?
7.30h. Alarm clock. Mm, too early to get up… Yes, maybe in Bulgaria, but have to call in St. Petersburg and it is already 9.30h there. Sofia is hardly waking up…
8.00h. First sms of the day. Goog morning, world J Nasko (LCP, LC Veliko Turnovo) has just faxed few last night’s invitations. Great, my people in Turkey will get their visas. Thinking a bit about the strange situation – working not on site has some disadvantages: you can not finish your work on your own. And the greatest advantage: you learn to work effective, intense and happy in a virtual team, real time and respect team responsibility – thank you guys J
9.00h. University classes. Yes, no matter the conference we still have duties to the university…
12.00h. University is over. Time for EnterCEE Co work J
12.30h. At home. Starting tone of Windows, 10 new mails around the conference in the last 4 hours. New delegates, ideas for some small surprises for the delegates from my dear OC colleagues. If the delegates just knew what is expecting them :P
Excited, really excited… 1 week left J
15.00h – discussions with Geraldine and Deni (OCP) about the delegates, the conference itself, different inputs and feedbacks, work is getting more and more various… Chats with the Bulgarian MC. Sending mails to the Sofia´s LC to host our delegates
16.00h – call from Turkey. Funny – I spent the last 1.5 years abroad, 2 different countries and had never dealt with embassies so much as now. It brings me on thoughts of differences and ununited Europe, and how horrible it is yet that we are not equal in the chance to use opportunities. Calling the embassy: “international student organization – conference – 15 nations from CEE”… “oh, yes, it will be ok. Only the visa takes 4 days”. Cool – AIESEC breaks the borders, not only metaphoric said ;)
19.00h – come on, every @er needs a break, time to have a nice dinner with friends ;)
22.00h. Checking mails. New delegates, new invitations. Cool, we’re getting more J
23.00h. OC is tired. Jokes and fun stuff running through skype J Planning next steps.
0.00h. Time to sleep. Last check of mails. Everything done! Happy, happy J
There is only one week left. I cannot wait. I met so many people during the last 3 weeks, finally time to welcome them and show them the fruits of our work…
Destination: Success
Direction: Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria
Goal set: amazing EnterCEE Conference 2007!
Are you packing already?
Ready…
…steady…
…go!!!
P.S. I know, you are excited as well and would so much want to go just right now. Wait for few more days – 27th is near ;)
Till then: keep your good mood and check our site: http://sourcecore.net/AIESEC/EnterCEECo2007/

* maybe one from the last posts about my active @work you are going to read...

Mixture

I am Bulgarian. And I am proud of it. But somehow I feel that I got and am getting some characteristics from other nations, from the places I live or have lived.*

I feel a bit German, because:

- I am direct towards people - I say and act the way I feel and when something is wrong, I say it as well

- I can say no, when I mean no (of course, not always, I am Bulgarian :P)

I feel a bit Swiss, because:

- I am polite and friendly to people - yes, I try to always wear my smile. Funny now - I am used to greet everyone when I enter somewhere, when I meet the guard of my block etc. And I miss the "shop conversation": "Hello-hello! Please - thank you! Have a nice day - you too! Thank you - thank you! Bye - bye! *smile-smile*" Ok, there is a shorter version as well, but you got what I mean... and Sofia, Studentski is said to have some of the most polited vendurers...

- I am helpful - I walked 100m back on the street yesterday to show a lady the way to a bus stop. And she was "einfach verblüfft" - more than surprised. Was something wrong with me or is it something wrong with the BG society when such an action surprises people?

*If you live in Switzerland or Germany, please keep in mind that these characteristics are according to my experience and perceptions in your countries ;)

People

People are strange kind of animals sometimes. Or at least I think so...

Few impressions, chats and thoughts from the last days:
- some of my ex-colleagues at university which are my colleagues now (I interrupted my studies because of Switerland, but they interrrupted it because not passing exams) - streight after one year break of university because not studying enough or not being lucky enough to pass the exams: discussing their plans how to get this year´s exams by re-writting their colleagues´ works and papers. One year break and not a single thought about how to better themselves in this direction...
- young people around, scared of trusting themselves and some how unable to dream big... This hurts the most - what kind ot disappointments young people can have on 22 to look so pesimistic on life? And not trusting in their abilities?
- the locksmith around the corner - chat about that he sees more than hundered young ppl everyday (lodging right now, so more than 1000 ppl need keys..) and almost noone smilling... is this really Bulgaria...
- a professor at the university today, explaining stuff which was relevant 20 years ago... or do some ppl still live in "those times"? Even professors on the so called "best university in Bulgaria"?
-chatting 1.5h on skype with a friend who was explaining me that has no time to see each other - both in Sofia right now...

I believe in people´s goodness. And that we should be polite, helpful, because we live in the same society and if a have a problem today and you help me to solve it, be sure that your goodness will be rewarded...

And the cherry of the day...

20.00h, Studentski, myself and I: hungry. Heading for the open sky grocery for some fruits and vegitables. Nice - great to be half-vegetarian, food is cheaper. (just for the protocol: prices have changed with more than 50% since the last time I shopped in Sofia)
20.10h, on the road back: mhmmm, I need some cheese etc for my salad... Going to the big "Fantastico" shop. Small problem: I have products from other shop and I am not allow to go in the shop with them. And all lockers are full. Great. Left the shop without cheese.
20.12h: Met Milenski on the road back. He wanted to shop and we even joked that with his products and my vegitables we´ll have a great salad. We went back - same problem with lockers.
Ok, so what did I do? Remembering my life in Switzerland and great ppl there, I thought: "Ok, no locker for my vegitables, but ok - come on, this is a bag with some vegitables and fruits, who will take it when you´re in a huge store where you can buy them as well?" So, I left them above the lockers, a bit hidden..
20.20h: Quick shop with Milenski, huge bill again...
20.21h: Back to the lockers... My bag with vegitables is gone... not in 60 seconds, but in less than 10 minutes...
Who can stole a bad with vegitables?
20.25h: Back to the vegitable´s grocery. Surprised vendure. Yes, they were stolen. Well, I guess I wont leave them unlocked the next time. Bought some more vegitables.
22.40h: Writting this and still havent cooked the salad I wanted...

Yes, I guess I am naive. But I will keep hoping and believing that we are good people.
And to the one eating my salad now: hope you enjoy it. Please, if you meet me personally the next time, ask for some money to buy on your own...

Neopit Pilski

11.09.07, about 18 o´clock, sms:

From: Stefan in BG: Are gathering some public for tonight? Remember: Neopit Pilski on Tequila Bar, everybody daance!

Sis: reaction - *totally shocked!*: Whaaat? I hear it for the first time, are you kiddin´? Stefanee, ste ti durpam ushite (no translation, sorry). We´ll be there on 13th in Bourgas.

Stefan - vocals, guitare; Simon - drums; Steffen - bass guitare; http://myspace.com/neopitpilski

I have totally forgotten that I took some contact info of Tequila´s boss and gave it to Stefan. Though they have already planned the BG tour, one more stop in Pomorie could be cool, he said. Only that he forgot to tell me that they are playing in Pomorie indeed - though the saison was officially closed in Tequila Bar. My first time to meet the band - though I know Stefan for years, I have never seen them live. All the records - even rough stuff - from my brother. I missed their concerts twice so far - once in Hamburg and once in Lueneburg... ahh, good old German days... It was more than touching. Hearing songs which texts I know from the beginning, some of them dedicated to people I know and love... It is strange how distance and music can keep people together. Though many people are still not used to hear philosophic texts of songs. So proud of Neopit Pilski to have sung only their songs. No covers. Finally - some real music for my soul. And memories and feelings rushing through my head...

Enjoy the video below (sorry, low quality, keep on small screen)

One from my favourites: Jesus

Time after time

Yes, I´ve done it. I have my 22 years now :) Thank you for all the wishes, I was really surprised! Yes, I have spent some time re-thinking life. Some conclusions:

• wishes come true - never stop dreaming, planning, meeting spontaneous decisions
• nothing to hesitate for and nothing to be sorry for
• always trust yourself
• find always time for old friends and time for new friends ;)
• follow the expectations you set to yourself

I spent the day the way I love: on the road a bit, discovering one city in Bulgaria I did not know before, with a person I love. And yes!! We selebrated 09.09 the way it was supposed to be ;)

Life now, back in my hometown - arrggg, soo busy...

I am already an expert in different sorts of faience, terracotta, laminate, granitogress or whatever they are called on English... I have never thought that planing how to make floor pave in a house can be such a stressful, exhausting and wirld activity... It´s strange to be at home where everyone plans you for something - pay bills, do this and that, work as translator, excel helper, cooker. Not that I am complaining, just have to get used to it again...

A lot of @work as well. Surprisingly, I miss the @ Swiss way of doing some things ;)

Out for the day, dreaming of decoration...

When there are no words in my mind, there are pictures to express the last weeks....

Su - your desire all around in Istanbul during summer...

Nomad life

Assimilation

My IC delegation ;)

Inspired and wordless - opening ceremony, IC 07

Official photo of the TtAT (Switzerland 07) delegation on IC

The alternative photo of the virtual TtAT (Switzerland 07) delegation on IC ;)

As it is quit cloudy in Sofia - some good memories from Kiten and this summer...

Fighting on the beach

With our Shumensko special (the best tarator ever)

Relaxed on the beach

So, small update: finally in Sofia, in Studentski again... Mixed feelings, different thoughts, too melancholic and lazy for whatever...