WENA

Interrupting my Italy adventure chapters for a thought: why would WENA people be any different than the ones in very performing AIESEC Countries and GNs? Why are WENA people [at least this year’s generation] less ambitious than others? Why does WENA do less exchange? What is WENA afraid of? Why would WENA MCPs decide to cut a position that has proven to be useful and so relevant for the members and their motivation and performance?
EUROCO
WE GROW
WENA LDS

Italy Chapter two: Vatican City

On Friday morning we took the metro from Termini station to Ottaviano for the Vatican city tour. I know this is the most secured country in the world. I was telling Lekha and Cata that in December, I will have had 6 months of seeing 6 new countries. The thing is that I also counted Vatican as a different country  [Norway, Belgium, Italy, Egypt, Denmark, Vatican].

I was very excited about actually seeing what Michelangelo actually worked for as I am a big fan of Agony and Ecstasy, of course. We paid whatever and then entered Musei Vaticani. Amazing pictures, sculptures, jewelry, carpets, costumes, gift shops, paintings… so much art, so many years of glory, so much history in such a small place. And then we entered the Sistine Chapel… That was not what I expected though as I really had imagined it dark and imposing – like everybody else who has read the Da Vinci code before actually going there. But some many people, so many eyes wondering where and how and who.

Then we went to see Giardini del Vaticano – the gardens of Vatican: mostly oranges and lemons and lime trees. And then we saw the Carriage exposition – you could see the huge carriages [old style, baby!] and the bullet proof cars the Popes use constantly – actually one car was out, either for the Pope or for an exposition or something.

I was actually thinking that the Pope has a really boring job. I will always want to have a job where people don’t intentionally try to murder me. So I won’t apply for the Pope position [it’s not as if anybody would take me into consideration].
After this, we continued searching for Basilica San Pietro. We kept seeing it from the windows in the Museum, but there were no signs, no nothing. Moreover, we really wanted to go see the San Pietro Piazza – that what the thing to see in Vatican City.

Asking a nice guard got us on the right track – we had to go back all the crazy stairs, to go through the Sistine Chapel all over again just to find the small dark door which led to the weird underground stairs which led to the exit of the Museum Buildings and into the amazing square.

We saw the amazing view, we entered the church and then it happened: what we hadn’t felt all day came to us and slapped on the face: the feeling of being small and insignificant in comparison to the overwhelming and imposing structure we were now a part of: the biggest religious site I have ever laid eyes and foot in! there are literally no words to describe the enormousness and beauty that church was! You just have to go there to feel it…

But then the crazy piazza! You could just imagine the Pope preaching, you could just see the hundreds and thousands and million people sitting there being filled with God. The pavement, the columns, the style, the marble, the architecture – EVERYTHYNG yelled: “you are in the most glorious country in the world!!!”. And we were. However, we only discovered it’s beauty later that night…

Italy Chapter one: Lost and Found

Rome is the city of dreams, of amazing history, of life, of such wonder…

I had almost 4 days to enjoy it. 1 day I lost for being too much into my dream world.
From the beginning: I did not sleep on Wednesday night just so I make sure I don’t miss my 5 AM wake up call. I went to the bus, then to the airport, then boarded, then watched the Alps and amazing Italy from above, I landed in Rome, took a bus towards the central station where I was meeting C. I was s exited when I arrived, that the first thing I did when I got off the bus was to pull my phone out to call him. The first thing I should have done was to take my luggage out of the bus because as I realized I forgot about it, the bus had left and I was left with only the clothes on me and a pair of socks and underwear I was too lazy to put in my big bag the previous night [funny how things turn out, right?].

So it was 2 PM, I was alone in the damn Termini station, I felt so angry I could literally have cried [I didn’t, remember my commitment?]. I waited for about 1 hour for C to arrive and to de-frustrate. He did and I didn’t. but I decided that the fact that I was dreamy enough to lose my luggage, I had the strength to enjoy Rome – even if I had no money or perspectives. I actually thought of leaving back to Oslo.

I thought to myself: this could ONLY happen to me.

We checked into the hotel, we went to “Il Lago dei Cigni” [Swan Lake] – I could not enjoy the evening though. But the next morning… I FOUND MY LUGGAGE – imagine happiness then!
So the next morning we ate and met Lekha to go to Vatican City. I mean, I was entering another country!!! And it was amazing…

leaving

I will live out of my suitcase for the following 12 days.
that is because:

• I will spend 3 days in Rome and feel safe again
• I will go to Napoli and stay there for another 8 days
• then back to Rome and my flight back home

Theoretically, I will visit 2 countries in these days: Italy and Vatican. I will see C and maybe A, my cousin with who I grew up but didn't see for the past 4 years.

When I turned 4, I met somebody who became my best friend until I was 14. ten amazing years.
I did not see her in 6 years. She lives now in Napoli. Shugy.

Whenever I go someplace where I really want to go to, I freak a little bit before: I either realize I don't have my ticket ready, I can't find my passport or health insurance, I realize too late I have no cash for the bus and my flight is way to early for the minibanks to work, I get stupid swineflu symptoms, I drop my laptop and break a part of it, I mess up my charger and my camera, I can't buy my train ticket 'cause I have no printer, my card won;t work as my bank is not really nice and on and on and on...

BUt I am happy. I mean, I am "linistita". totul va fi bine

Killer Morning

I am not cut out for sales.
period

Şi ce dacă?

Şi ce dacă vreau pur şi simplu să nu mai am griji?
Şi ce dacă vreau să iau o pauză de la toate provocările?
Şi ce dacă vreau pur şi simplu să cresc mai încet decât până acum?
Şi ce dacă nu îmi mai măsor impactul în fiecare secundă?
Şi ce dacă mă opresc din a-mi urmări visul? Măcar pentru câteva minute?
Şi ce dacă nu vreau să fac toate lucrurile perfec?
Şi ce dacă vreau doar să fiu liniştită?
Şi ce dacă tumultul mă enervează?
Şi ce dacă zâmbesc şi nu judec?
Şi ce dacă mă opresc şi mă întorc din drumul meu?
Şi ce dacă nu mai sunt eu?
Şi ce dacă nu mai sunt?

Be one of many

I just decided that, whenever I get bored, I do sports. Yesterday I was so bored, that today my whole body hurts: back, arms, legs, abs, everything!

I spent the weekend alone as the girls were in Brussels and at the coaching course. I had time to think, to talk to my parents and C. and think some more. I wonder why I never really considered continuing in AIESEC Norway. Because I was indeed staying true to myself. And I see now how my team mates seem torn as they need to take a decision NOW. This week we are launching applications for the next MC term.
Who will apply?

I kind of miss this rush for applying, being nervous, making plans, being excited, getting a positive answer, packing and starting a new life. I remember talking to the MCP of France a few weeks ago. France… a part of me is screaming out loud to not think any second and just do it! But the better part of me is thinking of the future, of that final beginning of the rest of my life. The conversation with the girls last night made me realize I want to go back home. To feel home. To sleep at night. To be a part of the crowd. To do what I think people expect me to do.
Is this what is the right thing to do? Or is this the comfortable thing to do?

This running blindly only makes me want to crawl back and breathe out as if all of this was a weird dream. What happens after I wake up?