Monday, November 16, 2009

In AIESEC U meet hundreds of people, some become important part of your life, some U see for 3 days on the conference and never get in touch again.
And if to count how many people I've met in AIESEC, out of AIESEC: who are wonderful and so special, the number will be several thousands probably?....
Also it's magical, how sometimes one 10 min conversation can change a lot on U, and then U never meet this person again. So, if to say about impact each person brought to me, it's better to say: I am who I am because of everyone. And I appreciate and love this "everyone" today. Only need to say it more often:) And advice U to do the same. Cuz we can loose this "special" people, if don't tell them about how we really feel.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Kazakhstan

I haven't been home for 7 months already.
Besides the fact that I miss my friends, parents, home, I miss the country itself and always checking what's happening over there. From distance I'm being too critical to certain things happening in my country sometimes. But talking to my friend today, understood that don't wanna loose this link to my homecountry and loose my roots.
Not long ago read an article about Christopher Robbins, who wrote the book: "Apples are from Kazakhstan: The Land the Dissappeared". I was positively surprised how this author is describing my homecountry and giving external view on it. Felt proud and happy.
So thought about things which others can learn from us:

- Tolerance. More than 120 ethnic groups, different religious groups living in Kazakhstan side by side. Looking at the world which has conflicts based on religion, ethnicity, ideology, we're an example of patience, opennes and acceptance of differences.
- Hospitality. I guess tolerance is the reason of people's hospitality and friendliness. For my family it has never been a problem to host people, even they didn't know them. Not just hosting, but making everything so person feels himself/herself comfortable at our place. I just remember a moment when intern from Poland stayed at our place for a few days. And my mom kept asking him what he likes to eat, to be able to cook especially for him:) And there are plenty of these small moments which make you feel like at home, being in Kazakhstan.
-Patriotism. In Russia I don't hear very often that people love their country, probably they just don't show it. But we show it, like to talk about our country: how wonderful it is and always inviting to visit us.
-Innovative approach. We're not afraid to try new things or implement smth which works in another countries. There's this a program "Bolashak" which allow young people to go study abroad, it just prooves that we're ready to try new things and start it up. Even the university where I was studying (KIMEP) is an example of it: all the edu is on english, we have professors from different countries, the system of edu is completely different: credit system, online registration etc.

So, welcome to Kazakhstan!


PS [I'll be there for New Year, so feel free to come:) ]



Friday, November 6, 2009

I'm not going to FallCo to Czech Republic:( I sometimes wonder: U wanna change, bring impact and develop, but people in governmental structures do not care about it at all! You can fight, scream and demand, it doesn't change a thing. And also being from Kazakhstan in Russia is making things more complicated for me: embassies wanna check each word in my application and always don't like smth, in the airports and trains I have my documents being checked SO carefully that I feel like did smth bad...So FallCo was also cancelled due to these reasons. It just stresses me out now, cuz I feel helpless and small in this situation, as can't do anything about bureacracy and my citizenship.
And I think I'm just tired overall, too much stuff going on, I haven't been home for more than half a year and have a race: moving, solving smth quickly, having too much emotions, ideas, thoughts, not having time for myself. Don't know.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Novosibirsk

Finally I'm in Siberia:)
Novosibirsk. Cold. Snowing. Beatiful.
I arrived more than a week ago for Regional Exchange Conference, where was agenda manager and FACI for Leadership Track. Discoveries and enjoyment are two words which describe these conference the best for me: jokes by Jenya (our chair), the most active learners ever-delegates, random and professional FACIs, Marina with "excellent" time mngmnt skills, creative Egor, smart Jenya, drunk Dima....my MC team...
Now I'm on visit in @ NSTU, tomorrow another LC visit will start with @ NSU.
Visits is another chapter in "Novosibirsk" story.
I just love what I do, and falling in love with it day by day.
And I'm confident now in my choice. And trying to write the book....