Historical homeland

"Uchnuchmak" - traditional Tartar food

Strange tendency that usually write to blog after trips or conferences. It can be explained by fact that U change places, people and feel change around and inside, so have this wish to share Ur emotions.

On Wednesday we came back from trip to Tatarstan together with Rus or Ruslan:) For those who don't know my ethnical background is Tartar, all my grandparents are from Tatarstan, so I felt excited about the trip. We've visited only two cities there:

Naberezhnie Chelny, where were facilitating Regional Train the Trainer conference and

Kazan - capital of Tatarstan Republic

If to compare with how I feel in Moscow, there I felt like at home - as have lived there since childhood.

Naberezhnie Chelny is industrial city, which is about 75 years old. The city itself is not striking U with beauty or history, but people who we met there showed us the other side of it: we were on roofs, were undeground, saw amazing river Kama, felt hospitability of people there. Two guys we met first day actually challenged me with their attitude and behaviour. They've lived in Chelny for all their life and still find their smth new and interesting: real explorers. I always thought that curious and brave people travel, change places etc. But these two guys are more exploreres and discoveres than me, just living in one place and still having this fresh view on city and things. It just again made me think (my forever question) about settling down or travelling...Maybe we should just have right attitude and lifestyle, so wherever U're it's gonna be bright and colorful?

Kazan, from the other side, is completely different. More than 1000 year of history, bigger, more light, reminds Europe at some point. I for sure would like to come back there and live for some time. It's spectacular place!

So that was about places...But of course the small moments and adventures we've gone through made the trip so memorable. For example we went hitchhiking from Kazan to Moscow - it's about 800 km distance, climbing to 3 meters height balcony during night or swimming in freezing water at night. The conference itself with tartar hospitality, crazy AIESEC spirit and learning. LCs which we've visited with their problems and dreams... Thank you guys for making time in my "historical homeland" unforgettable and of course thank U, Rus for everything what's written in blue copy book:)

In Tartar traditional hats - "tyubiteiki", Kazan

Going Globally?

Yesterday we've spent wonderful evening walking around Moscow, I start to love this city: bright, contrast, big, unexpectable. But the point is not in Moscow:) AIESEC Moscow interns joined us yesterday: USA, Mexico, India, Brazil... I felt like I'm back to times when was in LC Almaty and we had this totally crazy summer with our dear interns and U could feel this international spirit in every detail. And I realized that miss it...miss this feeling of going globally, getting to know other cultures, talking to people in english about everything in the world: your countries, stereotypes, places, people. I miss it, terribly miss it. Probably that's why waiting for IC in Malaysia: another country, hundreds of people from different countries.

I guess I got addicted to travelling and different cultures when was in USA - mixing pot of cultures and traditions. And now thinking of my AIESEC path, realized that I decided to stay and go further after got to You Can in Poland, so this internationalism actually was one of the reasons I've stayed.

I kind of don't feel it in MC right now - international spirit, and the reason is not that we speak russian language.

I thought about my friends now, really close friends - they all travel, experienced a lot in means of adventures around the world. I guess our common thirst for going around the globe and understanding of how it is to live in another country created connection between us somehow as well, so we understand each other and can share things which people who have not lived abroad will not understand completely.

Mmm, don't think I'm stressed out about that:) There are thousands of other things which make me happy, but this idea of going globally makes me think what I want to do next year...settle down or go further?

Lots of interview last week: first for NST candidates and after for ProMS FACI candidates.

So we've formed these two teams!

With NST we'll be working all year long, I'm really happy that Lena and Oxana are there (TM forever:) )!

And FACI team for ProMS seems to be amazing as well.

Maybe it's selfish, but I'm SOOOO happy that my dear Stotskiy is there.

I met this crazy Slovak more than 2 years ago on ITC, we were in one homegroup and since then consider each other just relative souls, though haven't seen each other all this time. It's strange how U can see the person and after few words understand that whatever happen and wherever U're, he'll be there for you, supporting, cheering up, sharing and just chatting about some stupid stuff. And U feel so easy and natural, don't have to pretend. And this feeling is not dissapering with time or distance, it's just here with U all the time. And now we gonna meet after more than 2 years - in Kaliningrad:) He's coming as he promised 2 years ago :)

It's just one of examples as conference brings people U would never meet together and creates this magical relations - friendship...

SumMEET/ProMS

Dreaming of Kaliningrad:) 

...

Just feel pure happiness...don't know why, nothing special happened today. Maybe it's cuz we finally got hot water back at home?:) Or cuz I saw that one person values me and misses, though he's far away? Or it's this amazing weather in Moscow today? 

Don't wanna it to be over: like a sun inside and nothing else matters!

TM...

Writting now feedbacks on 16 Man Power Plans... and initiatives in TM in planning tool. For some it can seem to be boring, but I understood again how much I LOVE my job and TM, love it and will always love. And ready to read these MPPs every day:) and give feedbacks, and talk to my TMs, and manage all these TM processes, make conferences...

so my status for today: in love with TM:) it's really not position - TM is our vision:)

From home to home

Just got back to Moscow, and when was in the airport thought: "Good to be home again" :)

Two weeks ago I had the same thought when landed to Almaty airport: "Good to be home again" :)

Can a person have two homes, or its splitting of personality? 

Previous two weeks were full of speed and life for me...Need to see everybody, do MC work, visit favourite places and many many more. Highlights:

• salsa...love it
  
• don't get too drunk, or U'll get on TV
  
• nothing is impossible: even free taxi or jokes over U from radio :)
  
• people change... a lot
  
• don't be afraid to talk to unfamiliar people, they can become special part of your life
  
• try new things, even watching movie U would never watch
  
• drink in the park, it's fun and cheap
  
• spend time with Ur family&relatives, it's the best way to relax
  
• don't plan your day, something will come up eventually and it will be the best XP
  
• miss people who are far away - start valuing them much more
  
• skype is the greatest invention :)
  
• people are the main value, no matter what

Now back to Moscow, to my boyfriend, to my dear MC team...feels good and sad at the same time, as don't know when will be in Kazakhstan again with my family, friends, LC, mountains, streets, parks, full buses, sunny weather, crazy parties and this atmosphere which surrounds you in Almaty.