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:) ]

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.

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....

Leadership

Self motivation :)

Too much

Finally, finally we released MC 10/11 Elections Applications!!! Wohoo!

I'll tell to the next Election Manager that one day is not enough to put it all together :) And he or she gotta plan more time for it :)

Anyway I understood yesterday, that work in MC never ends, there is always smth to do...So now my goal for November to stay focused and learn how to put right priorities. Cuz goal for October: self-discipline eventually worked out.

It will be messy post, just wanted to write something:

I was chairing AIESEC Induction Seminar in Saratov. Oh, gosh, I miss all LC work, when U see people in front of you, not on the other side of your laptop. When U see happy faces, ready to do smth (though they still don't know what), FACI team -who are worrying about each session and detail. Yeap, Saratov was amazing, fell in love with them. And of course unexpected things happened as well...This is MC:) "Super-flexibility" is our motto. I was supposed to return on Tuesday to Moscow and already had tickets. But on Sunday evening got a call from my MC, that MUST be in Moscow on Monday for Russia Day (feedbacks for LCs SONA). I look at schedule and see that there is a train in 20 minutes. There are 2 cash boxes opened with huuuuuuge line, so this variant didn't work out, as people in Russia are not likely to understand in these kind of situations. So I see the next one in 40 minutes, which has more expensive tickets and I don't have money with me :( But it didn't stop us, as my lovely FACI team was there, so we bought ticket for me 5 minutes before the train left and in the morning I was happily in Moscow, rushing to my MC. 3 days with not shower didn't influence my performance, so all work is done and there is more to come. Next week will be totally crazy: Novosibirsk, Conference, LC visits, TMU, FallCo preparation....

After all these adventures and recalling another ones, idea to write a book rose. So...stay tuned. I have a thrilling, strange, amazing co-author, so we'll make it work:)

And for now, apply for MC 10/11 AIESEC in Russia to write your story! It's worth, can tell U on my own experience!

Awesome choir from Belgium, reminded me of times in my musical school.

Is it a sign of getting old?! memories and nostalgy:)

Change

One person told me not so long ago: “Mmm, you have changed…”.

Kind of philosophical statement, as our world is constantly changing, has been for centuries and will continue to change. The same is for people: we change physically, emotionally, intellectually every day, sometimes not noticing it. If change is “permanent”, I ask myself a question: Why do people, organizations resist to change, try to stop it and put limits?

Even if to look at people in AIESEC, who are supposed to be open to changes and tell on every corner that they’re seeking for challenges and new stuff, when it comes to an action, some still find millions of excuses, barriers, logical explanations not to step up for change. It’s tough for people to accept change, cuz it breaks our routine, stability, takes away the “known”. They resist, but sooner or later change occurs, and people find out that they just wasted energy trying to stop smth and missed opportunities behind. Just imagine what would be with our world if there was no change? No planes, no internet, no technologies, no art, no us as we are now… Imagine what would happen to AIESEC if there was no change?

I personally believe that in every change there is a positive effect, even sometimes we don’t see it in a sudden.

So if you could change one thing in your life today what it would be?

What are you doing to make it happen?

Impact IC made on me are these thoughts about changes in our organization and change which AIESEC is able to make and I can bring personally. I'm still figuring out what are the actions I gotta take for that, but for sure my attitude to certain things and the way I'm doing it have changed since I got back to Moscow.

So be positive and embrace change, which is coming up on your way!