I have learnt today…

..that sticky notes don’t lie

and that the song: Devil Archeist (Bethany Joy) is pretty good!

One piece is missing

I have a huge need to go home (to Slovakia) for a while and I will. I need to live my history, to meet my childhood and also my dreams I had back there in Slovakia.

About happiness and little deeds

I have been thinking recently and I decided to share. I was thinking about small things that can make one happy. And also about how can one make oneself happy. So two different approaches.

The previous “EVS” year, I had a collegue, who had learnt a slovak phrase “pekna si” = “U r pretty”. She used that phrase almost each time we met. It was a small insignificant joke which was actually pretty significant. It created good atmosphere each time. Another example would be from handball when one of my teammates welcomed each player who entered the sport hall in the beginning of the training with a sentence: ”Så kult att just DU är här” = “So cool that particularly YOU are here”. We all knew she repeated it for each and every one but each of us smiled and kept good mood for some time of the training. Again – it was a small thing, maybe even not really meant seriously, but still had a big impact. I think it’s each persons responsibility to be aware of the fact that we do have impact on others around us and we can actually make a day nice for someone. Everyday. Another question is whether we allow ourselves to be happy about small insignificant things and whether we allow others to make us happy.

And that leads me to another point. The first part of this blog was about what we can do for others or what others can do for us to make us happy or feel good. But one should be able to make oneself happy as well. Or find small things that can lighten up the day. When I was little I used be excited about such things like meeting a cute classmate in the school, going for a school trip, being so happy about presents I got that I took them to my bed so I could look at them untill I would fall asleep and then see them as soon I would open my eyes. I used to be happy about each new thing I had learnt that day and the happiness lasted for some time.Then later on at some point all those things became “normal”.  So I wonder. Do we need to long for something to be happy? And for how long does happiness caused by a saturated need last? Would I ever feel that happiness that will make me jump and smile around and dare to do whatever I feel for regardless the people around me if I had everything I needed? Like ever.With no new aims and needs? And when is it that an exciting experience becomes normal? Where is the line between normal and unusual in the frames of our routines?

 

Trip to Brussels

So about the Brussels trip. The start was smooth. I slept through the whole flight (missed food which anyway was not vegetarian), landed safe and did not get my luggage. Hope dies last so I was waiting till the belt stopped and then went to report it to the company. To report that my luggage did not arrive and not that the belt stopped  The usual procedure took place, I left the address of my hotel, signed some papers and got to hear that the luggage might be there somewhere on the belt and that it happens that some bags just come like 10 – 15 minutes after the belt has already stopped. So I was waiting (not hoping really) for some 5 more minutes but then I just left otherwise I would be late for the meeting I was heading to. After the meeting, still without luggage, which was actually practical as I did not need to carry it, I went to my hotel. Was walking, it started rain a bit and then it rained more and more but it was not worth it to take some public transport for the rest of the route. Pretty soaked I reached the hotel, which turned to be not my hotel. The question was – which was my hotel then? Went through all the instructions emails and found another hotel mentioned in one of them. Just a name. So I googled (I am really happy with my iPhone) and found a phone number. No they did not have a reservation for my name, but they had booked room for me for the next night. Weird enough I was happy that I had roof for the next night but still wondering where to spent the night to come. After some time I found out I was not the only one and understood that there was  some major mistake done somewhere in communication but was sure it was about to get solved soon. It did =) After some time I got to know that there was actually a third hotel waiting for us to check in. Walking distance, though it rained, still did not have the luggage so just with google maps in my iPhone off  we went.  The hotel (the first one) promised to send my luggage ater me as soon as it would arrive. We happily reached to the right hotel, the receptionist had really fun since the booking was totally messed up and then on the top of everything, my luggage arrived to the address I left on the airport and the hotel did not have means to send it to my new “home” so I just had to turn and go back to pick it. But afterall, everything worked out well. Luggage came in one piece, I got a bed for that night, my roommate was pretty cool and the following two days were giving (but that´s another story) and I got my portion of belgian waffle with strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream. Kinda happy end =)

Reminder

Remind me to blog about my Brussels trip =)

Out in the world

I have been out in the world these days. First I have picked my birthday present and headed to London to meet my other me =) The present was the meeting and not the journey to London but OK when already being there, me and my other self went sight – seeing as well. I think we managed to see everything what one can see in 2,5 days. The weather was perfect, the sky was like painted so my camera got some pictures to take and our feet got some meters to walk – LSE, London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster, Buckingham, Notting Hill, Little Venice, Hyde Park, Piccadilly circus, Covent garden, St.Paul´s Cathedral, Gherkin building and all the other places in between.

2.5 days in London

Then there was the meeting of IOGT International AC and later on of the Active board. Both were held in Örebro, but one´s thoughts are taken into the whole world at those meetings. I enjoyed. The IOGT meeting was the best we have ever had and I think it will cause several changes in our work.

Right after the Active´s board meeting we went to see  Eurovision song contest which I did not watch. I planned to, but then I got to talk to my friend Matus instead and I am happy I did.

The next three days after the weekend were about Bosnia. I went to Travnik – a lovely lovely town where we planned an alcohol policy implementation strategy for the coming three years.  It feels good to be at the start of something that is important to me. So let´s hope it will work out. Thinking of the guys from the meeting, I have no doubts.  It was great to work with motivated people who also have knowledge. It´s easier to believe in some results.

As mentioned, Travnik is lovely. I will publish some pictures as well but first I have to go through them. Have not managed yet.  So far you can just imagine mountains around, mosques and churches close to each other, old and destroyed buildings next to new and fancy ones, graves from the war reminding that peace is not a given status and that one should appreciate it every day…

Autumn in Sweden

Autumn in Sweden can be really beautiful. Blue sky, red and yellow leaves and still green grass. Pretty cold in the mornings, wonderfull sunny during the days. The red roofs of the houses just match the whole cosy atmosphere. The days are shorter and that has also its magic. Soon time for warm socks and big cup of tea.

I had day off on monday after the NORDGU board meeting. Having such a wonderful weather as it was would be sin not to use for some photography. I realized that I like taking pics of people. Maybe because one has to be a bit more creative when it comes to taking pics of nature. At some point all the “close” pictures of flowers, leaves, sky and grass are taken and one has to find new angles and motives. But with people, it´s just to stand, have good light and camera. They offer you really a rich variety.

So did Active volunteers. I like them. It´s pleasure to have them around. I usually let them play a little and then they are like angels

About…

I have been very close to writing here so many times and I always had to leave the computer. I do not like such a long absence in this blog. There is so much to write about and share.

For example about the fact that all the volunteers have arrived and the team is working. And it is pleasure to have such collegues as I have. Each of them so special. Each of them making me happy.

For example about me learning about bookkeeping (I should maybe also learn how to spell that word). I am really happy that I know how to do that. It makes me more confident about my work in general. Eventhough I am not going to deal with that practically, I know how it´s going and it´s easier to understand everything my work involves.

For example about Paris and how beautiful that city is. BEAUTIFUL!

Paris

About Eurocare General Assembly. About discussing alcohol policy and the will to become an expert on it.

About new dreams and goals.

About a great book I read (Brida, Eleven minutes) and a great book I am reading (Kite runner).

About movies I have seen ( Mamma Mia, Walle, Bucket list). Some of them brought a good mood, some of them brought thoughts and some of them both =)

W.A.L.L.E

About excursion in Stockholm (I finally got to see Stockholm from a tourist point of view after four years living in Sweden). I like Stockholm. There is something special about that city. When I found out what it is, I will specify it =)

About being nice and “paying price” for that. And I will not stop being nice because that feels natural for me.

About being tired of dishonesty and doing smth about it. About living my values =)

About waiting 12 hours in Frankfurt at the airport. In the night. Not sleeping (amazing how many thoughts manage to run through ones head)

About seeing an exhibition that has really moved me and influenced my actions. An exhibition in the center of the town that I have passed so many times without paying attention to it, hidden behind some “boring” costruction. And about being thankful that my feet really brought me there and made me see some pictures and read some texts. Made me think about lazyness of human beings. About our short term perspectives. (We cut a whole forrest just because of a bit of comfort. Gosh!)  

About arriving home =)

My handball life

I have spent lots of free time training handball recently. And I have to say…I like it. The more we train, the more I want to play. It feels good to have coaches who acually undersand handball and players. And handball is bringing structure into my life. I have to leave work at certain time so I am not at work too long as I used to be, but I go to the training isntead, I do not waste my free time since I do not have a lot left. I feel stronger and in shape. I get to meet many people and to see many different relations. It´s very exciting to be part of this team.

Off I go!

Another “bye bye” evening is over. It´s just some hours since I said bye to the former board and to many of my friends in Summer camp, today I have gotten space to say bye to my collegues/volunteers. Since I came home from the Camp, I got to work, sleep a bit, go to handball trainings (the coaches were testing us to see how we´ve trained during the last month), I got to fix presents for the volunteers, to go to farewell dinner and a short movie presentation. The last day with the volunteers represents the whole year – busy and very various. Now I am sitting at home, still some postcards to write, visa invitation to finish and then just to pack and off I go.

Portugal, Spain, warmth, sea, ocean, my camera, no internet, simple food, very simple living conditions, my father, some books and that´s it. Not very much needed to make me happy =)