Surprises and curiosity

It's April 22, 2009 and 1am now in Almaty. In a bit more than 12 hours AIESEC Latvia will make a right decision for an upcoming year. We are going to choose our MCP, and hopefully this week the National team will be comprised of courageous individuals.
I'm confident the team will be courageous- the people that applied are already brave. Three crazy males with their vision for 2009-10, so similar and different simultaneously. It might be hard to make a choice, it might not be. But the thing is that it will be done and it will be the most correct one. I am totally sure in this.

Another thing that made my day today is one of my coachees. We could not meet properly for a long time, and I already thought we would not have a chance to due to different reasons. But whenever you desire something a lot, it will come to you eventually. So, today I got such an interesting mail from her: she started to think seriously about her AIESEC career. She set up plans and goals, she defined what she misses and what she possesses, she understands now what she wants to achieve, how to achieve and how she can help others to achieve their goals. Isn't it exciting???!!! It is really personal but I am so much happy I can see results of our meetings.

And I start missing my teaching experience and my kids, my little wonderers, my 'always-asking-questions' 4 graders a lot. I have never thought I'd be missing them so desperately... But I'm proud and feel amazingly happy I have had such a life experience of working with them and doing incredible things everyday with them in our English, Geography, Science, History classes... I had to be so much creative with them, that in the end I was taking it for granted. I guess they never even had a simple thought of how much they changed me, and how much power and inspiration they had filled me with.

{I remember how my Mom used to say that only that teacher is the best that dares to teach naturally and whose students perform greater than the teacher. I keep tracking how my last and this year students are doing in their new schools in India, Kazakhstan, Spain, China, Peru, Dubai, South Korea, and feel inconceivably elated for them, for myself, for their future. Being one of the units in shaping their character and impacting them positively is a tremendously super duper feeling! I have never regreted yet I am a teacher! Thanks to my mother who taught me basic values and lessons for this life!}

...Experience is the best teacher.

From the mouths of little infants in Latvia

While getting ready for shifting to the heart of the Baltics, I have searched for different information that will give a short overview of Latvia, both in terms of its historical background, culture, economy, people, etc and some surveys that sometimes give you a bigger picture. So, below you will see an interesting survey results released after interviewing children about current affairs in their own country.
The most brilliant answers that amazed me are in questions 3, answer # 3, question 5, answers 1 and 4. Find out why little kids think so- whether it is their opinion or it is based on opinions of the surroundings.


FEBRUARY 17, 2009
The „Fazer Bakeries Latvia” asked 100 Rīga children, age 7-10, what they thought about key issues of the day. Here are some of their answers:
1. What does a crisis do?

• Takes away jobs. After that, everyone can rest. Alens, 7.
• The crisis works. Rūdolfs, 7.
• Heard about it, but mom won’t tell me what it is. Ketlīna, 7.
• It gets bigger and badder. Kristiāna, 10.
• Gives my mom grey hair. Roberts, 10. Trashes Latvia. Ralfs, 10.

2. What do politicians do?

• Know everything about the world. Daiga, 7.
• Try to protect the country from bankruptcy. Kristers, 7.
• Talk about what will happen to us. Haralds, 7.
• Go to the judge and do something there... Lība, 7.
• Write on computers and copy documents. Kristiāna, 10.
• Try to make the crisis smaller. Kristiāna, 10.

3. What must be done to help people live better?

• Stop all this ‘crisising’. Arlēna, 7.
• Love others. Haralds, 7.
• Work more and be more sincere. Lība, 7.
• Increase the value of the lats. Georgs, 9.
• Ride on public transportation and don’t buy everything you see. Artis, 10.
• Create a family. Anete, 10.

4. What does (Prime Minister) Ivars Godmanis do?

• Makes crisis in the country. Kārlis, 7.
• Governs the government. Arlēna. 7.
• Don’t know, but he is similar to a politician. Jēkabs, 7.
• Lives happily. Ketlīna, 7 g.
• Sometimes explain something, yells, helps (President) Zatlers. Viljams, 9.
• Supposedly trying to get Latvia out of a crisis and sometimes drinks coffee. Georgs, 9.

5. „To be honest...”

• ...no need to get crazy. Lība, 7.
• ...if you say good things, people will do good for you. Haralds, 7.
• ....I don’t like it that deputies sit in the parliament and sleep. Georgs, 9.
• ...after a year we will be grateful to the crisis. Diāna 9.
• ...people will climb out of the pit. Roberts, 10.
• ...no one knows the truth. Artis, 10.

Idea that has united us in Romania

Want to share this video as it warms me up any time I miss my friends

EuroXpro 2009 delegates in Mangalia, Romania.

Change brings change

This post does not give a short overview at current things I am going through. It is just something that I am feeling right now and cannot keep it inside.

The only constant thing in life is change. Sounds so much familiar to me.

Recently I received a mail from my close friend with this note and I was not surprised. I got used to feel and see so many changes at my previous organization, so I am getting adjusted to changes in my life.

But the idea that lies behind this so called 'negative' expression is amazingly beautiful. Why negative? Generally, people are afraid of changes in their lives because it is something they have not tried before. Or because they are lazy. Or because they are not willing to discover something else that can be on their path. Or because of some other reasons. So, a hidden idea is that while we live we are the first responsible creatures for implementing our desires. Remember, there is a quote: Be afraid of your thoughts. They have a potential to come true. Therefore, while we dream about things that never happened to us before (that's why we dream :), we imagine different people next to us, colourful places we are in, pleasant smells and friendly atmosphere, etc, etc, etc. But when all this comes closer to you, and you can even touch your dream, or hear it, or see it, you start to dislike it. Because it is a signal to change your common way of life. It is new for you and you have never experienced it before. So, what will you choose? To walk your daily routine or to make a breakthrough?

The only constant thing in life is change. Wish you to have as many changes in your life as you want to.No matter what changes- good or not good ones.

... I do care of you and you are always in my thoughts.

Career test

Usually we try to start a career and work in an environment that enables us to fully realize our abilities and accomplish the goals. By doing the work that fits our abilities, we also tend to be happier.

So here I decided to take a quick look at my preferences in a working environment, and to be frank I was not surprised at all. I totally agreew with the results that can be found here:
http://www.dreamfoundation.eu/career-test/result/hash/8108-a9081e7292

If you are curious about your personality, try it: http://www.dreamfoundation.eu/career-test/page1/submit/yes

Don't let the life take the way you don't want to go

Times we live in are historical. They are challenging and daring. They are ours and only we define what way to choose. Only we can say if these ways are right or wrong. Nobody can judge you because you are walking in these shoes right now, it's you who are experiencing something, and forget about the judgements. They are created by lazy and boring people. By people who might have been afraid to realize their dreams, who might have been even afraid to dream...

I am back from another international AIESEC conference EuroXpro'09. It took place in Romania, firstly in Bucharest, where we had a splendid Global Village and an Official Opening Ceremony, and later on we moved to Mangalia, a small peaceful port-town next to the Black sea.

Two wonderful events that had brought so much attention from externals: from the Bucharest people and its guests, AIESECers, etc.

Leadership across cultures. Simple statement with a deep true meaning. An idea that has been alligned with delegates' values, beliefs and life activities. The conference that connected many bright personalities, and helped them grow professionally and personally.

Not long time ago I finally started to coach three bright individuals in my home Local Committee AIESEC Almaty. We were supposed to start working earlier but due to my long time sickness (which almost lasted up to three months) we had to wait for a while. Nevertheless, I was eager to see them, and they were counting days and hours to our first meeting. Let me introduce them to you- they are not fresh AIESECers but have joined our leadership organization in autumn 2008: Polina, Elina and Anara.

March 8, 2009 was our first meeting with Polina. This day is recognized in Kazakhstan ( as well as in CIS) as an International Women's Day. Moreover, on this special day I had my elections to AIESEC in Latvia for the year 2009-2010. I had decided to switch myself to something different on that day, and called up for a coaching meeting in ... the mountains! Sounds unusual for such case? Well, winter was almost and I thought I would've felt sad if I hadn't used this oppportunity to have an incredible time in the nature, and get to know my friend better, have great time and end enjoy life. So, right in the morning at 9 o'clocl we got on the bus and trusted the driver. Inspiration had been already grown in both of us, and we were smiling to the whitest trees behind the bus's windows...

I will never forget my first feelings towards my coachee, thoughts I have been going through, stories we have shared with each other, and the feeling of unity, of being as one common cell within one body. I guess it happens very seldom when you can experience something similar and even more. I am sure it doesn' t happen to random people with random feelings. It may not even happen when you know a person for a hundred of years. It doesn't happen until you feel you can trust this person and you know this person trusts you...

Polina has made that day unforgettable! I have even forgotten I was to have an interview and Questions and answers in the evening during my election proces!!! However, I have shared that with Polina later on. I have not discussed this topic with a lot of people, just let's say with key people who could help me in some points. As it may seem clear, feeling of unity and trust is very important for me, and time of friendship sometimes isn't a significant factor to share my soul with the surroundings. So, by the time I was to be home, Polina got to know about my next steps in AIESEC, as we were discussing this question with her a lot that day. She got surprised but also I remember her facial expressions when she heard this news. She started to be inquisitive, and I really like people asking questions. Right questions. Or even not right questions but questions that are either relevant or questions that bring benefits somehow. So, we discussed different points of view, shared some personal moments, our views on life, actions we wanna take in life and in AIESEC... I have talked to Polina the way I didn't talk to my close friends for a long time. The way I didn't talk to friends in general for the past several months. It happens in life when you get disappointed and feel exhausted from stupid actions you thought you would never seen from your friends. And then you don't trust them or anyone else around you. And it may take you days,months or even years to change your opinion. However, all people are different and you have no right to judge the book by its cover. Treat people the way you want to be treated- this is what my mother has always taught me. And I truly believe in this, and try following it. Of course, it is not easy, but I am trying. And this philosophy I had shared with my schol students. I have not taught them, I have shared, given examples, made them think about the world as one heart that evokes in different parts and climate zones...

So, in late afternoon we had come back home, completely tired but happy, energized, full of new ideas and feelings. We had come back home with planned actions for 1st week, till our next meeting. I had come home fresh, driven by snow and love.Love to people, love to nature, love to life.



...I am in love and always will be