Resumé of my Erasmus semester in LLN

At some point, my Erasmus experience is already over. Well, even though I am coming back in January, the most of the people I used to hang around with will not be there anymore. Again, time to say good bye. Saying good bye always makes me thinking about the whole adventure, about nice and sad moments, actually, about the enrichment that I have taken out of that.

(from this kind of bricks is built the whole city of LLN)

The value of this experience is really huge, as from the personal and professional point of view as well.

(one of our lecture hall, it was always sooooooo warm inside heh)

Concerning personal development, I got quite a lot of feedback on my personality, I realised how the others percieve me. Not always there are sincere and honest people around. This time, I was lucky, I met people able to say directly what they think. What I learned for the future? I should me MUCH MORE self confident. Never underestimating myself nor the other people. I should not be afraid of being wrong. I should not compare myself to the others. Of course, there are so many people that are so much better in so many issues, but I should be aware of my own qualities and skills. Never leave people treating me badly. And act according to what I feel, not according to what the others say.

(Laurie - Quebec, Hanna - Finland, me, Janka - Czech/Slovak Republic)

Concerning my professional development, I was so happy about having the opportunity to attend all these six courses. I realized that the system is so much different from what I was used to in Prague. No real learning by heart. But UNDERSTANDING is the most important. Critical thinking is the basis of the most of my courses. This makes my grey cells moving in different direction that they were used to. Moreover, the most of these courses had practical aspect. People that worked in the business were giving us lectures, their valuable knowledge and point of view was formed by their own experience. We had to work on many case studies from the praxis, on projects related to the companies, which was never the case in Prague. There we got just the theoretical basis and the practical point of view was missing. No interaction in Prague, nobody is asking questions. Here, most of the western students are curious, thinking about the topic during the lecture and giving their own point of view. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL!!! It is possible to learn that. I just hope that my grey cells will not get to lazy again once back in Prague...

(Charlotte - New Zeland, me, Catherine - Norway, Hanna - Finland)

Concerning people here, I met quite a lot of different and interesting personalities. I really regret that we, as CEMS students, were not able to form one better group, that we had to split in two parts, basically not interested in each other at all. And even not willing to say goodbye to each other. Unbelievable...

(Sebastian from Uruguay)

(Karolina - Poland, Catherine - Norway, Ashika - Netherlands)

(Karolina - Poland, me, Ashika - Netherlands)

Magic day in LLN

If I had to find some adjective for yesterday, it would be definitely MAGIC.

It was a magic day from the very morning till the very late evening hours. There was no sun. But it was the day, when one can enjoy winter and does not really care about the cold or lack of blue sky. From early morning hours special kind of mist that makes you feel good was spreading around. It was not snowing, however, everything was white with frost and I felt as if I were part of magic country.We went for a while to the forest and it was so beautiful there, so mystic.

In the evening, when I was coming back from Leuven, the small pieces of frost were flying in the wind. They were sparkling as if they were little stars falling from heaven. I liked it. I enjoyed the silence in the streets. I admired the white sidewalk and was happy when I did the first step in this beauty. Just wonderful.

Before, I went to Brussels to give my suitcase to Arpad. As I was supposed to meet Matus later in Leuven, I had still two hours left. I stayed in Brussels admiring again and again Grand Place with all those lights and wonderful music. I went to Place St Catherine where I walked around one of the most beautiful Christmas markets ever. I enjoyed the moment. Again and again.

In Leuven we met with Matus. I am always so happy about blog meetings, even if it was just some kind of mini blog meeting. Youpiii and I got some chocolates. They were supposed to accopany me to the plane, but as the plane is delayed, probably I will eat the most of it even before boarding :-)

First resolution for upcoming year 2008

I have to work on my "strong" will.

St. Nicolas

Youpiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-))

St. Nicolas came, he found me even if I am in Belgium :-)) I have so much chocolate now. Even though I decided to avoid buying and consuming it after this weekend, I will have to take care of that somehow. Ehm :-))

I bought chocolates for my colocs and I put there a small paper saying that it is "petit cadeau de St. Nicolas". They seemed to be really happy. As I saw that it made them happy, I was happy as well and I went to the shop and bought more chocolate for other friends as well hehe Actually, it is very egoistic approach. Making others happy just in order to make myself happy :-)))))

Oh, but I like this tradition. A lot.

I feel good tatarata :-)

I have this song in my mind at the moment. Something unbelievable happened to me. I went to my sofrology class, not motivated at all. I was so much into all my projects that I have to finish today and tomorrow, I felt tired and exhausted. I just decided to go there, because I have not been there for past two weeks and I was not sure when is the last class taking place. After one hour I left with smile on my face, walking straight in streets of Louvain la Neuve. Unbelievable :-))

I feel good youpiiiii :-))

Vydych nadych vydych nadych

Sometimes I am really gratefull for my sofrology course. It really helps. Doing some respirations, when I am mad and angry really helps. Vydych nadych vydych nadych Ten times and I feel much better!!! :-)

Trip to Hasselt

Of course, I missed my train. Not because I was late, but just because I had forgotten to put the memory card into my camera. Therefore I had just one hour before meeting Matúško. One hour is probably not enough to see everything in Hasselt, but it is enough to walk around the small center, take many pictures and enjoy some nice streets of the city.

As it was raining, colourful lights from this house on the main square were reflecting on the paving.

This is the very famous fountain in Hasselt. Once a year, during the whole day, there is beer instead of water splashing out of that.

These trees were just asking for B/W picture.

As most of people in Hasselt, Matúš is every day riding a bike to get around the city.

We went to some nice pub. And I tried Genever, special alcohol that is produced in Hasselt :-)) It was so nice to talk Slovak. But he seemed to be a bit sad… Hopefully, everything would be fine for him… As I had to catch the train and we were quite far from the train station, I got on the back of the bike and we rode through the whole city. I had to laugh so much, had great time :-))

Blog meeting in Leuven

Matúško came from Hasselt, Matushiq with Ivka came from Prague and Katarínka came from Louvain la Neuve :-)) And they all met at the Leuven station and went for a beer and had a nice time while chatting about Belgium and its non-existing government, news from Prague, upcoming Schengen etc.We came to the train station just five minutes before last train to LLN was suppose to leave. It would be ok, if I knew where the platform D was. Running around as crazy hehe trying to find out, if the train is really coming and from where it is leaving. Such adrenaline hehe. I got on at the last minute. Yes, I am always proud of my perfect timing ability :-))

Piece of Czech Republic and Slovakia in LLN

During one night in CESEC I danced with one guy. When we decided to have some beer, we had finally opportunity to talk a bit.

HE: What is your name?

ME: Katarina. And yours? (Remarque: oh yeah, this is typical beginning of conversation, it could be more original. Well, this makes me thinking about one guy, who approached me with nice question: Maybe very personal question, but can I ask you what kind of parfume are you using? Smells great. Hihihi this is nice and innovative :-))

HE: You can call me Jerry. Where do you come from?

ME: I am Slovak.

HE: Slovak or Slovenian?

ME: Slovak.

HE: Oh, I thought you said Slovenian. I am from Prague.

ME: Yes? (at this point I was thinking that he was teasing me hehe and I did not believe him that he is from Prague, probably because of his perfect French)

HE: Yes. Let’s go outside for a while.

ME: Ok, let’s go.

HE: Hm, so we can speak Czech, cannot we?

ME: Yes, of course (me answering still in French, because I still did not believe him that he is from Prague hihi)

HE: No tak to je supr, že jsi ze Slovenska.

ME: ??? ehm??? Ty si fakt z Prahy?

Oh, and of course, I cannot skip mentioning that there is one car from Bratislava and the other one from Piestany on the parking next to my place. I should finally find out, whose it is. It is nice from time to time to express myself in my mother tongue. I like to play with the language and in none of other languages I do not have this ability.

Trip to Maastricht

Participants: Laurie (Quebec) and Katarinka (Slovakia)

Maastricht seems to be really agreeable city. Maybe one of the oldest one in Holland? Laurie told me that they are arguing about this status with Utrecht.

...river reminding me on Danube in Bratislava...

...museums and ramparts from the past...

...small center...

...cat observing the dog...

...green parcs full of swans and ducks...

...and romantic sunset over the panorama of the city... :-)

Trip to Rotterdam

Participants: Jana (Slovakia), Laurie (Quebec), Jar*(Slovakia), Katarinka (Slovakia)

From my point of view, this seems to be really modern city with many new buildings and modern bridges.


We did not have opportunity to see many coffee shops, but this was just probably due to the fact that we stayed mainly in the center.

We visited immigrants quarter just for a while, but it was amazing to observe differences between those parts of the city. Here mostly black, Chinese orIndian people where walking around. Even the assortment in shops was different – more exotic vegetables and fruits and food in general. Interesting ;-)

Jana: "Waw, interesting statue... it has everything that a man should have ..." :-))))

...

Yes, I agree, it is much better not to have EVERYTHING we desire...

Different point of view :-)

PS: Hanna has bought this postcard in Berlin, I love this original point of view :-)

Trip to Berlin

One day I got email from Cedric asking if anybody wanted to join him for a Berlin trip. I decided immediatly, wrote him back that I was in :-)) It seemed to be a bit crazy trip. Leaving at 3am on Saturday morning from Luxembourg and coming back at 3am on Monday. But it was worth it :-))

Firstly, the weather was perfect. No rain, just sun and blue sky.

Secondly, the company was perfect. Cedric, his friend from univesity – Laurence, Hanna and me. I felt so comfortable with all of them, it was really unbelievable. It happens sometimes that you even do not realise why and you feel this special peace inside.

Thirdly, the city is very interesting. I had such a weird feeling while looking at and touching the rests of Berlin Wall. Finally, I learned more about its history. Even in the city there is some kind of special atmosphere, you can feel it everywhere.

But what was really surprising that there were not so many people. If I remember well, the most of big European cities are so much crowded. Actually, this is not the case of Berlin.

To sum it up, just PERFECT weekend :-))

Berlin Wall

Lo imposible solo tarda un poco mas...

...written on Berlin wall...

Ktoze to tu? :-)