Fňuk

We arranged with my kot-mates to have bye bye dinner together, once all of us are done with exams. It was supposed to be this Wednesday and we wanted to go to Piano, as I have not been there yet and it is one of those "musts" in LLN. But lately, my two kot-mates argued and the evolution of the situation is not really in the right direction. Of course, the reason is so stupid. Everything began when we told Justine to wash her dishes more often than once per two weeks. Later on, Justine accused Joy of having burnt her microwave. Etc etc etc...

The result is that Joy told me today in the morning that it does not really fit her to come for the dinner. But well, she will do her best and try to come. Later on, Justine came and told me that because of some problems she definitely has to go home tomorrow. But if I want, we can go for the dinner during the next semester when I am still here. Blah blah blah...

I feel sad. Because I was really looking forward to it soooo much... I know, it is not the end of the world. But it is really pity that we managed to live together without any serious problems and now, when I am about to leave the place, everything is going wrong.

Puzzle

Life is a puzzle built from different pieces that can eventually change the whole shape of final jigsaw. Pieces represent choices that we have to make, moments when we have to decide which path we will pursue in the future. Seems like a cliché?

2007

At the end of the year I always make the evaluation of those past 365 days.

I wanted 2006 to finish so much! And when it was over, on the 1st January 2007 at 00:00 while watching wonderful fireworks over Danube river, I made a deal with myself. I will try to enjoy every single minute of the next year, and leave all negative thoughts in 2006, will try to travel and to get to know new place where I have not been before. Simply said, I will try to do everything that I missed in 2006 and skip everything that bothered me so much.

And now, at the beginning of 2008, I am happy to look back. Really HAPPY and SATISFIED. I did my best and I know that I could do even a bit better. But there is always space for continuous improvement :-)

I visited so many places (Milan, Paris, all around Belgium - Leuven, Atwerpen, Ghent, Knokke, Osteende, Bruges, Blankenberge, Brussels, Namur, Dinant, Hasselt, part of Wallonie - then Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Trier, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Berlin, several times MY Strasbourg ... ). I got accepted to CEMS what I dreamed about since my first year at the university. I did my traineeship in European Parliament. I spent wonderful week at Rhodos with my Mum. I finished my Bc. degree. I passed my Erasmus semester in Louvain la Neuve (which is really specific place, probably unique :-) And what is the most important, I met many wonderful people, pieces from their souls are still living in me.

One thing that I regret a lot is that while being so much abroad I lost contact with some friends from Prague. Have not heard from them for a while... Moreover, I could not go to Santiago de Compostela during the summer and apart those four wonderful days in Tatras at the end of August, I did not spent much time in the mountains or generally, in the nature.

This year was full of experience, fun, experiences, personal and professional development, new motivation and ideas. I learned a lot from my own mistakes.

I simply LOVED it!!! And I would like to thank all of you for being part of it and making it as beautiful as it was.

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.