The winner takes it all - and I'm a winner

Today is the last day in July, the weather is great and I'm sitting at my parents place listening to the Dark Knight theme from the new Batman movie.

Since last time I wrote, things have been up and down, mostly way down and lower then low. Life sometimes takes you there and you need support to get up again.

In times like these you not only find out who your friends are but you find out that your friends are chosen wisely without you knowing it really. real friends are there for a reason; to support you, have fun with, challenge your thoughts, grief with you, laught with you, smile and shake head when you say something silly or smart, be there when you need them, send you flowers in times when you need to know people care and in more ways that is possible for me to share here.

I know now that I chose my friends as wisely as I could. I'm proud of them, I'm thankful for them and they mean the world to me. My family and my friends - my life. :)

I'm getting better and better. now the music changed from the dark and heavy theme from Batman to ABBA music - the Dancing Queen.

People leave your life but it's up to you to make their memories alive. Now it's up to me to make the memories of my grandfather alive, make him proud of me and his family and support my family in hard times. That's my role today. I love that role but I still miss my grandfather. Of course.

I'm rich today, rich with family, friends, love, respect, experiences and faith. And I'm only going to get richer if I take care now.

Thank you to all those friends and family that have shown me this last days that I'm rich, thanks for your support and your thoughts.
It means everything to me.

Enough of this sentemental things...
- with love -

No words of my own

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. ~From a headstone in Ireland

Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal. ~Author Unknown

Tears are words the heart can't express. Author Unknown

I love walking in the rain, 'cause then no-one knows I'm crying. Author Unknown

The pain passes, but the beauty remains. Pierre Auguste Renoir

People never know how special someone is until they leave, but maybe sometimes its important to leave, so they are given that chance to see how special that someone really is! Author Unknown

Without you, there'd be no sun in my sky, there would be no love in my life, there'd be no world left of me. - Leann Rimes

I pull you from your tower, take away your pain, show you all the beauty you posess if you'd only let yourself believe. - Sarah Mclachlan

I'm sorry for stealing other people's words here today but sometimes quotes from people how have experienced and shared gives you comfort and support in times of need.
Thanks for your support!

Knowing each other better

well.. then this week is almost over - or what? hehe

this week has been very good, finally I'm seeing some action steps to make to make ER blossom this year.. hehe
Last night the GN board members from WENA, CEE and Africa decided to take a road trip to Deen Haag. the main reason for the trip was the decision of two members to go Bungjy jumping. the rest of the people went with them to cheer them on in this scary process they were in.

We made it to the site very easily thanks to Vincent :)
Vincent and Juli jumped and had a blast if I understood them but then again they were still in a shock after this horrifying experience ;)

After the jump we sat down at the beach in Deen Haag, drank beer and ate chips. it was a very fun evening and the people got to know each other more and learned interesting things about each other.
When I crawled to bed at 01.00 I was happy with a good day :)

This weekend will be an interesting one as well since we are expecting over 150 people to arrive in Rotterdam for the AI transition Party.
people i have talked to say this is a crazy weekend... I'm very curious to find out.

Well that's it...
that I actually feel like sharing with you guys.
- with love -

Today is a big day. AIESEC International 0809 are presenting their plan for the coming year and its very interesting to hear and see what they think it the most important things to happen for the overall success of the organization.

People are all sitting around a whiteboard, listening carefully and giving feedback to the plan. I’m listening and thinking how this should support me in my role, how can I support the AI plan and how can we make sure that success will be visible in the end of our term.

As the last posted showed, my weekend was very relaxing.

On Sunday night I was invited to a dinner made by Li Zhen from Mainland China. The food was very delicious and something very new for me.
I had eggplant with beef and Tofu with VERY spicy beef souce thinghy. I really enjoied trying this new food ( for me ). So this weekend was very diverse in the way I had my dinners and I can not wait to try to share my culture with the people :)

Today I am one of few people responsible for team dinner, meaning that on Mondays to Thursdays there are some spesific teams that cooks for the rest of the team. This is a good way to keep the team spirit as well as to have cheap dinner made by people from all over the world. What more can you ask for :P

So this is going to be a new experience for me.

This week I want things to get clear. Things related to my accommodation, International Congress, Other responsibilities in the GN Board as well as what are people expecting from me as External Relations Coordinator.
So my focus this year will be in making my next days clear, making my year clear and making me feel better about this whole experience.
So lets see how this goes.

- with love -

sunday, bloody sunday

Today felt like Sunday to me. I woke up after this big party and I was even more tired then when I went to sleep :)

So today has been about resting, cleaning and watching TV. Like my average Sunday back home in Iceland hehe.

Last night was a big party with the current AI team and the GN Board members. People had fun, danced and drank. It was great party and the atmosphere was very positive. I had fun watching people, talking to people, and actually getting a little tipsy.

The party was at a very good time for me, I needed to bond with the GN board members and party with them. I also wanted to party with the current AI team because I might have very short time left with them and many people are very close friends.

So all’s good at that end.

So now I’m sitting in the bed, like I have been doing for most of the day. I’m feeling good, just had dinner made by a brazilian guy so that was a first. Now it’s up to me to cook for the guys here. :P

I’m gonna continue watching Desperate housewifes and then go to sleep. Since this day has been about doing nothing I want to make sure I use tomorrow wisely.

-with love-

keep coming back for more

Well, it’s been some time since I wrote last time and many things have happend since then.

I’m getting more and more into the role that I have officially taken over since 1st July. It’s been a challenge since there was nobody in this role before me and it’s been hard to get everything started up.

On the 2nd July I left Rotterdam to visit Prague where we had WENA and CEE Presidents meeting. This was my 3rd presidents meeting I have attended but the first one as Non MCP :P that was very challenging as well as interesting. I enjoied it very much and I enjoyed learning more about where my focus should lie.

Prague is always amazing and it helped a lot to meet good friends. Ali and Svetla were both in Prague on the same time as I ended up there. It was so cool to meet Svetla after one and a half year. I met Ali in March but still it felt long time since I saw him.

So now I’m back, sitting at AI office and I should be working but I have already been very active today even though somehow I dont feel very comfortable. So now I’m in a need to feel comfortable and also have time to look at the next task I have to do. So I’m clearing my mind.

I have had a little homesickness feeling these last days. When I dont feel healthy I want to home, in my bed and just making sure I’m resting and getting my energy back. Here I dont feel I can do that.
I can not wait until I can settle down somewhere and make my own space.

So things are good, somedays are better then others. This one is one of the low points – but it will go up soon, I’m sure of that. As soon as I feel better ;)

So now I better clear my mind and start thinking about Regional Exchange partnerships for WENA and how we can benefit for those.

- with love -

Day one is over - waiting for day 2 :)

Today is the first day for me in my role as WENA External Relations Coordinator. The first one WENA has and the one that will take ER as a focus for the GN this year. I'm so excited about this and I can not wait to start my planning.
But that will come after next weekend ;)

So, one week in Rotterdam so far and I'm feeling quite good. When I was about to leave I had in mind that the moving part might become so hard since I'm moving to a different country with role where no one has been in before and I have to shape the role according to me.
That is scary in a way - no safety and it's all up to you sort of.

But now when I'm walking the streets of Rotterdam I dont feel like I dont belong here. It feels good and it feels right. So the first week has not been as hard for me mentally as I thought it might be. I'm extremely satisfied with that.

Now I'm heading towards the second week as that one I am officially in a role and can start planning and making things happen.
Tomorrow I'm leaving with my team to Prague where we have WENA Presidents Meeting. I have been attending this meeting last 2 years as President so this will be a different angle for me and I'm ready for that.
I will hopefully enjoy this challenge, learn a lot and also see more clearly where my focus inside ER should be and how I can support the countries I should be working with.

Ali and Svetla, my MCVPs from 0607 will also be in prague at that same time so I'm crossing my fingers for me to be able to meet them. I miss them and I would LOVE to meet them, even just for hugs and kisses if we dont have time for more.
So lets see where life takes us :)

Now I'm going to sleep since I have to wake up and pack better in the morning :P
-with love-