Silvia in Italy

There are so many things to say, so many things to do, so many feelings, so many things I left at home, so many new experiences that await me, so many interesting conversation. So far it was awesome! The people are so nice, so commited, Rome is amazing even though is winter (today we had a really long lunch in the sun eating lasagna), the apartment where I live is amazing (can't wait to have one)!

HAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the Angels' Bridge

Me & my apartment mates

Preparing for a session

With Luigi and Sara at Fontana di Trevi

A new source of motivation

Yesterday I had a pretty awesome day(of course I didn't study as much as I should have). It started with checking my email and seeing that Tyna was accepted as CC for MENAXLD (I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooo proud of her and extremly happy for what she chose to do next in AIESEC).

And speaking of Tyna, I realised last night, after talking to her about 6-7 hours (mainly about AIESEC) that she gave me a huge boost of motivation and love for the organization. It's amazing to see how a person that hasn't always received all she wanted in AIESEC is still here and getting involved in the organization without grudge.

Thanks Tyna for motivating me and may you have the most memorable experience of your life in Egypt!

Change agents

I am a member of an organization which is suppossed to create change agents. Still, from the very first day I understood that, I kept asking myself what is a true change agent (of course, the easiest answer is "it depends")? After many conversations about the topic, many thoughts, some movies and feeling extremly frustrated about the topic, I finally figured out how do I think a change agent looks like/acts. So, in bullets:

• he/she has an active involvement in the positive development of the people around him/her
• he/she is a leader (at least informal leader, it's not necessary to have a formal leadership position)
• he/she has an active and constant contribution to solve important, urgent and real problems of the society where he/she lives/travels
• he/she has a set of values and principles and lives his/her life according to them
• he/she is a double bagger
• he/she is considered a role model
• he/she has a clear understanding of politics, economics and history
• he/she is aware of cultural differences and manages to use them in his/her advantage
• he/she is a responsible, humble and brave person
• he/she is a person that is passionate about what he/she is doing
• he/she is a person that loves a significant other or friends or family or random people or cats or dogs or etc.

So this is how a change agent should look like in my opinion. It may not be complete nor fair, but it's my opinion and this is what I am striving for. I was so sick of thinking that a change agent is some sort of hero, something pretty much unattainable by most mortals. So yes, now I have established what I am going to. All I have to do is continue walking on the path I have started because I am on the right way.

A bunch of small and yet smiley things

Today... a cool day!
To make a wrap up: it was snowing when I woke up, a phone call from mami early in the morning (it's so nice when the first thing you hear when you wake up is the voice of someone you love and not your own haunting thoughts), an exam that was interesting, shopping, a taxi ride with one of the most interesting drivers so far (he told me a lot about the old Cluj, about the buildings, about Marasti and other stuff like that) a meeting where I felt useful and I felt that I can actually have an impact if I behave in a certain way, another meeting (business stuff) and a very enjoyable ride to Polus talking about life and kids with the lady that will organize the graduation ceremony, again shopping, then back to the dorm and now listening to some music and talking to someone I kind of miss.
So, it's about the small things. The sum of every action that I take, every person I talk to is what makes me feel happy and makes me feel alive. I believe in the beauty of the small things. I feel like now I am painting a huge paint and every moment I just add more stain of colour, some of them that fit together, some of them that don't fit, but they are waiting for that magic touch that will give sense to the painting.
So... did I mention that all the small things lately made me feel happy?
I am living the best year of my life! And I am sure that the best is yet to come... so while enjoying my present, I'm waiting to see what the future holds in store for me :)

Simply happy

I am happy. I had the best New Year's Eve ever. I was lucky enough to be with my dearest friends from Brazil. I am still thinking that I am the luckiest person in the world for the friends I have, for the amazing opportunity of being CC in Brazil, for the team I was part of. I am soo happy. It's been a while since I felt my heart so easy, so full of positive energy, so home. This short CC reunion worth every single thing I sacrificied for it.

Going to the bus station

Waiting for the best spinach pizza

Preparing decorations for NYE

Freezing in Losanky around midnight

Me & Uros

Us, the CC:)

I was planning to write more, but I don't know exactly what to write. Because everything we did was so normal, so natural, that it reinforced the act that happiness comes from simple things done with the ones you love. We were again the crazy family from CC pre-stay. Amazing!

I had no idea a couple of years ago that it is written for me to be so happy and have true friends all over the world!