already one week in Finland ... I´ve learned a lot of things about this culture, this people and something about finnish educational sistem. I´ve started to lear the finnish language that is quite difficult. I had good and not very pink days but as an overall I am very happy being here.

I like the work AIESEC organized for us even though is quit different from what I was expecting but as I gave up expecting something ... deciding for the most convenient situation as experiencing everything is comming.

I live now together with other 9 interns experience that is quite a big challenge. Living with 9 other different personalities is not so easy but is always nice when you have the opportunity to learn more about their own culture, traditions and countries. During this weeks when the Training session takes part at the University of Helsinki I use the opportunity to learn by myself finnish language too. I visit the city and enjoyed the time through different other kind of activities.

This weekend we were in Suomenlinna Island and enjoyed the cold weather.

Here are some nice pictures and little history of this island :)

Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori, (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands, today within Helsinki, the capital of Finland. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who enjoy it as a picturesque picnic site. Originally named Sveaborg (Fortress of Svea), or Viapori as called by Finns, it was renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for patriotic and nationalist reasons, though it is still also known by its original name. It is an example of the Star Fort style of fortification.

The Suomenlinna district of Helsinki consists of eight islands. Five of the islands; Kustaanmiekka (which has the greatest concentration of fortifications), Pikku Mustasaari, Iso Mustasaari, Länsi-Mustasaari and Susisaari are connected by either bridges or sandbars. The unconnected islands are Särkkä, Lonna and Pormestarinluodot.

On Sunday we were celebrating Chinese New Year that was a great event here in Helsinki.

The Chinese New Year is the most important annual holiday in the Chinese culture. Traditionally, it is celebrated with family, relatives, and close friends. January 2009 marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox in the Chinese calendar. The Ox symbolises prosperity through work, and, this year, it pays off to put effort into one's work.

Those born in the Year of the Ox are calm, patient, and organised, as well as tireless workers. The Chinese believe that good deeds done during the New Year and the symbols of happiness and prosperity bring happiness throughout the coming year. For example, Jiaozi, the wheat dumplings that symbolise money, are recommended in large quantities during the New Year.

The Chinese New Year was celebrated in Helsinki in a big way, as the cities of Helsinki and Beijing host the Lasipalatsi square event for the third time.

A big event but too cold to enjoy it as many had done it :(

Tomorrow I may post some picture of us on this events.

Till then...all best

Ella

Believe and Succeed

A beautiful and inspiring story I received today from Bob Procter and that I want to share with you all, the readers of my blog. Enjoy it!

Believe and Succeed

You will agree, I am sure, that all thinking people have a sincere desire to succeed.
You want to win; I want to win. No one sets out to deliberately destroy themselves - although I must admit, at times it certainly appears as if some people do.

If everyone wants to win - why don't they? There are probably many answers to that question. After talking with hundreds of people who do not seem to be able to make it happen, I have come to the conclusion that the answer to success is locked up in a seven letter word - "Believe."
Losers do not believe they can win. Why don't they believe? I think there is an answer to that question and I'll get to it in a moment. If you are having difficulty making something big happen in your life, read closely.

All the great religious leaders, philosophers and self-help gurus have told us to believe and succeed. "All things are possible for those who believe."

William James said, "Believe and your belief will create the fact."

I have found that our belief system is based on our evaluation of something. Frequently when we re-evaluate a situation our belief about that situation will change.

Half of my life was wasted. I never even tried to accomplish anything of any importance because I did not believe in myself. The truth was I knew very little about me. Many years ago I was encouraged to begin studying myself, re-evaluate myself. I began to gain an understanding of my marvelous mind. Everyday I learned a little more and I suddenly began to believe in myself.

Re-evaluate yourself. There is a sleeping giant in you. Release it.

Believe in yourself.

My AIESEC experience in FINLAND and SLOVAKIA

Hello everybody,

this days I was asked if I could post some new articles related to my experience in Finland this time for those who may get inspired go abroad and decide if this may be a good decision. I am glad to find out that people realy read my posts and get inspired from it.

I found myself now in an internship through AIESEC in Finland. I was so often asked if it is really worthy to take this decisions instead of getting a normal job home where you may feel little bit secure (this was one of the advice I received specially because of this "financial crisis") But I decided to do it other way because I believed I can do it and I believed I will gain much more from this experience than staying home. And specialy because I will not allow this crisis stay as a barrier in front of my decisions I make for my life :)

Why abroad?

I only have one life and if I don´t enjoy it now than WHEN? When I will be married and few children to take care of? NO...for sure if that time will come than I should be much more responsible about some other stuff.

Abroad because I want to see the world, I want to enjoy life together with other people from whome I may learn something new, something challenging. Being abroad I gain much more confidence speaking with people, learning new languages, learning new cultures and traditions, sharing my own traditions and mentalities.

Working abroad helped me developed myself not only professionally but also personally. I´ve met sooo many people, I´ve seend sooo many places I never thoought I will have the opportunity to see. I grew and I can really say it was living this life fully!!

Why AIESEC?

Well until I´ve met AIESEC I didn´t had the COURAGE to BELIEVE that I CAN DO IT!!!
I am a courageous person and I would not say that if AIESEC would not have exist I would never have succeed. No! That´s not true. But AIESEC gave me the opportunity first to discover myself. And not only to discover MYSELF but through the projects I have worked with, people I have met, experiences I had, I realized that I can do much more that I have the courage to admit I can do. Through AIESEC I had the opportunity to work abroad in my field of study and to have the chance to discover which are my strength, which are my talents that I can develop further. Working abroad gave me a larger perspective about how much professionalism in other country is, how does people relate to their job and it is true that people are different than we are?

Well being abroad I found out that what you hear in Romania from others is not always true. Sometimes is not true at all. My first internship with AIESEC was in Slovakia. I worked there in a Recruitment Agency for exactly one year. The experience in Bratislava, Slovakia was totaly different from what I was expecting and I will tell you why.

Before leaving Romania everybody around me tried to make me understand that this may not be the most smart decision I can make for my life. Just because I knew nothing about Slovakia, I can not speak slovak language, because I know nobody there and because the work may not be as promissed. Well...it turned up to be exactly the oposite :))

In AIESEC Slovakia I had a Buddy, my lovely dear Katka which I believe she is the best Buddy ever. Thanks Katka!!! When I came to Bratislava she was waiting for me with other friends, received presents and made sure that I have a flat where I could live. Well, the whole LC Comenius did this actually...I think! I was glad I was not in the need to worry about anything. I had a place where to stay, Katka was there for me to show me the city, she was there when I had to go to the police for registration and anytime when I need it her. I still remember the day I got sick and she was spending the whole day with me :)) .. thanks Katka :)

I spend my Christmas with her family in Humenne where I had a super great experience. I had the opportunity to live in a slovak family, learn about their culture, get to know about their traditions and customs. It was great and Slovaks in general are very nice and warm :) .. and Katka does has a great family :)

At work was also very good. I have learned a lot of things. Communication was in English with my colleagues but through the job I have done I could improve also my German and sometimes Spanish language. My colleagues which were very kind tought me slovak so I can still be pround I can say Ahoj and Dobry den :))

A lot of time I also spend meeting other interns that were there also in an internship, and with which I shared new impressions and learned more about their own culture. I joined AIESEC parties and events that always riched my whole experience.

I never felt alone because there was always someone there with who I could talk. There were friend there, that were in the same situation as me so they could understand me. From AIESEC I received the support a person needs when decide to travel abroad for such a long time.

After the experience with Slovakia I decided to go home for a while to see my family and finninsh some work. I used the time to be with my family and to enjoy Christmas and New Year also with my boyfriend. Exactly few weeks ago I´ve decided I still do want to see some other places and wanted to try again an internship.

At this instant I find myself in Helsinki, Finland in my second internship I have with AIESEC. I´m this time in a Development Program which runs for three month here. It is a super experience!

I live together with other 10 interns that are from all around the globe (India, Elvetia, Uzbekistan, China, Vietnam, Brazil, Latvia, Colombia, USA, ME from Romania and we are still waiting for an intern from Africa). Believe me it is amazing to have this kind of experience where you can learn about so many cultures, to live with all this people, share ideas, work together, go out together and learn about each other´s country.

Right now I found myself at the university, I´ve just finnished the Trainings for today and I prepare myself to go home. I will finnish for today but I promiss I will be back with some other news about Finland.

Here is cold but beautiful! Helsinki is a beautiful, clean and big city. I may post some day some othe pictures of us :)

If you may have questions do not hesitate to let comments, I will answer all your questions :)

All best,
Ella

Curing Victimitis

Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes.

Watch your attitudes; they lead to words.

Watch your words; they lead to actions.

Watch your actions; they lead to habits.

Watch your habits; they form your character.

Watch your character; it determines your destiny.

These words of unknown origin tell us that our silent and often subconscious choices shape our future. Every aspect of our lives, at home and at work, can be improved if we use our power to think, reflect, and make conscious choices about our thoughts, attitudes, words, actions, and habits.

Instead, many of us think of ourselves as victims. We complain about our circumstances and what others did to us. Whatever psychological comfort there is in feeling powerless and blameless when things aren't going right, in the end, victims lead unsatisfied lives.

We're most vulnerable to victimitis when we're under the influence of powerful emotions like fear, insecurity, anger, frustration, grief, or depression. These feelings are so powerful, we believe our state of mind is inevitable. Our only hope is they will go away on their own. Yet it's during times of emotional tumult that using our power to choose our thoughts and attitudes is most important. We can't make pain go away, but we can refuse to suffer.

Even when we don't like any of our choices, we do have some -- once we realize we can take control. It isn't easy, but what we do and how we choose to feel about ourselves has a profound impact on the quality of our lives. Victims may get sympathy for a while, but that isn't enough.
Taking personal responsibility for our happiness and success can be scary, but the payoff is enormous. Although we can't make our lives perfect, we can make them better -- usually a lot better.

Michael Josephson http://www.charactercounts.org

Life´s Little Lessons

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."

Albert Einstein
1879-1955, Physicist

Don´t go for looks, they can deceive. Don´t go for wealth even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile.

There are moments in life when you really miss someone that you want to pick them up from your dreams and hug them. Hope you dream of that someone.

When one door of happiness closes, another opens. But we often took so long at the closed door, that we don´t see the one which has been opened for us.

The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch, swing with, never saying a word and then walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you´ve had.

The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves and not to twist them with our own image, otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.

It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried. For only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Love starts with a smile, develops with a kiss and ends with a tear.

Never say goodbye you still want to try; Never give up when you still feel you can take it; Never say you don´t love that person anymore when you can´t let go.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they´ll love you back. Don´t expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts, but if it doesn´t be content it grew in yours.

There are things you love to hear but you would never hear it from the person whom you would like to hear it from, but don´t be deaf to hear it from the person who says it with his heart.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live life to the fullest so that when you die, you´re smiling and everyone around you is crying.



Today´s words of inspiration :)

Ella

Life in Finland - Helsinki