Challenges: efforts, courage and sacrifices..

I have several challenges to confront now.., not everything is sweet..

So, in order to make it to AIESEC Ukraine, I have to tramit 2 visas, make a lot of efforts and make some sacrifices.

I need to tramit here in Paris the visas for Ukraine and Poland, outside Paris will be impossible. If something goes wrong I'm totally ruined..!
Ukraine is NOT a popular destination and direct fligths tickets are beyond what I can afford right now.., I didn't think of that when I applied to this job!, but.. God bless Ryanair.com!, besides, I am now really good organizing travel's detail and cheap flights connections.
I don't have too much time but I'm very proud of myself cause somehow I manage to connect every place I wanted and still be able to spend new year with my boyfriend in Napoli and Rome before departing to Ukraine..

So, after hours of work and hard calculations, tickets are bought and here I present you my itinerary for the next 12 days. If just one of the next things goes wrong or I miss a plane or train, everything will fall.., what a pressure!!:

December 28 (early morning) - Tourin / Paris
December 28 (morning) - Pick up Poland visa
December 28 (noon) - Pick up Ukraine visa
December 28 (afternoon) - Flight Paris - Venice
December 29 (night) - Train Venice - Brescia
December 30 (night) - Train Brescia - Napoli
January 6 (night) - Train Napoli - Rome
January 9 (early morning) Flight Rome - Frankfurt
January 9 (night) Flight Frankfurt - Rzeszów (Poland)
January 9 (midnight) Train or whatever to Lviv or Kiev in Ukraine

(I still can't believe all my connections after Rome, 2 flights and 1 train, are so so so much cheaper than taking a direct flight Rome - Kiev!!!! well, the world is crazy..)

If everything goes well I will be on January 10th in Ukraine, ready to start my job!
I have to admit I'm scared.., but I feel ALIVE.., it's so intense...

Tomorrow I will leave Tourin at 6am in order to arrive to Paris at 10am, there I have to take a lot of metros and run between 2 embassies for getting my visas before 2pm, when I have to run to the bus stop before 3pm to take a 3 hours bus to the airport for taking my flight to Venice at 6pm!

Again.. I'm scared.., what if I don't get both visas?, what if I loose the plane?
Ok, I can't be nervous.., I have a nice plan so I just have to stick to it and be organized..

Tomorrow I will leave France..,
tomorrow maybe I won't have the time I need to turn my head back and admire one last time this place.., so.., now and here, in the middle of a 'perfect moment' full of fear, courage and illusions..,
I say goodbye to France..

Christmas in France!

Ironía?, casualidad?, todo cae por su propio peso..

En mi futuro proyectado, en estas fechas yo pertenecía a Italia, pero lanzé un conjuro y cambié mi destino.., y después de MIL travesías acá estoy.., en la soñada París..

No creo que sea mala estrategia salir de la línea de Gestión de Talento para hacer Auditoría de Calidad en AIESEC ESIEA.., tampoco me caerá mal una Navidad diferente en Tours.., a pesar de que la cuisine planteada no sea mi favorita.. ;)

Sólo no quería dejar pasar esta fecha sin recordarlos...

Después de haber caminado por distintos lugares, llevando AIESEC PERU en alto y dejando un poquito de mi esencia en cada país, me doy cuenta de que son muchas las veces en que me detengo y pienso en ustedes.., en todo mi CLUL y en cómo trasmitirles que lo que estoy viviendo acá está en las manos de todo aieseco.

DESDE DE PARIS...!
FELIZ NAVIDAD a todos aquellos que tengo tan lejos y que extraño tanto.. y mil besos a mi familia, los llevo todos los días en mi mente..

Más emociones: Cambio de 180 grados!!!

Today I'm taking a plane to PARIS!!!!

Me parece todo tan surreal..

Las complicaciones que tenemos los peruanos para sacar visas quizá me costaron esta vez la consecusión de mis planes.., yo tendría que haber estado en Rusia para quincena de Noviembre y las semanas siguen pasando.., mientras la embajada me sigue diciendo que necesito más papeles.., fueron cada vez menos amables y me di cuenta de que no me la darían..

Mi sexto sentido me decía que siguiera moviéndome y afortunadamente lo escuché ya que hace 2 días me confirmaron un trabajo en Paris.., en el LC EISEA, trabajando en Análisis de Calidad de Xs!

Jamás sabré lo que hubiera sido Rusia.., lo que hubiera sido trabajar en el LC UFA y vivir esa cultura cerca de las montañas urales.., sin embargo, estoy contenta porque tengo un nuevo destino, un nuevo reto y la satisfacción de demostrarme a mí misma que puedo conseguir cosas buenas por mi esfuerzo, mi experiencia y mi perfil..

No me han faltado las oportunidades acá y eso se lo debo a AIESEC.., todo lo que he puesto en práctica NO lo aprendí en un salón de clases, lo aprendí en AIESEC..; aproveché al máximo todas las oportunidades de aprendizaje que me dio y ahora veo los resultados.., porque definitivamente.. 'it's up to you..'

HP cubrió los daños de mi laptop y me la enviaron hace 3 días con un disco duro nuevo, mi alma volvió a mi cuerpo y ahora sí puedo irme tranquila.., aunque de pronto, siento que se está consolidando una razón diferente que me une a Italia, una razón bella, fuerte y avasalladora que me hace dudar, que me hace detenerme a soñar despierta que estaremos juntos pronto..

AIESEC en PARIS coordinó todo de manera excelente y rápida así que, compré el pasaje inmediatamente lanzándome de lleno a esta nueva aventura que no hubiera sido posible tampoco sin la ayuda de mi mamá y mis buenos amigos.. Hoy dejo ISU, con cierta nostalgia por el cariño que le tome a este edificio y las personas que conocí en él.., un hasta pronto a mi querida amiga Giusy y me llevo mi vida dentro de aquellas 4 piezas de equipaje..

29 de Noviembre del 2005, 3pm Despidiéndome de mi amiga Giusy antes de salir al aeropuerto..

Vainilla o chocolate: Mi choque cultural?

September was supposed to be different, was gonna bring the 'real' life I trusted..
I don't see it.., and September will be over soon..
It's not only that I didn't meet my expectations, it's more complicated than that.., it's about world's perspectives...

Me sorprende mucho sólo haber tenido 1 reunión de equipo.., sé que muchos viven fuera de la ciudad y que en época de vacaciones todo se detiene por aquí.., es tan diferente a AIESEC PERU donde en vacaciones y feriados es cuando MAS se trabaja y se aprovecha para las típicas amanecidas que unen tanto al equipo..

Me sorprende aún más la decisión de planificar por separado, en una EB nueva que necesita guía en iniciativas globales y estrategias de planning; además, dónde queda la mística, la sinergia, el apasionamiento?
En AIESEC LIMA aprendí que un objetivo que no se traza en conjunto jamás será un compromiso de equipo.., aprendí que no importa si las 'ideas' están ya delineadas por las cabezas, importa que el equipo haya colaborado con ellas y la sensación de que se conviertan en ideas de cada uno de ellos.., sólo así el equipo luchará contra viento y marea por una sola causa, y sólo así aprenderá a conocerse, a unir fortalezas, a cubrir debilidades, y a quererse.., mis EBs 02-05 están conformadas por gente tan diferente a mí que no imagino cómo nos hubiésemos hecho grandes amigos sin aquellas horas de trabajo arduo y aquellos intercambios de opiniones apasionados..

Me preocupa no tener ese espacio ahora.., pienso que es clave en la primera etapa del trabajo anual.., and September will be over soon..; me preocupa la conexión, alguien como yo necesita ese espacio para conectar con personas diferentes.., insistí mucho tal vez porque se me dijo que la organización de la planificación no era parte de mi portafolio.., quizá se quedó en mi corazón el rol de LCP :), quizá me emocionó pensar que podía enseñar todo lo que aprendí en AIESEC PERU.., quizá eso se confunde con arrogancia?

Recuerdo aquella vez que mi director de teatro me dio aquel papel que yo taaanto deseaba en una obra de Shakespeare y al mismo tiempo me gritó fuertemente.., confundió el control de mi angustia con altanería.., pensó que daba por sentado mi protagonismo y yo sólo me esforzaba en controlar mi inseguridad de no obtenerlo..

Dentro de esta oscura sensación de 'no conectar', ha sido una salvación contar con un amigo de mi misma 'especie' con quien puedo darme rienda suelta; con mi roomate que hace mi estadía más 'familiar' y dulce..; y con un par de sexys citas que también salvaron el mes..

Sé que mi manera de ser resulta 'censurable' para ciertas personas., siempre ha sido así.., sólo que acá descubrí que Lima no es una ciudad conservadora para nada!..; mi manera de pensar, mi lenguaje no verbal, mi vehemencia y mi estilo liberal no están encajando.., aún después de entender por aquellas miradas de confusión que debo evitar mis manifestaciones ligeras de añoranza hacia el mundo de las drogas y de las bajas pasiones.., y cómo conectar en este mundo tan 'vainilla' si no veo ese deseo de ir en busca de cierta clase de emociones?

Cierta clase de emociones..., I've tried to like aperitives from 5 to 8pm, I've tried to be thrilled by rhymes out loud, or turned on by jumps and punching instead of dancing..

I want crazyness, sensuality and 'derroches de pasión'!, extraño sentir el movimiento de mi cuerpo al ritmo de una música riquísima, quiero excesos, atrevimientos y sentir el arte de la seducción entre hombres y mujeres..

I want tequila at 3am instead of aperitives at 5pm.., better!, I want a delicious man having some tequila, salt and lemon from my neck!.., and I want some pot!!!!!, how difficult is that? OMG!

Extraño salir de la oficina a las 1opm y tener un 'hueco' para ir a tomar unas chelas, un casino, un billar, cine, o un rico sitio donde volverme loca bailando; poder comer lo que quiera incluso a las 4am, extraño tener buses a todas horas, en todas partes.., acá es un lío hasta para ir a comer y ya no puedo caminar más.., y ya no puedo ser 'vainilla' un día más..!

I am definitely 'chocolate' :)
He aquí: 'mi choque cultural'...
... and September will be over soon..
But October will bring some changes..

Settle down vs. Run away

Have my phone, have my laptop, a beautifull apartment!, I have a well paid part time job besides AIESEC, EB year plan is almost done, I have a lot of travel plans and international conferences to assist.., Eurolds in Belgium, EuroCo in Croatia, IC 2006 in Poland and a TTT in Lithuania... :D

So, what's missing?, why I feel like running away from this city?

Everything is stopped or closed now, people is away so we didn't have work meetings, University and AIESEC office is helplessly closed!!, there's only 5-6 people in AIESEC for this term and only 1 is in the city.
I'm understanding AIESEC's culture and difficulties here.., being realistic, Recruitment according XP policies and procedures is gonna be really hard..

Frustration is spying me...

I discovered Brescia was an industrial city years ago (that's why there's a lot of people who lives outside), with time, Brescia grew in population but still doesn't have entertainment, night life is too much to ask.., only aperitives..

Ok, ok, not everything was boring.., I visited Torino for a Finance conference, there I met Isabella, a really nice brasilian and we talked a lot, even personal stuff, was really good to let it go and share my problems..

My roomate is another thing to be happy about, because of her I finally visited the famous 'Lago Di Garda'!!, it was amazingly beautifull but far away from where I live, we need a car for sure..

I need to be patient...

I decided to go to Switzerland for recovering positive energy, so August will be over soon and we will work hard for AIESEC in Brescia..

Dreamed Italy?

One week since I arrived home..., the dreamed Italy..
Y de conceptos rotos está hecho el mundo... :)

Maybe I expected more...
But don't get me wrong.., I love my job and my apartment like crazy; however, I didn't love learning that some cities in Europe are not flexible enough for my life style.., not enough people, not enough buses, no buses at all after 10pm, no enough discos!, no karaokes, no casinos, no cheap bars!, no crazy night life..

Of course, Italy's culture and history are interesting..
I dreamed all nights with coming here, to the land of Renaissance, Boticelli, Fibonacci, Da Vinci, the visionary Domenico, the exquisite Vivaldi and the great Galileo Galilei.

My dream came true and today I spent my birthday with Maquiavelli..., was not the best birthday, but I will learn to love this city.., and I will learn to enjoy aperitives places from 5pm to 8pm...
Besides, I still need to taste elegant Milan..!

My new friends were really nice to me since day 1.., I know I take my time to feel totally comfortable with new people but I think we are in a good direction..

About work, it started really well, we made SWOT analysis and began planning. EB 2005-2006 (leonessa) is kind of new, so the LCP and I need to improve knowledge in the team, I have a lot to share with them, all I learnt in my CLUL...

Something new will start!!!

When feeling kind of confused, desmotivated and helpless about my AIESEC carrier.. .. and what's more frightening.., when I was totally desmotivated about my psichology carrier..

A really boring evenning, sitting in front of my computer, in probably the most boring work I've ever had, an email arrived to my inbox... and hope just invaded my world.. A lifetime opportunity was offered to me because of my work as LCP in AIESEC LIMA..

Some months later and after a LONG selection process... TODAY...

... I was selected VP People Development for LC BRESCIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So.., I'm moving out to Italy with all expenses covered in there, plus a part time job in a company..

Wow!.. AIESEC is taking me now to the dreamed Italy.. Now, I can't hardly wait!!!! .. but somehow I did it since this February!!! Fuck! 3 1/2 months for selection process!!

.. from one high emotion to another very different but high still.. I love it!

Related Posts: A gift from heaven?

An stage of my life just ended..

Ayer terminó mi período como PRESIDENTA de AIESEC LIMA...

It was amazing!!!

A year full of emotions and learning!.., full of challenges, mistakes and more learning! 

After this year I've gained so much.., impossible to describe with words, as a  dream came true...

Being LCP (local President) was definitively my best leadership experience so far and will be on my top forever...

I hope we all can maintain perspective and our AIESEC's culture. We can't forget enjoying our work, living diversity and learning from what we do each day..

About my LCP period, I made good things, I made some mistakes too..., but this isn't finished!...

.. I will stay close and I will keep doing things for my CLUL...

In the meantime...

THANKS TO ALL MY TEAM!

How I started my carrier.., some beautiful memories..

In August 2002, AIESEC became THE passion of my life and my favorite OBSESSION thanks to one important person.. 

How I wish to have known AIESEC before!!! 

Well, I got involved in this amazing organization -www.aiesec.org-, and suddenly.., all I wanted was to live all the opportunities I could live here and learn everything to achieve a leadership position in AIESEC! 

After a lot of efforts, learning and problem solving, in 2003 I became part of the "Executive Board of AIESEC Lima"!

Here my EB 2003-2004! 

A great team.., and dear friends, then and now! 

Of course I was the HR leader (VP S&L, then PD) 

.. and I have the most beautiful memories.. TWICE!!

S&L Team 2003 

Here we are all together in the Brasilian dinner and cultural presentation we organized with our brasilian Ceeders "los chuchukos" (notice our t-shirts :) 

After one year of "S&L", in 2004, we evolved in "People Development area"!!, having a lot of changes, challenges and a new team.., while I started dreaming with new big horizons, that finally came true..

People Development team & CLUL in NATCO 2004

Being an LCP (Local Comitte President), means a lot to every passionate aisecer I'm sure.., and after presenting my 1st strategic plan, motivational letter, key indicators, being evaluated by a professional panel, and wait nervously for the voting process.., I finally was elected LCP AIESEC Lima!

A lot to thank my former LCPs (2002-2004), my dearest friends..

A lot of LC times.., conferences.., learning.., moments of crisis.., moments of truly happiness.., trying to lead the team.. 

Definitively, my best experience in AIESEC and in life!

EB 2005 & NATCO Oct 2004 with newies

A gift from heaven?

Another month is finishing and the emotion is growing up inside of me... Selection process for Italy is killing me!!!! It's taking so long and I don't have idea about other candidates... I'll just believe I'll get it.., a part of me just knows I will be there... I just know it.. I think it's true that when you want something so bad, the whole world conspires to make it happen... :) So strange the way it appeared.., as a gift from heaven... Because of AIESEC, now I can share my knowledge and experience with another country and another culture by going to the same challenges... I will get it!! .. and I will have a whole year to live new things, to define myself and to see how life really is when you are by your own. I just saw my life from my own future and I realized that I achieved a lot.., I conquered a lot and also managed very difficult things and situations.., time made its job it's true, but I did it on my own, and I'm stronger now.., I know myself better and I have a great turn in my path..

Luchas y frustraciones..

In my house's basement.., thinking HOW to stop such a nonsense and absurdity..,

preparing some refutations and hoping for the best..

Meanwhile, I lost one of my best VPs, who I admire and in whom I had a lot of hope for next term.. 

It was his decision and I couldn't ask him not to, even if I was dying to do so... 

that's not what I was supposed to do.., 

I just waited with frustration, knowing that after this, nothing could turn time back..

I'm also afraid of loosing a friend.. 

This month at work was totally difficult.., motivation is going down very fast for everybody.., frustration sometimes leads us to very useless thoughts, but it also gives us sense, makes us discover or meet again with what we are, with what we believe in, with our values and principles, with what matters to each one of us.. 

 And here comes the question about how to manage the responsibilities of my leadership position with the responsibilities I have as 'ME'.., 

as a person who someday will turn her head back to evaluate herself.., 

to evaluate what I did, what I stood for, what I chose in those important moments.., 

if I chose convenience, if I chose to let fear invade with silence.., if I chose to let things just happen..; 

or if I chose to stand for what I believe in, for what it’s fair.. 

I already know the answer.., I have always known.. 

… I will never be unfaithful to myself.., cause I could loose more.. 

There´s no one poorest than those who doesn’t have sense and soul..

LCP AIESEC LIMA 

Trying to find the “middle” point without turn people down.. 

4 de marzo - prohibicion brasil