Liberté totale

I am enjoying my life. To the max! I am talking on the phone to a friend of mine in Singapore, for three hours, for free, on Skype (Sabrina what would we do without? it is such an amazing invention/tool). I am on facebook, extensively. I surf the net, for hours. I invite friends over to my house to talk about nothing and everything (Eveline that was nice, wasn' it?). I stay up late and even very late and I sleep in. So nice! I travel to Berne to spend a whole weekend shopping and strolling around town with Karin or anothertime just for a two hours session with Aida (very random!). I visit Lucerne, spend two hours on a round trip on the lake, get off at Weggis and walk into a Fiesta Latina (yes, how cool is that?! Nice food, great music, Colombian people to talk to..home away from home, isn't it Jeannine?). I sit in the garden with Nuria and instead of studying tax law we talk about Gossip and AIESEC party and men, the usual suspects really, but soo nice. I stroll around African stalls in Winti with Vijay, Kenoma and two interns from St. Gall (André and Eric) and that was just the weeks before Pentecost!

Since then I spent a day in Zurich with the Student Review Board interviews AIESEC members have to attend before they can go on an internship abroad. 7 candidates, 30 minutes each, very intense but also very interesting. It was like attending a job interview only from the other side-great experience once more! On Thursday I went to Lausanne, in the French speaking part of Switzerland to visit a friend who studies at the Ecole Hotelier Lausanne (actually she's nearly done now so I figured it was about time..). We went to eat at the Gastro Restaurant on the campus, 5 course menu with sparkling wine, very nice! On Friday morning I joined some people from my university and two teachers for a hearing at the federal court of justice. It was actually really interesting to witness a powerfull moment of law-making history (they overruled a tax law made by the canton of Obwalden which favoured the rich people as being unconstitutional...).

From Lausanne my journey went on the Fribourg where I spent some hours at the Mexican dinner together with most of the executive board members of Switzerland. It was really nice but I was glad to fall into bed at 2.30 am! Few hours later I was up and off again, this time heading for the East of Switzerland, Arbon, situated on the lake of constance near the boarder with Austria and Germany. There I spent a weekend with 34 other business law university students listening to speaches about different philosophs and their views/beliefs in human rights. Together with 5 friends we also spend some time preparing our panel discussion about "Gerechte Arbeitsbedingungen im Welthandel-ein Menschenrecht?" (Are fair working conditions in world trade/international trade a human right?). We are still trying to gather speakers but I am really looking forward to the event. I am sure it will be fun.

Inbetween all those travels I worked for AIESEC (a lot) and I studied (a little). And I managed to plan my next big adventure: India! I am on the organisation commitee for a study trip to India by my university. 10 days, at the end of January! I am really looking forward to that and I will also stay longer :-). But I will keep you posted on that one. But how cool is that?! I am soo pleased, life is beautiful!

This week I will do some more travelling (i.e. to Berne) and more work for AIESEC. But it's really nice and this is my time now, my chance. In two weeks time this will all be over (exams) and afterwards (if not earlier) I will start with my internship for my studies. But more about that to come. Next time. For sure.

Which European city is right for you?

Following my last entry, here comes another (useless) test for yourself which might make you think...

And those of you who have known me for a longer period of time might have to stiffle a laugh..my European city is: ROME

You scored as Rome. Rome - The eternal city is a favourite amongs many tourists. Certainly not renowned for partying it is one of the most beautiful places Europe has to offer with some of the best remains of buildings of cultural importance. Rome 75% Berlin 69% Barcelona 69% Munich 63% Moscow 63% London 56% Paris 50% Athens 50% Which European City is right for you? created with QuizFarm.com

Me and Italy...well, to put it midly, not really a hot love. But I was actually thinking about giving the country another try, so maybe I really should consider the eternal city an "challenge my worldview" which we like so much at AIESEC..growing is only possible outside your own comfort zone. Rome might be just that, definitely outside my comfort zone...but if I think about it I would still prefer Dublin,in the North or Barcelona in the South. But hey, you never know where life might lead you and I wasn't planning to go to Dublin neither and still I had an incredible time there.

So what's your city? In case you scored Zurich (which probably isn't even on the list) you know where to call ;-)

Scary

I just took this test and the result is scarying...is this really me? Is this how you see me as well or is it just some stupid test without any meaning? It doesn't sound very familiar but maybe you disagree with my feelings and agree with the text? I am little confused...Just let me know what you think.

You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

stunningly beautiful

I am home. I really am. At least since last weekend. I went to the conference and it was really great. Amazing. It was such a nice feeling to walk into there and to see all those people, friends, who were really glad to see me! It made me feel at home for the first time since I got back. Thank you all for that, it was just what I needed!

But it was not only all those beloved faces, it was more. It was the way there. The "voyage" by train, those 3 and a half hours slowly climbing up to the Swiss Alps from 400 metres above sea level (Zurich) to 1000 metres (Fiesch). We took the train along Lucerne, to Andermatt and from there with the small Matterhorn Gotthard train to Fiesch. Switzerland is stunningly beautiful! The sky was blue, the view was clear and the mountains were covered with snow. You felt like you could touch them! Three months without mountains and I behaved like a tourist :-). It took many pictures and I want to show you some. Maybe you will understand why I felt that way, maybe you will still think I am crazy, I don't care :-).

I am a proud owner of complete freedom, at least for one month and at least for all the trains in Switzerland. I own a "general abonnement" which means I can freely travel all over Switzerland. Every train, every bus, all included. That sounds great? I tell you, it's even better! So I will use this freedom combined with my freedom of not having to go to university or start working yet and I WILL travel. I have travelled to many places in many different countries but I can't remember the last time I was in Lausanne or Geneva. I have never been to St. Gall and there are many places in Ticino that I don't know. So I will change that. I want to travel. I have one month to see places. Do you have some free time? Do you want to join me? Or you want me to spend the night in your hometown? Just let me know and I am on my way :D.

But to close a long story short: I will keep you posted on my adventures, on my trips to Swiss places and I will show you some pictures so that you can even travel with me if you're far away...

Back home

I am back. Or so. Yesterday I arrived "back home". It does, however, still feel strange. Kind of like being on holidays..I know that I will get used to everything and start feeling at home again but I think it will take time. I am not surprised because it used to be the same when I got back from Ecuador. I even hope that it will take less time than last time as it took nearly two months back in autumn 2005 and I did not stay there much longer than this time. But Ireland is Europe and not South America so maybe my reverse cultural shock will be shorter..I haven't given up hope. :-)

Today I felt like walking in a surreal world, everything was so calm, green and tidy..It's always funny how many things we notice once we have stayed outside of the "box" for some time. I really love Zurich, it's MY city, this is where I grew up, where most of my friends live and where my roots are. Living abroad is on the other hand very tempting. I don't know why but I DO love spending time in other countries and like back in Ecuador I could imagine living in Ireland. Maybe even more so as it is Europe, much more like Switzerland and a very young and vibrant city...I am looking forward to going back, the sooner the better.

Right now is however not the time, I have to make some important decisions. Do I want to move to Winti for my last year or stay with my parents? Independence or save money? Where shall I do my internship? Shall I do a short internship and work afterwards until September or take some time to find a nice internship and work there all summer? And finally, when and where will I spend my holidays this year? So many questions and answers are not yet in sight.

Tomorrow I will go back to Winti, to talk to my friends and attend the two classes that I will sit the exams in July. For lunch I will meet with my friends of AIESEC Winti to talk about what had happened and to prepare the forthcoming conference and in the evening we will have our Local committee before I will leave for Fiesch on Thursday for the Kick Off conference. I am looking really forward to that as I did miss AIESEC in Dublin and it will be very nice to see all my friends again before some of them head into new adventures abroad...On Saturday I will present myself for the ILEC (legal English Cambridge) exam before I return to Fiesch :-).

I will keep you posted!

Done!

I did it! It's all over! My semester in Dublin is over.

My last exam was today. We had 5 exams (EU law, Employment law, Business law, Human Resources Management and Principles of Marketing) during the last two weeks and two assingments (Strategic Management and Irish Cultural Studies) during the semester. We already know, that we passed the two assignments and unofficially also that we passed EU law, yeah.

No it's time. Time to celebrate and time to say good bye. We only have 5 days left, including today and Monday when we leave. It will be very strange and I will miss A LOT. Mostly, I think I will miss my girls, all the girls here at the residence with whom we laughed and even cried, sang (a lot and all the times :-) ), had dinners and breakfast with and talked. We visited places together, we went out and had great fun or we stayed in and watched a movie. I will miss all of that! I will miss the mixtures of languages at the table, the where have you been, what have you done today or last weekend, what are we doing tonight or on the weekend? It was so easy. There was always sombody there. You just had to go there and know at the door. Somebody was always there to talk to you or to spend time with.

I will miss the food. Well, obviously not ALL of it, but some at least ;-). I will miss my blackcurrent (how am I supposed to live without it?!). I will miss the crumble, especially with Rhubard (the yoghurt is SOO delicious!). I might even miss the chicken but I might not miss eating it 4 times a week.... :-) .

I will miss the Irish WHEATER! Yes, I know, it's crazy but hey, it WAS beautiful. It's so nicely warm and sunny.

I am sure once home I will miss more. But right one, that's it. I have to enjoy the few hours that I have left here and not think about what I will be missing :-).

Running off to grab some dinner..