• choose a job that you like. If you don’t find it, search again and again and again or just be easier to please
• always help you colleagues when they need you. We are all busy at work, that is why we are receiving a salary. We all have our extremely crazy days, weeks, our normal weeks and our thank you god, it’s Christmas time days. Be nice and helpful.
• never take holidays after a big project. Follow up takes longer than 2 weeks and most probably you will have to work during your holiday. Of course, you also have the option of just not giving a damn and then you will just be the guy that didn’t care
• if an email does not solve a problem, a phone call or a face-to-face meeting might be more efficient
• work hard because you are also working for yourself not only for your employer. It makes you sleep happier and easier
• make friends. You spend a 3rd of your life with your work colleagues, life will be better if you will also see your friends during that time
• never stop learning. School ends when you are in your 20s, the learning process should never end
• use bullet points. They are easy to follow

All these make a young person aim high and invest a lot of time and energy in getting to a higher position in a group.

Problems appear when you try to be better than everybody on everything. Your friend is a good volley player. Another one has the upper hand with mathematics. Another one is more into creative fields. And you try and try to be better than all of them.

I struggled because I was comparing myself to very talented people. I remember that most of my childhood I did not understand how some children have all these beautiful artistic skills and I can’t sing, draw or dance. The struggle continued when I’ve got my fist job … and the second and the third and the forth… every time my boss and some of my colleagues were way better than me. It hurt and it kept me awake at night. Literary! But,  one day I will be as good.

Comparing yourself to people that are older and smarter than you awakes the need of continuous improvement … even though in the same time it might bring frustration and low self esteem.

On the other hand, I think is very lame to compare yourself to people that are 10 years younger than you. To be proud of the fact that you have more knowledge in your field than others when they are interacting with your area just at a superficial level. To be cocky and ironical with people that are one generation too young to be your peers.

If I would have take the train alone, it would have cost me something between 34 and 72 euros. We were a group of 5 ladies and so we paid only 8 euros each for the train ticket because Germany has this cool system that encourages travelling in groups of 5. Another friend got there a night before by bus and paid 12 euros (still a really good deal for Germany).

So, 4 hours later we were already in our host house (another nice Romanian guy from Botosani) and got ready to explore the city.

First stop:
City Center (Obviously). We took pictures with the bear and the bull and of course with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange building. Next important stop: top of the Main building (we went up 200 m and saw the entire city). It was windy, impressive, but most important: beautiful. All in all, we spent more than 5 hours in the city center so there are a lot of things to see and a lot of pictures to take.

Second Stop:
McKinsey party. Once a month, at the 25th floor of the McKinsey Business Building in Frankfurt there is a party that is opened to everyone. Most of the clubs are underground, but from this one you can see the entire town. Good music, good drinks, good people, good atmosphere.

Last and Best Stop:
Second day. Palmengarten, the Botanic Garden. Beautiful colored flowers everywhere in an immense park of plants. Because its winter most of the plants that grow outside were not awake yet, but the building of the continents its one thing to remember. So, imagine: you pass from one room to another and see and feel different atmosphere, air and vegetation. My favorite: Asia.

We had one small incident: we forgot the group ticket at our host house and got a fine in the tram when the controller? (guy that asks for you ticket) came. This is how I discovered a big difference between Bonn and Frankfurt. I live in Bonn for 4 months now and only once I have met these guys. They were wearing read coats on which it was written: Bus and Tram Controller. The ones in Frankfurt reminded me of our Romanian special agents that hunt you down. So, the fine is 40 euros and I am not sure yet if I need to pay it and where. The group ticket has only has one of our 5 names on it and the other 4 people cannot prove that we own the ticket before the fee or … we just bought it from some random person in the train station.

So… after the LC presentation a trainee pop out in front of the audience and stated to taked about his exchange experience. To get to know his audience better he asked some questions:

Raise your hand if you have left Germany!
All hands were in the air.

Raise your hand if you have left Germany for more than two months!
Almost all hands were in the air

Raise your hand if you have left Germany for more than one year!
Kindav 90% of people had their hands in the air

Raise your hand if you been to US for more than six months!
Lots of hands in the air

Raise your hand if you been to Asia for more than six months!
Other lots of hands in the air

Raise your hand if you been to Latin America for more than six months!
Many hands in the air

What? What? What? Damn…
I am really intrested how the situation looks like in a presentation in Timisoara or in any other Romanian LC.

First of all, on Friday, I have met AIESEC’s interns and had some drinks with them.

Saturday I went shopping and discovered some really nice shops near City2 (a shopping mall in the city center). I was glad to see that, even though things cost more than in Romania, the difference is not that big. I didn’t want to jump the horse so I didn’t buy a lot of things. The evening was all about Delirium. A huge pub in the city center where the only alcoholic drink that is served is beer. Of course, they have more than 300 sortiments of beer.

But Sunday, Sunday was the best day of this weekend. Why? Because, tougher with Anca’s friends I went to Walibi, an amusement parc close to Brussels. The train was really cheap because during the weekend all people that plan to have an one day trip get a discount and they pay only half of the ticket price.

The main attraction in Walibi were (are) the carousels. They have like 4 or 5 big carousels and some other things that in my opinions work as carousels on your body. I have tried some, but at the ones that looked really scary I just preferred to take pictures of the brave people that had a ride in them

I will returned in Brussels tomorrow. This time is for work because DHL has an important office there. I can barely wait.

More photos here.

So, now, I officially live in Bonn because I registered at the City Hall. They gave me some tickets that I can use to visit the museums and other things in Bonn for free. I also got a bank account for free and starting with next month DHL will reimburse my bus and train tickets … which is great.

Today it was my first day at DHL. Huuuuge buildings with a lot a people working there. It’s complicated but welcoming.

Since it was my first day I went to have lunch (lots of food) with other AIESEC interns here in Bonn and I took a ride with the elevator. Just went up and down 33 floors. I know it might not be interesting, but it made my day. Great tingle in the stomach. There are a lot of interns here and many of them are Romanians … which I think makes me less interesting since I have a lot of predecessors.

Yesterday I have met more than 30 people. Today more than 40. There will be a time when I will know all their names. Meanwhile … meanwhile I have no idea with what to start.

Yesturday I have been there. The city has a great history that I have find out about during and after my short visit in Koblenz.

Around 1000 BC, early fortifications were erected on the Festung Ehrenbreitstein hill on the opposite side of the Moselle. In 55 BC Roman troops commanded by Julius Caesar reached the Rhine and built a bridge between Koblenz and Andernach. About 9 BC, the “Castellum apud Confluentes”, was one of the military posts established by Drusus.

Remains of a large bridge built in 49 AD by the Romans are still visible. The Romans built two castles as protection for the bridge, one in 9 AD and another in the 2nd century, the latter being destroyed by the Franks in 259.

Nice, small, German city.

I have also seen Basilica St. Kastor, a huuuge statue at the Deutsches Eck and an old (huuuge again) bridge.

The French and the Germans shared this city over the centuries. Now is, for sure, part of Germany.

I have uploaded some pictures in an album here.

More on lovely Wikipedia.

12.45 pm
Timisoara Airport – Security room(my skirt was too tight) – Plane – Dortmund Airport- Bus station (missed the right bus by 2 minutes) – Small train station (missed the right train by less than 2 minutes) – Big Station – Train Koln – Koln (train cancelled) – New train to Bonn – Small delay of 20 minutes – Bonn. Iei!

So, I have arrived in Bonn at 7 in the afternoon and the first thing I have tried was … Mc Donalds because I was tired of carrying my heavy luggages. They have the best fries I have ever tried before: American Fries (a mixture between French and Romanian fries).

In  the train station, Lara, my AIESEC buddy was waiting for me. She was really nice and took me to my new apartment which looks wonderful. I have also met a Polish guy that lives in the same flat and help me with some shopping. I have a good feeling about them

Now I am looking at the map. Bonn is situated in the best area possible. Next weekend I plan to go to Brussels.

I have to idea what to do today. All the shop in Germany are closed on Sunday and I have no friends to make plans with …yet.

I shall see. The day is shiny and the possibilities are bright!

De ce sunt aşa sigură? Pentru că am fost membru AIESEC Timişoara aproape trei ani şi acum m-am întors în organizaţie pentru cea mai tare experienţă pe care am avut-o până acum.

E o chestie pentru părinţi … o chestie pe care nu o înţeleg întru totul. E o sectă pentru cei care nu au mers la o facultate prea bună şi sunt bine prinşi în cutia lor, e o organizaţie concurentă foarte puternică pentru cei care fac parte din celălalte organizaţii. Dar e normal ca părinţii să nu înţeleagă chiar tot ce faci, să fie hateri pe lume şi să găseşti concurenţă unde ai cu cine.

În tot timpul ăsta am aflat câte ceva. Ar trebui să aplici pentru AIESEC dacă:

Vrei un job?
Deşi nu asta am ţinţit un job, asta am primit după ce am fost coordonatorul unui proiect AIESEC Timişoara. Nu ştiam ce fac în clipa în care m-am decis să mă implic, însă am avut lângă mine oamenii potriviţi care m-au ajutat să îmi dau seama care e drumul potrivit. 8-9 luni mai târziu, când proiectul s-a încheiat, am primit şi cea mai tare ofertă de job.

Vrei un internship în străinătate?
În trei zile plec în Gemania.  Săptămâna viitoare încep un super internship la DHL. O firmă cu branch-uri în 220 de ţări şi teritorii. Eu merg la sediul central. How cool is that?

Vrei la party-uri?
Uhu, eu da! Dacă intri în AIESEC Timişoara poţi merge la party-uri cu 10 sau cu 600 de oameni. Toţi deştepţi şi rezistenţi la orice. Nu vei vedea niciodată violenţă. Unii dansează, alţii se joacă, uni ceva sticla in mana, alţii dorm în camerele lor, unii stau în colţuri şi vorbesc, iar majoritatea încearcă să agaţe ceva.

Vrei să călătoreşti mult şi aproape fără bani?
10 zile în Olanda, 6 în Praga, 10 în Gemania aproape fără bani. Pentru că la conferinţele de care spuneam mai sus îţi faci prieteni şi apoi mergi să îi vizitezi.

Vrei să mergi la training-uri gratis?
Trainingurile din AIESEC sunt ţinute de membrii (deci şi tu poţi să ţii traininguri dacă exersezi suficient), dar şi de traineri români sau străini foarte cunoscuţi. Dap, gratis.

Vrei să nu mai ai emoţii când vorbeşti în faţa oamenilor?
Ştiu oameni care tremurau din toate încheieturile când ţineau un speach. Acum sunt fericiţi să vorbească în faţă unei săli întregi.

Vrei să te cunoşti cu oameni implicaţi în alte organizaţii tari?
I am sending all my love to BEST Timişoara, ISWINT, Liga AC, Liga ETC, OSUT şi Eco Club Timişoara. Dacă nu alegi AIESEC Timişoara încearcă orice altă organizaţie. Voluntariatul e cel mai bine plătit job!

Vrei să creşti repede, sănătos şi frumos?
Mănâncă bine înainte de conferinţe. Pentru că de cele mai multe ori conferinţele AIESEC Timişoara se ţin în pensiuni sau hoteluri studenţeşti ajungi să preţuieşti până şi mâncarea de la 3F. But come on … cine e super interesat de mâncare la vârsta noastră.

Bonus la toate acestea: prieteni, mulţi prieteni şi dacă eşti norocos cei mai buni prieteni.

AIESEC Timişoara recrutează. Aplică până în 22 octombrie. Mai multe detalii aici.

AIESEC People, am uitat ceva?

This is my last post in Romanian. I am switching to English

Până acum am înţeles că m-am schimbat datorită faptului că mi-a fost oferită bunătate.

Am fost încurajată să fiu naturală, responsabilă, respectuoasă şi veselă. Vreau să fiu un om mai bun şi să aduc momente de seninătate celor din jurul meu.

Mă simt cea mai norocoasă persoană din lume. Aşa să simt acum şi lucrul acesta mă face să fiu recunoscătoare.

După ce am fost coordonatorul unui proiect AIESEC Timişoara, am primit o ofertă de angajare de la imobiliare.ro. Profesional e cel mai bun lucru care mi s-a putut întâmpla. Partea minunată e că şi personal a fost unul dintre cele mai bune lucruri care mi s-au întâmplat.

Le mulţumesc nespus de mult:
Daniel Crainic – omul care e modelul meu pe plan profesional şi personal
Adrian Erimescu – cel mai inteligent om pe care îl cunosc
Ciprian Gheran – omul care m-a provocat să ies din cochilie
Daniel Cozma – my friend … cu tot ce înseamnă asta
Adrian Meşter – omul cu care mă simt în siguranţă
Claudiu Mesaroş – cel care mi-a ajutat să primesc 10 la licenţă şi cel mai bun profesor pe care l-am avut
Mirela Abrudean – mami din Timişoara
Ana-Maria Mihăilă – ancora mea
Alis Brebu – cheerleader-ul meu
Anca Bobîrsc – persoana în prezenţa căreia nu m-am cenzurat niciodată.

Voi schimba lumea fiind un om mai mai răbdător, mai tolerant, fără prejudecaţi sau ironii ieftine.

Asta e tot ce trebuie să fac: să fiu bună. Tu cum vrei să schimbi lumea?