What will be my next IMPACT?

I was wondering and asking myself this days what will be my next IMPACT? I was thinking about other ways of unleashing my great potential and I'm searching for new opportunities or I'm trying to INVENT them. I'm happy that I'll be again conference manager.

Together with a part of my team(the trainers team for SPP first conference) we will organize again a new conference for Psychology students in November. Another experience for me as conference manager...Looking back at the first conference I feel more experienced and I want to improve the things that went wrong at the first conference.

I'm happy that I have the support of my team and we started preparing the conference. Actually it's individual preparation. Giani is participating in a conference held in Poland by Unesco. A conference where we applied together but I wasn't selected...Hope Giani has a great time there while she is enjoying the conference, learning useful things that will help us in preparing the conference. The main theme of the conference is EDUCATION:

"Education is a meaningful tool enabling us to introduce and to integrate young people in the world of dialogue, the world of mutual understanding, the world whose future depends on them.
Therefore we have chosen intercultural, civic and peace education as the main topic of our conference. We will approach these issues from the standpoint of non – formal education to let participants understand better the complexity of today’s world."

I participated in a conference that took place in Germany between 1st and 10th of June. The greatest conference ever for me. There were 400 students from 80 countries in Ilmenau discussing about education and the problems that the world is facing today. (More about this conference, my feelings in a next post)

Besides this conference I'm reading a lot lately trying to prepare better. I have many training materials on my notebook and hope I'll manage to read all of them. Also I've finished a book that I started in April :) No time to read because of school and other projects ...I've read Time management and how we establish our priorities by Stephen R. Covey and now I started another book "The inspirational leader" by John Adair -leadership GURU.
I haven't felt for ages the pleasure of reading something not for school , not for achieving marks just for my own knowledge. I feel great and I'm happy that I have time to FOCUS on reading.

when University starts again in Octomber I'll start my 4th year. The next University year will be focused on reading and preparing the degree paper. My degree paper will be about "Development of leadership abilities at young people"
I've experienced leadership 2 times in AIESEC and 1 time outside and I'm eager to start reading books about it and develop my personal vision, my personal opinions.

Looking back finishing the 3rd year was an interesting experience. The second semester of school was full of projects but I was enjoying preparing them because of my team and because of the fact that we had the best projects presentantion. Besides that the best marks I've achieved till now at University.

I feel comfortable being in front of people and trying to present my ideas. I can say I have good presentation skills but everytime is place to improve them. Improving is the key of the development.

I realized that I like a lot to organize conferences, to participate as delegate, to be conference manager or trainer. Conferences means for me a great learning environment , a playground where I push my limits, I use my creativity while I'm building my dreams and perform my life at high volume.

For sure in the future my training company will organize preparation programs such as conferences because adults learn better in non-formal places. Being there I reload my batteries and I'm more stronger to fight with REAL LIFE.

I'm waiting for an answer because somebody made me a proposal to help them with a conference in my city in September. A trainer from UK is coming to train people interested to work for UE. There will be a 2 days event and I'll be in the organizing team.
They will give me money but I'll join the conference for free. And the participants will have to pay fee for being trained.

So what will be my next IMPACT?

Training or learning?

I was thinking what is the difference between training and learning? If there is any difference or not. I had the chance to be "teacher" for one hour few weeks ago when after 3 years of faculty I went back to my highschool (where I learnt for 8 years...Colegiul National Iasi".
For me it was a powerful learning experience and I was glad to see that besides my bad impressions about the new generation people prove to be very opened and the most important one interested to build a good future for them and do extra school activities.

That's nice...and I'm impressed!

I was invited by my history teacher to motivate people, to talk with teenagers (11th grade)about the first edition of an project management contest I've participated when I was in highschool"Europa la liceu" (May 2004) when together with my team we won the prize for the best planned project but the most important thing to share my impressions after 3 years of high volume by having the most interesting experiences that helped me to be the person I am today.




My first team...Europa la liceu-2004
Our history teacher&Alexandra (LCVP Communication 2007-2008 LC IASI) &Mihaela&Georgiana(missing :()

It was a great day for me...being in front of 30 people but the most important of unknow people and teenagers with different values and vision about the "pursuit of happyness " ...sharing my impressions about education and about the fact that I want to make a change in this field,about ways of unleashing their potential in order to have a great IMPACT ,being asked by them about AIESEC and voluntary work made my smile. I had emotions at the beginning when I started my speach but after few minutes I felt very close to them and when the bell rang announcing the break I was upset but happy that I had a great learning experience. It was a nice hour and also because people asked me questions.

Another inspiring moment for me was when our teacher show me the"Jean Monett" classroom where I saw a special panel with diplomas and photos about this great contest I've had the chance to participate and also about the 2005 edition when another team from my highschool won a diploma. Also my diploma will remain in that classroom over years and hope my kids will have the chance to learn in the same highschool to see my diploma but not only because of this: because of the fact that my highschool is one of the most important ones from Iasi..but it's up to them!

I'm proud about my highschool, about the teachers that made me think that I can push my limits and dream to achieve great things or in other words DREAM BIG. Teachers were the ones that shaped my personality even if when I was in highschool I hated them, I'm proud about the teenagers that want to strive for excellence and mentain our highschool in tops , about the teachers that want to build a modern learning environment, about international projects developed by my highschool.

What is the connection between training or learning?

Important principles:

• focus on learning, not training (Training is about the organisation. Learning is about the person.)
• focus on emotional maturity, integrity, compassion - these are the characteristics that really matter
• develop the person, not just the skills and knowledge (Skills and knowledge are the easy things. Most people will take care of these for themselves. Helping and enabling and encouraging people to become happier more fulfilled people is what employers and organisations should focus on. Achieve this and the skills and knowledge will largely take care of themselves...
• give people choice

Give people choice in what, and how and when to learn and develop - there is a world of choice out there, and so many ways to access it all. People have different learning styles, rates of learning, and areas of interest. Why restrict people's learning and development to their job skills? Help them learn and develop in whatever way they want and they will quite naturally become more positive, productive and valuable to your organisation. (You may need to find bigger and/or different roles for them, but that's entirely the point - you want people to be doing what they are good at, and what they enjoy - this is what a good organisation is.)

In the end I feel great when I have the chance to motivate people and make them dream that they can change something. After this experience I enriched my network of contacts by becoming friend with two great girls. (One skipped my class...but she added me on messenger and we talk about life in general and I was impressed to see how she is thinking and also we have the same values, thoughts and belifies.

SPP -A new journey in my life

What is SPP? SPP stands for "Societatea pentru psihologie" and it's Simo's baby. What will be my connection with SPP? Simo proposed me to deliver some trainings on teambuilding to get them motivated and help them build successful projects. My proposal for them was to make their first conference and be conference manager.

It all started in Bucharest , at Phoenicia, last weekend when we had a great night dreaming and getting to know eachother better but the most important thing building a vision and an interesting project. SPP will be my NEXT project and i'm eager to take this challenge. After AIESEC I feel motivated to help people around me and share the knowledge I received during several preparation programs I took part.

And I think one of my main objectives this year :"to have an impact " on everything I do will be accomplished

On wednesday I was at SPP's meeting and I was impressed by the fact that their members want to make a change and want to make a difference. I felt very good to see this thing and I'm waiting eagerly to build a proper learning environment for them during their first conference and help them build as a team.

I have butterflies in my stomach because it will be my first experience as conference manager for an student organization I don't know, for unknow people but for organization that will start an important page in their history. I have emotions and hope everything will be great for them.

But the most important thing is that I have the passion to make important things for them and at the end of the conference I want to smile with my heart as Ilinca was saying. A challenging experience in front of me...

I started to find trainers ....5 trainers will be part of my team (Dragos, Cosmin,Alex-@-ers, Simo, and one external: Dragos's mother that will deliver trainings on emotional intelligence) , think of agenda (blocks like: Building the organization vision, teambuilding, and develop their skills on topics like project management, presentation skills, teamwork, creativity, proactivity , change management), search for proper and cheap location ....be conference manager , oc and fun team together with my team in order to help them build as a great team!

Enjoy the movie! teaser of their first conference!

Storm of thougts

It's saturday morning and I woke up at 7:00 o'clock. It's very strange for me to wake up at this hour on saturday morning. Even if I have exam today that is at 17:00 o'clock.

Something strange is happening with me. Maybe I'm tired of learning but my soul is like a storm of thoughts and I'm eagerly waiting to finish the exam session to Start the new path in my life. Since I left AIESEC I was searching for opportunities and ways of unleashing my potential. I've discovered many interesting things in the real life and I'm sure that this year I will have a great IMPACT on everything I do.

Learning for exams made me reflect about Education. It was time to think how can I change something in the educational system in Romania, How can I have an Impact for the new generation of young people that are playing computer games instead reading books..

I'm so afraid about the new generation ... they have the tools but they don't use them efficiently. I was thinking if I can make a change I must start from the lowest level...kindergarten and maybe private school! I know that it's early to talk about such dreams but I'm sure that the IMPACT I want to have in this world is related to community!

Ya IT's Time to Think and ACT...all of us must realize that we must have an impact in the educational system. Only together we can change something and make a better system. It is said, it's one of the mainstays of the civilisation. It brings us the knowledge that can relieve world suffering and is further yet present in change, plight and rebuilding. It generates the gaps which is meant to close. For some it is the highest ambition , for others a necesarry evil.

I talk about education!

This is the first part about my storm of thoughts related to EDUCATION! I need to go and study because I have 2 more exams and after I'm free to reflect and share my storm of thougts. I need to make an essay about about education in relation with the motto "Time to think"

Till then: "Live as if you will die tomorrow, but learn as if you will live forever" (Gandhi)

People

I was saying that we should let ourselves amazed by people and the experiences that we have in our life.
Sebastian (Trainee from Germany matched by me) told me when he finnished his traineeship that "I want to thank you for many things...you matched me so you have been the guilty one that brought me to Romania :-p...and you showed me the first impressions of Iasi...so at least you are the man of the first hour!"

and "Let me give you some things on your way, try not to be so sad about bad things or too excited about good things...bad stuff is happening...but even the aiesec-thing will not kick you down...good stuff also happens, and it is important to enjoy it but when it is over you cannot do anything against it...just live your life and try to make the best out of it.
You will have many good thoughts about us trainees so take them in your mind and remember when you feel bad...life goes on man...new things, new people, new experiences..."

The last days of the year I spent with friends that made me enjoy the adventure of living ..I feel lucky to have friends. I was thinking that I have a huge network of contacts and every person helped me and teach how to live my life at high volume with my smile on my face. Every person we meet enriches our life experience.

I would like to thank you all for being part of my life , for the fact that you made my life more interesting!

2006 was full of amazing people that were part of my life and I'm waiting anxiously for new experiences, new things , new people .....the NEW YEAR!!!

Happy new year!!!

Everybody's free

Everybody's free to smile, to fly and dream big.Somebody was saying to me that life is the sum of all the shiny and dark moments, of happy and sad ones, of all the people we meet and experience we pass.She told me that the best wishes that she has for me is that I must live 100% every piece of this big puzzle that life is composed of.

We should grow by adding every piece but the most important thing is to remember everytime only those moments that make us smile.

We should let ourselves amazed by people and the experiences that we have in our life.The future belongs only to those that have the hands painted by watercolour, of those that have the power to paint their dreams on cloth reality. Only one thing can prevent the brush to send away the fear of failure. This thing is to smile everyday and to enjoy the adventure of living. Carpe diem principle

Ilinca was saying "A day without smiling is a wasted day". That's true ...and that's what I was trying to do in the last 6 years. I had great moments and every experience was something different that made me enjoy the adventure of living. Every experience I passed was my own learning circle and was part of the big puzzle that life is composed of. As you see I'm more reflective on this message because it's the end of the year and I must analyze if this year was good or not.


Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.Oh, nevermind, you won't understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded, but trust me in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind: the kind that blindsides you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts; don't put up with people who are reckless with yours

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults. (if you succeed in doing this, tell me how). Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of Calcium. Be kind to your knees -- you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40; maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body: use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it; it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance...even if you have no where to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions (even if you don't follow them).

Do not read beauty magazines; they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents; you never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings: they're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but what a precious few should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps and geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse, but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you are 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.

Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of wishing the past from the disposal-wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth.

Rediscovering the meaning of real life

The following lines contains one of the greatest experience from my real life (non-AIESEC life).On Wednesday night I was invited by somebody special for me(thanks Simo) to go to philharmonic and listen to a great concert.

It was "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff. Carmina Burana is the largest and greatest collection of secular lyrics from the Middle Ages. It has proved useful in understanding the goliards, and it has demonstrated that music flourished widely in medieval times beyond the confines of the Church.

In 1937, the German composer Carl Orff wrote the secular cantata "Carmina Burana," which was based on the medieval poems but did not use the original melodies. Orff's work was very popular in Nazi Germany, and has since been used in numerous TV programs, advertisements and films, most notably John Boorman's Excalibur.

It was an inspiring moment for me and made me think about my future plans. I realised in this oasis of silence that sometimes it's great to escape from the real world to be with your thoughts, dreams and with special people around.Sometimes ago my favourite sentence was : "only me with my dreams&thoughts trying to enjoy the adventure of living".

I have been touched by the moment and I felt sad because I don't go to often to theathre, opera or philharmonic.I was looking around and the people were feeling great because their souls were filled by great piano music. I was impressed by the conductor that managed to be a great TEAM LEADER and his team managed to perform a great concert.

I was struck by some amazing feelings and storm of thoughts. I was thinking about my personal life vision ,my personal values and the measures that should help me to perform.

All in all It was a nice night and I want to say special thanks to Simo (one of the greatest persons I've meet till now). I feel very lucky that somebody helped me to escape and enter the real life.

Business Expansion eXperience

I have received another interesting email:

Dear members,
A year ago we launched CEE PBOXes. Hundreds of people in all CEE countries worked hard for 12 months to deliver the results. Even though we did realize as many traineeships as we planned, we learnt a lot and enabled members to live their AIESEC Experience.
Today we want to share learning points from our projects in order to help you to shape your local initatives. If you are interested in realizing projects targeting: SMEs, GOs or NGOs you should definitely familarize yourself with our outputs:
CEE Business Expansion summary
EU City summary
Development Academy summary
If you have any questions regarding projects, please feel free to contact me and OCPs. Although our terms are over now, we will do our best to help you."
Maciej Dakowicz CEE Project Manager 05/06

I don't know exactly from where to start because Business Expansion was one of the most amazing @Xperience that helped me in the process of being a change agent. I have learnt many useful things and because of this experience I can say that I enlarged my network of contacts and also I gained some new friends in Romania. Romanian Delegation ROCKED the Conference!

Everybody from this photo have choosen their own road in AIESEC. Romeo, Mara, Anca, Alexandra, Chipo are (VPs ICX), Chip (VP OGX), Adi (active member in @Oradea), Cristi (very active on PD in Sibiu), Elena -I don't know and not to forget Micky -Proud LCP who will lead @Constanta for success and Me (Proud member of NST @Romania on X). As you see our background is related to our favourite area (Exchange).

I remember at the end of the conference (CEE PBOX Conference -Hungary 6-9 October)after 4 days we were full of energy even if the Romanian delegation had another conference before(XMM). So everybody took the commitment that IT'S not the End...It's just the beginning of a new Experience in our @Life and we will challenge to do a great job.

Afterwards we went home and started serious work. Everybody in his own local committee.Some of us did extremely good job, some of you had to give up. Unfortunatelly overall results of CEE PBOXes failed but I hope that everybody learnt a lot from this experience.

Personal I'm more mature and I have a huge network of contacts.

To be continued...

First story