Now it's almost 1 year that I'm in Brussels, the city grows on you they say and it's true. I wanted city life and got it and that's not the only thing... I got a totally different life...

I am a girlfriend...
After years of enjoying single status... but I must say, at the end there is more positive in that than negative in this new status ;). I was lucky enough to be found by Oskari, my crazy, caring, open minded, extreemly patient, tolerant, liberal and like minded half. I am a happy woman! We had our challenges, which of course were not caused by the external world, but by our own sick minds. Sometimes I really wonder how stupid one can be... why do we limit ourselves with fear of living again what we have lived in the past instead of letting go and enjoying what we have now? Enjoy the moment my friend!

I am an employee...
Years of struggle about money, will I have enough to pay my rent, eat and enjoy life? But with a little bit of financial stability comes the big schissor that cuts a students wings... no more freedom of creating your own day, routine knocks on the door... but I don't open, hah! I wouldn't be me if I would. Of course I chose that kind of work where routine will probably never find an open door. Dynamic, young organisation trying to define the role of business in society together with its corporate and academic members and aiming to integrate corporate responsibility issues into mainstream business education and practice. If that doesn't sound like a challenge!
I like EABIS' approach, because it is practical. What I heared and learned in AIESEC about CSR was so much ethics dominated, which I liked at that time. But when you get older :) I think you get more practical and a little more cynical. Why should companies behave in a more responsible way? Now I would say, because it makes sense in the long run! Read the newspapers!

I have learned a lot here in this year, many of the things I wanted to learn. Now there is a little stagnation in the learning curve, which will hopefully change soon. Since Charlotte, my favourite collegue and friend left the Organisation in December, it was not as fun anymore as it used to be. Be it because we all have a lot on, lacking one team member out of 7 is quite a lot! Be it because what I am doing now is not really where I can use my strength at best, to phrase it nicely... But my contract as a trainee is over soon and there is something new waiting for me. What exactly? We'll see :)

Building a new social network...
Man it's hard to get to know people when you work every day. Well I have to say that Belgium is not the place where you just go out and meet people, it's not Italy ;(
But with patience and a bit of luck I have made it to build up some interesting connections. There is Volodja, Anduela, Chance, Irina, Eric, there is my flat mates Kevin and Amit, Kevin's Roxana, there is Alma, Ola, Oli, Thijs, Samuel, now Fernanda and the rest of the AIESEC bunch...

Shifting focus...
Talking about the AIESEC bunch... it's really funny how it happens that you dedicate more than 3 years of your life to an organisation and for all this time it seems to be the most important thing for you, so much that your family and friends do not get it... and never will... and now? Where is this over-dominating presence gone? Well actually digging deep, it's still there. I can stop being an active member, I can stop participating in the activities of the organisation, but I can never stop being an AIESECer!

So much a short update on where I am now. It's Friday evening and I am happy that I have finally made it to write down my first few thoughts to inaugurate my first ever kind of website, my blog! Welcome to Spoutnik's life my friends, I hope you will enjoy this!