the WORLD was in Cluj

People say that in New York there are so many nationalities........That in Hong Kong you can experienced the whole world since it is one of the most crowded cities......But still, in a much smaller city in Romania, Cluj-Napoca, I experienced the whole world only in 45 days.

It’s amazing the feeling to meet people from all over the world, create a wonderful bond with them, learn about their countries and cultures and be so sad when you have to leave for your country and stop seeing them every day. In this one month and a half that I stayed in Cluj I met people from India, Brazil, Mexico, Estonia, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Portugal, and Poland. It’s so amazing how an organization can create such an international environment in a small city in Romania. The impact that AIESEC is offering to the students through its internships can challenge your worldview, shape your character, destroy your stereotypes, break the borders, can TRULY change your life. I cannot express properly with worlds how many things I gain from this experience. I can irrelevant words for many pages without having any meaning but at the same time very important for what I lived all this time there in Cluj. 

The internationalism that I experienced in Cluj was, without doubt, the most incredible strong shock of cultures and differences at the same time. Listening about the crazy taxi drivers in India, integrating in the society and try to speak the Romanian language, trying to understand the English of a Hong Kong guy, learning about the habits of the Polish people, gaining how awesome are the people and the culture from Latin and Central America, understanding how you have to treat an Estonian girl. I have to say that there are no so many opportunities in our life to get such an international knowledge. Living alone, adjust to other people that are your roommates and appreciate the education that you are gaining by living all these experiences at the same time. 

That’s a story, that’s my story! :)

children can equally handle it...

On Monday I experience an amazing phenomenon.

I saw children acting as adults, minds sharp enough to understand the meaning of what we did and ideas filled with feelings that were floating all over the place.

This Monday we have planned to do some specific activities with the children.They were some games, some competency based games actually that big companies and organizations used when they want to hire new employees in order to check their competencies and skills through these activities.

What we want to achieve through this activities was to create a happy and funny atmosphere for the children through these interactive games.We wanted to make them understand what is teamwork and how they can implement, because most of them has never been in a team with people that they don't know at all and try to achieve a common goal. We wanted to see how much effectiveness and efficiency they can perform through their communication and collaboration. We wanted to let them free to explore them self and their reactions while were playing.And we did it.

The children had to play 3 games, to build a tower with several objects,negotiate for the place that they want to celebrate their New Year's Eve and finally create a table football stadium.After its game we did a small debriefing in order to make them understand the purpose of the game and see what they get and gain through this activity.

It's amazing how many things they understand, how many wonderful words they use to describe what they had experience a few minutes ago and how easily a child can share his or her opinion after playing some games with friends.

I am very proud for these children!I am more than happy that I contribute to their development with my way and I am so positive exciting that this children had started to understand the big potential that they hide inside them.

"I will never stop believing that children can equally or better handle situations that adults just afraid to face in their life."

Medieval festival and instability

Second weekend away from Cluj,second exciting trip!!


The previous weekend, 29th-31st, we went to visit and enjoy the Medieval Festival at Sighisoara.This time we started the trip all the trainees from Sunny Days project.The festival was a very beautiful, with medieval traditions implementing everywhere.The festival was happening inside the fortress which it is the only fortress in Europe that citizens are actually live inside all year long.Knights were passing nearby us, medieval music was playing from an amazing band called Lupus Dacus, scenes from ancient Romanian history were playing in every corner of the fortress and a variety of souvenirs were selling in the street of the fortress.You could buy food,beer and wine to have with you, wear different types of costumes and uniforms of knights and citizens from Medieval age.
Also there was a big tower there which you can go on top and enjoy an amazing view of the city and fortress.In this place they have in every balcony different capitals from all over the world and how many kilometers away it is.We stayed for 2 day in the festival,thank God a friend has given us her house to stay and we didn't pay any hostel. ;) (But still we were sleeping 14 people in the same apartment,awesome)

On Sunday,Chris has suggested to go to another village near to Sighisoara and visit a beautiful Anglo Saxon church,so Kati,Helen,Chris,Konstantina and me started our trip to this village.The bad and unstable thing on this was that we didn't take into consideration the fact that it was Sunday and most of the bus aren't working.So after we took the train from Sighisoara to Medias (a small but nice city) we were searching to find a way to go to Biertan (the village with the Church).We tried the buses but they weren't any, we tried the taxis but they were trying to rob us telling us high prices, we tried to ask info from the hotels but still nothing.We tried also hitchhiking but we were totally in the wrong place for that.While all this were happening

Finally we decided to skip this village and find a way to go back to Cluj in the same day because all of us we were working on Monday.We took a bus to Târgu Mureş, stay there for a couple hours, visited some places like the small fortress and the cultural palace and then took the bus back to Cluj.We arrive in Cluj at 21:30 at night and went straight to our house to rest and relax.

It was one more amazing and exciting weekend which I will never forget. :)

Adventure and tourism....

First weekend away from Cluj in order to visit some other cities and it was an amazing experience.

The weekend of 23rd- 24th we rent a car with Kati,Helen,Chris and Konstantina and went to visit some other cities.Our first stop was Turda and the salt mine that it's nearby the city.It was an extremely good experience, being over 200 meters under the surface in an amazing playground.And yes it's true.They have created under the surface a playground.The visitors of the salt mine can play bowling and billiard, football and ping-pong and listen traditional music from the local orchestra.Also we had the option to rent a boat for half an hour and enjoy the ride in a small lake that they had there.It was really unexpected and satisfying.

After the salt mine we made a small tour in Turda city, which is not very big but very beautiful, we bought some souvenirs and had a coffee.We pack our staff,got in the car and head to Cheile Turzi, a great canyon. We had a totally adventurous experience there.There was a path that was going into the canyon, which was full of trees and flowers while a river was crossing it. We were walking for a long time, climbing caves and trees, took some awesome photos but we didn't manage to get to the other side of the canyon because it started to rain really hard.We got out of the canyon and sit at the mini restaurant that was there to eat some food,rest and gain strength to continue our trip.

Next destination was Alba Ioulia, where Christina (an AIESECer from Cluj who was visiting her hometown) was waiting us to guide us through the city and its magic fortress. Yes,Alba Ioulia has a wonderful fortress, one of the biggest in the world, with great decoration and astonishing history.Actually from this city it start the independence of Romania some years ago.The nest day we visited again the fortress and much more places inside it.We had lunch at PUB 13 which it was very tasty.We tried a weird dish,bread filled with "fasolada"...

After we finished our lunch we got in the car again to drive back in Cluj but from another road, through the mountains which it took us more hours to arrive home but the view of the mountains was beautiful.

That was our first trip outside of Cluj.I really enjoyed every minute of it and I can't wait for the next one.

CHAIRing is caring

Aloha again after a long time to everyone!

One week ago I started my CHAIRing experience along with Chris to the Local Planning Meeting of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca.The duration was 4 days,from Thursday 14th of July till 17th of July.It was my first experience as a CHAIR in a conference and I was very anxious and nervous about this.But when you have next to you a guy like Chris to organize and deliver such a thing,everything is much more easier.
It's amazing how you can be involved in a conference by being a Chair and how important is this position for the culture,the spirit and the atmosphere of a conference. You are the first and the last person everyday on stage at a conference.
Dynamic beginning and touching/memorable ending.These were the most important facts that I was trying to transmit during the days for this conference.
It's so amazing the feeling of understanding that something you had really worked on,it matters,it has a purpose and the audience can really appreciate it.
Along with Chris I believe we delivered an amazing conference, had a great time, enjoy a lot the whole experience, have fun, transmit many messages, do it our way and of course pass our Greek conference style.

          Thank you Chris for an amazing co-Chairing experience...
                 Thank you AIESEC Cluj-Napoca for offering me this opportunity...
                              Thank you delegates of LPM for your attendance and participation...

TAKE care...

going out of Cluj.......for a laptop!

Hello once again ,

On Tuesday it was the last day for this week because after that we will be at the Local Planning Meeting of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca.We were waiting at the tram station with Chris and Konstantina (who has the laptop of Chris just for a few minutes cause Chris wanted to find something in his bag).We got into the bus and then move to the Gara (general train station at Cluj) in order to change the tram lines.During the ride,Chris and Konstantina were taking photos each other and having fun while I was calling Kati to go to the super market and buy for all of us some food.We changed the tram lines and we were 2 stops before the final one near our apartment when suddenly Chris shout out loud:"My laptop".What had happened?Konstantina has forgot his laptop at the first tram.Without panic,Chris called the team leader of our Project to call the tram agency and ask if they found the laptop while we were taking a taxi to go back to GARA and search the trams.We arrived to Gara and took the tram to get us back to the end of the line,after the center that we work in order to search for the laptop.Suddenly Aurel called us and told us that the driver of our first tram found the laptop and they have at the station where all the trams rested.So we had to go to the end of the tram line,walked 15 minutes in the middle of nowhere in order to find the place,talked in Romanian and English to communicate with the guys there,Chris had to sign some papers and then we were free to go back.

But we were already outside of the city and no buses or tram or anything else for public transport was near us.So we had to do hitchhiking to the first car that we found,it was a guy,he took us,and the funny thing is that he was willing to took us till the bus station next to our apartment.So kind he was!!! :)

When we arrived at our place the amazing Kati has cooked for us steak and French fried and they were delicious!!!

Living the exchange experience with Christos and Konstantina,make it much more interesting,challenging and adventurous....I love it!!!

Aloha

internationalism 100%

Good evening!

Today the day wasn't expected to be so full and amazing!I woke up at 1 o'clock(I haven't managed to wake up so late till the day I came here) and start cleaning in the house.After that I open the laptop and start doing some work for tomorrow,the guys cooked French fries and Greek salad for lunch,we ate all together as usual and then we relaxed until the time that we would go to the AIESEC Cluj-Napoca office for our language lesson along with other trainees. That was very exciting.We stayed there for 3 and half hours, trying to understand each other's language. Greek, Estonian, Romanian and Hindi were at the first lesson.Very interesting and very funny,everybody liked it and enjoying every minute of that experience.

After finishing this experience,we went to eat Indian food at a restaurant and that was the peak of the day.Spicy Indian food that we were eating with our hands most of us,sharing our dishes and our tasty sauces and chatting about many interesting things. Indian, Estonians, Greeks, Mexican, Brazilian, Slovak, Moldovan and Romanian sharing their evening is an unforgettable life-changing experience.

I am so happy to be here with all these people shaping my character,my perspective and my life.

Aloha and good night ( öö - in Estonian is the night)

the end of a great week!

hELLooooooooooo to Everybody!

As the title says.....this week was really really great!

First of all I start working at FRCCF organization along with Chris and Konstantina (Constanta is her Romanian name for the children).The first day was weird and a bit observing....we start interacting with the children, trying to communicate in .....3 languages,Greek to each other,English with the teachers and trying to learn Romanian to communicate with the children.Actually it's a big challenge but after 4 days of work,many hours of playing football,basketball,board games,twister while teaching English and a variety of other activities I can proudly say that when your work is to try develop and educate a kid's life and character....and you are seeing some results from it,then you definitely have to be happy about what you offer.

Additionally,I participate in the Local Committee meeting of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca that happened ......at a Pub while drinking beer.Different and exciting.I had the chance to meet 3 more Greeks that some of them are doing an internship in Cluj and the other guy is studying at a Medical University.

I got wasted yesterday after a lot of submarines,shots,a glass of red wine and caipirinha at JANIS (every intern's paradise hahaha).I had the chance to drink a coffee in the center of Cluj,relaxing along with Greek friends, visited Iulius mall which very similar to Greek ones.

One of the most developing thing is that I finally start learning how to cook...I mean it's not math or something but I have never cooked before...so it's a start to cook for 6 people and succeeding to create something tasty.

Last but not least is that the EB team,offered to me and Chris the chance to be the CHAIRS on their Local Conference next weekend which is something really really awesome.I wanted so much to become chair one day and I am so happy that during my developing internship I will have this chance.
Now I need to go and start dressing in order to held to a water pipe,hooka,shisha,narghile bar to try how good they are doing it here.The perfect end of a perfect week.
So LET'S SEE!

Adios

watching an incredible view of Cluj

After we left from the museum we head to one of the highest cliffs in Cluj,where we can see the whole city....It was so magical.....Incredible architecture,beautiful buildings,a river cut the city in half and 6 people sitting in a cafeteria drinking a coffee.It was such a romantic place,full of emotions and colors.Cluj is like a painting,with the sky on top,the grass and the cliffs right after it with big and small houses standing there,so careful placed in wonderful positions.
I am so happy that I chose Cluj.I can't wait to explore and released all her magic!

walking in the nature

Hello again dear friend!
I have a short story for Sunday.....On Sunday morning we took the bus with my roommates and went for a coffee at the center.After that we were expecting to meet the other interns and the Romanian AIESECers at the bus station in order to go to the Ethnographic museum of Cluj.There we had the chance to see how the building/houses were some centuries ago.Hungarian,German and Romanian style was in charge those times.Small houses with usually one floor,a fireplace,a dinning room and of course α barν for the animals and a shaft for the water.Wonderful orthodox churches with weird and difficult locks.....I was in a beautiful village! ;)

already 3 days..........

Hello everybody again!

It's been already 3 days in Cluj....and they were amazing!On Friday we were with Olia from Moldova,Kati and Helen from Estonia,Chris from Greece and some of our beloved Romanians(Andri,Alina,Aurel,Emil etc.) to a wonderful tour inside the city....visiting churches,learning the streets,understanding the bus lines and try to adjust to the new environment.

In the afternoon we went again to the airport to pick up Konstantina (the third Greek intern of Sunny Days) and get her to the apartment.After that it was organized a night out.......we relaxed a bit at our place,we got ready and head to.....where else.....in the place where all the interns of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca loved.....at JANIS.An underground bar,full of people dancing all the time,drinking beers and getting wasted.It was absolutely great.First interaction with Janis was ok,no one was drunk,everybody were safe at their home and were preparing for the next day.

The next day in the morning (saturday) we had a preparation/information for EVS program and more details for our Project.AIESEC Cluj-Napoca is so so so so so organized and well prepared that make me feel safe and secure here.The project is awesome,the activities that we are going to participate are a lot and all of them amazing.Except of the internship,where we are going to work on a NGO with economically dibasled kids and parents (on Monday I will have more updates for the exact work that we are going to do there,after the first meeting with the responsible from the NGO),we are going to be involved in articles,videos,blogs,fan pages,mentoring,conferences,LC meetings and prefered is the Ceeding in the LC.After that we had some free time to relax at our house.We ate McDonalds (we had to try with Chris hahaha) while the girls of the projects were at the center trying to buy.....souvenirs?????gifts????probably something like this!

At the afternoon a surprise were waiting us....we went to a pub and there we meet 4 more interns from GROW project who had just arrived in Cluj........Gilberto from Mexico,Bruna from Brazil,Divya from India and Jackson from Hong Kong.Also our beloved VPs and OC members of the LC gave us yellow sunglasses for our "SUNNY DAYS" during our stay.

{Here I have to mention something important.....The weather in Cluj is REALLY REALLY unpredictable.It can rain,be cold and windy,be sunny or rainy and sunny inside one hour.I cannot explain this phenomenon....In Greece we are saying that our weather is for the GREEK PARADES...but no,here is much much more crazy!}

All the guys are amazing....really...we drunk something there and then we were thinking to go to another bar/club called......Line circles....that was the name I think....but it was empty :(.....we stayed there for a while and then we were heading to the other  JANIS bar in Cluj,but at the end we didn't enter and we end up eating "vromiko" at a fast food called "EL GRECO" ......Happened by accident..?I don't think so....After we ate, we arranged with the other interns to go for a morning coffee all together and then visit the ethnographic museum of Cluj...
mOrE updates for Sunday..............coming soon!

Noapte Buna!
(good night in Romanian)

new eXperience has started!1st day in Cluj!

Hello dear bloggers.My name is Nikos and I am from Greece.I am 20 years old and I am studying in Department of Business Administration at University of AEGEAN.This summer I decided to live a new/different summer in another country,volunteering in a NGO through a developing internship with AIESEC.

AIESEC is a global organization that offers the opportunity to students to challenge themselves in terms of leadership,management through an umbrella of a global learning environment.Through AIESEC students can apply for international development program or global internship program in over 100 countries.

So right now I am in Cluj-Napoca doing my international development program and so far the experience is awesome.I arrived two days ago, in the afternoon, at Cluj-Napoca's airport and the guys from the project that I will work were waiting me and welcome me vividly.I had the chance to meet one of the 4 girls, Olia from Moldova, that me and Chris (the other Greek guy),we are going to work together in the same project.We left from the airport and head to the bus station nearby in order to get the bus to the center of city.We changed the buses and after 30 minutes I was in my new house.Unfortunately this building doesn't have a lift and I had to carry my baggage 4 floors......but it was ok, a bit tiring but I manage it ;)

The same day 3 more trainees were going to arrive,two girls from Estonia and Chris from Greece.So we went with the Romanian guys and Olia to a pub because AIESEC Cluj had an Alumni meeting and then straight to the airport to get Kaiti,Helen and Chris.After we got them,we went also in the station to get the bus and take Chris and the girl to their houses.For the first 4 days me and Chris are going to live together in the same apartment with ADA and DIDY (two grils from Romania),Mateusz and Augusto from Poland and Brazil.On Monday the other 4 girls will come and live with us and the guys that are staying with us are going to move to another apartment.

In order to get to know with the guys at the first night, we start drinking some traditional romanian drink Palinka......really strong,mix it with Cachaca and greek SOUMA from Chios island.A bit dizzy the first night...but so cool.

That's all for now,more updates for the second day in a while!

Take care