Who said life was boring?!

Life has been one BIG rollercoaster this week. After catching all the professors to write their grades into my student books and finally finishing all the major paper work with the faculty, I managed to organize the ‘balloon event’ and even squeeze in a meeting or two with some members of the International Women’s Club (IWC - a group of women who organize different events in order to do fundraising for different causes such as orphans and children with disabilities etc).

I watched my sister go to a Pearl Jam concert in Zagreb and my mum and dad fly off to different meetings, me staying at home (for a change) and watching the house. :P

We have the elections coming up and I am very excited. On the night of the elections I have a dinner party for Iftar at my boss’s house and on Saturday night a cocktail party with the IWC. Tonight I have a shisha date with some friends of mine and last night I stayed out most of the night with a group of girls discussing the current political flows in our countries and what we can do about it. We came up with no conclusion.

On Wednesday I was a witness to the first “Colourful Revolution” in Bosnia where a group of NGO activists threw paint balloons at the Presidency building in order to make their voice be heard and do something about the apathy of this country. Cheers to them!!

The next day I participated in the general protests of the NGO sector triggered by this event, since the guy who threw the paint balloons was badly beaten up by the special police forces (right in front of my eyes). I was full of furry and anger and just wish the whole country would, once and for all do something about everything that is going on instead of the just sitting on their asses all day, drinking coffee.

Grrrrrrr

PS. I am leaving for Zadar, Croatia on Sunday. I will be away for 2 weeks or so. :( But at least I get to see my other grandparents who I see usually twice a year.

Elections 2006

Our little gang - The Youth Voices of B&H

101 balloons flying over Sarajevo

In order to promote the Elections 2006 which will be held in Bosnia on the 1.10.2006. Youth Voices Group (consultative youth body of The World Bank office in Bosnia and Herzegovina), which I also belong to (together with 17 other youth representatives from all over B&H) organized a one-day campaign to promote the 101 reasons to Vote.
Since the youth seems to be very passive in our country and the apathy grows each day, we believe that the number of young people making decisions has to increase. The only way this can be done is to include more people into politics and make them vote.
I am one of the guilty ones who had not voted the last 2 elections and decided to do so this year because I found myself complaining many times but again asked myself "could my vote change anything?"
What if the answer is yes?! So this year I can't wait for the 1st of October.

In order to promote the 101 reasons to vote (a booklet made up of statements of 101 opinion makers in our country - actors, singers, football players, poem writers, artists ...) at noon we let go of 101 balloon to symbolize the reasons.

For when you feel down...

I just found something very interestiong a friend of mine posted today.

The following text is an inspiring quote by Marianne Williamson from her book, A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles,

My deepest fear is not that I am inadequate.
My deepest fear is that I am powerful beyond measure.
It is my light, not my darkness that most frightens me.

I ask myself, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who am I not to be?

I am a child of God. My playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around me

I am meant to shine, as children do.
I was born to make manifest the glory of God that is within me.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as I let my own light shine, I unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As I am liberated from my own fear, my presence automatically liberates others.

The smell of Ramadan

I remember writing a post about Ramadan last year this time and thinking how tough the month would be.

Tomorrow is officially the first day of Ramadan in the world and right before the dawn (Sehur) will be my last meal of the day.

Tomorrow biggest part of Sarajevo (and the Muslim world in general) will enter the holy month during which they will not eat, drink, smoke, swear or commit any inappropriate actions during the day and abstain from alcohol as well as all other dangerous substances for the entire month.

So for those of you who don’t know what Ramadan is I will give you my own little definition of it.

Ramadan is a Muslim holy month during which they cleanse as well as test the endurance of the body by abstaining from eating, drinking during the day. A person who is fasting (official term for abstinence during this month) can eat, drink and smoke during the night i.e. as soon as the sun sets (Iftar).

During this month a person is supposed to try and be a best Muslim as they can be, obey all the rules, pray five times a day and be cleansed of all sins as well as get into a deeper state of mind in order to understand more about the hungry, less fortunate world and through the process learn more about oneself and be closer to God (Allah).

The Qur’an tells us that not everyone is obliged to fast: women during pregnancy, menstrual cycle, older people, sick people, young children, people who are traveling and people who are on medications are not supposed to do it. Actually for them it is forbidden to do it in order not to cause damage to their bodies. This doesn’t mean that people respect this rule. A lot of people don’t.

I am not an example of a religious person.

I try to blend in with the crowd, with my friends, colleagues and fast, but do this not for them, but for my own benefit.

I do not pray, I do not brag about fasting, I do respect the rules though.

The hardest thing about this month is the fact that during Ramadan, when fasting, you are not allowed to drink water.

The best thing about Ramadan is Bayram. It is a three day holiday that comes after fasting for 1 month during which families get together, big feasts are organized and during which grandparents give little kids presents and money in order to award them for their hard work during the month.

School hours are shortened, university classes end sooner, work finishes early and somehow life seems very slow.

There is one thing I love about Ramadan and it’s called Somun – it is a specially made bread, the bakers make only during this month which I flat and round and is eaten during Iftar with the food. Somehow I always associate Ramadan with this bread and it makes my mouth water.

Anyways, tonight I have a party organized by some friends (no alcohol obviously for this one) and it will probably end at dawn when we will all go to Sehur together and start off Ramadan in a proper fashion.

May Ramadan be a wonderful experience for us all.

“And if you fall a thousand times you will never really fall if you lift yourself back up again”.

I don’t know who said this but it seems convenient for my post.

I have taken my exam again. I am not happy.

I am still waiting for the results which will determine the next few months of my life and I am not happy.

The interesting thing though is that I am not de-motivated. I don’t feel like giving up and letting go.

Tossing my books under the bed and pretending like this exam is not due is not my style.

Maybe it is because of a fact that I have some very motivating things waiting for me as soon as I finish.

Maybe it is because I have a very special person motivating me, not letting me surrender and fall.

Maybe it is, like someone said in my previous comments, the fact I know what the future will be like for me as soon as I finish my 2 exams and officially become a dipl. ecc.

I can’t wait to get it over with.

I am extremely excited and feel as if I have just enrolled in university and not finishing it.

Thank you for your motivation everyone. You have helped me with your comments.

One person in particular. Muchas gracias.

I will keep you posted on the results.

Rules of life

• Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
• When you lose, do not lose the lesson.
• Follow the three Rs:
  Respect for self,
  Respect for others and
  Responsibility for all your actions.
• Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
• Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
• Do not let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
• When you realize you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
• Spend some time alone every day.
• Open your arms to change, but do not let go of your values.
• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
• Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you will be able to enjoy it a second time.
• A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
• In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Do not bring up the past.
• Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
• Be gentle with the earth.
• Once a year, go someplace you have never been before.
• Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
• Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
• Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

For other rules of life click HERE

back in Sarajevo...

KoPP (113)
Originally uploaded by luisrene.

It is quite hard to believe this is the place i was in only a few weeks ago and now i am in my house in Sarajevo, praying for the rain to stop and my throat to stop hurting so i can get some studying done.

The weather had been terrible brrrrr, i have been freezing ever since i came here and am now on antibiotics due to effects the temperature change has done to my body.

It's fun being home, but it is boring telling the people the same story over and over again, I am tired and exhausted (still) from the trip and seem to sleep 10h a day.

I am off to Tuzla (another city in Bosnia) today to keep a friend of mine company while she drives and since I have a lot of family there i might use this opportunity to see these peope... and tell the same story over and over again.

Hehehe, i wish they would just read my blog. :P