Xmas Time in Southern Cone

Something very funny is happening to me when I m now in December on Southern Hemisphere.. last 22 years I was spending my Xmas time in Slovakia or Czech republic. With snow, or at least not very nice weather with dark afternoons, loads of candles and lights all around the city Xmas trees shining in the dark days and nights, everybody in the coats and boots..

Now- I also see Xmas trees, I also see lights around the city, Santa clauses everywhere- BUT- there is almost 40 degrees!! People in shorts and T shirts, walking in hawayanas and caring packages wrapped in Xmas paper..

First time I realized that there is something wrong was, when I was reading Slovak newspaper online and there was a “dancing snowman”.. I was looking at the snowman- thinking “how random – It s summer“ and then really… it s November!! Then very funny moment when I saw Xmas tree in the middle of a main square here.. Eating ice-cream, feeling very hot I just had to smile J..

What is also very different- here people do not really celebrate Xmas- they do but do not take it soo seriously- I m talking with companies and they are trying to schedule meeting with me on 26^th.. 26^th!! The day of family visits and eating the rests from Xmas dinner.. I really do not feel Xmas is coming- I m working from the morning to the evening- the bigger issue is that the summer (summer!!!) holiday so there lower level of answers form partners and everybody..

I realized how it was already boring for me before ..“again the candles, again the Xmas team and this “xmas fever etc”.. Now I miss it sooo much!!! The Xmas stands on the squares, people drinking hot wine with cinnamon and backed cankers.. I miss our house decorated from the top to the bottom with red ribbons and Pine branches with the gold and wooden decorations and the smell of Xmas tree.. I miss the general peace that is created.. And I miss my family..

And its not about the Xmas.. I am really getting here what energy my parents invested in building such a good base for me and my sister.. I feel suddenly- HOW MUCH- my family means for me and I am amazingly thankful that my parents in their willingness to have all the family together for Xmas bought me a ticket and I am flying home for 10 days.. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Just some thoughts..

It is almost 3 a.m., extremely hot Fridays night, I am not partying outside, more enjoying the calm evening after tough week..

I was just reading Svetas blog now, what inspired me to write some lines also here.
As I was reading post by post, I felt so much similarities, so much connection and I agreed with sooo many things..
I realized I am really in love with Southern Cone, I love how things are going here fast, how the people are listening and willing to act, how they are coming up with their ideas, proactively seeking for solutions..

I love Argentineans how entreprenurial and active they are, how I usually say- Maybe we could try.. and they are already doing that.. :-D..I love on the other side the Chileans, how calm, how warm, how open is to be there, how accepted and welcome I feel coming there.. and people from Uruguay? Aaah they are the first that supported me in hard moments, that made me smile and feel better..

I just start to be afraid what wll happen when I will have to leave this beautiful countries and beautiful friends and go back to school for studies.. After half a year I really feel Southern Cone as part of my life, part of my "Me", I feel here as at home, feeling the base here and friends around.. well.. just that..:)

My XP in video..

Activating Heroes in Atlantico

Activating Heroes..
If somebody will tell me once that to organize a conference for 100 delegates with 4 paralel tracks external day with 9 partners is impossible- I can proudly announce that it IS possible!!
When we came from Brazil form International Congress, enjoyed our teamdays in Mar de Plata, we started to plan the conference.. It was already too late!! I got responsible for Sustainability day (what was supposed to be kind of “comeback” of “Issue-based XP” to Southern Cone) and Introleadership track for new members and members on taking responsibility stage..

We had one month for making external Day and nothing in hands- no objectives, no agenda, no potential contacts, nothing!! Within 2 days we created everything- I use a lot Buenos Aires LC and their contacts- without some people form there it would be impossible for us to manage. Maxi helped me a lot at the beginning with contacting companies, next week we had 3 meetings and all my “helpers” were writing me about interest of their accounts. Things were moving very very fast.

When I saw Sustainability is on a good way I started to work on Introleaderhsip track.. that was a bit more complicated than I expected- maybe some of you know these typical European AIESEC simulations, when at one time you have several facis playing fictitious companies, several facis playing EPs going for interview and 30 delegates moving while working on the tasks given and you have to coordinate all the logistics, printouts, outputs, trainings in-between, so that delegates really learn something.. I was already doing something similar in Czech Republic- but anyway- here I had to adapt everything to our strategies so anyway it was very different.

I was delayed.. with everything.. I was very afraid of Sustainability Day, on pre meeting with my IL facis still coordinating some externals, coordinating things with OC.. we had confirmed 9 of them!! For panel and workshops- I was not afraid about the content, only about logistics and our preparation as AIESEC.. On the Day D- I woke up later than I wanted and I saw that not everything will be ok from the beginning- I came to university, trying to organize everything, well- the start was terrible- we started late, the place and organization of laptop/panel/chairs was not as I imagined but anyway-y I left it be, lets see what happen..The panel was on ne side interesting because of content on the other side- the logistics I underestimated and in addition- some people were sleeping during panel discussion- when I imagined all those meetings and emails talking about “active young leaders interested in global issues” I was really ashamed and sad..

But as the day went the things were improving after initial mess with logistics who is where and where to go (university was a labyrinth and my wishes to OC on “marking” all the way from one place to another place were spoilt by university restrictions..) Generally with workshops were people satisfied and the whole day at the end was successful- for us in the backstage hard, for OC definitely as well- especially with nervous Tina asking for plenty things and being pretty unpleasant.. poor OC and also poor Maxi- after we solved some challenges and I saw that things are already going in rigt way I delegated everything on him and spend next hours with my facis of IL track to finish things to make conference continue successfully also after Sustainability day finishes..

The faci team was AMAZING!! The only thing I was afraid to hear was “This was supposed to be prepared before” yes of course it was.. But I needed solution oriented approach no complaints to make things happen- and I got it. I thank so much to Ayelen, Diego and MariPaz for being so- unbelievable! 

At the end of the day the Sustainability Day finished with good atmosphere with great performance of Alec Oxenford, and also with partners promising us next cooperation. Anyway from the backstage you see all the time things much worse than as they are.. I learnt A LOT. Also form feedbacks we got form delegates later on- thanks for them!

The IL track was amazing- we went through different mood different situation and we saw the learning of the delegates and it was really amazing. We made our delegate stow work on more then 20 tasks reading loots of papers, delivering even more. We spent evaluating all the tasks until 2 a.m. to really ensure we have feedbacks for our delegates to make them learn form their own mistakes and make the experience more relevant.

If I imagine that for all this we had 1 month out of this 1 month I spent 10 days in Chile almost all the time being with members, having meetings, presentations or talks, when I look back I really cannot believe how that everything was possible.. and it was not work of one person- that is why once more- I want to thank soo much to my facis, to my MC: Maxi, to JuanMa, Javi, Emil, Marina, Vika, and to Juli, Cami and Lucas from Buenos Aires for helping me so much!!

This I call Activating Heroes!! ;)

Tina 1st time in Chile:)

Sooo this is my first post on my English blog! :)
Now i am sitting in a bed in Chile it 11 p.m. I m dying and wanting to go sleep but before I want to put down some thoughts from last days..
After being 3 months in Argentina, I was assigned to go to Chile to the local comittees there to help , advice and coach them. So I went.. With no clear expectation with fear of next culture hock, being scared of Chilean very very fast Spanish..
I was again late, running from the Office to the bus station going through several checking places and passport control, got on the coolest bus I have ever been before. When I was buying ticket- I could choose if I want to go by normal or „royal“class. The difference was 10 USD s I chose royal awaiting 20 hours of travelling.. and it was sooo cool, stright form the beginning they brought us sprite and chocolate then we had ho dinner then wine,.. actually I had the feeling that we were eating all the time..
Funny thing was that in the whole bus there were around 10 ppl and exactly next to me was sitting a chilean guy that wanted to talk.. but did not speak English.. and so it happened that I had my first „advanced“ conversation in Spanish in my life!!! :D
All my friends that were crossing the mountains to Chile have amazing memories from the mountains and everything, for me the view was also beautiful but I have another memories...

On the frontiers all of us had to get off the bus and got o passport control.. a bit late I realized that I do not have the stamp of coming to Argentina (when I remembered my estate coming form Brazil with fever and caughing after 30 hours spending on airports I really did not think about importance of having a bit of blue ink in my passport..stupid..)..so I hoped they will take it easy.. as everything.. BUT- they did not.. I had to pay 15 USD for this stamp and for being in Argentina for last month illegally..

Then we moved to Chilean boarder and to declaration place- I declared „I have nothing to declare- neither vegetable fruits, etc- although I had like 2 bananas, 1 apple- for me- this is really nothing to declare- i was going to eat it on the way..
BUT I did not know that it is forbidden to bring ANY fruit or vegetable to Chile,.. and I put my fruit into my sleeping bag because my Backpack could not absorb anything else.. after declaration control through this infraview they took my sleeping bag and found the fruit.. first of all they asked me if I knew I had it there- I said“ of course I put it there!“ they:“ so why did you write you have nothing to declare!“ „Because it is just 2 oranges and 1 apple, it is nothing“ For them it was not “Nothing” for them I wanted illegally import forbidden goods to Chile!!… After small argument and discussion and my desperate face, they forced me to write another declaration that I brought fruit, took my oranges and apple :(..and let me go.. (I was lucky- as Emil said to me later I could pay very high fee..)

In Santiago waited already for me Javi and took me to my new temporary home:)

Coaching in Santiago was so great!! I like the people here, I like their ideas, I like they are willing to do something-at least those I talked to..

Joaco is cool, we have lot of fun here- he made me to do a presentation about Czech Republic at „international Business“ class in the school- so I motivated several people to go for internship to Czech republic ;).. it was veeery interesting and I god very nice feedback from the profesor :P, and business card to start a cooperation with my university back in Brno hehe :)

VPER- Martin was teaching me Spanish- on one day he took me around Santiago and we were practising :). Anyway- in Santiago I felt very soon as at home, it was very very nice environment, it was much cleaner than in Argentina, it seemed to be more developed, and people there were not so "noisy"..

After several days I went to Vina de Mar.

This was totally but totally different experience. At the beginning before- I was trying to contact the Eb to know where to go how to go, who will wait for me, if I have place to sleep.. several hours before my departure form Santiago I just knew- yes I will have place to sleep :).

On the station I met Nico- VPER with his Team-mate Carlitos and we went to their University.. MY GOD- such a university I have never seen- they told me that Sveta(last MC) called it Harry Potter s house- and I totally agreed- anyway I liked it- it was old, ancient but was really interesting.. going on the wooden corridor and hear the ground „singing“ :)..

I met first Nico, then the LCP then I made a meeting with VP X and that was it- n the visit I realized that VP F quitted, VP TM was about to quit, and the worst thing for me- the LCP did not speak much English.. I so much wanted to talk, to explain to see really what is happening.. but when you cannot explain the things and cannot talk so much with the person it is soo hard.. sooo hard..

In Vina just several people speak English- I really believe that they can speak, they are just afraid and it is much more comfortable to not to speak with me and speak Spanish.. I was so happy with each person that at least tried, asked at least- how do you like Vina..

It was my first time I felt totally homesick, angry with myself that I did not study more Spanish, sad with the despair- what I will do here if the people do not understand me.. How can I help them???After one day in Vina I was sitting in the university in the morning thinking about all tis stuff, almost crying, chatting with my cousin, talking about „being homesick“ when we are soo far away (she was half a year in Turkey..) and letting her cheer me up a bit :)..

And then suddenly there was a breakpoint.. I met Vicky- a person that was responsible for CSR event in the Local committee and we started to update the plan of the event- se was listening a lot, coming up with ideas- I found a very smart person, somebody that is catching the things really fast and make a huge change in Vina.. I was so happy about our meeting- after that we went for lunch and for amazing Chilean ice-cream, talking a lot about LC and people and how are things going and how they could go.

Then in the afternoon I was having meeting wit Pau- marketing Coordinator- first of all I thought that we will speak in English, but after several minutes I realized that it will not work like that at all.. So – we had meeting in Spanish. 2 hours talking about marketing, planning and tracking, drawing a lot ;), explaining- but we managed, and after my second meeting of the day I was really satisfied and started to believe in things moving in this LC. I was even helping a bit with preparation of Assessment Centers for Exchange participants (almost forgot how it is on LC level..:) and on Saturday I had last meeting with EB and all ppl who were interested. What was interesting- all of them were just guys..It was very funny for me coming form country where usually of the AIESEC membership are girls :P.

I was drawing on the board trying to speak slow and make sure that everybody understand- we put down all the LC processes and people involved and realized that several people are working on 3 or more places and there are some areas not covered by people at all.. Step by step we put down the things that needed to be made, I saw guys understood my points and I felt much more confidence while leaving the LC. Anyway- they are working just one year and many things are missing- but the people there have a lot of energy and if they invest it the right way- it can change many things.

Just one more point- I was living in a house on the beach with a view on the ocean.. Oh My God!! It was sooo amazing!!

On Sunday I met Emil In Santiago- it was so great to see him!! As I would meet my brother J. We were talking a looooooooot.. He invited me to the late lunch with his family- it reminded me our lunches at home (a bit homesickness again..), the family was very nice, and Emils dad speaks perfect English so we talked a lot. I was very happy to share and listen to his experience.

Then on the way to Argentina we were talking soooo much, sharing frustrations and happiness, talking abou everything possible and drinking incredible Chilean yogurt.. that was my journey back “home” :)..

Other pictures you can find on http://picasaweb.google.sk/pospisilova.m/