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so I`m back ;)
will be here for another 10 days or so to sum up my work and finish transition with my succesor...
last month was completely crazy... expect an update about it these days, as soon as I get some time to write (maybe even tonight).
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Things are getting more and more exciting...
Deadline for applications was last night, so now expecting a shortlist from AI...
People are getting pretty nervous about it and are asking millions of questions over MSN and e-mail...
And each question reminds me that I`m leaving soon...
Not that I`m not happy to be going home - I am! But I will miss this place... sooo much...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
so I`ve been to Abdi Ipekci Arena in Istanbul, which is something like Mecca for all fans of Partizan Basketball Club... It`s a place where the finals of Euroleague 1992 happened, when Partizan won it`s only Euroleague title with Djordjevic`s triple in the last second...
Yeah, that`s the place from where he made that famous shot... He repeated winning 3-point shots several times later while playing for various clubs, but this one, along with the one against Croatia in Barcelona `97, are the the most remembered ones.
Yeah, some will say that there are so many players in the world that have decided many important matches etc... And I agree... But this one was special... Special because this team was very very young (21 years old in average) and special because Serbia (Yugoslavia at that time) was under sanctions and Partizan couldn`t play its home matches in Belgrade, but in Spain... And noone really believed in these guys... Yeah, they were talented and strong team, but who would think that they can win any game in such conditions?
And then Istanbul happened... And these guys went into a legend even before they became some of the best European and World players of all time... Do some of these names ring a bell - Djordjevic, Danilovic, Rebraca, Nakic, Stevanovic, Koprivica, Silobad, Loncar...
Djordjevic is one of the ambassadors of good will, one of the founders of humanitarian organization Group Seven, and the president of the Belgrade Marathon.
Djordjevic - 1992 - Partizan-Joventut - last second 3-point shot for Partizan`s Euroleague title:
Djordjevic - 1997 - Yugoslavia-Croatia - last second 3-point shot for a great win:
Djordjevic`s farewell exhibition match - 2005 - he repeated the 3-point shot! :)
I had that luck to be one of the 7000 people to get the ticket for this event... It was amazing! Can you imagine all these people at one place? Kukoc, Divac, Radja, Djordjevic, Stojko Vrankovic, Danilovic, Bodiroga, Velimir Perasovic, Paspalj, Rebraca, Stojakovic, Gurovic, Drobnjak, Ivo Nakic, Zoran Cutura, Panagiotis Giannakis, Jofresa, Rodrigo de la Fuente, Zan Tabak and Roberto Brunamonti!? Or coaches: Ivkovic, Maljkovic, Obradovic, Pesic? This was certainly one of the events I will remember all my life... and tell my kids about it ;)
Huh, and I just wanted to post a photo from Abdi Ipekci arena... Ah, emotions got me I guess...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Partizan, Sport, Traineeship, Video
so I had this chat tonight with one special person. That person was trying to convince me she is not such a good person I think she is... that she is a devil, that she is mean to everyone etc...
this is just the part of the chat... and I know that for most of the people it won`t be interesting since you don`t know who it is, but I had to document this somewhere :)
----------------------
Nino - peckopivo.nomadlife.org says:
wow, you can actually be nice to poeple?
Someone says:
yes definitelly
Someone says:
i am gd in acting , role playing and sales
Someone says:
doesn't mean that i am exactly the person i act , but i can make people feel themselves in the play for a certain time
Nino - peckopivo.nomadlife.org says:
nope.. dn`t trust you... you are just one nice little baby-girl... not more then that
Someone says:
hah
Someone says:
you dont know the devil inside me
Someone says:
but again
Someone says:
if you think that i am a baby girl - then this is again just another prf of how successful i am
Someone says:
with acting
Nino - peckopivo.nomadlife.org says:
I`ll continue to believe then
Nino - peckopivo.nomadlife.org says:
I love you like that
Someone says:
that's how sales work
Someone says:
su pply and demand meet at some certain point
Someone says:
adam smith calls it "invisible hand " and the optimum point
Someone says:
but these therminology finds its reflection in real life with 3 simple words
Someone says:
“Someone” is great
Someone says:
and somehow ( invisible hand ) everybody seems to accept it
Someone says:
which is quite surprising but expectable at some extend
Someone says:
i understand your feelings babe, and i su pport you for loving me
Someone says:
it's not your fault
--------------------
Labels: AIESEC, Friends, Fun, Istanbul, Traineeship
*this is an AIESEC traineeship, so if you`re not an AIESEC SN don`t bother bugging me...
So I`m leaving Istanbul soon... and looking for a good candidate to replace me here in Istanbul...
for those who don`t know - it`s a CSR Coordinator position at the regional office of Microsoft for Middle East and Africa... An awesome job I wish I could have back in Belgrade...
And yeah, if you`re in doubt whether you`re good enough or not - do apply... When I was applying for it, I thought it`s "reserved" for hotshots from AI or ex-MCPs... Well, it wasn`t and it`s not... I got it, so can you!
If you need more motivation, then go ahead and read archives of my posts since March last year... and check out my photos at http://nino.ic2003.org/Photo
If you have questions, shoot! Contacts are below...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
TN Code: TN-In-TR-IS-2007-1852This is an ideal AIESEC Internship for anyone who is interested to better understand CSR from a multinational and business perspective. It will also give you a good idea about how public-private partnerships work and the role different players have in its execution. You will also be able to better understand the role of ICT in development globally and in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA). You will be a part of a dynamic multicultural office environment and be able to enjoy independence and set your own routine and working style.
You will report to the Regional CSR Manager and will be based out of Istanbul.
Job role:
The trainee will be working as a Regional Community Affairs Coordinator.He/She will engage with national and international NGOs to create projects focussing on IT skills for employment in Middle East and Africa through public private partnership.
Some of the tasks and responsibilities include:
Who should apply?
Anyone who has held leadership positions in AIESEC and has a passion for CSR, NGOs, development, ICT4D etc. You should in your AIESEC XP have demonstrated it through action based learning. (Organizing conferences, PBOXes, Raising internships, attending conferences, creating networks etc.)
Applications due: January 31st
Start date: Ideally February 15th, but not later then February 22nd.
Duration: 12 months (with extension possibility)
Work Place:
State of the art Regional HQ of Microsoft Middle East and Africa located in the heart of Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus. You will be provided with a laptop, your own office space with a dedicated telephone line, meal coupons and a stipend of USD 700.
For more info, please contact current trainee Nikola Jovanovic at:
e-mail: b-nikolj(at)microsoft.com or nikola.jovanovic(at)gmail.com
msn: nikolajovanovic(at)hotmail.com
HOW TO APPLY: 1. Log into Insight XP and look at the TN form for the full job description 2 . Prepare your Microsoft Application Kit: Resume: A 2-page (maximum) resume with picture. Cover Letter: A ONE page cover letter. SN form: Copied directly from Insight. 3. Create one word file with all the required documents. Name your Microsoft Application kit as follows: Name-Country.doc ( i.e.: Mary-Canada.doc) 4. Send your file to gep-microsoft(at)ai.aiesec.org with the subject "Application for Traineeship - XXXX", where "XXXX" is the TN ID of the traineeship. 5. Fill in the Survey in the Global Microsoft Community at aiesec.net. Deadline to apply: January 30th, 2007.Labels: AIESEC, CSR, Istanbul, Traineeship
long time since I wrote anything about myself actually...
so I`m still in Istanbul... enjoying my last month here since I`m leaving end of February... more about it in next posts... this one is about last couple of months...
well, job-wise last couple of months were freakin` hectic... beginning of October brought the hype around the 2007 Grant Cycle, which means hundreds of conference calls, trainings, days and nights of working with our Subsidiaries to develop acceptable projects with NGOs in the region, then reviewing those projects with the review board and finally making sure that there is no problem with fulfillment (meaning that cheques and software requested gets in hands of NGO applicants). Wow, I`ve just put more then 2 months of non-stop work in one sentence! haha, can`t believe that is actually possible :)
Anyways, that process isn`t really complicated, but it certainly takes time until you develop these projects with NGOs... Thing is that most of them take it as granted that they will get the funds regardless of what they submit for approval... It`s like Microsoft is a rich company and they will give us money no matter if we just wrote that project is about youth empowerment and nothing else. :) it`s really annoying sometimes, really... I do understand that not all NGOs are strong and that they don`t really know how to write a decent project, and that`s fine - we can teach them that too! But at least put some efforts in it... Luckily, there`s lots of them that are actually willing to learn and are soooo passionate about their jobs and about helping their people... Especially CSR managers from our Subs... Some of them are inspiring me continously with the amount of energy they are putting in this... Amazing...
So, the process was stressfull, but it really felt good when it was over... Not because it was over, but because I knew that projects are really good and that lots of underserved people in Middle East and Africa will be empowered and that all that work was not worthless!
Then December brought the hype around the Mid-year reviews (our fiscal year starts at July 1st)... Now this is the period of the year when everything is about numbers... and I hate it! It`s basically updating all the systems that we use for different things so that they are in the end combined in our Citizenship tool called Collage. This is supposedly a simple process since this system is fetching the data from all those different systems automatically and then generates reports... Yeah, simple if all those systems and tools are up to date... but they`re not, of course... :) and since our team (CSR managers in the region) is quite new and growing, we have so many new people onboard that don`t really know how to use these systems, so everything is being done half-manually and last minute... so when they update the tool, then I have to check the data and compare it to data that I have offline, which means generating tons of excel sheets, going through them and making corrections... one boooooooring thing, but has to be done... anyhow, results in the end were very very positive and we`re on a good way to fulfil the goal that we have set globally - to reach 250 million underserved people with technology and literacy until 2010. it`s really exciting to see how our work is touching people`s lives every day...
During these couple of months I barely had a private life... It was mostly working, coming home to order pizza and eventually watch a movie with roommates and then sleep or work again from home... Managed only to visit Belgrade couple of times and that`s all...
January brought Belgrade again... went home for new years and christmas and it was really good to be home for longer then 3 days :). And since it was January, it brought lots of drinking exercises (can`t really call them parties :))... Everyone should try to survive Serbia during winter.... seriously... so many Slava`s, then New Years and Christmas, then another New Years (Orthodox church uses Julian calendar) and generally family and friends gatherings... all include lots of heavy drinking and partying, with no excuses accepted... so if you survive that, you can survive anything... apart from drinking, it was really nice to start getting used to living home again, since I`m coming back soon... for good...
enough for now... will write more later about finishing my traineeship and my plans for the future...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Heard tonight and couldn`t believe my ears... and he confirmed it to me tonight...
My US mate Andrew was selected to be the first MCP of AIESEC in Oman... When I heard I was speechless (not in a bad way, just speechless, surprised), but when I thought about it, it just sounded right... sounded like something Andrew would do :)
Cheers mate and good luck! (and don`t forget to polish your shoes before you go... or bring enough money hehe)
Labels: AIESEC, Friends, Istanbul, Traineeship
so Charlotte left... her 6 months traineeship is over and she went back to France...
one of the best persons I met in my life... and eventhough I promised to my self not to connect so much with other trainees (because I hate goodbyes and losing friends), she managed to get under my skin and we before I knew it we became really really close... started with ordering food together and watching a movie to relax after a hard day at work and ended up with some deep conversations and trust and understanding that we`ve built over time... she is the one I could turn to anytime to listen to me whining about anything and bitching about everything... to hug me everytime I`m down and miss Sandra and help me out with my countdowns `till my next trip to Belgrade, to hug me actually everyday I come back from work... in short to be there for me...
And even if I told her so, I think she will never know how much I appreciate that and how important it was for me...
so, I`m not saying goodbye... I know that people lose contact over time and tend to forget, but this was so special that I simply don`t want to and won`t do it...
and I know that we will be singing this song whenever we meet, and remember The days...
Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours,
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend
We thought theyd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we chose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance Id see you in the tavern
Wed smile at one another and wed say
Those were the days...
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me?
Those were the days...
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friends were older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Those were the days...
See you soon mommy...
Been that in Belgrade to show you real places for going out and getting drunk :) or in Bretagne to see famous highways... ah, yeah, you don`t have tghem there :P
Love,
Daddy
Labels: AIESEC, Friends, Istanbul, Traineeship
From Steve Ballmer`s MS internal intro letter:
Did you know, for example, that we recycle 141 tons of material every month? That employees volunteered more than 76,000 hours last year? That we donated more than $2.5 billion to communities in the past 20 years?
The data and the human stories in the Citizenship Report show how our creativity and our spirit of innovation are making a difference – through our contributions to communities, our responsible business practices and our product innovations. For instance, Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 System include many enhancements that will make positive impacts economically and socially – on children’s online safety, data protection and privacy, accessibility for people with disabilities, energy conservation, interoperability and consumer choice. Our products also build on a strong platform that creates opportunities for innovation around the world, creating new jobs and driving local economic growth.
Last week, we took our citizenship commitment one step further through our endorsement of the United Nations Global Compact, an international public-private initiative to promote responsible corporate citizenship and help realize a more sustainable and inclusive global economy. We’re proud to stand behind the ten principles of this compact, which support universal social issues ranging from human rights to protection of the environment.
Amazing, isn`t it?
Yeah, I know - MS could and should do more... And I agree with that... But let`s forget about that for a moment and just think about how this world would be a much better place if all companies were thinking like this...
Click on a link below and find me on the picture on 5th page (that`s from MS Global CSR Summit 2006) :)
Microsoft (MSFT) Citizenship Report 2006
Will write more these days about my job in Microsoft and projects that we do in Middle East and Africa...
Labels: AIESEC, CSR, Istanbul, Traineeship
when you are coming from a small eastern european country, and especially from one that is not perceived so well in the world like Serbia is (so basically that little that people usually know about us is crap), then you are not surprised about different steretypes and prejudices people might have about you or your people.
- Some of them think that Serbs still live in communism (most of them don`t know that even when we were a communist country, we were in far better situation then other countries from the "eastern bloc");
- Some of them think that Serbia is still completely destroyed from bombing and that we still (!?) have occasional gunfights in Belgrade (I wonder whom did we try to shoot at in Belgrade - unless they think about WW2);
- Some of them think that we hate everything and everyone, especially muslims (a guy from the dorm where I live here in Istanbul actually asked me why I came to Turkey if we hate Muslims so much that we hunted them in Bosnia and Kosovo!!! - I laughed and told him to watch not to turn his back to me, or else... :));
- At the airport in San Francisco they checked me thoroughly and even used those little papers (which are used to determine trails of gun-powder in your luggage - usually by rubbing your suitcase) on my hands!!! - it`s ok if they think that we are a terrorist threat to the US, but do they really think we make bombs with bare hands? we have technology, dude! :D
anyways, I could go on listing all the stupid things I heard about my country and my people, but I guess you get the idea already... What this post is really about is what I heard last night from one german trainee here in Istanbul...
So, her friend was traveliing Eastern Europe and he told her about this weird thing Serbs have - old ladies in the streets are selling "hand-made, self-knitted" CONDOMS! And not only that he heard about it - he actually saw it! Well, WOW! I was trying whole last night to imagine how "hand-made, self-knitted" (whatever this means) condom looks like, and no luck... (can you imagine coming to an old lady in the street, taking off your underwear for measuring, then choosing the model from the catalogue etc. :D)
But good to know that my country is not only famous by Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic, but condoms too... Durex, beware of the Serbian Grand-moms!
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
My friends sent me this pic today... My favourite pizza... I hate them... and I miss home...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
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*Update: Apparently, the link was wrong :) Now it should be OK...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Since flickr allows only 200 photos with free subscription and I`m not willing to pay any money to them (at least not yet :P), I created my own gallery with all my photos at http://www.ic2003.org/~nino/Photo.
In a couple of days I`ll add some interesting plug-ins onto it, like saving photos to your phone, comments, counters etc...
Have fun while admiring my looks (just don`t fall in love with me, for I`m taken already) :P
Labels: AIESEC, Friends, Istanbul, Traineeship
damn... it`s my birthday and here I am, working at 00:22... what have I become? :)
worst thing is - I don`t mind... grrrr, hate myself sometimes...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
So I`m back in Istanbul...
10 days in Belgrade and another 5 in Cairo and I`m finally back... And to be honest, don`t know if that`s good or not... I love this city and people I live with and my job especially, but still... In next couple of weeks we`ll see if it`s just another trip of mine or do I really want to go back home...
Other then that, I`m pissed off, but really pissed off that I`m not in Poland now...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
... and it feels gooooooooooooooood :)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Going home tomorrow for vacation... Can`t wait...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Photos from Cappadocia Tour are at http://photos.yahoo.com/fadil_jusufi
Labels: AIESEC, Fun, Istanbul, Traineeship, Video
If you happen to know someone with strong AIESEC experience that might be interested in long-term CSR traineeship in Microsoft Pakistan, with good employment opportunity after the traineeship, please let me know (b-nikolj(@)microsoft.com or nikola.jovanovic(@)gmail.com)...
Cheers from Istanbul!
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
I simply love my traineeship... Just when you think it can`t get any better then this, you receive a funny call and an invitation to travel to Egypt :D
Anyways, these are my travel plans for the near future:
Next weekend - Cappadocia Tour (http://www.aiesec.org.tr/cappadociatour)
Next week - Cairo, Egypt
beginning of August - Belgrade, Home
end of August - International Congress in Poland and maybe Yasmin Hammamet, Tunisia
Did I say already how much I love my traineeship? :)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Tolga the Goofy in action :P
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: AIESEC, CSR, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: AIESEC, Friends, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Uploaded...
www.flickr.com/photos/peckopivo
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
I`m back in Istanbul... After two weeks of being away (check out the itinerary: Istanbul-Belgrade-Munich-San Francisco-Seattle-Chicago-Munich-Belgrade-Istanbul) and missing the greatest celebration ever (Galatasaray became the champion in a Hitchcock kind of an ending)...
It was an exciting trip. Really...
First I went to Belgrade and had an unforgetable weekend with my friends, family and most importantly my beloved. I promised I won`t write much about it, so I`m keeping the promise - I`ll just say I enjoyed every moment spent near her...
Then I flew to Seattle via Munich and San Francisco. It was a looooong and exhausting trip full of interesting things happening. I left Belgrade thinking that I`m going to a visit to an open society, to the greatest democracy of the world... And what was my first encounter in San Francisco? Well I was put in this "random" group that they choose from each flight to be double-checked. Heh, random my ass - it was myself (Serbian), 2 african guys (Morocco I think) and an Indian. I had to answer lots of questions, to enter into some stupid machines etc. They even checked my skin wth those papers they use to check if there is powder on your bag. Hey, my skin!!! What do they think about us Serbs - that we don`t have labs but prepare bombs by our bare hands? :)
Anyways, while they were checking my bags for the second time, the alarm at the airport started literally screaming (one of those that create panic :)). Customs girls immediatelly left the area along with all other customs guys and cops with automtic guns and masks arrived shortly, yelling and trying to organize "defence line" or whatever. Now imagine my situation - I`m in the customs area which I`m not allowed to leave. So, if I leave, cops will shoot at me and if I don`t then terrorists will :) What a system! Fuck visitors, defend the customs fuckers and the staff... Unbelievable... U just sat there and laughed until they turned off the alarm and told us it was a regular practice... Girl was also trying to "calm me down" and explain that I shouldn`t be affraid etc. hehe... I told her that I`m from Serbia and therefore not affraid of stupid alarms, which made her face change color to "scared-white", so she just packed my bags and let me through :) awesome trick to get through the customs :).
And yeah, this is just one of the checks that I had - they also checked me in Munich (americans, not germans! - pa pa paranoia :)), and I was being questioned by an United Airlines lady when checking my bags to go to Seattle from SF.
Seattle was awesome. The conference is one of the most inspirational ones that I`ve been to so far. It didn`t have an aiesec atmosphere, but the fact that Microsoft people are so passionate about helping underserved is simply amazing and inspirational. I`ll write a separate post about the conference...
The city itself is beautiful, but I couldn`t live there... It`s somehow "sterile" - no people in the streets, no small bars, way too many smoking restrictions :) etc. I guess I`m not used to live in an organized environment :).
My trip back was also quite interesting. I flew through Chicago where I literally experienced the impact of 500,000 Serbs living there (it`second biggest "serbian" city of the world, after Belgrade :)). It seems that most of the people working the airport are Serbs, and all people travelling also Serbs... I felt like I`m on Belgrade airport :).
As you already know from my previous post, the referendum was going on in Montenegro at the same time. And I flew to Munich not knowing what happened... Not knowing if I have a connecting flight from Munich to Serbia and Montenegro, or just Serbia. Couldn`t really sleep those 9 hours of my flight. The thing is that most of the people that I know don`t care too much about it, but I do. A lot. We are the same people and we should stick together. So I spent 9 long hours of trying to organize my thoughts and control all the emotions hammering me all the time... And when I finally landed in Munich and heard about what happened, I didn`t know how to react - should I cry, should I be angry, should I be proud because Serbia is "finally" independent again and we won`t need to feed Montenegrins anymore (and whatever else pro-independence parties are bullshitting about)? Well, I just felt empty... Is it that I was tired or simply used to living in a country that becomes smaller almost every year? I have no idea... But I felt nothing... At least at that time... Emotions hit me later... But that`s something I`ll leave for myself...
Anyhow, the passport control guy was funny when I gave him my passport - he looked at it and started laughing really loud: "oh my god! this is awesome! your passport is issued in Yugoslavia, you left Serbia and Montenegro a week ago and now you are coming back to Serbia! hahhaahah". Yeah, it`s a funny situation, but I didn`t feel like that at the time, so I just looked at him with my "shut up or else..." face and he started apologizing and let me pass (another great trick? :)).
"Great" Lufthansa failed again and we were 45 minutes late in Belgrade, so I missed the flight to Istanbul and had to stay in Belgrade for 2 more nights (fuckers from Lufthansa wouldn`t reimburse my ticket - they simply don`t care. grrrrrr). Heh, just what I needed... And even if the jet-lag screwed me completely, I still enjoyed every second of those 2 days... I guess you can imagine why... :)
And just when I thought nothing more can happen, there was a huge fire at Istanbul airport, so we had to circle around Istanbul for some time before landing... It was funny looking at people around me in the plane - you could clearly see who is serbian and who is not - those laughing and inventing jokes about the situation are Serbs... Others either didn`t care or had scared faces... I guess we are the only nation in the world that is crazy enough to joke about literally anything and anywho and don`t feel bad about it... :)
Of course, as soon aswe landed, my phone started ringing. You think that my friends wanted to see if I`m alive? Noooo, not really... They asked questions like:
"Hey dude, I know you like barbecues, but preparing this big is really something"
"Hey, does everyone in Istanbul has to know that you arrived? you should stop doing these things - you`re ruining the image of Serbia"
hehe, I love my friends :)
So these are some random things happening to me in last 2 weeks... I`m looking forward to new travels and hopefully new customs passings - now I`m interested in how different countries do it... I think I`ll write a book once about it... :)
Cheers
PS Pics will be uploaded soon...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Oh my god... I just realized how full of different feelings and emotions my life is. particularly at this very moment.
So I`m in the airplane, flying from Seattle via Chicago via Munich via Belgrade to Istanbul (Chicago-Munich part at the moment of writing this). My country`s future is being decided as I fly and I don`t know if I`m gonna be stuck at the Munich airport when I arrive (like Tom Hanks in The Terminal) :). The last news I got from Belgrade were that both sides announced potential win and that situation is quite tight, if you know what I mean... So I`m sitting in this stupid airplane, not knowing what`s happening, anxious to know which country I`m actually flying to.
Other then that, I`m very very pissed off that I have to change so many flights and that I can`t change my Belgrade-Istanbul ticket for some other day. That means that I won`t be able to see my beloved (this actually kills me), to discuss new/old country with my buddies, see family etc. grrrrrrr
But this is not where the emotions stop... I`m also very happy because I`m just coming back from Microsoft`s 1st Global Community Affairs Summit, which was most inspiring and succesful. An amazing conference where I`ve learned more about how Microsoft does CSR, where I had an opportunity to network with an amazing group of people from all over the world and where I realized just how lucky I was to get this internship and be able to have an opportunity to be part of this small family with big social impact.
So, I`m anxious, angry, happy, in love, sad... All at the same time and all feelings equally strong...
Match me and I`ll pay you a beer...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Had to change travel itinerary :(
So this isthe final one:
May 12th - Istanbul - Belgrade
May 14th - Belgrade - Seattle via Munich and San Francisco
May 21th - Seattle - Belgrade via Chicago and Munich
May 22nd - Belgrade - Istanbul
So, 2 days less in Belgrade, but still good... Even if it was 6 hours, I would still go ;)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Finally got my 3 year multi-entry business visa for USA :P and am travelling to Seattle (well, Redmond actually) to attend the first Microsoft Global Community Affairs Summit. The whole Community Affairs team - people from all over the world, responsible for more then 600 projects and hundreds of millions of US dollars of community investments worldwide, will gather to share experiences, to network, to plan, to learn from each other... All in order to make even bigger impact on people`s lives...
I`m sooo looking forward to this event... The regional meeting was inspirational, but this should be even better.
And it gets even better - I will be traveling through Belgrade :) Weeeeeeeeeeeeee
A whole weekend with Sandra, family, Sandra, friends, Sandra :)
And then another day and a half in Belgrade on my way back... :)
This is my complete itinerary anyways:
May 12th - Istanbul - Belgrade
May 15th - Belgrade - Seattle via Munich and San Francisco
May 20th - Seattle - Belgrade via Chicago and Munich
May 22nd - Belgrade - Istanbul
A long trip with many stops, but worth visiting Belgrade ...
Life is good now... :P
U zdravlje
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Labels: Istanbul, Serbia, Sport, Traineeship
just uploaded a couple of most recent pics... Wanna see how I enjoy Istanbul? Then go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/peckopivo ;)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
- finished my transition with Aakash and started working independently (he left to India to start working there)
- almost got robbed in front of my apartment (the night after Aakash had his cell phone stolen), so we decided to move to the dorm until we find an apartment in some decent part of the city
- moved to the dorm :) - currently not crowded so it`s cool... roomies are really cool and helpful...
- helped organizing and attended Microsoft Middle East & Africa regional Community Affairs meeting, which was awesome and soooo inspirational for me... Now I am definitely sure I made a right decision quitting my job in Belgrade and taking this traineeship... People working in Community Affairs in Microsoft are unbelievably passionate about helping people and that`s definitely not what I expected to see... I even had an opportunity to strategize on the future of Unlimited Potential program and I must say that high-level managers in MS truly take aiesec-ers seriously. A wonderful experience indeed.
- representing Microsoft at Turkish National Congress (am actually writing this from the hotel lobby :)), where I held a session this morning about CSR in Microsoft and AIESEC-MS global partnership... It felt really weird `cause this is my first @ conference which I`m attending as an external... :) And it was funny too, because several times I referred to AIESEC as "us", instead of Microsoft being "us" :) It`s hard to get over AIESEC, you know...
- will be attending Microsoft Global Community Affairs Summit in Redmond, Seattle in May. All Community Affairs people will gather to network, share experiences, best case practices etc. AIESEC will be well presented since I`m not the only AIESEC-er going there... I`m quite sure it will be awesome :) who knows, I may catch a SuperSonics game while being there... ;)
- Sandra is coming in a few hours... Can`t wait to see her... It feels like I haven`t seen her for years, not weeks...
Did the Bosphorus cruise which was amazing... The cruise goes all the way to the Black Sea where we had a nice tour of the old castle (view from up there is awesome)... I`ll send pictures later...
Cheers everyone! I hope you all enjoy your life as much as I do! :)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
So, I`m finally in Istanbul… :)
For those reading my blog for the first time, I just started a traineeship in Microsoft Middle East & Africa regional office in Istanbul as Community Affairs Coordinator. It is basically a CSR job and I will be enjoying it for one year. Those who know me better know that CSR has been my passion for some years already and that I`ve been waiting for such an opportunity for a long time… Since it was my first day at work today, I`ll just say it`s quite exciting and that the working conditions are really awesome…
So, what about my first days in Istanbul? I arrived last Thursday, unpacked in an apartment near Taksim square (if there is a place in Istanbul that you can call city center, then Taksim is the place), where I`m living with a flatmate Mohammad Shawky (also a new trainee in Microsoft MEA, ex-MCP of AIESEC in Egypt). The apartment is quite small and kinda made for one person, so we`re trying to make it comfortable by moving things around… It is indeed based in a city center, 1 minute from the square and all the buses/metro that I could need, but it is also settled in a dark, freaky street full of transvestites, dogs and cats (god, do I hate cats in February and March)… OK, it`s not that freaky as it sounds since transvestites are not aggressive (yet?), but it still may be uncomfortable to walk alone there at night.
Anyways, Istanbul is huuuuuuge and beautiful! And what amazes me the most is not it`s size, but the atmosphere it holds. It actually reminds me of Pec (my hometown in Kosovo) or Prizren (also a city in Kosovo), just 10000 times bigger… All those small shops everywhere, coffee shops, even mosques…
Since now, I visited the Grand Bazaar (expected more of it, actually, it`s just a place for tourists now), the Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia mosque (both huge and beautiful), tomb of Sultan Mehmet II, even made it to check out the Picasso Exhibition with more then 130 paintings in one fancy gallery and to see Turkish left wing demonstrating because of some social reforms done by right wing government (demonstrations were too organized for my taste – I like riots :)). Have also been to see the Galata Tower, but didn`t want to go up and check the view (waiting for Sandra to show up with nice weather – there`s a nice restaurant on the top ;)). Also enjoyed numerous café bars that are just perfect for chilling out all day long (especially those at Galata Bridge, with wonderful view).
People-wise, there`s a lot of trainees in Istanbul at all times. Mostly Germans apparently :)… And they are all really cool people. Cecilia is doing her second traineeship here, Magda also arrived recently, Ewa is here for some time already and she was using apartment I`m in now before I arrived, then there is Nadine who has to wake up at 5:30 every morning to make it to the work. There`s also a Greek girl, Turkish-German guy and many more foreigners, but I forgot their names (met them all in one night, so…). Ah, yeah, there`s also Aysha who is Turkish and non-aiesecer (her boyfriend Fernando was a trainee here), but she made the biggest impression on me so far. People from LC Istanbul I won`t mention in this message – I`m still giving them a chance… :)
Pictures are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/peckopivo
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
The time has come... :)
I have a flight at 14:10, should be in Istanbul at 17:20, in my appartment meeting my flatmate Mohammad Shawky (ex-MCP of Egypt, also a new trainee in Microsoft MEA) at 18:30, and completely wasted until 22:00... :D
Heh, writing this and chatting with Zulu (who doesn`t know The Lord and Master already, shouldn`t be alive at all) at the same time, I`m just beginning to realize that I`m actually leaving for a year... Huh, I`d better go to sleep before I start thinking about what and whom am I going to miss for so long...
damn, too late...
/me being pathetic at the moment...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Finally!
My flight to Istanbul is next Thursday, March 16th... Wooohoooooooooo :)
`til then, I have to finish all the started tasks at my current workplace, to do the complete documentation for and transition to the dude that will replace me (which we still don`t have, btw), to visit my dentist at least 5 more times, to organize a party, to think of and buy everything I might need there... huh, can`t I just go to Istanbul tomorrow? :)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
March 16th is the date... If I get my visa done by then, of course...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
...ok, not that unknown actually... :) Turkish culture is quite similar to Serbian, we share many customs and words, for Serbia was under Ottoman rule for more then 500 years...
But still, a year away from home... Heh, I joined AIESEC in 1999 and have convinced many outgoing trainees that they shouldn`t be afraid and... well... you all know the story... :)
And now I finally feel what they told me they felt before going abroad... :)
Quite a funny feeling... I know that everything will be just fine, that there are many trainees there already, that I will have a buddy in AIESEC Istanbul, that I have my personal friends there already... But yet, I feel that little waltzer in my stomach... I guess that`s positive...
Anyways, if someone wants to give me a tip or two about being abroad for a year or so, please do... The longest period I was away was a month and a half in Calgary, Canada, when I was a teamster in the CC of IC2002... This is kinda different, I suppose...
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
Just got accepted for a fantastic traineeship in Microsoft Community Affairs and Citizenship Middle East and Africa in Istanbul! Shoould be there in 2-3 weeks...
So, I got a traineeship of my dreams! CSR and ICT in the same time! woohooooooooooo :)
will write more later... my brain doesn`t work so good at this moment :)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
I have officially became an SN... :) (it feels strange, I must admit :P)
...and am looking for a position in CSR, Sustainable development, marketing, HR...
well, CSR is what I`d prefer, but anything and anywhere I will consider...
Check me out - SN-In-YU-BK-2006-1252 - and match me :)
Labels: AIESEC, Istanbul, Traineeship
