Johanna - Life in Motion: April 2005

Friends succeeding!

One of the greatest feelings you can have is that you feel when after you see your friends trying hard to get what they want, and you feel proud of their results you finally see them succeed!
This post is dedicated to Vero, Romas and Kiko, who were selected to be in the AI team 2005-2006!!
Guys, I wish you all the best in this next step you are taking, I hope life in R-dam and India is all you wanted and more!! Hopefully I`ll be able to see all of you together soon :)

This is the post where the news were given:

Hey AIESEC!
We have just finished yet another round of extremely intense selections for a number of other positions on the AIESEC International team. We had a huge number of applicants, so my thanks and my congratulations to everyone who demonstrated the courage and commitment to put their name, experience, and thoughts forward throughout the process.

But without further adieu, I introduce...
Corporate Relations Managers
Frances Donegan-Ryan (United States, Australia)
Tom Gara (Australia, Ireland, Egypt)

Global Partnerships Manager
Veronica Luna (Peru, SSGN)

Global Information Systems Manager
Romas Mazeika (Lithuania, Egypt, AI)

Alumni Coordinator
Svetlana Zhukova (RuBeK)

Communications Manager
Abhinav Gupta (India, Poland)

In addition, we have selected someone who will be based out of India and working with the AI team quite closely Enrique Villalon Reina (Columbia) for the User Support and Education Manager position.

All of us involved in the selection panel were extremely impressed with the vast and diverse experience, the track record of results, the ambition and vision for the organization that these people displayed. Those of us already selected for AI0506 welcome them to the team, and I know I speak for all of us when we say how much we are looking forward to working together.

Congratulations, and greetings from beautiful Budapest!
On behalf of AI0506,
Brodie

by the way...will people ever realize that Colombia is not the same that Columbia???? Brodie this is a good time to know the right spelling of one of the best AIESEC CYs!!!

Next Step: Explora Coordinator!

yeah!!! It happened!! I have just become EXPLORA Coordinator and part of the SSGN board, I will stay one more year in Brazil, I will be working with Rita, and I will recieve my third transition with Oriana (yeah we already had LCP, MC and now this transition!)!

I'm happy, I feel it in my heart; I'm grateful, with God, with all those who believed in me... it will be an amazing year!

Sometimes lot of things happen at the same time, this is one of those times... I've been busy with a national exchange meeting (which was awesome!!) and now with team days... I did not have time to process what is happening, but I know my life is going in the right direction.

I don't know when I'll be back to posting, I'll be traveling during the next weeks for coaching visits, but I'll try to find some time to share with you some thoughts and updates about my life!

Barranquilla's b-day!

Yesterday was the anniversary of my city, I remember myself doing flags in the school everytime this day came, probably those are the only flags I have done with my own hands in my life (I'm not too good at arts)... anyways somehow this time I felt so far from Barranquilla (well I am!) I miss the smell, the air, the nice happy environment that envolves it.
I don't know if I would live in Barranquilla permanently after some years, it will depend of many things, but I know that is the place where I belong, there is home, my memories, my secret places, my special people, my mazorca desgranada con pollo!!!! ... it is so good to know that I'm going back soon.

On behalf of its anniversary, my friend Omar wrote some nice words about it, that I want to share with you.. well they are in spanish, so good luck!!

El 7 de Abril de 1813 se nos erigió como villa en reconocimiento a nuestro amor por la libertad, esa que soñaron los patriotas de Cartagena y que es hoy quizás lo único que vale la pena preservar para poder apostar a las posibilidades que nos brinda esta ciudad a orillas del Mar Caribe, el mar de la Libertad durante todo el proceso de la Independencia.

Hoy en la actualidad contamos con una ciudad que lucha por mantenerse en progreso y que brinda tanto a nativos como forasteros tranquilidad, alegría, la amabilidad de la gente y el sabor de la buena gastronomía barranquillera.

Poseedora de un Carnaval que hace parte del Patrimonio Oral e Inmaterial de la Humanidad. De mujeres hermosas, como la actual Miss Colombia y de uno de los mejores equipos de fútbol como lo es nuestro Atlético Junior.

Así mismo, también posee uno de los mejores LC de Colombia y Latinoámerica como lo es UNINORTE. Con la alegría que desborda cada uno de sus miembros, con la proactividad que laboramos y trabajamos, y la mística que le imprimimos en cada acción. O si no... pregunten cuantos AIESECos de otras ciudades mueren por regresar a Barranquilla en estos momentos.
La cuenta sigue... y hay mucho más por sentir y reflexionar cuando hablamos de Barranquilla. Sobretodo aquellos que en estos momentos no nos encontramos en casa... porque como dice el
Joe Arroyo:

EN BARRANQUILLA ME QUEDO!!!!!!!!!!

What is next - Second part

So, after a lot of thinking I decided to apply for EXPLORA Coordinator position and I can't feel better about it.

It makes all sense for me, I think I am giving a step forward not in the AIESEC sense (although I am.. kind of) but towards something more important to me, my vision. There are a lot of people who don't know where they want to go, what is their ambition, I have been in that position before, now at least I think I do know it... I want to work on microcredits, I want to help communities, families, women in the world to develop themselves, I believe microcredits have a huge impact in societies and it is a good mean to solve a lot of social issues our world is suffering from.

My existential doubts lied in how should I get there, I think I should pass through different experiences that allows me to have different experiences, visions, approaches, networks, etc... so it was a matter of deciding which of all those options I'd choose.

Of course I was scared of basing my decision in that horrible fear of leaving AIESEC. After 7 years everybody tells you to get a life out of @... but at the end, when do you know that is time to go? What I know is that by having this position I will be able to learn, to contribute, that I still have opportunities to grab, ways of developing myself... so why not?

Next monday I will have my interview, and in that week I'll know if I'm selected or not... the best thing of putting your plans in the hands of God is that you know that things (good or bad) that happens to you are always on your side.

Anyways, Wish me good luck! :)

colombia delegation

colombia delegation
Originally uploaded by johy_81.

yes, my favourite delegation the Colombian one!! 7 of them stayed after the conference here in my house, this was for sure the most colombian house of the whole city!!
I miss you guys a lot, but it is cool, we will see each other soon!