Feels like ages

It feels like ages since I got back from MENAXLDS. Not just because time flies so fast (what a true cliche), but also I think I faced a lot of things I did not beforehand and many things are just happening so rapidly.

It is only one month, actually even less :P And I'm already getting nostalgic on my stay in Egypt, hehe. Though I managed to get some new very cool pictures (thanks Firas :P), just one of them over here to showcase my "Jordanization". (I'm on the right....just to make it easier, lol)

But anyways, I remember the times I first go education on the AIESEC Experience....and that I always thought till now that Heading for The Future is the easiest stage :P Well, not really true....and now I also understand why we mark the start of it with the decision to leave, even when you are still in a current role. It is just a different mindset a different way of life.
It is visible in so simple things. I do have the same amount of work....but after 7 pm my brain just shuts down, I'm just hanging around and slowing down totally, until the point of being almost useless in work related things. Is it good? I don't think this is the right question......do I need to change it? No....then what? I need to change the way I work, how to concentrate, and I also need to figure what to do in that time what is given as extra (given as anyways I can not really use much of it for work, even if I would want to).

Also having this job hunt on me...well, the methods in Jordan are pretty unusual for me, only through network, so I noticed that if I want it to work out here I need to put my learnings from here on a test. If I want to come back to Jordan to work I need to get a job latest till the beginning of June :P. So I have one and a half month.
Even though it is 'just' a job it feels like there is much more behind it, coz I need to forget my old way of life and thinking....not forget what I learnt, but to use it in a different way, as I'm not any more applying for e.g.: VP External Relations, but like corporate account manager and such :P It is like a new continent to be entered, the expedition is pretty well equipped, but that is not enough, you still need to get through the passing, the sea storms and stuff safely and successfully....this is how it feels like :)

Also I'm afraid of going home. Not the reverse cultural shock or these kind of things....though obviously they are part of the game....but rather a new way of life, living again with family, losing a lot from that independence what I value here a lot (with all its benefits of being home it still does not seems like an easy transformation back? process).

My brain is randomly all around, I needed to fix up what I want, how I want it. By now I'm more or less clear...time to put things into action, time to take again a nice deal of risk and jump into something new......

I'm equiped, let's start the expedition :D

Satisfaction

There is a song called satisfaction, it just popped up in my mind when I tried to search for a 'normal' title for this post. Not really one of my favourites, but it randomly turned up inside.

Anyways it might be a very nice title for this piece of writing, representing all the million thoughts running up and down my brain.

It is midnight over here when am righting the beginning of this post, so my brain is half dead, but still running on this point.

Since coming back from MENAXLDS in Egypt it feels like being in a new era of my life. No, I'm not meaning that the conference changed my life or anything like this, but it did accelarate a few things already in my mind and brought to light a lot of them, so that I could chew on them these recent weeks.

And why is the title? Coz I think the main point what changed is what are the things satisfying me, what are the things am looking for or appreciating in my life.
Many people told me I don't have a balanced life, basically having my work as life. And I did not mind it at that point in time....and I think that time it was the balance. Well, not any more. I want something more in my life then just work....I want the life part of the story as well :P I want something new, some new experience (not saying that my AIESECy life could not bring new every day, but still I need something different).

I have sooo many plans with my non existing free time, it is hard even to list it down. It just started with going to the gym as a normal activity, but extended to be the "it would be sooo nice to do" list which I don't even have the idea when I will be able to reach to the end of it, if that would ever happen (knowing myself this is not a threat that I reach the end of the list :D something new would anyways pop up before :D)

Hard to put it into words this new concept. But I do value more free time, I do value more an honest friendship or a good chat, a nice movie....and I do want something different from my life and my relations which is kind of hard to express (especially in written format).

I know this post ended up to be pretty philosophical and rather (unusually) fluffy from me, but I just thought it is better to write, better to share, that might move things forward....inshallah as here we would say :)

Cairo, pyramids and differences

So, I want to dedicate this post to 2 major things - a bit of sightseeing in Cairo, and the experience of managing things on my own in this immense city; and the other one is a bit of a cultural insight.
(and the first round of pictures are uploaded to

Cairo...20 million people in one place, if you are fast on the highway it takes 4 hours to get around it. And total craze...I thought traffic is crazy in Jordan, well I feel safe back in Amman after the days of Cairo :P

Everyone talks about the legandary pyramids and they are indeed awesome! But did you know (besides people who have already been there) that the Gizah pyramids are actually part of the city? That it is surrounded on 2 sides by blocks of flat and to check out the sphinx you need to walk max 200 meters from the first fast food restaurant? That was an interesting experience :P
Also the camels....yeah, I finally got to ride a camel, but after this I can barely imagine how people survived full days on their backs....it is super inconvenient. So I shifted to horse, thinking that the horse is led by a dude and I just need to stay on the horse, well I was wrong. 2 minutes after shifting the guy gave me the lead, yeah do it alone (for this you need to know that I have no idea how to ride a horse, the last time I was on a horse was at least 10 years ago, it was a pony and it was led in a circle and I was screaming on top :D). But I managed to survive the experience, by the end I was pretty fine with the directions, well the speed controll was never working (I dunno if my horse or I was more stubborn on what we want :P).

It was also really an experience managing taxis in Cairo. You need to argue and bargain for each and every ride. There are taxi meters, but of course not in use. As foreigners we will usually the ones targeted to be ripped off, with not really high success :) we either always had argumentative people, with or without basic arabic knowledge or someone speaking arabic....usually the first version. But by the end of 3 days in Cairo we all knew the key words: numbers and NO.

But sticking to the sigthseeing: before the conference was the birthday of the Prophet...so we went to see the celebrations. Well, they were scary :) a looot of people just shouting and singing in a language I have no idea about. But this whole march did lead us to a beautiful place in Cairo, Khan Khalili - the market. Every kind of things you can imagine...and you can of course bargain for. I was amazed on the effect of knowing a few really basic things in arabic...prices got halfed in a matter of a second. I had very fast a bunch of other foreigners from the faci team hanging up to come bargain, though I don't think I'm the best in it :D

We have also seen the Mohammad Ali citadel and went to a religious garden (sorry I forgot the name) right above Islamic Cairo/the old city. Well the view was amazing from there and we could here the prayer for basically every corner of the city. And obviously we had like half an hour just for pictures....I felt like a japaneese tourist (or I can say a normal young arab guy put on every possible picture, it is insane how much time people can spend here with pictures).

And about the culture...well many people say that all arab countries are the same (though they usually have the picture of a Gulf country in mind). But it is sooooo not truueee, gosh, I never ever imagined such diversity in a region! Even when we say that Central Europe is diverse, it is nothing to the diversity and variety of MENA. Also the so many different ways of being muslim and still being a good muslim. Nevertheless there are common points everywhere, but I would never ever dare again boxing in this region into "arabs" or "muslims" it is just so surficial and has no value at all behind it. I have been facilitator on this conference, and as someone trying to lead people and pass on messages I can assure anyone who tries making one box out of the region: you will not succeed then. Besides knowing that they are all really different cultures it is also true that people are really proud and sensitive of their identity.

Sensitivity of identity, just something random popped up in my mind writing this line. 15th of March happened during the conference itself. I was never a big fan of national holidays, I always somehow felt they are rather a waste of time. But I was wrong again. I think I have never been that proud to wear the tricolor than this day. Feels interesting reflecting on this point. I was not shouting out loud to everybody, but I was proud to be the only hungarian and I was proud celebrating my national holiday.

I guess it is enough of random insights for today....though I have a lot just popping up in my mind. I though that this conference will not give me that much...but it was the best choice I made before heading for the future. Ok, back to work, yalla :P

MENAXLDS....the afterlife, edition 1

heeeeeeeeeey :P

Back and alive after MENAXLDS 2009 :) Sitting in Cairo airport, dead tired but in the same time recharged, sounds cool, ya?
As a very fast start up, here you find the introduction of the Faci team, so that you know with who I was working all this week:

MENAXLDS Faci introduction

View more presentations from alejalaiton.

There is a lot to write about, besides the conference I have been tavelling a bit, mostly seeing Cairo (and between Sharm el Sheikh and Cairo feeling like canned meat in a minivan for around 9 hours, yaaay).

As a faci team I truly had the pleasure to work in a team which was committed and reeeallly open. And I think this openness was some sort of a key, we moved forward understanding each others concepts fast, bonded with light speed. A true multicultural team (around 10 countries, 4 continents) as an amazing experience on how you can get the most out from diversity.

Learning and next steps....well, if I'm honest I do confess that I went for a holiday. Even though that many of us know that a conference is not about sleeping, but hard work especially as facilitator, but the change of atmosphere the flow of new things, ideas, meeting new people just makes it at the end a very refreshing journey. Of course I did learn from it and I belive it helped me reinforcing that I am making the right decisions with regards my future.

Pictures are being collected and very soon uploaded ;) Also a bit more structured and concrete post is to come, I just wanted to send the first message of me being alive.

Ehh, just one more fun thing for the Global Village - finally I have experienced the full traditional Jordanian outfit, see the picture just above :) But sooo much more pictures to come :P

MENA, MENA, MENA.....

I'm in Egypt, just sitting on the pre-meeting of MENAXLDS 2009 :P and this is just to indicate my excitement of how much I look forward to my last international conference as active AIESEC member!!!!

I have already spent one day in Cairo, was indeed amazing and sooo many things happened. I'm excited like a little kid when getting the new bike :P And the Jordan delegation is arriving in less than 2 days, yehaaaa, first delegation as full member country!!! Yalla Jordan!

stories and pictures coming later! (most probably after the 23rd of March, hehe, I guess I will not have any more time to wirte even this short blogpost :D )

Long time....for what?

It's been a long time since I have posted anything over here (sorry guys :P)

Why? I was not always in the mood (or when I was I did not have my laptop :P) or I just did not have time or did not find anything to write about...but mainly the first reason.

Even though a lot of things were going on. Not neceseraly travelling or something, rather thinking deciding, looking into the future, etc (the usual crap for this part of the year).

Some great news: I'm going to Egypt! From the 10th till most probably the 22nd of March. For MENAXLDS, the biggest regional AIESEC/youth congress :P And as facilitator. It was one of my dreams to be facilitator on a bigger international conference and it is finally working out :) And obviously I'm not just staying for the congress, but hoping to have some sightseeing in Egypt.

And the world is small. I would have never imagined meeting Karuna at MENAXLDS - an Indian friend, with who I worked in Hungary and the next time we meet in Cairo...funny enough, right?

I also made my choice on what is next for me (more or less clear on it). One thing is for sure...I'm gonna work, outside of AIESEC. The Country? Yeah that is still a question mark, though whatever happens in July I will be in Hungary for sure. I was thinking for a while to apply as MCP for Jordan, but I realized that I'm out of "fuel" I wanted a good job and if I want a job, it is time to look elsewhere.

But if we are already at the job part...work is just simply crazy. Deadline after deadline (and the question is where I will reach my dead-line....can't wait to be in Egypt!). And I usually tell myself that the next period will be easier, and somehow it never happens :P I know I should not complain, I achieve and I do like my job, but somehow it is not the same, it is not enough any more (am I becoming more demanding, or it is just another sign for the need to change?)

And I wanted also now to write about so many things. My Christmas (the let's say not really existing one), about the Gaza conflict and how I lived it through here and about many other random topics - like I signed up for gym, which I never thought I will ever do - , but somehow at 10:30 pm they ran away :P

Nevertheless, the point of the post is to show you I'm still alive and moving :D Have a good day all of you!

Adventures...Edition 2 - Wadi Rum, Aqaba

So the next day of the trip....starting with waking up at 5:30 am, just to be able to catch the one and only bus to Wadi Rum.

What do you need to know about Wadi Rum? If you have ever heard about Lawrence of Arabia, or have watched the movie the name must be familiar, as Wadi Rum has been his "headquarters" during the Great Arab Revolt (1917). But this is not the most important about it. The pictures can not really give it back how beautiful the view is (it seems like a lot of sand, but what is so nice on sand? :P ). It is again you have to see to understand....Sand, rocks and magnificent mountains.
The hard thing is to believe that people lived and still do live in that area...the usual question is that from where the heck they get water :P

But let's list all the adventures:
Getting there - it was not that huge advanture besides a few things. The bus left from the hotel at 6:20, our hotel is only one stop. I ordered five tickets, the bus driver remembered 4, but never mind, we did manage very easily this part (one more person paying the ticket...so no points of debate). But getting to the bus was funny, as the gate of the hotel was locked, and noone was at the reception. So we search and found someone sleeping in a hidden corner "guarding" the hotel reception, but he did not have the key, only knew where the dude with the key is sleeping - so one round of running as the bus was already there for us. But this was also sorted, we left Wadi Musa (Petra) without any remarkable story.
Then in the middle of the way the bus stopped, everybody waking up on what is going on??? We have been stopped by the police, our driver almost ended up in jail for a week, coz instead of 80 km/h he was speeding with 120 and the bus was also overloaded. How did it end? With a ticket to the bus driver worth 60 JD (around 70 Euros). Dude coming back swearing, and starting to tell us about his 'heroic' fight with the police, that he was already locked, when he managed to negotiate (like the hero being on the corner of death, but escaping with an inch :P ).

But we did arrive to the visitors' center in Wadi Rum. We wanted to get to the village, but they told us that we can go only if we buy a tour for a hillarious price. We did buy a tour, but for half the price :P

So we bought a jeep tour for 3 hours. As we were 5 of us it was not epensive, so we thought, it is all ok.
It was ok....but....our jeep broke down in the middle of the desert. In the middle of nowhere getting stuck with the only working vehicle....fun :P though it was not that bad, as we were at a tent, with a few beduins, consulting over the dead car like in a medical consilium :P And one of them even had a super weak, but operational signal on the mobile, so they managed to call another jeep for us from a top of the one dune the phone was working (I don't want to know what we would do if we break down only a kilometer deeper in the desert :P ).
Our new driver was then indeed amazing! I felt like in a rally in the desert on the top of an open plato jeep!!!! We were racing, loud music (Papi Chulo like 15 times :P) from the driver cabin and racing on the dunes...super awesoooome :D. I guess the guy was not used to young people enjoying the situation, but we really had great fun. Of course we stopped for a bit of climbing or to check out the house of Lawrence (or rather what was left from it) and sometimes also for a beduin tea (yummeee). And our 3 our trip ended up to be a 5 hour one :P
Poor Eyad who came from Aqaba to pick us up needed to wait for us because of our sudden compensation for the dead car :P He was sweet coming and picking us up from Wadi Rum to take us to Aqaba.

So we did go to Aqaba. There is not that much to see in this town, the only port of Jordan to the Red Sea. It is a holiday zone (duty and ta free, so I got winter coat, muhaha), so it is really great as the end of the trip for relaxing. I rather mention some pleasure moments in points, just to give back the feeling:

• Having beer in the sunset of the sea, at the shore of a 5 star hotel where we sneaked in :P
• Having breakfast of hummus and fool for 2,5 JD, at 11 o'clock in T-shirt looking at the sea
• Having a fast swim and sun bathing on the public beach - on the 11th of December
• Feeling like in the zoo, coz we were the only foreigners on the public beach (most foreigners have their hotels with private beaches :P, we are rather adventurous people than rich :P)
• Walking around in the city, searching for the shade of palm trees in short and T-shirt (again, it is still december :P )

I still need to get the pictures from Aqaba are not yet uploaded, those are coming soon, also some additions to Petra pictures to be epected!

The end of the story....getting back to Amman, arriving by 11 pm, closing with another adventure.
What? Oh yeah, after 11 pm in Amman taxis are not using taxi meters. So we got into the cab started to go on the way. Then we realized the meter is not working....awesome, so we asked the dude to switch it on, answer is obviously no. Ok, then how much? 4 Dinars (the normal fair would be 1.8, but of course there is not hope to get that). But we learnt from our 2 days earlier experience and ended up paying 2,5 JD.....which is barely a bit more than the usual fair. We are foreigners, but learning fast :P

I guess you can see from all these stories that it is worth coming to Jordan, seeing a bit of it and enjoying your time (especially that you would have a guide who is already experienced in the Jordanian way of taxi 'management' :P ). These 3 days were amazing...and really needed in the same time. My brain is totally refreshed, I can approach my challenges with a fresh, again solution oriented, approach. My energies are back...though I almost wrote that the old Szaki is back, but that is not true, this country changed me, I like the changes I feel and I already know that I will feel really alien when I go back to Hungary.

It is also the time when I start thinking on the next steps, outside of AIESEC. I give myself till the end of January to see if I can fit into Jordan and line up my options and chances. Then it is time to decide which country will see me in the next 1-2 years as an employee :D But this is a story for later on ;)