World is my playground

Destiny

2009-02-04T19:39:00.001+01:00

Life is weird. I'm living my happy comfortable life, enjoying my job, having fun with my colleagues, choosing furniture for my new flat, seeing my best male-friend again, planning flights allover Europe ... overall looking forward to 2009. And then, quite unexpectedly, everything is changed by one sentence. As soon as Ovečka told me about it, I knew I had to apply. Too much coincidence occured. You cannot escape the destiny.Well, I actually turned the offer down unknowingly in October, but as you see, it found another way back to me :)
To make the long story short, on 5th of January I put all my plans for 2009 on hold and on 27th they were all discarted and replaced by others: in the second half of March I am moving for 1.5 years back to my beloved Yerevan. I'll be working as Regional finance manager for Caucasus in People in need where I will be responsible for Armenia and Georgia.

The reasons why I decided to leave consulting and go back to non-profit are following:
- career: in my current job there are no interesting projects due to the crisis. Being responsible for finance within the organization will enable me to learn new stuff, that I can find useful later on when I return to consulting.
- money: yes, I will earn more there in a non-profit than here in consulting. Believe it or not.
- friends: right now, I have more close friends in Yerevan than I have in Prague.
So, as you see, my reasons to accept the job are purely rational. I did not go mad :)

Trip to Brussels

2009-01-25T20:20:00.001+01:00

It feels weird when you have to travel by plane if you want to go for a coffee with a friend :)

I had so much fun being with Jiřka and Jirka again. I didn't laugh that much for ages. It was a perfect weekend: just resting in cafes, a bit of sightseeing, tasting Belgian beers...

Anyway, the biggest learning point for me is that traveling really is easy. I know it sounds stupid but for me this was the first time flying within the EU. My experience so far was:
- being guarded by two soldiers with machine guns in Macedonia
- bribing immigration officers in Tajikistan to issue visa for more than 2 weeks
- not being allowed to step on the German ground before proving to be EU citizen, again uniforms and weapons present (flight from Tajikistan)
- landing at Prague airport on the day of the highest terrorist attack threat ever, policemen and heavy armoured cars present (flight from Egypt, full of Arabs)
Really, this was the first time I did not come with some kind of suspicious flight, first time literally nobody cared, first time nobody told me "welcome back home, miss". For a moment it made me nervous how easy it was this time because with all the previous experience I always expect a major fuck-up behind the corner :)

On hold

2009-01-18T21:39:00.003+01:00

It has been already two weeks since I put all my plans for 2009 on hold. I hate keeping the secrets. I hate pretending that nothing is happening. And I hate waiting. It's all so tiring. I need to know the results soon.

Travel plans

2009-01-02T19:49:00.003+01:00

I missed traveling last year. Sure, I did some trips: I was in Hungary twice (visiting Zuzana in Budapest and conference by Balaton lake), I spent 4 hours in Austria and 1 day in Germany (Dresden). Overall a poor result. Generally, I was too busy with my life in Prague (and Vsetín, Znojmo, Olomouc, Hranice, Ostrava and other Czech cities where my job brought me).

Anyway, this year is a promise to compensate my traveling deprivation :) What's on the list so far:
Brussels - January (the ticket booked)
London + Swindon - March (the ticket booked)
Kiev - summer
London + Swindon - once again sometimes in autumn
I also hope to go to Moscow, but that is rather a dream than a plan.

Happy new year 2009

2009-01-01T01:32:00.002+01:00

(To live happier every day!)

Flat No. 28

2008-12-30T22:45:00.004+01:00

As I promised to some of you, here are some pictures of my flat. And when I say "my" I mean that I own it, not that I live there (well, not yet). While looking at them, please bear in mind that:

- the flat is 25 years old with no reconstruction so far
- it is rented to two guys (therefore the "dorm style")
- a total reconstruction is planned before I move in

The plan

The entrance

Sleeping room

Living room

Kitchen

Christmas party

2008-12-21T22:22:00.004+01:00

Innocent virgin ... that was my role in the performance that my department is annually preparing to amuse the rest of our company at the Christmas party. So, guess what is my newest nickname ;)

Me and my colleague Iva (two innocent virgins) are attacked by Dracula:

Caveman

2008-12-17T23:07:00.000+01:00

So I went to the theater on Tuesday. It was not my idea indeed. My attitude towards theater is rather cold already since high school when we visited several performances (compulsory). Anyway, I decided to give it a try.
Well, the first two minutes I was like: "oh, fuck. It is too rude to leave. I knew that. Why didn't I find some good excuse?" But after that, I had so much fun! It was a one-man show called Defending The Caveman (In Czech it is only Caveman). Generally it describes the differences between men and women in a way that both are laughing.

Quote (for my girls only): Společnost se dělí na ženy a ... kretény.

Надеюсь

2008-12-13T13:54:00.010+01:00

Надеюсь, что сейчас, после того, как я прочитала свою первую книгу на русском, я скоро начну и грамотно писать на нем. Говорить для меня уже почти не проблема (плохо, но понятно), к чтению привыкла, но писать - это пока сущий ужас :)

Невероятно что это уже мой второй русский „блог пост“ ... после этого :)))

A few milestones reached

2008-12-11T22:30:00.003+01:00

I finished reading my first book in Russian ever. And it was quite a long book I must say: 667 pages. I chose the strategy to read a book that I already know so that I don't get lost in what is going on there but still interesting enough to read it for the second time. It was a smart move :) I didn't get bored by the book itself, I didn't get frustrated by not understanding and it was easy reading to metro or bus, nothing intellectual.

From other news, I bought an appartment yesterday. I am a young independent woman with a mortgage now. Unfortunately the place will be rented for a while because I need to get some money for reconstruction before moving in.

What's new

2008-09-13T09:26:00.005+02:00

At the beginning of September, I made a sudden decision. After Jiřinka left to London and I got terribly pissed at work (I guess it was about time the honeymoon ends) I felt I needed something new that would bring fun to my life. And out of the blue, I knew it: I start training karate again. It was the most obvious thing to do.

This happened last Monday. On Wednesday I went to our old gym to find out the current schedule and on Thursday I had my first training. Well, you should have seen the look in the head trainer's eyes when he saw me. It was like a return of the long-lost daughter.

I can't remember when I was so happy for the last time, maybe when I returned to Yerevan a year ago. Yes, the feeling was similar. It said: "I'm back home". Anyway, it is amazing how the body remembers all the moves, while the head totally forgot the names of them. With katas it is a different story. I cannot even walk the very basic one, which you are supposed to know after three months. So I'm decided not to wear kimono until I am able to practise at least five basic katas in a non-abashing way. Nobody needs to see the color of my belt till then :)

All together, my world changed 180°. From "having too much free time" to "sorry, I'm busy". From "no way I'd go to gym" to "let's go jogging". I had to reschedule my Russian classes, teach my coleagues that twice a week I leave the office early, wake up earlier to be the first one in the office and have my work done... And still, suddenly, everything is how it is supposed to be, everything is perfectly right. I hope, I keep this feeling for a very long time :)

Interesting

2008-07-31T05:12:00.001+02:00

I woke up so early that on the TV music channel there was not "rozjezd" (= acceleration) but still "dojezd" (= landing). Umm, I didn't even know that such a show exists.
The reason why I woke up at 4:20 (and got up at 4:55 after some useless effort to fall asleep again) is an unusual mixture of stress, thrill and excitement. Today we are supposed to finish a project that can collapse literally any minute. In the past week the Signing of the contract was cancelled four times and then again four times confirmed. The fixed, approved and confirmed final version of the contract was changed six times. The meeting today will be fun.
BTW right now I should have been at the airport waiting for Aram and his gf. I must say I am lucky that he postponed his flight till tomorrow because after yesterday's meeting with the lawyers till 10 p.m. and some more phone calls from my boss later I need some rest (even if at 5:15 a.m.) before another day like that to start. Anyway I can't wait to see them again. It is wonderful that when I can't go to Armenia, a piece of Armenia is coming to me :) I'm so excited, especially after yesterday, when it seemed there is another fuck up right behind the corner.

One more thing ... today is the last day of my first year at the company and yes, it was the best year of my life.

I guess I'm a consultant

2008-06-24T21:55:00.005+02:00

There used to be times, when a phone call at 10:45 p.m. meant only one thing: invitation to a cool party where everyone is already drunk (and got this wonderful idea to share the happy moments with you). Yesterday was the first case when the phone call meant an invitation to assist with the negotiations about the sale of the company. It was the toughest meeting I have experienced so far. Twice during the day it seemed the agreement is impossible and we will have to give up with this transaction and still, we will meet tomorrow again. I'm glad I picked up the phone last night.

One chapter of my life is closed

2008-06-21T10:10:00.003+02:00

Finally. Moje nedobytná pohledávka byla dobyta. Well, would you believe to get paid when the due date was in November 2006? I did not. To celebrate this surprising event I used this opportunity to do a bit of clean up on this blog. The links that remind me of that chapter of my life are deleted. And now maybe, if I manage to forget I will also succeed to forgive.

Almost Ing. - just the "." missing

2008-01-22T19:14:00.000+01:00

Two vodkas, four beers, no lunch. Only the thesis is left.
And Mrs. K. is a stupid bitch.

Studying hurts

2008-01-10T21:30:00.000+01:00

The results of spending last three days in the library:
- blister on my middle finger (I am not used to hand writing anymore)
- cramps in my left hand (63 hand-written pages)
- feeling brain-dead (I've read 375 pages of the most retarded book ever)

I reconsidered using the laptop instead of the old-fashioned pen + notebook, but you know, then I would have internet, solitaire, music ... so, rather not.

The good thing is that I still keep my planned schedule.

Trip to the past

2008-01-07T19:38:00.000+01:00

Here I was again. Sitting on the red sofas in Paradise Building, chatting with Jiřinka, successfully ignoring the opened book on my lap. It felt different though. This is not my life anymore. I could not help the feeling that I'm only a guest there. Plus I totally forgot how to study (not that I ever really learned that).

Memorable quote:
Me: Have you noticed who just passed by?
Jiřinka: Yep, sure. Apparently he didn't get any new sweater for Christmas this year.

Jana, the photographer

2008-01-06T13:51:00.000+01:00

It is a well-known fact that I like neither taking pictures nor being on the pictures. I simply prefer to live the moment and enjoy it than to "smile and wave" and ruin the atmosphere. Sure it's nice to have pictures, but not if I have to take them. Anyway, time to time I am forced by circumstances to take the camera and use it. And even then I do nothing more than pushing the button. I have no clue about composition or camera settings. So imagine my amusement when I got this Flickr e-mail:

Hi Jana,
I am writing to let you know that two of your photos have been short-listed for inclusion in the fourth edition of our Schmap Prague Guide, to be published early January 2008. (...)
While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap Guides give their work recognition and wide exposure, and are free of charge to readers. (...)

So yeah, I am a published photographer now. You can admire my work somewhere here.

On vacation

2008-01-05T14:06:00.000+01:00

I am on my first official vacation ever. Sure I took days off, had holiday or worked from home before but this is the first time when I filled in "dovolenka", had it signed from my manager and delivered it to our HR person.
The reason is pragmatic - I'm having state exam on Jan 22nd. First I thought I would spare the vacation for something more exciting like traveling, for relaxing and resting from work, but then I counted that I still have 6,5 days of vacation from the last year and I can also take 4 extra days off for overtimes (yay for business trips).
The thing is that we just had 11 days of Christmas free time so there is no need to have a rest from work. To tell the truth, I'd rather be there now, especially when the only plan for upcoming weeks is the silence and boredom in the library.

С Новым Годом!

2008-01-01T11:24:00.000+01:00

Wishing you a really, really, really good year

New Year resolution

2007-12-31T14:05:00.000+01:00

I will blog more often so that I have more things to laugh at later. There would be so many memories forgotten if I didn't post them here. I regret I didn't manage to blog as often as I wished to since I started to work. It's about time to change it :)

Sex doll

2007-12-25T10:16:00.000+01:00

This creature was sitting in my office for a week and I must say it was quite distracting. We actually had to lend her a shirt to cover some of her body parts. But anyway, we had a lot of fun. We took her to the other offices and introduced her as a new colleague, put her to the boss's office when he was out for a meeting and of course explored all the technical parameters of this new ... umm ... thing. We even suggested to enter her to our internal reservation system where you can book for example meeting room, car, massage or sauna.

The reason why our boss bought her was that she was the main actor in our performance during Christmas party. Oh yes, I thought that once out of @ I will never do roll calls again but apparently I was wrong.

Christmas

2007-12-24T18:27:00.000+01:00

After all, this Dec 24th is not so bad as I expected. As all my friends know, I hate this day. It is the worst day of the year. Even worse than the first day of school or going to the detist. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. I cannot celebrate it spiritually because I'm not Christian. I cannot celebrate it as a family holiday because I am from an incomplete non-functional family. I cannot celebrate it as my birthday because all my friends are at home with their parents.
I usually choose to celebrate Dec 21st (winter solstice) and Dec 27th (hooray, it's over) and try to ignore the week inbetween.
This year somehow, it sucks less. Several things made me happy:
- It gives an extra value added to Christmas that I don't have to go to work untill Jan 2nd. I needed a rest already. The last two weeks were crazy.
- I got "Garri Potter i Kubok ognya" from my colleagues. I'm laughing my ass off while reading it in Russian.
- As my mum broke her arm (while playing basketball with her friends) and she cannot cook, I'm responsible for the food so for the first time in my life I didn't have to eat fish soup and fried carp on my birthday. I ordered China instead :) And the best part is that mum loved it so hopefully we have just started a new tradition.

I'm not sure yet but

2007-11-24T09:41:00.000+01:00

it seems that I started my career in a business, where you can get a new deal by taking the potential clients for a dinner, getting drunk with them and inviting a stripper dancer.

I find it amusing (as long as I'm not responsible for getting new business deals).

An informative post (for a change)

2007-11-11T11:30:00.000+01:00

Hey! The fact I was not really blogging lately doesn't mean I'm not doing anything interesting. Just look:

In mid September we went to Zvíkov castle to see the wedding of Honza's friends.

Then we moved to Jedlová to celebrate Dáša and Luboš getting married.

In October we made a trip to Žebrák and Točník ...

... and also to Svatý Jan pod Skalou.

Another weekend we spent at Seč. This was a memorable trip. After eight years I finally managed to stop by the Žleby castle ...

... and we also climbed to the Seč ruins, the place that most of the @-ers have never seen. (This is the view from there to the other side of the dam.)

After this I gave up on leisure traveling because I have way too many business trips. At least I had a chance to stay in Beskydy over the weekend and visit my relatives - grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, their children ... BTW spending eight hours in the car with my colleague twice a week is a perfect bonding acitivity. Especially those moments around midnight when we are speeding on D1 and planning to come late to the office the next day.