Why Moms Can't Do Yoga

Considering that my biological clock is seriously ticking (and I know I have to keep ignoring it for a good while), I could not help but let out all kinds of weird onomatopoeias when I received this tender video via e-mail. If someone told me about this, I would never believe them. How adorable is that baby? And how funny?

My June 16 Odyssey



Here I am, at the language lab again, on my first Saturday shift. This is the downtown lab, as I requested, since last year I got completely bored with the lack of activity from the other campus. Anyway, while I was waiting for people to show up (this surely is one busy place, and it's only the beginning), I checked all the graduation info I could find. Including the date... But first:

June 16, 2000 - I left for the United States

June 16, 2002 - I arrived to Canada (no, I hadn't planned it to match the date)

June 16, 2006 - this year I found out that June 16 is the birthday of someone who was bound to become a very good friend

- I was accepted by a Spanish University for the Student Exchange Program

June 16, 2007 - I went to London - I had only certain days available for this trip and June 16 was the only one when the Ryanair ticket cost 0.01 cents

Going back to my Graduation, it looks like it will take place on... of course, June 16, 2008!!!

I always use number 16 when I play the lottery; I haven't used 6 that much, it's true. Too bad this year June 16 is a Monday, so there's no game to try out. I guess I'll go to the Casino after the ceremony :-)).

La multi ani!


Vroiam sa fac asta pe 31, dar avand in vedere ca am primit un mesaj care m-a uns pe suflet si ca s-ar putea sa nu mai apuc sa scriu pe aici in ultima zi a anului, voi face acum urarile pe care le planuisem:

Cetin si Daniela, va doresc din toata inima sa fiti cu adevarat fericiti in 2008 si dupa aceea. Sa fiti sanatosi si sa ramaneti mereu dulci (eu asa va vad, nu faceti scandal :-) ), hatri, acizi - adica Cetin - si zambitori. Sa nu va pierdeti speranta, atata vreme cat nu va copleseste. In sufletul meu aveti un loc special, cu toate ca poate nu se vede. Si eu inca mai sper sa ajung sa va cunosc personal... poate la anul.

Mi si SilverHeart, sa fiti fericiti, sa nu mai intampinati greutati care sa va taie elanul, chiar daca doar pentru o scurta perioada, sa fiti din ce in ce mai uniti si sa priviti fiecare zi ce trece ca pe-o etapa din parcursul unei iubiri nesecate. Sunteti doua persoane minunate si meritati numai raze de soare, chiar daca in Copenhaga sunt cam rare. Mi, urare speciala: sa reusesti sa te imbeti in ultimele si primele zile din 2007/ 2008 dupa pofta inimii :-).

Nicole, sa ai cel mai bun an de pana acum, sa fii puternica si sa gasesti cat mai multe picaturi de fercire, care sa-ti transforme viata intr-o metonimie a optimismului. Chiar daca nu simti de cele mai multe ori, pentru ca nu mai stau atat de mult la computer, eu iti trimit mereu ganduri bune si ma bucur sa intrezaresc speranta in randurile tale.

Doamna Ela Roseni, multa sanatate va doresc si un an cu aceeasi bogatie spirituala pe care ati impartasit-o pana acum. Cat mai multe muze si bucurii, poezii si sentimente pozitive. Mereu este o placere linistitoare sa va citesc.

Quinzelle, sa-ti pastrezi jovialitatea, pofta de viata si bucuria pe care-o simti la vederea unui curcubeu, simtul umorului si luminita din ochisori. Sa ai cat mai multe realizari, sa fii sanatoasa si poate sa reusim sa ne vedem la anul.

Meplusmyself, sa te insoteasca in continuare setea de cultura si inspiratia de-a transforma marile opere literare in experiente personale, sa descoperi mereu mai mult decat te-astepti si sa ti se implineasca cele mai arzatoare dorinte.

Happy New Year!

Sacha, you know it's always a pleasure to drop by your virtual home, which makes me feel closer to you. You have an amazing talent for writing, your soul could not have found a more suited occupation than this. You know you have a very special place in my heart and that I'm sending you nothing but my most pure wishes. Don't ever change and have the happiest year yet!

These are pretty much all the people that I know that drop by once in a while and that I consider my friends. If I missed anyone, it wasn't my intention. I'm sending good thoughts to anyone who might happen to find this page. Have a Happy New Year, with health, joy and great achievements.

Another One Bites the Dust



Time has come again for my retrospective of the past year; without blinking, twitching or shaking I can say that this was my best year yet. I entered its door without expecting much: all I was hoping for was to have some fun in Spain and to be able to improve my accent... in the end, I got so much more than I was looking for.
This year, I've found myself. I've dropped my shyness and let my real self come out. I've learned to let go of things that harmed me, but to appreciate even more the ones who stuck with me. I've learned to love. I've learned that I cannot have everything, but that I have to make the best of what I have... which is a lot. I've discovered that my place might be in Spain. Could it be true that after 8 years of wondering, I'll finally be arriving home? We'll see. I've found out that there's more to life than spending it in front of the computer. I've discovered that regrets hurt more than remorses... sometimes. I've learned how to laugh at a bad photo of myself. Thank God for that, cause there are so many of them! I've learned about self-control... about elegance. I've learned that I am still allowed to behave like a child whenever I want to... because I don't have to ask for permission. I've learned that the grass is not greener on the other side. I've learned that I'm one of the luckiest people alive. I've learned that happiness does exist. I've learned that no words could ever describe what I've learned this year.
Thank you.

Reasons Why I Want to Move (Back) to Europe...

1. There's no horrifying ocean between me and my family... my mom. I made a decision 7 years, respectively 5 years ago, I've had my share of the "American Dream", now I believe I can make a second choice of coming back. I'm not on my own anymore, I have to think of others as well, but I know I belong here. In Europe there are cars, buses, trains, planes... I could even walk :P; in Canada... there's only a deep, disturbing ocean.

2. People haven't forgotten to smile in Europe... in Spain. They'll stop on the street, while walking their dog, to talk to you... about anything. They'll give you directions, walk behind you when you take a picture and even chase after you when they see you're going in the wrong direction. Today, in Bilbao, a car stopped and the man sitting on the right got out, asking us if we wanted him to take a picture of us... you won't find this in Canada. I haven't, at least. I was speechless...

3. The same people find the time to go for a coffee or any kind of drink after work; they know how to enjoy life and not let themselves driven insane by the ruthless work deadlines... did I mention that people smile?

4. I should be able to continue my studies and obtain a PhD in Spanish Grammar in... Spain.

5. Everywhere you turn there's art, there's history... there's culture. No city or town is similar to another, each one of them has something that leaves you breathless and makes you feel like you've conquered the world just by walking down its streets.

6. All my friends are in Europe.

7. I could be myself here... I'm happy here.

8. Just because I don't want to leave...

... and so many more that I can't put into words.

Spania - Eu

- am mers in Pamplona si am alergat pe strazile pe care se da drumul taurilor in ziua Sfantului Fermin, pe 7 iulie; voi reveni in acea zi, mai ales deoarece cochetez cu ideea de-a intra in cursa, in ciuda incercarilor celorlalti de-a ma face sa ma razgandesc;
- am vizitat Valencia in timpul sarbatorilor numite "las fallas", cand statuete de carton colorat, ce apoi sunt arse, impodobesc strazile orasului;
- am primit in dar putina culoare pe plaja din Alicante; m-am "balacit" intr-o zi de martie si am privit soarele printre frunzele palmierilor;
- am intalnit 3 persoane pe care le cautam de multa vreme, iar pe-o a patra am reintalnit-o dupa o lunga despartire... cate vieti sa fi durat?
- intr-o luna am invatat despre istoria si cultura Spaniei mai mult decat in 15 ani;
- am descoperit ca, oricat de bolnav ai fi, fericirea de-a-ti petrece timpul cu prieteni iti da putere si te face sa uiti de orice nemultumire, chiar daca numai pana cand ajungi in camera ta; de aceea e recomandabil sa stai cat mai departe de pat, de "casa" :P;
- am primit porecla de "Super Miri", pentru ca nu dorm aproape deloc, nu mananc foarte mult, am cele mai multe cursuri, si totusi mereu sunt vesela si nu lipsesc de la nicio intalnire, de orice fel ar fi ea;
- am invatat sa nu-mi pese; fac ceea ce este bine pentru mine fara a rani pe nimeni, dar si fara a fi ranita la randu-mi; nu ma mai chinui sa invat limbajul celorlalti... dar le ofer totul celor care vorbesc limba mea;
- am aflat ca un cuvant nu are importanta; nu gandim/ simtim prin reguli de ortografie sau de gramatica; ne cramponam in a urma niste rigori impuse de catre cineva necunoscut, ignorand ceea ce se afla in noi;
- mai sunt 3 luni si 2 saptamani; imi este teama de final, si de aceea aceasta este singura data cand imi permit sa-l mentionez.
- au mai ramas 3 luni

Explicatii

Nu petrec mult timp la computer; nu am scris e-mail-urile promise; nu dau telefoanele necesare de fiecare data... dar sunt fericita. Iertati-ma... in special tu, Irina, daca treci pe aici; iti voi scrie... voi veni la tine, dar nu de Pasti, nu pot acum.
Aceasta nu este o experienta Erasmus; este viata mea, traita la intensitate maxima. Sunt in runda de recuperari, de incarcare a bateriilor; sunt confuza, cu toate ca lucrurile nu mi-au fost niciodata mai clare. Ma descopar. Zburd si fac doar ceea ce imi doresc. Cati avem aceasta sansa, chiar si pentru o scurta perioada de timp? Lipseste numai ceva... poate intr-o zi va completa totul.

8 Martie
Nu am timp sa ma gandesc la a trimite felicitari; mamei mele ii voi da un telefon. Si totusi, este ziua femeii! La multi ani! Sa fim fericite!

Test

De 3 zile ma chinui sa pun cateva poze, dar conectia este destul de proasta si pana acum nu am reusit. Acum le-am pus la intamplare si am asteptat cam o ora sa se incarce, dar cum faceam curat, nu m-a deranjat prea tare. Poate data viitoare am mai mult noroc. Pana atunci...

1. In fiecare an se taie ramurile superioare ale copacilor din diferite zone ale orasului, rezultatul fiind aceasta infatisare a arborilor pe care nu am mai intalnit-o pana acum. In prim plan se observa copacii "coafati" anul acesta, in timp ce pe fundal se gasesc cei care au "suferit" anul trecut.

2. Cat am locuit la camin m-am bucurat de aceasta priveliste in fiecare zi. Se vorbea despre a declara noi cladiri sau monumente ca facand parte dintre minunile lumii. De ce nu si acest loc?

3. Catedrala din Logrono... noaptea. Berzele ii inconjoara turlele si revin sa se odihneasca in cuiburi... dar nu aici, nu acum. Poate data viitoare.

Her

I can already feel it... feel her, my goddess, in my blood, on the tip of my fingers... as for my heart, she's been there for so long! I'm very big on celebrations, anniversaries and anticipation of events; I even make up silly ones and I tend to remember the tiniest details, so I couldn't let this one pass, since I simply feel happy... the purest happiness. It seems that only now I'm realizing what I've been missing all these months, the feeling I've been yearning for. THIS is it. Exactly one month left.