Moving on

I 've moved to http://singlegalinathens.blogspot.com/.

See you there!!!

The city without the sex

I am quite the stay in person this weekend. OK, today I was much more active, even went on a small excursion to a city nearby (when we arrived I realised I had already been there with my parents in February and there is really not much to see), but as soon as I got back I turned on my laptop and watched SATC The movie.

I think it cheered me up a bit. Got me thinking how fabulous I can make my life, I just have to decide it. Change the stuff I dont like. Loose more weight. Move in my own appartement. Change the "friends" I am not anymore happy with. Find a bf just by getting out there. Nothing is impossible if I set my mind on it.

In this context, I think I ll try match.com. How much worst can my love life become?Right now it is inexistant, so things can only get better. Except if I meet someone and get pregnant?catch a disease?he breaks my heart ofcourse. Then I will be wishing for the good old single days to come back.

Right. I ll go now to the webpage to make py profile.

No. Not ready yet. ot ready to admit there is something "off" about me and I cant find a bf in the real world, so I need to search on the internet. No way I am doing it.

Maybe if I am still alone by January 1, 2010, i ll try it. Oh my god, it seems so close...I think it is impossible that I ll meet and fall for anyone in 3 months. I have pretty much forgotten how those things happen. Yesterday I was thinking that I will end up alone for the rest of my life.

Gentle reminder: if I ever get a new man in my life, I should be very very careful not to cheat or do anything really bad. Also think twice before breaking up with him, unless there is something really wrong(eg cheating, alcoholic, drug addict and so on).

cry baby

Just watched the curious story of benjamin button and I cried like a baby..hadn't cried like that in a very long time I think. Crying with sobs is good, afterwards I feel lighter, even happier. Although I dont like to have reasons to cry like that, only acceptable causes are filsm or grey's anatomy, NOTHING else.

The countdown has begun, I have little over two weeks left in Geneva...To be perfectly honest, I just cant wait for those two weeks to pass. I am incredibly bored both at the office and after working hours, not much todo or many people left to do something with. Evelina and Carmen are great, but I miss so much Alex and Veronique and our morning coffes and silly jokes. We could really get each other and just couldnt stop laughing when we were together. Now things are different.

I dont want to get to know the new interns, introduce myslef, make small talk etc. What is the pont anyway? I am leaving in two weeks and there is no sufficient time to really get to know each other. And just having random fun with them, means nothing to me anymore, I am past the "erasmus" phase. I dont need to meet more new people from more countries of the world, I have already met too many.I d rather sit alone at a coffee shop or at a restaurant than have to go out with unknown people, pretending to like them already or be interestedin their story.

Somebody is in a good mood today.

However, I did have a pretty good start to the day. Went to the post office with Evelina and sent all my books etc, that I couldnt carry with me on the plane, to Athens, so a big source of anxiety is gone. And then, went to lovely"Le pain quotidien" for coffee and pain au chocolat, which is my favourite habit right now. For the past week I have been having one pain au chocolat every morning with my coffee. My ass is still the same size, I ll let you know inhowmany weeks its size will double incase I keep that up:P

Anyway, the pain au chocolat was just lovely, the capuccino impressive at sight(although didnt really like the taste) and the scenery...oh, well, it is pleinpalais, I always love it!

And then went back home and didnt leave my room for the rest of the day...which could explain my bad mood tonight:(

I llt ry to do better tomorrow and go out after brunch for a walk and to take some fotos of the city. I wonder where I could go...

Bridget Jones is back...sort of

Spent the entire morning yesterday reading the latest columns of Bridget Jones's Diary in 2005-2006!I had been waiting for that soooo long and I finally found them online a few weeks ago....Actually I found the whole archives, since the 1995 Independent column, complimented with notes, fotos, scripts from the two films. For die hard BJ fans, just click here!

I am a bit disappointed about the latest developments- I am not going to say what happens so as not to spoil it for the rest of you- but still it was so weel written and totally in the spirit of the first years, HF didn't loose her touch after almost a decade, so I had a huge smile on my face when I finished reading!Now I am just craving for more...more columns that is, not the third film, because the second one was a total miss so I dont even want to imagine what will happen with the next one...Was wondering though: does BJ stil write in her calendar or is she now doing it in a blog?It would certainly made much more sense in our internet era:P

For the rest, I continue with the whole packing/getting ready to leave process. Bought yesterday material to make packets(scotch tape and the paper with the bubbles) and went on throwing away more stuff, paper, magazines etc. I have been getting much better in not keeping useless things just before I am emotionally attached to them: I figured out that being attached to things is completely stupid and pointless so I just throw or give away stuff, I really dont care.

At night we went out with E. and C. to eat at an eritrean restauran at Paquis: tasty food and sooo cheap. There was no variety, you can only choose between beef, chicken and vegetarian dish, no salads, appetizers etc, so it is great for indecisive people. Well, the beef was great, the red wine too and eating with our hands a lot of fun!

For anyone interested, it is almost in the corner of rue du mole and rue de lausanne, in Geneva. And it was crazy busy, we arrived around 19.45 and everything was reserved so had to wait 10 minutes for a table; by the time we left it was completely full!

Then went for desert at the movenpick ice cream shop in the middle of the rue du mont blanc. Ofcourse there was sooo much people, everyone was by thelake for the fireworks. Which were just amazing!They lasted for about an hour and they were accompanied by music...just awesome!And in the end they sent out golden fireworks, lots of them, and the sky was gold...wow!Never seen anything like that, it was totally worth it squeezing in with the thousands of people:)

Today is a slow day, woke up quite late, had breakfast, took a shower and proceeded with throwing away some more stuff and then some internet browsing, mainly throug blogs dedicated to house decoration, DIY etc. I wish I could be so creative...but I guess this is something you either have it or not. You vant really "cultivate" it. I think I am creative, but up to a point, not as much as I would like to. However, I am determined to grow a serious hobby this year: i will try to develop one of those that I already practice from time to time: jewlery making or painting. Let's see how that one goes.

I also watched "The ugly truth" and made me thinking. Not serious thoughts though. More like"what do I have to do to finally seriously attract someone and get a bf at last because I cant stand anymore the celibacy". Obviously I shouldnt take seriously the advice giventhroughthe film to Katherine Heigl, because in the end it is obvious that there ruels like that do nt exist for relationships, but still...I think I have to improve a bit more the "visual" part. OK, I have shed quite a few kg's during the last year and admittedly I look much better: thinner and more toned body(though there is still way to go), clearer skin, healthier hair (decided to give up on coloring, highlights that had made my hair very very dry and damaged and just keep my natural color, which everyone says is great), softer skin-it is crazy how much body milk I have used during the last few months...and I love the wholeprocedure in applying creams etc after having showered:)

So what is there more to do? Well...

1. loose some more weight: should really commit to that while I am still in GVA and going to aqua gym classes, because it helps so much and I dont know if in Athens I ll manage to fond this kind of classes...

2. better make up techniques when I go out: not 3 layers of foundation but at least put more accent to my eyes, whenever I do it (like 5 times per year) everyone notices and loves it!Yesterday I tried it and I got "hit on " n the street three times in a matter of few hours, wow!

3. clothing: I have gone a long way those past few months, having used less my jeans and all stars and more ballarinas, skirts, dresses and normal trousers...but there is always room for improvement. I think I should invest this year in a pair of tight jeans that show off my ass, maybe a pair of winter ballarinas and a couple of mre feminine tops. Oh , and definately winter dresses and maye another pair of boots. Bags I have already enough and anyway guys dont notice that. Maybe consider another coat, because the one i bought from nice things last year is already a bit worn out. I hate that: it is such a pretty coat, I paid expensive for it because it is hand made and exactly because it is handmade and so delicate in a matter of few months it was already worn out...grrrr:(

Not sure if those steps will bring any change to my non exisitng love life, but I have nothing to loose...To be honest I feel much more confident lately that something good will come pretty soon. I also believe that I have changed a lot and I am ready not to repeat mistakes of the past, ie cheating, emotional fuckwitts, comfort relationships etc. Finally, when I compare myself with other girls (which I know I shouldnt do because everyone is unique blah blah blah, but I just cant help it) I dont think I am missing anything. So what are you waiting for my "prince"?Where are you?

That said, there is a cut eguy in the office, M. from WGEID and this month, since G. is on holiday, I am working with him. Well, what I have to do mainly is quite boring but at least I will have an excuse to regularly talk to him and who knows. We already ahd a coffee on Mondy morning so that he would expalin me how to clear the backlog of Sri Lanka cases and it was so nice. He's quite young so we discussed about missing home, the internship, his master etc. And the other day I was walking to work and had my mp3 on so wasnt really paying attention to the rest of the world and he came up and talked to me and we walked together to work. He is very friendly,smiling etc and not formal at all, but I doubt there is nothing more to it, i bet he is like that pretty much with everyone. So doubt anything is going to happen in my 3 last weeks. Still it is nice to feel the need to dress up for work because I have a cute supervisor:)And having coffee with him Monday morning really made my day, even my week!

Back to Athens...soon

I just came back from my vacation on Greece two days ago...I didn't really want to come back to Geneva, I loved being chez moi, I had really missed my family and my friends, especially my family!However, it is only for one more month: I booked this afternoon my ticket and I am flying back-for good-on the 1st of September:)

While I was on holiday I also did some job research and it paid: I probably have a job as soon as I go back, I will be a lawyer in training at a law firm situated in Kolonaki, classy!I am still looking for something more HR related, but I dont mind working for a few months there, so as to start making some money finally...Problem with working with HR is that everyone is asking for volunteers, very few people are willing to pay you to work for them so my research regarding HR NGOs is not very encouraging so far:(

Next step, after I have a job, is getting an appartement of my own. Either renting a new appartement or moving in my deceased grandmothers' house. I think I would take option B if I could choose, because that would mean that I would have a huge appartement and no rent:)

I am not sad that I will leave Geneva, I think it is enough. I liked the experience of the city and loved th einternship, but that is it, I dont feel I could spend more time here...And anyway, all of my frineds are gone, only Carmen is still here.So I am feeling a bit lonely in the office and I dont feel like Geneva ha sa lot more to offer to me.

I am excited about moving back but in the same time stressed about HOW I am moving back. Too much stuff. It is out of the question that I will take all of my stuff on the airplane and my uncle can take back only so much bagage...So, the only solutions are the moving companies or the post office. I am starting my research tomorrow!

45 life lessons

I found that one on facebook...so inspiring, perfect thoughts to start your day on a Sunday morning!

1. Life isn't fair..... But it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your live to others.

You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.. But the second one is up to YOU and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time........ "Time."

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it NOW.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a "gift."

********

Thank God the week is over, it went by so fast but it was really exhausting...

The SR went very well and I discovered that I am able to take notes much fasterby typing them on my laptop than by writing it down:)

But oh my god, six hours of note taking by day, its exhausting!And then on Wednesday I had to do the WBN, not to mention that all day I was thinking of who is going to deal with the UA inbox. I know, its not my repsonsibility, i am supporsed to help out J when he has to much staff to do, but he is always "overwhelmed"with somehting else...Seriously now, he is very nice and I like him much more than my other team members, but I am started to think he is a bit slow...Every time it is his turn to do the UA inbox he asks for my help and I end up doing it all alone for the whole week...And I am too shy or stupid to tell him that it is not my job to do it all the time and that I am supoosed just to help him out from time to time, not the other way around.

But this week I had to be at the meeting so I had no time to do also the UA inbox and the other intern who was supposed to help out didnt do it finally(grrrrrr),so on Friday there were something like 200 +mails in the inbox and tomorrow there will be an additional 2000...And J said that "he will help me out". WTF???Like it is my responsibility and he will help me to catch up the paste...no,no, no!Fuck he is the assistant and I am the unpaid intern, but I think I care and work much more than him.

And my boss...oh my boss...I dont know if I hate her yet or I am getting increasingly frustrated with her behaviour. Ok, she is always polite and says please and thnak you, but I can tell that she is just being professional, she doesnt give a damn about me. Iam the intern in the entresol and she only taks to me when she has an assignment-usually a stupid one-to give me. Never cares to give substantial feedback, have a coffee with me, ask me how I am doing, she completely ignores me. Even this week, I was every day in front of her taking the god damn verbatim notes and she completely ignored me. I never get introduced to anyone, I fell like a stupid secretary who wouldnt be able to do much more that type notes and copy/paste stuff...

I should know that I am better than that, but I am not the most confident person in the world and this situation is not helping me. When see her rigid, dry face I just want to shout at her. But I cant obviously. The only thing I can do is to ask her for a coffee to give me feedback and then I ll ask her for the mail of the guy who came from Brookings Institution. But even if I do so, I am afraid that she will tell me I am too small and unimportant /not qualified to have a chance with geting a job with Brookings.

Sometimes I want to go home sooo much, cant wait for those 2 weeks to pass...

And on a more pleasant note: yesterday we went at Carmen'splace to have brunch and then I did my grocery shopping at a french carrefour, I had missed it so much...swiss SM suck , they are small, expensive and there is no variety at all:P

Highlight of this week: I got my digital camera back!!!!

Oh, and yesterday I caught up with my job applications!There are still quite a few organisations etc where I want to apply and I need to get some letters of reference, but every day I get new ideas about where I could work and who I should contact. Problem is I dont feel confident, I dont even like what I wroe for my internship report...now I wish I had delayed in giving it in, so I would have some time to take a better look at it. What is my mote going to be? And will anyone take me seriously as a professional?OMG, I feel like a child still...

s1ngle

I have no problem being single, but why does everyone else have to be in a couple?

The other day we were discussing with colleagues about othe rinterns in the office and we realised that about 85% of them are ina couple, actually very few of us are single.

I keep hearing that having a relationship today is difficult and everyone wants to fool around. Then why do I feel that everyone around me is happily in a couple? Friends that before never had a relationship, while I was going easily from one relationship to the other, are in a stable couple over the last years and I am...well... alone, although I dont like that word, I prefer to call myself single. Alone reminds me of a sad spinster with many cats but single makes me think of sex and the city, bridget jones and fabulous situations:)

I try to tell myself that if there is nothing coming then it is because I should be free the moment my prince will appear. I almost believe it in moments of euphopria or of extreme consumption of alcool. But in moments of solitudiness, like the last few evenings, I am not so sure. I am afraid that I will utterlz becoe completely miserable by the lack of bf, a person that no one would be able to stand.

But I will not!

Maybe I should focus on being single and fabulous and the rest will follow. Its the perfect moment to do so. I finished studying, have entered pretty much working life andcan finally fit again in my skinny jeans, that I havent worn for the last 6 years, ie since I was 19 years old.

I just miss positive thinking. But I am working on it.

No more sulking for being alone!

No more going back to ex's!

No more asking my friends to set me up!

No more complaining that I am feeling lonely!

More book reading!

More bike rides!

More blogging to get it all out of me!

Less hanging around people that make me feel uncomfortable!

More pampering myself!

More focusing on my dreams!

More travelling!

More focusing on stuff that I wouldn't be able to do if I had a bf. like aqua gym class!

And here are some fabulous fotos from last week's party for the interns of Palais Wilson:

too many questions and no anwsers

So. Lisbon was great. Magnifique. I felt in love with the city. Then again, I also loved Brussels and the Hague. Hell, I even like Geneva.

What I have been doing also the last twelve months is pretty awesome. I finished law school, God knows how much I was afraid I would never ever end. I did my masters on human rights in Strasbourg, so I got to go back to France, which is something I was thinking since my erasmus year. And now I am doing an internship at the OHCHR-if someone told me even lastOctober that I would get this internship, I would laugh. No way that they will take poor old me I would think. But they did and now I am there every day, from 9 to 6.I have also travelled quite a lot: Tunisia, Strasbourg, Geneva, the Hague, Brussels, Lisbon, Spain, all in the last 10 months. I have met hundreds of people from all over the world. I have been living alone, meaning far from my family(nothing wrong with them, just as some point you want to leave home).I am going three times a week to my aqua gym class right after work and my body has improved a lot lately, it starts to good really good I think. I even ride a bike and go for brunch on Saturdays.

Everyone who knows me even a little bit, knows that this is pretty much the image that I had until very recently about how I would like my life to be. OK, for the image to be perfect, I would also throw in a mac notebook. But even without the mac notebook, I should be happy, satisified. At least more satisfied than I am right now.What I am missing??

What is good about spending a lot of time alone is that you have the chance to think. A lot. And deep.

I miss sharing all this with someone. Not necessarily bf, although at this point(8 months with no sex, kissing, hugging, no sexual activity of any kind, except the one going on inmy dreams)it wouldnt be too bad. I miss also sharing all that with good friends, my friends in Greece that Iknow for years and who are not going to go back home in a few months. Because the other interns here are really great, so were the guys at Stras, but we just spent a few months together. Until we got to know each other, it was time to split...

I miss my family. My parents, my brother, my grandmoter, my oncles, my cousins. And I miss my old and fat cat soo much.

I miss the stability. Having morning coffee with my friends on Sunday inmy kitchen. Ordrinking wine and eating home made popcorn with Magda and then waking up at her place with a terrible hangover. And then going to the beach for some fresh air.

What I have understood after this year, after all this thinking and missing is that it is not important what you do, but whoyou do it with. The persons you have with you for the road. Maybe it is not such a discovery and maybe you knew it all along. Maybe I didn't reinvent the wheel. Maybe if I had asked someone they would have told me that eventually all this doesn't matter if you feel lonely. Or maybe everyone needs to go through all this on his own to discover what really matters. Maybe this year was above all about growing up. Not about studying or starting to work, but about finding my way through life.

Maybe I needed to go through all these emotions and thoughts and different situations to realise that I dont want to live outside Greece. That I love too much my family and friends. That travelling andbegin and end with a perfect CV. That travelling around and having photos to upload on facebook and show your friends does not make your life better.

Maybe I just needed to do all that so as not to look back later and have all those "what if's?". What if I had travelled more?What if I hadn't been afraid to move around Europe to study and work?What if I had left the security my bf offered me to search for someone that would thrill me?Fortunately I won't have all those what if's because I did all that. I decided that I was going to miss my friends and took off for Strasbourg. I did not get back with my ex, although he could offer me safety and calm, because I want to feel butterflies again. I was not afraid to leave Strasbourg to move once again and get a good internship.

Am I happy with my decisions?Yes. Maybe the university I chose was not the best choice I could have made, but there was no way I could have known that when I applied. And often I am frustrated with my boss here at the OHCHR. And when I think about my ex and his new gf(that he met through me) and the prospect of running into them in Athens, I feel nervous and pray that they will split up before that happens or that , better still, i will have a bf by then and I wont care for stupid things like that. But I dont regret any of those decisions. Had I not taken them, I know that inthe future I would be miserable.

The question is: where do I go from here?

And another, less philosophical question: do I try dating this guy that I think he likes me and may ask me out soon?I am not sure what are his intentions, but he has been quite flirty lately through sms(lots of travelling for both of us and we havent been able to meet in person a lot during the last few weeks). I have never thought of him as a bf, but I definately like him: he is funny, kind, sweet, extroverted, intelligent, a great friend to sum up. And I definately need to cheer up a bit, even for a few weeks. And if it doesnt work out, no big deal. It's not the first time I am actually starting to get used to it:)

So...

To date or not to date?

ha!

What a productive weekend!

First of all, I finished my internship report, yeah!Well, my landlady and a colleague at the office are proof reading it and I have to add a couple of paragraphs, but it is essentially over!I ll sent it by Thursday and then I m over with studying, for good!I mean , I have my university deegree, pretty soon I ll have my masters deegree so its safe to say that at least for the next 3-4 years I am over with exams, papers etc.Now all I want to do is work, earn my own money and just be an adult:)Maybe in a few yeas i ll be bored and tired and then i might think of doing another masters deegree(maybe IHL..that would be nice..)but...I wouldn keep my breath about it!

I even managed to start applying for jobs and paid internships, last night so I am already on track.

All I have to do this week is send my report, work (it seems a slow week at the office) and on Thursday pack my stuff for Lisbon-we are leaving with Veronique Friday early in the morning, so that means i have 3 days of vacation ina wonderful, warm mediterranean city!!!I just need to remember pack my bathing suit, sunscreen and also find a one use camera, as my beloved ixus is currently being repaired, for a shitload of money i guess...Or maybe i could ask alex to borrow me his kodak.Although I would NEVER do that. But i can try.

Some more "great" news: the gorgeous guy finally replied today. I f he wasinterested he would have replied at least until Frday, so I kind of had my anwser already. But still today when I saw his name inmy inbox i completely lost it. I just yelled at Veronique at the other end of the corridor to come and funny thing is that she immediately understood what had happened. I made her openthe email and i even asked her to delete it and not tell me what it said, i was THAT stressed.

The reply was very polite bu tin the same time for me it leaves no doubt that it is a clear no. I had asked him out for a coffee during the weekend and he replied that i can judt pass by his office whenever i want. So he'e either playing stupid or he is realy stupid and he didnt get it. But I hardly think he is stupid, i only like smart guys:P

So now at least i know and i feel kind of relieved. Honestly, i didnt think i had any chance to go out with him, but i m proud of myslef that i tried and had the nerve to clearly ask him out, it is so not me i think!

Now...passo al prossimo, whenever that might be. I have been thinking lately that there is one person every year that i like in a romantic way. For 2006 it was my french boyfriend. For 2007 another french friend(remained just friend unfortunately). For 2008 it was nejmeddine. And for 2009...the gorgeous guy. So does that mean that this is it for 2009?Do I have to wait until 2010???No sex, handholding and brunches for me during 2009 either?

Shit.

Busy, busy, busy

I guess I have been pretty busy lately, that's why I havent blogged for more than two months.What I have been doing?

1.travelling: Brussels, the Hague and next week Lisbon baby.

2.working: a lot..not after office hours, but quite hard from 9 to 6, sometimes from home on weekends or holidays.

3.going at my aqua gym class 3 times a week, that means every time there is a class at 6.30(I obviously cant go to calsses that start at 12.30).

4.working on my internship report...not too had though, because I m only half way through and I have to give it inby 20 june.Better still it has to be at Strasbourg by the 20th by post...can you believe it???By post?Seriously?Well, this is not going to happen. With a bit of luck and alot of hard work I might be able to finish it soon enough to send it by email on the 20th, but I ll send it by post after I get back from Lisbon.

5. working on an active project, ie bf. Saddly, i dont think it will work out (what should i think after sending him an email on Monday for having coffee this weekend and he hadn't reply until yesterday?)So...passa al prossimo!

6.going out after work: there is one place to be in Geneva in the summer, after the office: la terasse.Its a small open air bar which serves Heineken, wine etc in plastic cups-the best part is that it is on the lakeside, there is a lot of grass to sit on, you can even bring your own drinks/food etc of you want and there are tons of people when the weather is good.

7.cycling: i conquered my fear and i m now using my bike from time to time even though I still have no helmet.But Geneva, is not a very bike friendly city I think...I felt much more secure and confotable cycling at the Hague (oh yes, i did that also but that's another story)

8. turning 25-two weeks ago, while I was in the Netherlands, it was the most special b-day ever:)

sunny weekend ahead!

The weather is definately getting better, the sky today is awesome, i m so happy i have made plans to go out later in the day-that way i have no excuse to stay in and pretend that i am studying or doing something really important and urgent that keeps me from going out the entire weekend.Its lame but i do that every single weekend since i arrvied here, bad habit i need to quit right now:)

Did all my laundry yesterday, watched some more greys anatomy and the final ER episode..I used ot love it but I have missed toomany seasons, actually maybe half or more of the total number, so it was quite hard to relate to yesterdays episode...i barely knew half of the characters and the acting, well, i didnt really like it.Not to mention the script, the photography, the editing...not at all as it used to be back in the good old days. To sum up, it sucked-i just watched it because i used to be abig fan of the series and of noah wyle, who is still very very cute:):):)

Today i wrote my cover letter for the masters in paris i m aplpying for, now i just need to buy 2 enveloppes and my dossier is ready to go...though i still dont know if i want to go to paris next year.hould i go to finish my studies completely and maybe try finding a job there also?Or should i go back to greece because i really miss it and at some point i should also pass the bar exam?Taking a year "off" like that maybe would be a good idea, continue with talian courses, maybe also start spanish, find a not very demanding temporary job, move out of my parents house and figure out how i want to continue with my studies....I am clueless, i dont know what to do.

Anyone has a piece of advice advice or at least an idea how to decide?

home alone...again:)

Important things tha happened this week:

1. my wonderful office mate went back to cambridge, since her internship is over and she has a PhD to present and a fiance who is waiting forher...The next intern is arriving on Monday normaly-thank God because I hate being all alone inthe office.No one to talk to, to go eat with etc.Teah ok, there are the other interns, but it's different i think when you also have an other person in the same room.

2.I got addicted to Greys Anatomy.seriously addicted.i watch, like, 3-4 episodes on a week day after i getback from work.

3.I subscribed to the gym next to the office and i went to my first aqua gym class which was awesome!!!the 6 month subscription was quite expensive for greek standards, but then again, i have access to all the gyms of the same chain and to all the services they are offering:they also have jakuzzis, saunas, pools, solarium and powerplate-that's my chance to look reallyt hot by june:)

4. i figured out how to use the  machine to do laundry:P

5. the couple is gone once again so it is just me and the cat.however tomorrow i m meeting some couchsurfers to visit the city-never met them, but it's better than staying in and watching greys...anyway, wemeet early in the evening, so i have time to clean the house, do some more laundry and watch greys anatomy:)

6.the last 24 episode was really boring, i couldnt wait for it to finish and go back to good old meredith, izzy, george, alex and mc dreamy.

7.the book i had ordered from amazon arrived in like 2 weeks-i thought it would take 1 or 2 months, that's what they were saying in the confirmation email, so i was really excited to find it in the letter box today!

8.i went to office today looking very...professional:)my h&m high waisted grey trousers got quite a few compliments, i think i ll start getting dressed like that a bit more often, although i m definately more a jeans+all stars kind of girl...my mother would be really happy to see me dressed like that, maybe i can try the"office" look when i go to athens...

9....which wont be next week because airtickets are too expensive and it's just not worth it for five days:( 

10.found a beauty salon and took the big decision to go for waxing, get it all over with, i m not a baby, shouldnt be that afraid of the pain.And u know what:it hurt less than the previous times;)

(not) new in town!

I think i can say now that i m officialy not new in town!I completed a month in the new appartement and 4 weeks at job...so i guess i m getting old:)It has been only one month but to me it seems a lot longer, but in a good way...It's a complete change from Strasbourg and I feel so much better here:)

This week i had my first guest, a friend came from Brussels and i will be paying back the visit around the 10th of May!!

We had a great time, i even got a day off to go sightseeing with her...

my friend posing as a mermaid...i think we both gave a good laugh to those passing by:)

We walked for hours, had coffee ina coffee shop named Central Perk(does it remind you of something???), chatted for hours, exactly what I had missed!The rest of the days I didn't get to see her a lot, because i was working, but we managed to go for a fondu with collegues and then to UN drinks.She really liked the fact that she didnt see Geneva as a tourist but rather as a"local" and i like the fact that i have a completely different life to show to my friends!

She left yesterday and now i m enjoying the empty appartment, because the landlady and her bf are off to Berlin and she's not coming back until Tuesday!So i profit from their absence and listen to loud music, talk until late at night with friends and family on skype, leave my door open and walk around in my underwear:P

Today i also cleaned the house, i want her to find it clean and nice smelling when she comes back:)I might buy even some flowers to welcome her.

Speaking of flowers, my great collegue(who is unfortunately leaving on Tuesday:(....)bought me a bouquet of pink tulips the other day, just because!

my desk with the flowers on it and my lovely collegue in the back!

the gift i bought for her to remember me...it's KORRES, a greek mark of cosmetics and bath products, eco friendly with great smells and textures and quite affordable(though definately not cheap)-they are international for quite some time now and i found a shop in the shopping center next to the train station!

I LOVE TULIPS!!And the color..just what i wanted!So i kept them until yesterday at the office and now i brought them home, the y look so ince in my room, in front of the window!!!

my desk at home, the new curtains and the flowers...they are all screaming SPRING IS HERE!!!

Weather today is kind of crappy, rainy,cloudy, though not really cold...but still, doesnt urge me to go outside to walk or anything...I should be soing some exercising, but what kind of?And where?Still havent decided if i  m going to subscribe to the gym...and their website is in german and cant find where i can switch the language to see the ser

vices and the prices:(

Today might be a good day though to go to the beauty salon, for the waxing i ve been thinking about for months now:P

I found a salon near my place, the lady seems nice, it looks clean and for Geneva the price i think is ok.I have been postponing it for ever because i m afraid of the pain, but i think i m having a shower in an hour or so and going there to get it over with already.

I am waiting for spring to come, put all my winter clothes in my suitcase and start wearing happy colors and my spring shoes!My friend left me 2 small gifts before leaving:the pink curtain, to match my green one ad a pair of bright red ballerine peep toes!I love them!!!

my spring shoes...

kiss+tell

It just came to me this morning.I know what I miss the most all this time that I dont have a boyfriend.

I thought I missed sex, but that's not it.

I mis kissing. Deep passionate kisses.Hours of deep passionate kisses. That may or may mot lead to having sex.That's not important.

I miss kissing someone to say goodmorning or good

night.

I miss kissing someone in the middle of the street, of a film, of a diner.

and my favorite hollywood kiss...

TGIF!!!

I think its pretty much the first time in my life i thank God it's Friday...and i dont really mean it, its not like i m really exhausted, its just that i start appreciating the little things, like weekends when u dont go to work, or days off during the week:)

the third week at work was great, i think i only made one (ONE) mistake at work and it wasnt entirely my fault...Next time they consider telling me vaguely to "follow the request", maybe they should think about telling me HOW to do it!

i m almost done with the statistics 2008-alli have left is to learn how to make charts and its ready!i ll work over the weekend and try giving it in on monday, so that i can take the day off on tuesday and visit the city with Irene:)I m so happy she's coming:she's arriving on Sunday and will stay until Friday!I will be working for most of the days, so i ll be seing her mostly in the evening, but i have already arranged for a fondue(the same i ate today with cecilia-tasty, cheap, great view and cute waiters) at bains des paquis!She's also bringing some much needed nescafe-(they dont have this brandt here in Geneve, unbelievable!

si non..whats in the program:today i definately have to go out inthe morning or aorund lunch time for a quick walk or some jogging, i am seating on my ass all day for the past month and its getting too much.i m not a very athletic person, but i enjoy some physical exercise and sweating a few times every week...last year i used to go to the gym 3-4 times per week and walked around a lot, i really enjoyed it and after gym class i felt very well, i dont understand how i did it this year and have quit almost every kind of exercise:(

i definately have to finish my key scarpetta novel and read my new economist issue(but why did they send it double???i hope i dont have 2 subscriptions...i better call them tomorrow to figure it out...).Maybe i can go do some reading at "saveurs et couleurs" or at starbucks, accompanied by a good coffee:)

Most imporant of all:read word 2007 for dummies, in case there are instructions about making charts.or is it in excel i have to look in?shit, i dont have excel for dummies...

copy+paste

Today I entered already my 3rd week at work...I am still not tired or fed up with working 9-6, but we have a long way to go until end of august:P

What I actually have to do in a regular basis(meaning at least for the next 3 months, then i can change unit if i wish to)is far less intelectually stimulating than i thought and hoped for in the beginning.

I mean first week was very cool because i went to the HRC session and then i wrote a report on the HLS, but since then it has been mostly copy and pasting texts that desk officers send me, sending mails for the website update(eg "under Country X,please remove the visit of the SR on food fromthe forthcoming visits column and add it under the visits undertaken column" -u get it now?) and trying to understand what my supervisors are explaining me in like 5 seconds like i am supposed to know that stuff since i was born...Plus a couple of them have impossible accents when they are speking english, so i dont really understand what they are telling me and i just nod stupidly, then i rush through the few papers with info they have given me to understand what i have to do=more time to do the actual job.

I make quite a few mistakes-as my mother very well knows and never stops to remind me i make stupid mistakes because i work too fast and i am careless, well, mom, you are right!(i am only admitting that to this blog, i will never utter those words again:P) and they are still patiently correcting me and pointing out to what i should be paying more attention to, but i think my testing period is almost over and they wont be sooo patient during the following months of the internship....

But once i get used to their way of doing the WBN or the website update, i think my job will be quite boring-now i only have the adrenaline rush because i am not sure if i m doing everything correctly and i am waiting for someone to tell me i am stupid or slow or both..hmmm....

I have met pretty much all the interns, everyone seems nice for now but i get the feeling they are not doing much together after work.I mean they have been working together for about 2 months now and they dont know basic stuff about each other.Shit, i hope it wont be the same with me, i desoerately need some social life for the next 6 months!Not to mention some sexual activity...I saw a cute german intern today,but he's leaving in 2 weeks, bad luck:(

Good news:i finished almost decorating my room!I went to casa and to IKEA this weekend and bought some pretty but cheap stuff to add , now i am just waiting for Irene to help me hung my new green curtain!!!I think i have done a pretty good job with the colors in the room, green, pink and beige much very well with the wooden floor and the big window and the rest of the furniture:)

Those are a few of the items that have squeezed their way from IKEA into my room:

Extra storage box for my shocks:)  Extra polka dot pillow(i love polka dot this year!) for my bed !

1.A nice rug in soft colors and 2.the perfect cover for my bed!

      

Greatest of all:my sort of closet for clothes, it is actually easier to chose what to wear inthe morning if u have it hanging out all day in front of you-i know notice sweaters and dresses that i didnt even remember they existed:)

                

A really cheap mirror in 4 pieces for everyone ot arrange them as they wish:i placed each piece under the other just behind my door and that way i have a body mirror to check my outfit in the morning!

What do u think?Only thing missing now from my room s a pretty flower pot..wondering which kind of flower...something that can actually survive in a room...tulips?cyclamines?nut i am sure for the color:pink, it will match perfectly the lime curtain!

Yesterday was greek kitchen night here at 29, rue de la servette.I made stuffed tomatoes and peppers with soem feta cheese to accompany it with:)Well it wasn't like my grandmother's but stilll...lucky me, i had made extra stuffed vegetables and we didnt eat them all so i took what was left today at work...i mean, the food at the restaurant is really great and cheap for geneva standards, but if i eat there every day i will be very soon fat and poor:P

I am just sticking to buying a coffee per day or a pain au chocolat sometimes, but i have to cut backon that also,So i have brought my own instant coffee, chocolate cookies, tea and my heidelberg mug-the interns have a small corner with a boiler and differnet kinds of coffee and tea to serve themselves.We are all unpaid so no one expects that we ll be willing or able to always buy food or coffee from the cafeteria/restaurant:hence the microwave oven to warm food in tupperware and the boiler:)

But the chance to spend some money AFTER work by having drinks/coffee/whatever with your new colleagues and socialize is always a great oppurtunity, so last Friday we went for a drink after leaving the office at cafe des arts!!!It's one of the coffee shops/bars i had set my mind on, it's on rue de paquis, really close to work, great decoration and as i learnt a quirky clientelle;)

cultural shock:they dont have nescafe in geneva!They have instant coffee yes, but not the brand nescafe..so weird...i will be running out of nescafe before friday and i am really frustrated, i hate it when i cant find the same exactly brand, i get confused.Maybe i ll ask from Irene to bring me a couple of big packs of nescafe from Brlgium, hope they have some nescafe overthere,grrrrrr!!!

This weekend i also managed to take my eyes off the laptop screen and i started readinh a book:it was about time, i have about 7 litterature books waiting to be read, not to mention all the documents for my internship report, economists, le monde diplomatique and so on...i get tired just by thinking of it....What i started reading isnt the greatest novel of all time, its more of a crime novel from patricia kornwell.i had discovered her 3 years ago in rouen, but ever since i had forgot the existence of Key Scarpetta and Pete Marino...until i went to emmaus in Strasbourg and i found one of her books for 50 euro cents...so i bought it! now that i ve started reading it i just cant put it down. i even took it today to work in case it was another slow day.but it wasnt' so i didnt get to read more than a couple of pages.When i got home, i was thinking of spending the night onmy bed, reading the rest of it...but when i reached for it in my pink longchamp..i realised i forgot it in the desk's drawer at the office,merde:(

So that's how i ended up blogging ce soir...

ps oh and excell sucks-today for the first day i had to work with it and i just cant get it, it is so frustrating...and i think i will be doing nothing but putting numbers in excel working sheets for the next couple of days...

athens voice

i ve been watching this evening several episodes in a row from a greek series that was on tv last year.its called beautiful creatures and i think it started like a wannabe sex and the city(but adapted to athens culture)and has ended up much different...in a good way:)

there are so many shots around the city and i feel so nostalgic watching it...i thought i hated athens and that i wanted to live anywhere but there, but the last few months i have realised that maybe there is no other place i d rather be...now what i have to do is to find a job there, preferably related to human rights, so that i dont have to stay here -ok, i like geneva a lot, but athens is HOME SWEET HOME, nothing will change that!

i miss coffee on sunday morning with my friends, walking down ippokratous strees, searching every thursday for athens voice, the city's best free press, strolling aroun dionysiou areopagitou street, walking the streets around syndagma...

and that's what it started it all:an episode inspired by the "hearts in athens"which ws in the city last january...that's the heart -star of that particular episode...i found it in my pictures, as i had taken fots last year of as many hearts as i could:):):)

lovin'every minute!

First week of working is over and weekend is here to wind down a bit...

it's getting better by the day:i love the city, the internship, 

my desk at the office(yes, i have a desk with a pc and a phone, personal email etc), my "roomates", the black cat-although this last few days i m this close to throwing him out of the window, he keeps complaining for something in his own language...

Yesterday T and K (roomates) invited my to a birthday party of one of their friends.It was really cool because the friend is about 60 years old but she is not like the 60 years old i m used to seeing in Greece.Actually, everyone at this party was quite...irregular.They were all very artistic and active and kind of crazy,though the majority of them wa

s at least 55 years old.I guess i met the "boheme" genevoises:)

K is also alittle onthe crazy side, never married, with a daughter who has a baby and she is also not married, K is living now with her bf, T, who is 6 years younger than her...When she was young she travelled a lot, mostly latin America, and even now that she is retired and 66 years old, she s still very active and, well, crazy!T is much calmer, i think it's what they say, opposites attract...

There was a really hot guy there yesterday, about my

 age, wish he would have talked to me...Anyway, i didnt stay around much, i left around 9.30 because i was soooo tired and i also wanted to enjoy the house all alone, it s not that often that no one is in the house.I start to miss those moments in Strasbourg when I was all alone in the room and didnt have to care about making noise etc:P

Today the weather was once again beautiful, lots of sun and clear blue sky, so i went a big walk, to discover a part of the city.I went around the quartier des paquis and then the pont du mont blanc and then down town, where all the fancy shops are-by the way, as soon as my laptop needs to be replaced(though i hope it wont be very soon) i m so getting a macbook, i went by the huge apple store and i fell in love all over again with them...i 

would love a mac air but it's way too expensive:(

I grabbed a bite at a brazilian sandwich shop at another lovely quartier de geneva(eaux de vives) and then headed back home, but first stopped by payot library.Bought 3 novels that i have been wanting to read them for a veeery long time, a dictionary for legal terminology and a book on international law, i spent a lot,m but i think its worth it!

And now, almost 10 o clock, i m enjoying the empty house:took a bath, cleaned up a bit, progressed with the room's decoration, now i m e

ating a green salad while Tango (the cat) is sleeping on my bed and trying to figure what should i do next...write some postcards to send on monday on my way to work or watch a film on my laptop?God bless mininova, i can choose between slumdog millionaire, the reader and revolutionary road:)Last week i downloaded and watched twilight(cant understand why all the fuss about) and confessions of a shopaholic, malheureusement i only found the french version of this one...

K and Tango:)

first day at work

...or actually at my internship!today was a great start, even though i had to pass from all the un buildings in geneva(there are 3!)more than once in a morning, to get my badge..but now i got it and i wear it proudly around my neck:)

the coolest part is that i got to attend a HRC session!the not so cool part is that at some point i almost fell asleep while taking notes, i could barely hold my eyes open-i hope no one saw me do the embarassing back and forth with my head, but i doubt it:P

my parents also left, tomorrow they are flying back to greece...i m a bit sad, but i have started getting used to it...anyway, i ll try going back for easter and if not, definately during summer.And i think in september i ll go back home, unless my life changes dramatically here, meaning if i find a bf:P

Geneva!!

Change of city once again! It's been 5 days that I arrived at Geneva and I m loving it, a lot:) We did some excursions with my parents around, Chamonix, Megeve, Annecy etc and everything was fantastic!The nature, the cities, the food...i hope i can still get into my black pants for tomorrow...

I havent visited the city a lot, but the old part and the cathedral and the lake are just awesome!Today i went with my "roomates" at a very cheap restaurant with a vue on the lake-which gathers hundreds of persons on sundays appearently-and we just had a tea(as of today i am officily not eating anything for the next...2 months), watching the rainy weather, just perfect! Luckily, all the previous days there was anamazing sun so i didn't mind much the rain today:)

Such a big change from Strasbourg, i think we l get along very well with Geneva!

Tomorrow is my first day at work...bonne chance a moi:):):)

I just love no-borders-Europe!

I left Strasbourg yesterday at 9 o clock, took the train to Geneva, arrived there around 2pm, saw the appartement, booked it and by 5pm I was on the train to go back to Stras...

No border control , no passeport checking, it's amazing-i still haven't got used to that!

Only great news those past few days: exams are over, my ex responded very positively to the mail i sent him, i found an appartement in Geneva for a great price...what else do I want???

My parents are coming next weekend to help me move and i have prepaired the list with what i want from Athens:mostly my summer dresses and shoes, though i know i wont be able to use them until late june:P

Super stressed

Today is my last exam, maybe it will my last exam FOR EVER!Except if I choose to do another masters' deegree (higly likely), but still, I might be over the whole studying and passing exams thing...it's about time, it's been 7 years since I entered higher education:P

Normally, when i finish exams , the next moment i start to ...do absolutely nothing for the next few days. This time this is not an option.Tomorrow morning I am catching the train to Geneva(dont u just love Europe, each country squeezed right nex to the others, no frontiers...) to go search for appartements/rooms to saty for 6 months, during my internship. I am staying just one night so i hope the appointments i already have to look at houses work out well.

I have to come back saturday night because B is leaving for the Hague on Sunday (for her internship at the ICC) and we have to have a goodbye night all the friends together:)And anyway, I am not willing to freeze my ass off in Geneva for more than one day, i heard that the temperature on Saturday will go as low as minus 14 celcius deegrees...that's unthinkable, in Greece right now its 17 above zero:P:P:P

I am super stressed about fidning a decent place to stay, no, not decent,erase that, ANY place to stay...everyone keeps saying that it's very hard finding accomodation at Geneva...i am starting to believe them.And all those scam artists waiting around on the internet for innocent young interns searching for a relatively (hey, its Geneva, noting is cheap!)  to rent, they dont make the situation easier,grrrrrrrr. At least , i heard back from one student residence...it will be my absolutely last choice, but at leas there is one room available for me:P

I really have to learn to control my stress...yesterday i just couldnt calm down, i watched 24, i ate dinner, i ate a sandwich, i drank a glass of wine, i watched another series on my pc and nothing would calmme down...then i went upstairs to A and we talked and then i started calming down...i ll miss her a lot, with whom am i going to talk to in Geneva?

Shit, once again i have to make new friends...i am getting sick of it.

Few things that I have learned this past semester

I can ride something with wheels without getting killed or hurting other people-in this case, my beloved first bike(yes, first bike at the age of 24:P)

I can feed almost entirely on soups, salads and boiled vegetables just because i am too lazy to cook normal food.

How to perforate an A4 sheet in 4 places, not just two, because sometimes u need 4 holes, it's so simple!

I can survive without Cosmo-instead,i have discovered the wonderful world of The Economist. 

I can finally score a great internship(in my case the OHCHR in Geneva!!)

Whatever is french is not automatically great:(

How to search for an appartement in Geneva -unbelievably hard:P

Email and facebook addiction do exist and they are knocking on my door...

I can go through the whole month just with 20euros of credit on my cell phone-a remarkable achievement, thinking that in Greece I spent about 45-50 euros per month!

Maybe I dont want to live forever outside Greece, I  already miss terribly my family and friends...and the greek sun.

I can drink as muchas 3 cups of black, strong coffee, even inthe evening, and still go to bed with no problem at 11 or 12.

It's an awesome feeling to openthe mail box and find letters and small gifts from loved ones:)

Sometimes someone doesn't like me for no appearent reason and there is nothing I can do about it, i just have to put up with him.

Addiction to gossip sites (perezhilton.com  and eonline.com ) exists in my world for the 5 last months.

I can spent many days in a row without spending a sent, even if I leave the house.

I hate being all alone in a room/house for more than a few hours.

...And that's it!Wonder what the next semester in Geneva will teach me...