The Princess Diaries..

Monday 11.11.2013.

New week, new desiciones, new beggining.. Any new place is a great place for the new beggining. And it's not about "finding yourself" (I don't like that phrase even it sounds cool) it's something more simple. There is the quote that explains it very good : " We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." Everything we want to change in our behaviour, habbits or mindset is much harder when we have people we know for a long time around us and that will every time we try to implement something new in our life sabotage us with saying something like : "c'mon, we used to do this like that whole our life, why do you want to change it now". New places and new people are perfect for new begginings because they don't know how we used to behave before and for us it's easier to implement new things we want. And then once when we return "home" from our jurney people will tell: "Ohh, travelling changed him/her but actually that change came from within the person that wanted to change. I started with some little changes here and I like how it effects my life. For example I decided to be more efficient and not to lose time on pointless things. I also tended not to finish things I started once I got bored with them, now I'm trying to be person you can rely on, person that finish things that once started. I'm looking at my motivational billboard I made few days ago ( that is also one of the things I wanted to have since few years ago but I was delaying to make one ) and I feel something amazing is about to happen.

Tuesday 12.11.2013.

Yesterday I spoke with Ivette.. she is my brother's friend from Guadalajara and she is helping me to find a job there even I never met here in person. Life is very funny.. actually the funny thing started last year when my brother decided to take an highschool exchange. He dreammed about year in US and applied through Rotary Club. His second choice was UK and third choice was optional. I was joking and told him to put Mexico as a third-optional one. On the end he was chosen for Mexico.. totally unexpected. And my first choice for internship was Argentina but I changed my mind after speaking with Sara's father (mexican girl that my parents hosted in that exchange). So now, four months later, my brother is in Croatia and Im in Mexico, speaking with girl I've never met in person, that is doing her best in helping with finding a job in state where I want to move. It is beautiful how pieces are just putting on the right place when you really want something.. you don't have to know from the beggining how excatly to make something.. Its enough to wish something that hard that it feels real and it will somehow become true.. life is beautiful :)

Wednesday 13.11.2013.

I received his message today. I was thinking about him last few days, actually every now and then I remember some of moments we had together. Do I miss him? Yes. But with the time I learnt how to let the things go. We didn't spend enough time together to really meet each other but those moments we had were so special. Week in the middle of summer seasone while I was working in the bar where we met. I'll never forget this meetings.. coffees after my fifteen hours shift, half sleepy half awaken and his beautiful smile. After a week he had to go back to London but he told me he will come to meet me after the summer. He kept his word and came few weeks after I stopped working. Four amazing days..time, people, nothing didn't exist. Only me and him, and even now when I'm thinking of us I can't remember any topic we spoke about. Like nothing was important, only those magic moments we stole from eternity. Then I went to Mexico, first few days we were in contact every day and than with the time it was more and more rare..and today after a month I received his message again. He miss us.. and for some reason I can not answer him back though I still keep our picture. I miss us too, Oscar.. a lot

Thursday 14.11.2013.

I'm on my way to university, morning crowd, some spanish rap is playing. Today and yesterday is cold like never before since we are here. The sun is rising and I'm incredibly happy. "The only difference between fear and excitment is your attitude about it." I have three weeks more till the end of project here, three weeks to find a job in Guadalajara where I want to move. Everytime I start to worry about it I remember that last year in this time I had a job and apartmant (ok it wasn't my dream job but at least I had safeness) and all I dreamed about was excatly this I have now.. lot of fun, adventure and no plan! This shift in perception is crucial thing.. from fear to the excitement of that level that you want to scream.I remember how excited I was after watching a movie "Into the wild" two years ago, and here is a quote from it I have in my mind since I met Cristopher McCandless : "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." Axel is finally coming tomorrow from bussines trip.. week without him was so long and wierd.

Friday 15.11.2013

Axel is here :)) Three of us is having a lunch together speaking about news that happened in days he was on trip.  Day was nice and lazy, Elena and Axel went on a party and I stayed at home watching "Breaking Bad" whole night. It's interesting, first two seasons I watched while I was volunteering in the Netherelands and now six monthes later I continue with wathching it..in Mexico :D Life is funny, everything you want in Mexico you can get in half an hour.. life is good ouu jeaa :D

Saturaday 16.11.2013

Another lazy day, its rainy and cold. House is clean, I took the shower and think that's the best feeling in the world. We supposed to go on temazcal, but we stayed at home watching funny videos on youtube. Sometimes I think the only reason I like the rain is that I can stay at home and enjoy in doing nothing without feeling I'm missing something.

Sunday 17.11.2013

We woke up late, it's warm and sunny. It would be a pitty to stay at home.. we call Sergio to go somewhere. In one hour he is at our place,we have a plan. Little town near Aguascalentes called Calvillo. He called his friend Pepe to join us.. it was my type of good Sunday. We met new place, had an ice cream, lunch in a nice restaurant an few drinks in cool bar called "La Catrina".Salud for nice week-end! :)

 enjoying the sun..

meeting new people, trying new things.. cheers for that! :))

hay hay yayai canta y no llores :)))

Saturday night.. elena and me just arrived from downtown where we spent whole afternoon. It was a beautiful day full of laugh and fun with no special reason. We had a coffe in a bar where a group of few guys was performing music. It was so nice to see how much they enjoy while playing.. and we were enjoying with them :)) I was commenting that one of those guys is very interesting and Elena already had a piece of paper in her hands writing my fb contact XD  We live only six weeks together but sometimes I think we can read each other's mind. So even my first reaction was "no way", on the end I gave him paper with my name and received paper tissue with his contact. Scene like one of those from the movies..

guys playing great music

I finally bought styrofoam for making inspirational billboard. That was one of the things I always wanted to have but somehow all the time I was delaying to make one. So now I have two :D I found a perfect spot in our newly decorated living room.. love it sooo much :))
Relaxed week is behind us.. in wednesday we went with our students on tournament to support basketball team. They were great, we had so much fun with them :)) And on our way there singing, laughing, joking like it usually is in buses when going on a trip :D

Cielito lindo.. our favorite song XD

UTR basketball team :))

And yesterday we were on birthday party of our student Lalo.. again I expirienced warm and welcoming atmosphere of mexican family. It was a great party, with lot of tequila, spicy gringa, delicious food and karaoke :D

 happy faces :))

and more party XD till police came.. that was a sign to go home :)

El Dia de Muertos, Corrida de Toros, Temazcal ritual i svasta nesto..

Here is the list of things I noticed in Mexico in little bit more than a month since I'm here:

-mothers are bosses

-children are obedient, they respect their parents and have strong relationship with them

-beliefs in witches, ghosts are part of tradition

-men are gentelman

-corruption is on high level the same like in my country

-food is very delicious

-tequila is imperativ but most of people here prefer mixing it with soda (I like shoots)

-the difference between rich and poor is big but there is still middle class ( even there is a picture of Mexico like a country where middle class doesn't exist, at least I was told like that)

-children are more connected with family then in my country and usually live with their parents until get married

-there are no bus stops, you can take bus where ever you want by waving to bus driver in order to give him a sign you want to take a ride. In the beggining that was little bit difficult because you have to remember how the place you have to go out look like instead of only remembering the name of place.

-water is not good for drinking

-fruits and vegetables should be disinfected with special drops before eating it

-public transport is not very comfortable but neither dangerous like I was told before.

-girls do not have a habbit of drying hair after washing (Elena and me also took this habbit :D )

-there is a lot of natural pharmacies here so since I'm here I didn't take any painkiller, only natural medicaments.

-there is a big health issue of fatness in general

-being late is very usual and normal here

Last week we were invited on party by our friend Vlado. It was my fault not listening carefully that party was something like bonding after meeting that members of new association of bull fight's fans have. So Axel, Elena and me entered in bar, Vlado was there with his boss and other members. Since I entered I felt so wrong, seven-eight bull's heads were looking at me from the walls, there was a traditional toreador's clothes exposed and lot of people around the big table eating and drinking. When it's about emotions and feelings I'm like a child- it's impossible to hide them. So I sat down trying to smile politely and thinking that in this situation it would be the best to talk about something else but bull fights, otherwise I will have to express my opinion and that wasn't really the best place for it. But I heard the sentence that slapped me.. something like I like the bulls that's why I became member. If you love animals you can not watch how someone is hurting them-was my automatically reaction. And then another one: bulls do not feel pain while fighting for their life because of hight level of adrenalin. I really didn't want to have discussion there so I stopped it with sentence that everyone has a right on opinion and my was that bullfights are very cruel thing. The rest of time spent in that restaurant I was angry on myself that I didn't listen better where was I invited. We finally moved in another bar, with a great music where we met a girl that works in same university as we and I cheered up. When we arrived home I spoke about it with Axel and knowing that he shares my opinion about bull fight's made me feel better. He has that ability.. to fix things, to make you feel better.. he is our guardian angel :)) In friday we went on university to see the the altar's competition. I expected to see some simple tables with traditional mexican things but students made real performas. It was like a theatar and they put a lot of effort in preparing this event. It was amazing.

Later that day we went on our student's party. Samuel invited Elena and me on his uncle's fiesta that was organized regarding to "El Dia de Muertos" (day of the dead) that is very imprtant celebration in Mexico. We had great time with his beautiful family and friends.. we met his cute daughter Ashanti and his adorable sister with whom I spoke whole night on my bad spanish. XD The next day I went on temazcal with Axel and Sergio, Elena was sick so she stayed at home. A temazcal  is a type of sweat lodge which originated with pre-Hispanic Indigenous peoples in Central America. In past it was used as part of a curative ceremony to purify the body, for healing the sick, improving health, and for women to give birth. It is currently used in that part of world as a cleaning of mind, body and spirit. The ritual lasted around six hours, and during whole ceremony we were praying and trying to stay focus on things we want to achieve. Part of ceremony was also consuming cactus peyote, sacred cactus that was used by local Indigenous people in their rituals and ceremonys. It's very difficult to describe it to someone that wasn't participating in it. I can say only that it was very special experience and I will repeat it two weeks when it will be organized one reserved only for ladies. :)

 when we arrived..

 before the ritual started..

 praying for our brothers and sister on north, south, east and west..

when we arrived home :))

nothing deep.. just Cervantino XD

No deep thoughts this timeXD only pictures from crazy weekend in Guanajuato where was the fair last weekend.. Cervantino ! set of crazy people, with mucho Agua Loca while driving to destination.

So friday night, bus supposed to leave at 7 pm. Elena and me were late, like always.. trying to catch the cab that will drive us to place where we should meet other people and praying the bus will wait for us. We were late 5 minutes, running to the place where bus supposed to wait for us. Almost no one is there, everyone is late, we are happy. Laughing like crazy with our new friend Vladimir, trainee from Slovakia and explaining him that we are so lucky we took internship in Mexico where everybody is late.. othewise, if we were in Germany probably everyone would hate us becuse of being late.Vladimir is our new friend and he knows lyrics from Mišo Kovač's ( one of the most famous croatian singers ) songs. Vladimir also understands me when I say: "u pi*ku materinu :D I enjoy in diversity but having a person with whom I can screem : "svi pjevaju, ja ne čujem.. nikome se ne radujem.." 10 000 kilometers aways from home is priceless :)))

So bus was late for 2.5 hours which wouldn't be a big problem that after few mintues of driving we didn't stop for more than an hour.. and than again and again.. bus was broken :S Didnt know if I should be more worried about the fact we still didn't leave the city at time we already supposed to be at our destination or because of people that seemed to me that even didn't notice we are not moving.. Elena reminded me of my favorite quote: "Happiness is not destinatin, it's the way" and I chosen to stop worry about something I can not change. I joined them in drinking somethig that is called "Agua Loca" - mix of different types of alcohol with something that tasted like Nescafe :D Actually you can't taste the same Agua Loca two times because there is not a recipe for it, you just put everything you have in :D Crazy party bus where was alowed to smoke, dance and drink.. at one point I started to think we are waiting because maybe there is a disco ball broken so they are tryig to repair it in order to give us the full hippie experience :D

We finally arrived in Guanajuato around 3 am, left baggage in house where we'll sleep and went to downtown. Thousands of people walking the streets, all bars are full, everybody is happy. In Saturday during the day we visited many beautiful places and heard a lot of amazing stories from history. Actually Guanajuato looks european because it's colonial city and though we were in middle on Mexico all the time I was expecting to see the sea behing next corner. XD Night was again reserved for partying. Sunday night we arrived home.. happy, tired and full of impressions Elena and me decided we are coming back in Guanjuato in two weeks. :))

when we arrived..

getting ready for going to sleep

 just walking around :))

 we found beautiful restaurant with veeery delicious food

 and again walking around..

 sightseeing

and more sightseeing..

amazing night.. and I got the rose :))

we saw beautiful things and heard great storys from history but still not everything.. that's why we are going  back for another adventure next weekend :))

If we don't change, we don't grow.. If we don't grow, we aren't really living

Listening Alejandro Fernandez and drinking tequila while waiting friends to pick us up.. its friday night. An hour ago I received beautiful message of appreciation from a person that was a guest in club where I worked this summer.. got really emocinal about it.  And more than ever I'm sure that no matter what you do you should do it with passion. Being a waitress, being a teacher, cooking a lunch or simply listening someone always give one hundred percent of yourself in thing you do or don't do it at all. 

p.s. thank you for nice memories Daniel :))

After a great triumpf over Panama Mexico lost from Costa Rica but US won in other match which means Mexico still have chance for participation in World Cup in Brazil.. and I have no idea why I'm writing about football, I was never a fan of it.. however I had a great time while watching the matches :)) Things are changing, life is changing, we are different.. If someone told me few months ago that I will enjoy in drinking beer with tomato juice,salt and salsa inglesa I would tell it's crazy :D there are some great things about Mexico and one of them is that men are still gentlemens.. there is no way they will allow you to carry something heavy and they are still opening the doors and let ladys to enter a room first.. like it a lot :))

And speaking about being a teacher .. if someone told me that I will teach at some point of my life I would tell it's never going to happen.. honestly, I always thought teachers are most boring persons on the world and if I'll ever have to teach that will mean that my life is the equally mediocre and  boring as their. Even when I applied for project, I wasn't really aware what Im going to do in Mexico. And because of that attitude my change is even more unbelievable. I enjoy in every second I spend with students.. my students :)) Whatever I write it's not enough to describe how amazing they are and how they make me feel.. last week one student invited me and Elena at her home. Her mother prepared us a delicious mexican dinner, we met her father and sister..and little nephew.. we were just walking around enjoying every moment. Thinking about happiness..what is necessary to make other person happy? Not much: a smile, a nice word, a hug.. giving yourself without expecting something in return-think that's the key. Too often we are doing things because we expect we'll get something in return, and if that doesn't happen we end dissapointed. Relationships, friendships, families,life.. our actions motiveted by things we expect to get instead of simply giving and enjoying in fact we made someone happy. Sometimes think that we forget how simple life is. 

Speaking about how great my students are, here are some pictures of typical mexican food they brought me on class.. how not to love them :))

Week finished with beautiful weekend in Leon with Sara, her family and friend Arturo. Last year Sara was on exchange in Croatia in my parent's house so we became sisters :)) It's amazing how in July we were all in my small city Nin in Croatia, celebrating my brother's comeback from Chihuahua and Sara's last days in Croatia.. and now, three months later I met her again, but in Mexico :)

And while finishing this post Elena is getting ready for "salsa night".. we still didn't find dancing shoes, maybe this weekend in Guanajuato ;))

never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life

Love my first week in Mexico. It was a week „longer“ then it usually is.. And I’m recalling memories from childhood when days, weeks, months were so long. As we grow up it seems days are shorter, weeks passes so fast and we didn't even turn around and a year is already behind us. One of my favorite actress once said: „I don’t like studying, studying is boring. I like learning, learning is beautiful. “When we were kids every day we used to learn a lot of new things, we were full of impressions. As we getting older we are used to do things we learned. We stop asking questions and paying attention on everyday miracles around us. We don't hear the birds, we don't feel the sun and we don't smile to strangers. We get so busy making a living that we forget to make a life. New city, new people, new environment gave me opportunity to remember how it feels to have long days again.. and these days were amazing. Since my first day in Mexico I feel so natural and blessed with people I have here.

With some things I immediately fall in love: celebrations without a special reason, we are alive, it’s enough: D chili Habanero, already can't imagine a meal without it.. beer with tequila and delicious Mexican food. I love  Mexican food soo much!!

 And of course people that I meet every day and make me extremely happy. With my roommate Elena I feel special connection from first day we spent together.. we already have awesome plans for future, one of them is buying a cute little car called "vocho" and we want it in blue color! :D  

And when our friends asked us if we want to join them on trip to Mexico City in Saturday morning we didn't need time to decide  though we arrived home from crazy salsa night only few hours before.

Five of us, pick up car and crazy adventure began.

After that weekend I know 3 things: Mexico City is beautiful, I love Mexican families, though picture says more than 1000 words nothing can substitute experience.. Salud for that!

the best things in life are people we love, the places we've seen, and memories we've made along the way

Two weeks since I packed clothes and started my journey in Mexico. It wasn't a random desicion but you're never completely ready you know.. somewhere I've read that If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives.. and I didn't want to wait anymore. A lot of people spend energy in trying to get rid of all their fears or doubts instead of accepting them. Actually you win every time when you don't let them to stop you in achiving the things you dream about.
So here I am, living my dream in beautiful city Aguascalientes.. drinking  famous mexican Corona after spicy dinner and thinking about days that passed. What do you like the most about Mexico is question I often hear.. and my answer is always the same: people. You have no idea how amazing you are guys. Last week one of my students brought me chile he grown.. and I was thinking woow, that student noticed I like spicy and brought me chile in order to make me happy. No words to describe some feelings, and they 're the best one. And then again I think how it's all about small gestures and ways we show care about other people.

Can't finish this post without sharing great text one very special person shared with me..and if you are able to understand this words I belive you understand purpuse of life. Everything is happening for a reason  and every struggle in our lives shaped us into the person we are today..

XXX

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty; to provide you with guidance and support; to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on. Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it. It is real. But only for a season. LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. — Unknown