It's too hot for Christmas

Friday 23rd December, trying to finish work... AIESEC.net must let me send these messages before I leave the office (so much for hoping for an early start to the holidays).

Pack and get to the biggest bus station in South America (remebering that trains are almost non-existent!)... The buses are late and it is crazy as people are leaving Sao Paulo / passing through SP on to other destinations. Finally, the bus leaves 2hrs late (glad I bought a ticket two days earlier, when there was just 2 seats left!). Onwards to Terrisopolis (in the state of Rio de Janeiro) to meet Lele (Helena) and Sveta. Arrive at what I think is the station, at 7am, get off and get my luggage, but I am in the wrong city. Back on another bus (flagged down by a Brazilian for me!) and onwards to the final destination... Excellent views of the coast as we climb the mountains (every so often you get excellent views from the buses!).

So arrive in Lele's summer house. Small pool, hammocks and all these summer-like things. Go to beautiful waterfalls and plunge pool, surrounded by lush green hills. Amongst the best scenery ever! A fantastic summer holiday place (recall, although it is Christmas eve, it is summer).

But, I get really badly sun burnt, the worse ever. I am red (like a lobster!) and it hurts so much that I cannot even move my arms (it is worse on my shoulders and top of the arms). I cannot sleep as it stings. (travelling back on the bus was painful and boring as I just sit awake all night!) Yes, Mum, I used sun cream. But OK, It was my mistake and I learnt a painfully lesson!

Anyway, so a Brazilian Christmas has the main Dinner on Christmas eve at midnight. So we have a gorgeous meal (Turkey and nut roast, veg, salad!) similar, but also delightfully different to a British Christmas (no crackers). Wine. The family really looked after me! I am very grateful for the special treatment they offered me!

Who reads this?

1,300+ page loads...(average of 11 per day) but who and where and why?

55% Switzerland (Bern, Geneva, Zurich); 15% USA; 5% Canada; 4% Malta... 21% others.

Random people looking for "Brazilian Kissing"; "Crime in Brazil"; "Switz Food"; "Belo Horizonte Football Stadium"; "Amsterdam Torture Chambers"; "Brazil Kissing"; "June Rose" end up at Dean in Brazil!

People visit me after seeing Gudrun's Bog and Caro's Blog (MC together, right??)

I think that's enough useless facts for now?

New Year's Eve. Av. Paulista, Sao Paulo

2005... what was that about?

Jan. - back from Christmas and direct to the Common Induction Review - the results = IT WORKED! (in most cases!) I am very pleased with the way I managed this big change process.
Then MC elections. Memory - Steafan Baumann, Sven Bischof, Myself and Caro Gertsch interview Rob and Lukas for MCP in the UBS office (I get lost on the way there and ask a Zurich taxi man!) Meanwhile poor Gudrun manages a whole conference alone. Welcome 20+ trainees to Luzern with LC Bern... the cold morning on Saturday was one of the worst few hours of my life.

Feb. - Find out that I am going to Brazil! Did we also have a conference in this time (Input?)

March - Go to Rep. of Macedonia with Sabi, Zuzka and Bee. Euro XPros - great to be delegate leader and see @ progressing further!

April - Connect2005 - A great event in terms of results, CK excelled himself! But my low point of the year in terms of MC activity. OGX selection TF (with Monika, AI and T-systems), learn a lot about selection processes and run my last Swiss Task Force.

May - End on huge highs - KICK-OFF, a huge personal focus of mine works very well: home-groups, beautiful site, many tracks, long evenings coaching EB members, Swiss in the world, "my best-self leadership"... the best of AIESEC! Plus, awarded by AiS for activating leadership (thanks!). Then, LEAP with Gudrun, we made a good team to deliver my last (sniff, sniff) Swiss conference. Have to depart early to get my visa for Brazil... nightmare!

June - Arrive in Brazil, transition, after spending just 4 days at home. A crowded house and office, the heat and big city! Set my goals for the year: reaching potential.

July - First team days, first nights out, first Pao de queijo, first Brazilian kiss (joke!). And Verena Arrives.... first kiss in Brazil (truth!).. visit Rio and other places, with the person I love. Meet LCPs at NPM and run mentorship training!

August - LC visits and meeting great people... what else do you want?

Septemeber - see the links (also apply to AI IS strategy meeting and get in!). run first Brazilian TF (first of its kind). Attend Brazilian graduation.

October - Back to the office, run the Conference task force and then go again for 4 weeks! To 2 Conferences, get to see many more people and visit cool people! Attend AAB meeting (an insight into Brazilian "managers"! hehehe!). BBQ season starts.

November - Go to Amsterdam, AI IS TF - great meeting! Then great holiday with two special ladies, thanks girls!

December - CONAL - blast! Great conference and others. Christmas with Lele and Sveta (details to come!)

CONAL 2005 - let the arrow fly!

December 2005, the National Conference of AIESEC in Brazil, in the beautiful Sao Paulo countryside. The site is the strangest conference venue I have ever attended: a holiday park, with swimming pools and a holiday camp train to take us for food. And again, masses of food!

(P.s. what I will miss when I return home: per kilo meals, masses of meat, Pao de Queijo).

Highlights -
Delivering "Leadership 3: how?" Bringing the Emotional Vs Intelligent debate to a conference session that seemed to get people interested also.
"preparing" the MCP candidates (i.e. making them relax before the result with some alcohol).
Awards night (always a favourite at any conference)
PD track which got everyone on the same page and also excited about the PD vision for 2006! With this, yet more confirmation that the BPDF (what?) is actually a very good framework for all LCs to follow.