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"Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever." - Disney A happy man, that Disney person. And this is one of my favorite quotes, that's where I find inspiration. Stealing from other people's wisdom, huh? Anyhow, I don't talk about myself at all, if you would like to find out - you'll have to figure out how, on your own... Take a Chance [on Me]!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Deo Mene

Sada sam u toj nekoj fazi ni na nebu ni na zemlji. Dovoljno uzivam u realnosti, ali znam da bih trebala da pocnem da planiram buducnost, sto I nije tako lako – uzimajuci u obzir okean mogucnosti koji tek treba da otkrijem. Stvari se jednostavno nadovezuju jedna na drugu…  Ko sam trenutno I sta bih volela da budem. Sta bi mogla da pisem za diplomski? Da li hocu odmah da radim, ili se pripremam za master studije…? Jedino sto je kristalno jasno u mojoj glavi jeste da hocu jos putovanja …. Cak I na ovom putovanju, pronalazim mesta gde bih stvarno volela da se vratim I provedem vise vremena upijajuci kullturu. Toliko toga moze da se nauci od ljudi na ovom brodu, u svim ovim mestima, gradovima, zemljama…. Koliko smo svi slicni, toliko smo I razliciti. U danasnjim dnevnim aktivnostima (najblize dnevnih vesti na brodu) bio je I citat Maje Angelou (Maya Angelou):

Mozda putovanja ne mogu da sprece predrasude I stereotipe; ali cinjenica da svi ljudi placu, smeju se, jedu, brinu I umiru moze docarati ideju da ako pokusamo da razumemo I saslusamo jedni druge, mozda cak I postanemo prijatelji.”

Sve ovo vreme na brodu, I svi ovi novi ljudi naveli su me na razmisljanje o tome kako mi uopste gradimo prijateljstva. Kako je na pocetku sve glatko I perspektivno, kako se svi razumemo I podrzavamo, svi smo otvoreni I spremni da pruzimo pomoc u koliko je ista potrebna, svi se povezujemo na toliko razlicitih nivoa. I onda kada pocne ono pravo upoznavanje, ukljucujuci I niz malih, najsitnijih vrlina I mana – onda se naidje na zid. Da li je zid na tvojoj ili mojoj strani, nema veze. Postoji. I smeta. Blokira dalju komunikaciju jednostavno. Tako da cak I da je bilo nade za to prijateljstvo, sad je vise nema, nestane I ljudi se jednostavno udalje I vrate na ono jedva zvucno “Cao” u prolazu; zatim se “Cao” pretvori u mahanje; i krajnja I poslednja faza je onaj klim glavom, tumaceno kao “E”. I toliko… ne kazem da treba svi da budemo BFF’s.. ali do sad mi se toliko puta desilo da na prvu loptu fenomenalno kliknem s nekim ljudima, I toliko. Nikad se vise ne nadjemo u situaciji da razvijemo taj fenomenalni prvi susret. A ko zna sta bi to moglo da bude… Mozda je bas to osoba koja bi mi promenila zivot. Mada, ociglegno nije – cim je “e” uzelo maha, to je to. Ali svejedno, cak I taj jedinstveni razgovor je imao svoj uticaj na mene. Nesto sam naucila, uvidela, skapirala… Na primer, cura kojoj otac gradi naselja po americi se penzionisao – I njegova nova strast su bolesno veliki televizori. Skoro je kupio toliko veliki TV da su morali da razbijaju zid, jer drugacije TV ne bi stao u sirinu. Ona je pomagala da se tv okaci na zid (njih petoro su kacili TV); I cale je hteo da je ubije kad je pocela da sili taj nenormalno veliki TV ka predodredjenom mestu na zidu - zato sto nije bilo dovoljno mesta da se pridje drugacije osim sa prednje strane…. Kakve muke u zivotu…..haos, jel da? Onda, cura koja je toliko bila posvecena plivanju (skokovi u vodu) da nije bila svesna da je polomila grudnu kost! Sve dok se sezona nije zavrsila, kada je I otisla na operaciju, oporavila se I nastavila da skace – nesrecna do bola I od bola jer uprkos svom trudu nije mogla da usavrsi skok. Na kraju je resila da sve otera u pm I dodje na Semester at Sea. Ima I varijanti na temu tipa cura se zabavlja sa momkom od kad su oboje imali 11 godina!!? I veceras je izjavila da ce se osecati uzasno ako ne bude verena do 21. rodjendana (sada ima 19) – danasnja mladez voli da igra na sigurno, ni sekund da izgube? Ha, da, to nije pilo vodu ni kod mene… ili prica wanna be Hju Hefnera, koji seta brodom u svom svilenom kimono-ogrtacu iz Kine, kako on odlucno podrzava sigurni sex i kako se redovno testira na bolesti. Niko nije prokomentarisao Hefnerovu pricu koja je usledila posle price devojke koja se ceo svoj zivot zabavljala samo sa 1 momkom. Suprotnosti privlace, uvek.

Samo mi je interesantno koliko smo svi razliciti, iako delimo strast prema putovanjima I raznolikostima. Jednostavno I definitivno je nemoguce biti sa svakim BFF, iako postoji mogucnost da smo nekad u zivotu imali fenomenalnu konverzaciju. Toliko ljudi dodje I prodje kroz moj zivot, ali samo oni  pravi zaista I ostanu. I bas ti su oni najvredniji, najkvalitetniji I najsjajniji ljudi koje poznajem I koji takodje mogu da kazu da me stvarno poznaju. Jer, ja sam jedna od onih koji imaju Kineski zid ispred sebe kada dodje do dubljih emocionalnih ‘zahvata’. To je jedna lekcija koju sam naucila, tj. Ima ih dve: jedna je da su svi, bas svi ljudi koje sam u zivotu upoznala (prosli ili ostali), znatno uticali na to ko sam ja danas; I druga lekcija je da sam postala svesna razloga zbog kog ne dozvoljavam ljude da mi se priblize I poznaju: tako je mnogo lakse, uzimajuci u obzir moje stalno seljakanje-I razlozi su totalno sebicni, meni je lakse – jer ne moram da se mlatim emocijama u medjuvremenu upravo zato sto je sve dovoljno povrsno da se lako dodje do onog beznacajnog “e” pozdrava. Ali, ovo nikad ne bih ovako dobro skapirala da nisam upoznala ljude koji su u istoj situaciji I koji se bore sa istim stvarima – I ti ljudi, tj ovi ljudi, nemaju nikakve veze sa Sebijom ili Grckom, nego zive na drugim mestima po svetu a poticu iz sasvim trecih – ali znaju o cemu govorim I interesantno je cuti kako svi mi imamo slicne metode ‘resavanja’ tog (nazovi) problema. Iskreno, ja to sada vise ne vidim kao problem, nego naprotiv, kao prednost – jer je moj dozivljaj sveta je daleko flexibilniji upravo zbog svih tih kultura u kojima sam rasla I sazrevala.

Da sam ostala u Srbiji pre 5 godina, velike su sanse da dalje od granice bugarske ne bih videla. I stvarno sam srecna I zadovoljna dosadasnjim tokom mojih avantura. Apetiti su mi se toliko prosirili da sada vise nije interesantno raditi sve sto ostali rade, naprotiv, moj cilj je da ostvarim ono sto niko do sada nije pokusao. Ako je osecaj na mestu, pokusacu, ne vidim razlog za suprotno…bilo da su ljudi ili projekti u pitanju  ;) !

 

 

Monday, February 4, 2013

Literally being a fish in a Sea

Tokyo

23 million people in this city – I never thought I’d say this. But I don’t like just being a number. Yes, it is lit up, fun and exciting; however – it is not a place where I would like to live in. it is perfect for people watching though. So many different people. I just had my camera open, snapping – making videos – so that I absorb that amount of realities surrounding me. It is really an experience to find yourself crossing the street on that main crossroad in Tokyo with lights resembling the Times Square in NY. The people are still directed – all headed somewhere, dressed impeccably. Sharp, toned, and matched together perfectly. It is beyond words to explain all those people compressed in a not so large space, and not feeling stress and rush in the air. The energy of the city was not what I expected. Yes, there were many people, but they’d wait for us lost tourists to pass, they’d listen to our questions and help us find our way – even though they looked like they were coming or going from a meeting. So much business attire – I loveeeee it ! But it was unicolor…..mostly dark colors. Tokyo and Yokohama were like that, but places in South Japan were more colorful and cheerful .. per say.

 

Tokyo main crossing. A sea of people every time. I crossed that street so many times and a rush of excitement hit me every time. SO MANY DIFFERENT people; it is fascinating. Just then I realized how much I actually love people watching.

 

 

 

Just see these pictures and try to imagine. J

 

Day or night – it doesn’t matter. It is one of the best feelings ever.

 

 

Traditions from the orient, in real life!

Is any of you aware of those amazing moments we conjure up in our minds while watching movies or reading? Well, I've done this every single time I'd watch Memoir of A Geisha. And mine came true! I wore a KIMONO and got to talk about Geigi (Geisha).

Konichiwa!

To talk about Japan is like discovering a completely different world. It is beyond anything I imagined – until I actually experienced it, it was hard to explain this nation. I had no idea.

The first day in Yokohama was amazing. But the second day was even more amazing. There is no better way to get to know a culture than spending time with locals.  Japanese home stay, one of the best experiences on this voyage so far. I always have to say 'so far' when I write about new places, because I have no idea what's gonna happen….

Okay, so I woke up – everything scheduled and planned. Breakfast, people going about their plans for the day. I had a 10 am appointment, field trip, a Japanese Home Visit. We were gathering at the terminal, and since it is the only place with wi-fi many people were already there way ahead of time. Wi-fi deprivation can be a huge motivator….to be on time! Anyhow, families were coming to take us and show us Japanese culture for a day. The whole day of exploring – and asking questions to an English speaking Japanese – there are not many of them. This lady was Kozue Tomomatsu. She is one of the nicest people I've met, a volunteer, and used to travel as a marine journalist – taking pictures and writing about whales, that was her job. She was to take us (me and two other girls) to the Komori family house where we are going to learn about Japanese traditions and Kimonos!!!! YES, I got to WEAR a Kimono !!!!! We ate, we chatted, we were dressed by Mrs. Komori who told us stories and stories about Kimono. There is Obi which is the waist belt wrapped around and made into a sort of boa in the back. Kimono is of course a representation of a social standing, but what was the most interesting part is that it is not obvious. Only those who know about Kimonos can figure it out. Also, the silk is different – depending on where it is made. Maiko (19-20 years old girl) is the artist – artist of the floating world. She dances, sings and entertains – the rest is shadows. The back of the neck is one of the most seductive parts of her body. After 25th birthday, Maiko becomes Geigi.  I was getting goose bumps every step of the story. Traditionally, they dance the Cherry blossom dance – Myiako-Odori in April. This is one of the things I want to see in the future. It is still an event taking place in Kyoto. Today, Kimono is rarely worn in public – only for special occasions such are birthdays, weddings, etc. All three of us were not even blinking while Kozue was telling her story. Japanese culture is amazing. They are so polite, patient, kind and subtle. That is their key trait I believe – nothing is obvious, nor it stands out. That is what makes it so mystical and unique.

Kyoto is where all the tradition is – and it is where we are headed to after Tokyo!

 

Things just keep unfolding…. I am so happy and I have no idea how to express myself right now. It was just a perfect day. And what made it even more perfect afterwards was Karaoke with 5 amazing friends, Yuki and Sake…. To be continued…..

 

 

First phase of her dressing me!

 

One of many many ribbons – to make my body flat (good luck with that…)

 

Dream in development…….

 

And here it is….

 

 

Japanese traditional instrument.