Those who can, do; Those who can't teach.

I was watching this afternoon a random movie (don't even know which) but I liked a lot the end of it, when a student tells his teacher (after receiving an invitation to be a speaker at one of its courses) the line from the title.

This line made me smile, because last year, during the exam there were discussions with the HR professor from University regarding the steps in recruitment. And although other books were stating differently, she didn't want to accept other ideas but the ones she had. At the end she told us that instead of trusting HR managers and others involved int he HR area, we should trust the teachers who are doing research and issuing theories. Of course, at that time being in the situation to almost fail the exam (because of my opinion), I couldn't tell her anything, but in my mind definitely there was something similar to the tile of this post.

I was positively surprised in the last month that some deans of universities in Romania had the good idea if inviting specialist from different fields to teach for the master degrees, admitting that it would be more useful to have the practical experience, rather than the theory especially for a masters' course which is not so general. Really a pleasant surprise. Now I only want to see it happen.

Despre ASE

(un post frustrat, deci daca esti intr-o stare buna si vrei sa ramai asa, mai bine nu-l citi)

M-am hotarat, cel putin ca sa ma descarc, sa imi spun off-ul pe blog, pentru ca m-am saturat sa fiu tratata ca ultimul om intr-o institutie care se considera (pe nedrept) de prestigiu.

- m-am saturat sa mi se tranteasca usa in nas
- m-am saturat sa nu mi se dea informatii telefonic, sau mai rau sa mi se ridice telefonul si in doua secunde sa fie inchis la loc (ca vreo secretara frustrata e obosita) mai ales atunci cand nu exista informatii pe site
- m-am saturat sa stau la cozi si sa respect un program imbecil care eventual mai e si o data pe saptamana (studentii de la Masterul X au program la secretariat doar joi de la ora x la y)
- m-am saturat sa ma decid la fiecare inceput de semestru ca un anume curs nu merita atentia din cauza profesorului si a modului sau de predare (Se intampla mai mult decat frecvent)
- m-am saturat ca toti (ok, aproape toti) looser-ii care termina ASE-ul sa devina profesori (ma afecteaza in mod principal ca sunt profesorii mei).
- m-am saturat sa studiez materii care nu ma ajuta deloc doar pentru ca vreun taran care ar trebui sa lucreze pamantul (judecand dupa jeg-ul de sub unghii cu care s-a prezentat la examen, poate chiar asta face uneori) vrea sa devina mare cadru universitar in ASE.
- m-am saturat sa cersesc atentie, hartii, informatii etc

Oare cand va fi si ASE-ul asta o institutie care isi va trata cu respect studentii? Oare cand secretarele isi vor da seama ca sunt acolo pentru studenti si nu invers? Oare cand...? Oare cand...? Lista continua la infinit.

Stau si ma intreb, daca in mijlocul unui program ar trebui sa renunt sau ar trebui sa mai suport inca un an cu aceleasi atitudini...

Cred ca si speranta o sa moara inainte ca "fabrica de bani" ASE sa se schimbe.

Moru

p.s.: si totusi trebuie sa recunosc ca in 5 ani s-au schimbat doua lucruri (cam putine zic eu pentru 5 ani, da hai sa nu ii demotivam)

- nu mai exista taxele infernale de la fiecare inceput de semestru si din perioada restantelor. Si-au dat seama si academicienii ca in lumea reala (in care ei sigur nu traiesc) se pot face si plati on line, si la ghiseele bancilor si mai ales fara a fi nevoit sa fii client al bancii care probabil cotizeaza cel mai mult la ASE
- nu mai trebuie sa stai la coada la secretariat sa iei formularul de restante, pe care paoi sa il completezi, dupa care sa il duci la loc sa il semneze, dupa care sa platesti restantele, dupa care sa il aduci din nou la secretariat (v-am pierdut pe drum? asa se pierd si studentii pe coridoarele ASE-ului cand sunt trimisi de la un birou la altul)

Counting to "n"

About two years ago I attended a sales training and not a lot of information remained in my mind since then, but a thing about sales and motivation of sales people definitely did (it is not exactly the quote but it is the general idea):

"You called/had a sales meeting once and the answer was no. You called/had a second sales meeting and the answer was no. You called/had a third sales meeting and the answer was no... think that until 100 there is a long way, and be prepared to get 99 "NOs", because the 100th will be a "YES"."

I want to think that 100 can be replaced by "n" and that "n" is 99,(9)% of the times much "<100".

Not all the times when you got a "NO" is the end of the world... you are just one step closer to YOUR "YES".

Moru

p.s.: special dedication to the part of THE TEAM that is not matched YET

Dreaming with the eyes wide open

I'm still in Bucharest, with plenty of free time, and while reading other blogs I realized mine is not updated.

A lot of things cross my mind these days. Things about the present, and mostly about the future, in such a way that sometimes I feel I am not living the present but constantly making plans for the future.

Present

I'm not very comfortable with it but I am trying to make it as nice as possible. I will start today dancing classes and most probably I will have a lot of fun (or provide more fun for the others? :) ) At the same time I am trying to pass all my exams I have left, which is definitely not an easy job (I guess I am no longer used to learning for school and more than this I realized the courses that I'm taking are not really the ones that I want and like... important discovery, after all). The best thing about all this period is that I can meet more often dear people and some are even visiting Romania in the next few weeks (a good thing since I made a commitment to myself that I'm not going abroad anymore until I know what I will know my next final destination).

I guess I learned a lot of lessons lately, or at least I've been through interesting experiences. I got my first "no" (see Cata, I got it :) ), I made choices that had no way back and although I know I cannot turn back time, I am content with these choices. I guess it was time to assume risks.

Future

Still a question mark. I realized that I am applying for internships without being sure of what I really want and I'm waiting for the day when I will have to learn my lesson. I guess something that can satisfy all my requirements there isn't... yet or maybe there will never be. Sill, I am not sure if what I want is really what I need or what I should get. The only problem is that I get the feeling that soon I will be all alone here, because everybody seems to be leaving. So I am still searching and applying, but at least I am not tired yet.

Moru

A year in Provence

Try an easy-to-read and "delicious" book about the daily life in Provence region. And if you see it anywhere in French please let me know :)

Happy and lucky

Even in my last post I was complaining about my situation, feeling insecure about the future, abut my plans, about life in general. I guess my feelings were too negative in the last period because a stage in my life is going to change and changes never made me happy (yes, I don't like adventures, I don't like risks and I don't like changes... not that I don't accept them, I just don't like them. I can handle them, but I don't like them).

Still, talking to a dear friend today, I realized that everything that I ever wanted came true (and if it didn't than it means that I will still live until all my dreams will come true)... So why won't this happen now? And guess what, it's not that I am going to change my plans according to the events around me, but I am going to strive for what I wish the most: to do what I want, where I want. And even if this is not going to happen, I am still going to strive for it, and it's gonna happen one day, one way or another.

I realized that I am happy... Could be better, I won't deny it, but I am happy. So I am going to start showing this. And if anybody ever dares to question my decisions, I will take the time to explain them. Although I never made them public (why do that? just to show off? no thanks) my values and principles have always been the ones that guided me and I am feeling good because of that. And whenever I did something different, in the end I wasn't happy, I wasn't feeling more fulfilled, I wasn't feeling good at all. I can picture my life the way I want it to be, and there is no compromise that I am going to do. I don't believe in a lot of things the others believe in, but there are two things certainly I believe in: ME and MY DREAMS.

Thank you my dears (you know who you are) for everything: for questioning, for challenging, for believing. And thank you Nona for having trust in me and for helping me and more important, for standing me the way I am.

With love,
Moru

I make God laugh by telling him my plans

I am going through a very tough period in which I am thinking about the different choices that I will have to make or that I might have to make (it's not tough only because of this but uncertainty makes it tougher). I use my free time to imagine the future, to see exactly how I want it to be, although I am convinced it will not look as I see it now (the title of the post says why) I had one of the best conversations yesterday... with myself... and it answered a lot of questions and dilemmas... Still not all. but it was a good start.

I am almost at the end of my term in the MC (yes, 3 more months, but I can call it almost at the end) and I have to decide upon the next steps. And the first choice was made: no more @ involvement... but now what? A job? Traineeship? Both? None? :) (I guess the last one is not an option although being a normal student again (was I ever?) would be as challenging as getting used to live in Africa :) )

A lot of people think that I have the clear image of my future... Do I? What if something is not as I want it to be? How do things change? What would be the image then? Still the same? I guess not..

Would I be happy to stay here and work? Can I find the internship that I want? Would be the country important? Would be the company? Would be the JD? Would be my friends? Would be my family? Would be my comfort? Would be feelings? A lot of questions without an answer. And still, I might have to give up some of these... But which ones?

Something has to change...
Moru