When the holidays come to the end...

New Year's dinner and time to say goodbye. Goodbye to "our family"(see photo) that was taking care of us (thank you thank you thank you!!!!! And please, visit us in Poland!!!:)), goodbye to all the people from Truccazzano, whose help and involvement was amazing;) goodbye to new friends we got to know there. Goodbye to Milan and Italy...
Way back home, filled with special radio programme ;) tunnels ;) photos, talks and a little bit of sleep ... Lucern that was beautiful in the night time :) Way back home...
This time I am sure this is not "goodbye"... we are going to keep contact, aren't we? ;)

But what is Taize meeting?

I was writing all the time about the meetings, but until now I have never explained what it is actually...
There is a small village in France, where you can go to pray,meditate, and experience the silence. Additionally, once a year the Taize Community, which is ecumenical and international, organises the "Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth". Every year in a different city. This year in Milan.
We sing canons, we listen to the words of brother - until this year, it was Brother Roger. But he is not with us anymore. This year we were listening to Brother Alois, however everyone was thinking of Brother Roger and his Unfinished Letter. Why do we meet? To pray for peace of Earth. To find a little bit of peace inside us, since when everyday we are running, this is a time to stop. To listen to yourself and hear what your heart is telling you and maybe you can even listen to God whispers... It is not catholic, it is Christian meeting, but open to all religions. What I noticed there is that we should TALK, not judge others... We can respect their values and keep ours, with open heart and mind. Maybe not the values differ, just the names for it? Maybe after all the differences are not so huge, and they just make the world more interesting? We should built bridges, not burn them.
This is my third time when I participate in these meetings. And I like it a lot. When I sit in that place, with thousands of other young people, I can feel that special atmosphere, the spirit of those meetings. I sing and hear those songs vibrating in my heart and soul. There is some warmth, and kindness. Joy and a moment of reflection. Noone tells you how to believe, they'd rather make you think and feel. As much as the songs, when I simply am the music there, calming down my mind, I love the time of silence. Because that silence there have a sound of fire. Fire of people's hearts. Just sit in a place with many many other people, be silent and in this silence, just for a second, try to listen to it. And then listen to yourself...

New Year...

Yes Yes, here we are... The last day of the year... The night that is like a bridge between the past and the future. The moment when the time stops for a second to let you think. The let you take a deep breath before you make another step. To let you make a wish. Moment that you can close some doors and open new one... You have a chance to leave what was bad behind and step into "today" with new account, tabula rasa (hmmm... you can have there what was good, a luggage of experience and personal treasures...). So let us make TODAY with faith and hope and love.
I know New Year is just a symbol... And everyone of us can have that "New Year" every day. Every day you can have your New Beginning... It is up to you... For me personally it is every Monday ;)
I want to sum up a bit last year... 2005... Year of many changes in my life... I moved out from Finland, came back home, started studying again (well... no comment ;)), started to work a bit in a field of psychology. I made a little trip inside me and decided to gain some inner peace.
Precious moments? MILLIONS! A trip almost around the Europe with someone, that is one of my personal pearls... Without My Pearls, My Friends, this year would be completely different. You made me laugh, cry, feel that I am alive, living My life. Supporting me, kicking my ass when I needed it, making me think, and appreciating little moments... Thank you for it...
What do I regret? That I don't have enough time for my friends, to meet them, to write them, call them, give them little things... I don't regret anything that happend, since there was a reason for every single experience in my life. I believe it makes us stronger, if we can treat it as a lesson. I am not saying, some of them were difficult to learn, but it comes with time.
What will I remember? Too much to list here...
What else?
I want to wish you Marvellous New Year... Hope 2006 will bring some surprises, hopes, some dreams that come true, some challenges that make you grow, moments of laughter and few moments of tears to appreciate what we are given, to open the eyes for what we don't usually see... I wish you adventures that create memories you are going to share for the rest of your life. I wish you meeting people on your way that are worth dicovering, since are bringing a bit of light to your lives... And guardian Angels that are keeping an eye on you...

Just make the Year 2006 Your Year!

Sylwester :)

When we reached Milan, we decided to see St. Augustin, and then to find some place to eat. Nothing more difficult!! Last day of the year, everything is closed... But after HOURS, we did it, then shopping, some discussions about general beliefs and the prayer, where with Lila we invited our hosts to... I think they liked it. When we got home, there was already a party ;) No no, we need time to make goddesses out of ourselves :) Then a meeting with friends and... A PARTY!!! Dancing all night, making pictures, laughing, crazy people. Really nice atmosphere :) I liked it a lot, and I have to admit it was one of the best parties in Taize I have had :) When we came back home, I was really exhausted... but happy I had a chance to be there :)

The Second Day

We woke up late. Really late... So in a hurry: breakfast "in a little cafe just around the bend" and looking for the chain for the tyres... Time to say goodbye, with a little tear in my eye... Who knows for how long now? Hope not for too long... There are so many places we can meet :)
When I gave Giovanna a hug, I decided to find a group of friends of mine. What happened next? Well, Ola almost sold my tripod ;), we saw the Duomo ( a must!!) and went to the tarrace on the roof of the cathedral. It was damn slippery, and damn beautiful up there. Not only can you see that cathedral is a masterpiece, but also Alps in the horizont, and the city under you... Marvellous! :) Plus the sunset... nothing more was needed that moment...
When we got back to the real world, time to see Ferrari shop (posh posh posh) and time to... eat ;)
Then Fiera and the prayer, where I found my group, and with some of the people we decided to do some night pictures... :) And time to go back home... With our family we were talking with Lila till late late hour, and I felt I was going to die tomorrow... ;)

Day First :)

The morning... no!! too early!! :) I am lazy little girl, I want to sleep sleep sleep... but no... we have a meeting in the morning, and then bus (the only one, as you remember) to Gesatte :) When we reached Milan, my group decided to split up (well, a bit by accident, we just missed the merto the rest took ;)) since me and Sylwia, we were not really convinced if we wanted to see the AC Milan's Stadium... Bad football fan, right? So we got out from the metro station, almost in front of the Sforzas' castle! :) And lovely park surrounding it... With the snow and blue sky and sun... Magnificent... We were walking there for a while, then we went to try the real Italian pizza, and back to the streets of Milan... Little church, little streets... Charming... Armani, Versace, Prada in the Gallery, with prices so high, that I am sure they touched the sky ;) Maybe one day... :) Later on we went to see Pinacoteca and Art... I liked it a lot, and even more that I met a friend of mine, whom I thought I would not see after all in Milan.
When we left that beautiful place, that amazed me, with some pictures still in front of my eyes, I was running to meet... Giovanna!!!! Yes!!! :) Finally I was going to see my beloved Italian girl :) I took her to the Fiera (with suitcases, no comment ;)), that we reached with small problems, but we made it... And after that, time to talk, eat a dinner, watch a movie... We were having lots of fun making crazy pictures (like the one you can see :)) I decided to stay for the night :) Especially that I had a chance to sleep in a room of very famous Italian bas player... How could I miss that opportunity... Pity that I never had a chance to meet that guy, but thank you for letting me stay there :)
So... happy and with my friend close to me, time to have a journey into the world of dreams...

The way to Milan and the very beginning

When you go to spend New Year and five days around that time with people you have never met before, or you don't know really well, you have a right to be a bit afraid. I was. A bit. But curious in the same time. I knew there is a reason for me to go, it only needs to be discovered... We started the trip in the middle of the night, and next day we got to Nurnberg. City I had visited in August, that I don't have the best memories from... I saw a little bit of town then and mostly we were looking for the train connection, bus connection or hitchhiking possibilities to Stuttgart... That time we had our first disagreement with Jaanika, although at the end of the day we were laughing like crazy... Anyway, the city didn't seem to be friendly to me... This time I have changed the opinion a bit. Sightseeing with Ola and the rest of the group was really funny and I had nice time there. And good kebab ;) So definitely everything depends on the situation ;) Anyway, after 8 hours of sightseeing, making photos, drinking coffee, or for some getting to know the railway station ;), time to move on :) Switzerland and then... Italy!!! :) Sunny Italy... Yeah, right! Would you expect that Milan is covered with snow, but not few centemetres... LOTS OF SNOW, and a snowstorm!!!!???? I was a bit... confused when I saw it... Good that I took some warm clothes... So... with Italian way of showing the direction, we reached Fiera Milan around 12, we were divided into groups and we went to see the place we were accomodated... So... we took a train, for one station, and then metro, that reached the destination point after 50 minutes... hmmm... destination point? not really... just a stop... from there another half an hour in the car.. gosh! We were sent somewhere far far away! hmm...ok... let's see what's next... Me and Lila, my friend, got the place in a very nice family, but I turned out to be a small terrorist when I said, that I was not going to eat, I had to take the shower, no matter what! :) Lila was really hungry, so the host lady made pasta for us, thank you very much!! :) And after that... way to Milan for the evening prayer... almost 2 hours of trip... and only one bus that takes us to the metro station in the morning, and one that takes us back in the evening... hmmm... I have to admit, it was not the best news... but after all, whan I look at it now, it was great! :) Will tell you later on why ;)

Time to go... globetrotteuse :)

23.3o. Time to go. Time to move. Time to hit the Road... :) Without Jaanika this time, and I know I am going to miss her a lot, I kind of got used to having her by my side... But time to go somewhere alone, time to visit new countries, meet new people and find a bit of peace inside...
Where? Sunny Italia is waiting... Milan, the city of fashion... this year the city of Taize...
Many of you may probably ask - what is Taize? There is a village in France, where you can go and meet yourself and God. But I have never been there, although I wish I would one day.
I want to tell you about Taize Meetings, that are happening always at the end of the year, to say goodbye to the "old"year, greet "new" one, and pray for peace. Meeting not only for catholics, but for Christians, meetings where you learn how to talk, how to be open, how to meet God in another person. Where you can simply be. Where you can sing canons and listen to your heart. Listen what God is talking to You... Without someone else telling you what to believe in, but with a little guidence how to Listen...
I have already participated in 2 meetings of that kind - in Paris, and Hamburg. When I needed a bit of peace in my heart, time to make the puzzles of my life into some picture... And I found there energy, hope, and faith... sun inside others...
I am curious of this meeting... A bit afraid, since I am going alone, but I feel that I need to go... I will miss my friend, that was with me there those 2 times, Agata, I wish you could be there, but seems that now we are equal and next year we can go together again :)
So time to go. Time to start the next trip, this time not only to another place, but inside my heart as well... Time to have a little bit of time for things that are really important. Sightseeing the city and finding the answers inside me :) Exciting :)
Let's that trip to Milan and hopefully inside me, begin...

The end of Christmas...

Everything what is good has to end once. Also Christmas time. Time of eating, relaxing, spending time with your family. It was really great time for me... I do believe that we talk too much about Christmas instead of feeling them, but it is just up to us. I was thinking about my friends, in so many parts in the worlds. Not all of them celebrate Christmas, everyone is probably doing it in a bit different way... I was thinking about you Guys... How much I wish I could send you my hugs and warm wishes, how much I would like to meet you and tell those wishes personally. Maybe some other time.
Just wanted to let you know, that while eating and watching movies, I had a time to be with you in my thoughts... Sending you the warmth and my love... The Christmas time comes to the end, but I am not going to let those thoughts stop :) I realised that I don't have usually much time to write you, call you, send you message... But I want you to know, I think of you in many moments of my life, with many stories, songs, with the wind that brings some familiar smells, with the stars, with the sun... I keep you in my hearts (you know, those two hearts ;)), whether you are here in Lodz, in Poland, or far away...