Category: Work
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Put it in a box
All these beautiful and amazing people that I meet, get to know, spend a lot of time with.. and then have to leave. I am only now realizing that my time in Copenhagen soon is ending, at least for now.
As every time, nostalgia kicks in and I realize how fast things change, how much I’ve learnt and how I will be missing many parts of it.
The importance and value of what I am doing and have experienced before is relative and sometimes questioned. There will always be that one person telling you that you could have done things differently or should have expected more from something. Sometimes that person is you, sometimes somebody external. Whoever it is, it is worth remembering that disappointment isn’t what your choices deserve as they are originally yours and deserve to be loved for what they have taught you. It might seem like a naïve approach, but it allows to in a constructive way appreciate those very significant lessons, details, memories and insights that always will be yours to keep and use. And that also will help to guide future choices.
What I wanted to say is that I’m listening to the wonders of Brian Eno while packing my bags to go abroad for the holidays. I am not leaving Copenhagen yet, I will come back in January so there is still lots of time to appreciate and enjoy. Both this wonderful city and the unique people that I spend my days with here.
What is ending, however, is the year. And once again, it’s been an amazing one and I have both learnt and enjoyed tons. The person who keeps insisting on trying to convince me otherwise will from now on be kindly asked to take their annoyingly negative mindset and put it in a box.
It’s on.
Experience
We have this tea here in Denmark called Yogi Tea. It always comes with these cheesy little notes and today I’m kind of liking mine.
Another thing worth mentioning is that this exam that I’m studying for is highly competitive. Despite that, people that have never met before are sharing notes, ideas and advice online. Selflessly helping each other out.
That’s quite exceptional, don’t you think? I have gotten to know some really great and intelligent people through this and I really wish them all the best. They are the kind of people the UN system needs.
Now, let’s do this – one day left!
inside-out
You know that feeling of when you are studying for an exam and it feels like the actual questions will be about something you completely missed?
This time I kind of have to know everything so the feeling is more prominent than ever.
Whatever the case, I have learnt things and I have tons of random conversation-starters for those dinners where people insist on being dead-serious.
But, I mean.. IAEA IATI IASC UEAI R2P NPT ODA LDC IDA MPI ..oh, and did you know that malaria was eliminated by Turkmenistan and Morocco in 2010?
Now you do. Good night. :)
Where’s Waldo?
click for full-screen
We finally got the group photo from when the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited us here in Copenhagen – can you see me?
Friday
World Citizen no. 7 billion
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark opened the “Welcome World Citizen no. 7 billion” photo exhibition in the town hall of Copenhagen on the 9th of November. Copenhagen’s Mayor of Culture and Recreation, Pia Allerslev, and Denmarks Minister of Development, Christian Friis Bach, spoke about Denmark, sustainability and the growing world population. UNFPA’s director, the incredibly friendly Safiye Cagar, presented the latest State of World Population report, entitled “People and Possibilities in a World of 7 Billion“. I realized that the Danish Minister of Development is as charming, funny and well-spoken as the Crown Princess of Denmark is beautiful. And I have to admit I like him just a little bit more as we share the same last name.
The exhibition, organized by National Geographic and UNFPA, will be open for visitors until the 19th of November, and if you live in Copenhagen you should really try to stop by – it’s very good. Click here for more details.
Click the pictures for full-screen
