Happy new year from Thailand..

Little world of Oxford..

 My trip to Oxford start as me being an exploring tourist and actually ended like I was "one of them".. Them meaning all those University students wondering and rushing around the city, sometimes wearing their gowns, sometimes riding their bicycles, but always with that expressions on their faces that they are serious about EVERYTHING and their general interest in everything around made me deeply reconsider why I am not taking this life more seriously. :) And I mean it. If you are part of the conversation where you have changed the topic from statistics, physics, economy, psychology and stock market in 15 minutes you start asking yourself whether you are in real world or it is all just a dream of an intellectually thirsty soul.. 

And thus I began enjoying Oxford as a thankful observer and appreciator of everything that this city offered. I wondered around the streets to discover famous bookstores, unexpected buildings covered by green leaves and beautiful University Gardens full of colors even on the beginning of December.

 (Btw. Did you know that every college has at least two gardeners and one stonedresser? :) 

 I was shopping extensively, I drank coffee and chai latte in cafeterias to enjoy the rushing mass of people, I tried to fake a British accent which I failed every time (sending regards to all my US friends:) and I indeed was breathing FREEDOM again. Not that I was in prison before :),  but somehow I slowed down and explored and explored..and it was WONDERFUL. Not mentioning the books I found.. 

I had a serious decision making problem when deciding what books should I buy and how my luggage is going to be heavier again.. But I managed it, view some nice books as inspiration for gifts to my friends, I managed not to buy all those nice diaries and notebooks (except one, of course, that is an ultimate diary for me for the next two years, I simply could not resist:) and thankfully I also managed to buy some Christmas gifts for my family. BUT. THE STORY DOES NOT END THERE.

Because being in Oxford and a guest of an Oxford student is a very pleasant privilege since you can access the places that others cannot. And thus I was learning Scotch dances during my first night of the stay with bunch of other Oxford students, I enjoyed Christmas concert connected with Anglican church mass where the famous men choir of Oxford was singing with awe and all people of Oxford were wearing their famous gowns . I was even invited as a guest to their "Harry Potter like" famous dinners when students are being served. (!) I loved it, the wholeness of it and the charm of the tradition that Oxford still holds.. Now.. Which one of you still thinks Oxford is nothing but bunch of pride guys? You are right, but the guys have the reason to be proud, if I were on their place, I would be proud too!!! 

And at the end I would like to thank Maruska, who invited me to join for a while her little world of wonders..

Happy Christmas season everyone, 
I will be in Thailand for the next two weeks, so you can look forward to the posts from there soon :)
Meanwhile enjoy the end of this beautiful year and write your to-do lists for the one that follows :) 

Nothing against Notting Hill..

Well. As I might have said to some of you, one of the most important findings this year was that it is really worth for me to save my vacation for winter days. And as I am still not sure whether my Thailand trip is going to happen, I decided to head for a different direction, England.

And was I surprised how the country changed since  have been there last time. I completely forgot about all those nice cabs that look like from James Bond movie, about driving on the right side, about the accent and omnipresent tweed jackets and leather satchels. I actually headed to Oxford to visit my longterm great friend Maruska who has studied there and is currently working on her Phd. there and whose invitations to come to Oxford I tried to postpone for quite a some time.. 

But as Oxford is totally charming itself I decided to firstly share some impressions from the London´s Notting Hill where we went discovering its famous vintage markets. And we indeed did not expected it will be that crowded!!!  The streets were crowded, people explored beauties of old antique things that were not actually so neccessary to buy, and trying clothes that actually were not that fitting as one would say.  

And thus I am sending you a little messed postcard from one messy afternoon spent in Notting Hill with my two good friends originally from EGJAK (Maruska and Tana), visiting Jamie Olivers shop, browsing the streets of Notting Hill and London and curiously exploring beauties of another European country ...

And  p.s. you can be already excited.. Next time completely different picture story from Oxford will be posted soon!!!

Regards from Oxford..

To be followed by post about its charming atmosphere soon...

Saturdays are for...

I do not know whether all of you had this habit in your families that Saturdays are predestined for cleaning the household.. I genuinely could not stand this during my childhood and when I went to live apart from my parents when I was fifteen I switched to a different timetable and regime immediately. And I hold to that from then on. I tend to clean my apartment during the week, couple of minutes here and there and I keep the promise I made to myself to have some rest during Saturdays. And thus I ended up yesterday, after having some nice dinner at Steak house, rushing at last minute to a bookstore only to finally buy myself something nice to read with intention of trying to stay nailed to my bed full of pillows for as long as possible during the following day. I have to say that normally I do not end up with this kind of literature but the urge to read I felt yesterday only reminded me that I somehow forgot what I studied on University. Psyche, the human soul and behavior.. I think it is time to start educating myself again. I almost lost this urge to search for deeper knowledge. Apparently, we can all loose ourselves in the routines of every day reality. Let´s all try to stop for a while from time to time, so that we can check where we stand and where we are going..

Láska cvála..

Láska sa vydáva na cestu,
uháňa sťa jazdec, tak ako prišla.
S tufovou tmou v očiach prebodá ako studený vietor
a horizonty pohasínajú.
Merané časom, nebola dlhá ani krátka,
ale bola v nej bezčasovosť.
Skutočne, svet sa nekončí mimo teba.
Dokonca začína hovoriť, súc tmavý ako oblak.
A ty nie si, nie si jeho ostrá os.
Nech sa tvoja tvár stane dôvodom, aby som si všimla iných,
aby som počúvala mamu, dieťa, šaša -
čo vravia a koho milujú.
Nech je nová nádej v nás, nie pre nás.
Štastie aj nešťastie sa vzájomne zahrýzli do svojich chvostov,
no ja rozseknem uzol ich nudného sváru.
Vrátim sa, budem cítiť,
potom budem zápasiť s vetrami, možno i s tým našim.
Svet sa do nás nezmestí, my sa nezmestíme doň.
A naša láska vlastne neodchádza.
Cvála celkom nablízku.
Sviatok

Ulice demoštrujú svoju radosť,
budovy sa postavili na špičky,
dnes je dôležitý deň,
ľudia sa pretŕčajú v oknách,
dnes je dôležitý deň,

lebo každý prestal myslieť
len sám na seba.


Nevena Borisova.

Nech sa nové začne.

Changing lanes..

I do not know whether or not you are familiar with the story about origin of pearls. Metaphor about process where pain and discomfort can bring something beautiful as pearls are is for me one of the best examples of life. Through pain there always comes something precious, something admirable, sheer beauty..

There is a saying in one Book mentioning how you should not give your pearls to those who do not deserve it.. I reminded that to myself when I realised I stopped wearing pearls because they are "too precious" for everyday life and they should be saved for later.  I changed my mind.

I realised that though I thought I do not deserve some of the things, I should act however, right the opposite..

There is so many sayings about everyone´s value and beauty, but if you indeed do not start from yourself, from appreciating your life and who you are, you can not expect that other people will be treating you differently. And thus, this is going to be my reminder that all of us have an incredible value in this short life. Anyone who is going to show me the opposite will need to leave.. We all deserve TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL.