Paldies, Gracias, Hvala, Obrigada, Thank you.

With the 2013th on the doorstep, i have to say that  blogging and S. won`t go together anymore. I had a lot of fun creating...proud and happy...now the time for new challenges.

Sending BIG thank you, muito obrigada, hvala lepše, milzumlielais paldies...for being part of this last year and a bit more and making me to enjoy sharing the adventures and stories with you.

Create your own adventures, enjoy life and take most of it, its one and only, and your key on shaping life the way you want.
Be courageous and adventurous,

Ate la,

S.

cold is different cold here in Portugal.

as some time I was thought that the time in Portugal runs differently, and it really does in a way, once you are looking on the things and how they work here...then based on that I want to say, that not only time runs differently, but also the meaning of the cold weather and getting cold outside has completely other perspective, its just completely different than on the coast of Baltics. And so far, anything than everything else, i think this is the biggest challenge for my life in Portugal.

These last couple of weeks having the average temperature of around 10 - 15C outside, first it may seem, wow, thats warm, right? Especially if you are coming from Latvia, the very northern country, where the weather the same time is around 0 degrees or getting under it, and snow appearing.

my portuguese family weekend @ Porto

At one of the miradouros in center of Porto.

while this weekend stuck in home, because of the trains strikes and because of the autumn virus which have somehow found me, now is the space and time to share my last weeks great story of how I was thrown into the awesome portuguese family weekend.

It all started with my will to spend the last weekend in Porto, as just traveling for my friday event with the Business Angels would be no fun at all. As with no certain plans, nor certain place to stay at, nor any other agenda for the weekend, at some point I was already considering to skip the weekend there and stay around Lisbon...but then out of nowhere just some days before the other friday to come an old friend writes me telling that he`s coming home from Germany for the weekend to visit his family in Porto and if i want to spend some fun times in Porto for the weekend. A big coincidence or maybe a sign, that i did need to travel for Porto the last weekend.

S. meets the portuguese business angels.

like couple of weeks ago i came across an opportunity to know more of the Business Angels society of Portugal, as they were having a week long events all over the country. being an explorer, and curious of how the angels support works here, i signed up for the two of their events, first one in Lisbon and the second in Porto.

I have to say that the Lisbon event came too fast and too early in the morning the last week, the weather was  so unwelcoming to want to move or travel somewhere, so in the end I did not attend their presentation hours in Lisbon. And as the Porto event was the peak of the week, with many great topics and program for all afternoon long, then being there should to be enough of getting to know better the angels system and how it works.

so the last friday, i took my holiday, the one i did not have in monday the last week and went again for Porto. As more than once my inbox reached the message saying, that we should not be late for the business angels congress, as they will start sharply on time, i planned my trip well and arrived in Porto just in time. Perfect to pass by to drop bag at friends and make the lovely walk from St. Bento up the hill for the central building of University of Porto aka Reitoria da Universidade do Porto. It was a nice and pleasant to really indeed start on time, thank you.

the Latvian independence day in Lisbon - Check.

S. spotted before the start of the concert.

Being not in Latvia for the National Independence day aka the birthday of Latvia this year was the second time for me. If last year I celebrated it in Ljubljana, then this time it was Lisbon. Completely different, still amazing.

If thinking of the celebrations, then last friday, i already saw some photos of the reception of the Latvian embassy in China...the actual and the true "birthday day" or to be more precise the Proclamation day came this last sunday. Yes, 18th of November is the date. As since couple of years, then if the date goes into weekend, we latvians are getting one extra holiday, the following working day, so the 19th of November was an extra holiday, also here for our embassy, and as i`m very lucky, then also for me. Well, it will be this friday, as i spent this monday at the office after all  The day to celebrate the cause and the birthday here in Lisbon happen to be on 20th of November. And today is the perfect day to tell you of how it went.

my legendary 12.11.12 day.

weeks pass and nothing change, then now at one day so many things happen, i was missing this for a very very long time. thank you my legendary 12.11.12 day.

after a three months and some days of my portuguese life, with no official tax payer registration number, neither bank account, finally came a day to change this. Nor that we really need this, but more than its useful. And the registration number is needed both, for our new portuguese classes, the same time to open an account or if you want to do any other process that involves the public institutions.

so yeah, in the morning we gave a visit to Finanças office,

São Martinho day at Alfama with "foot water" and chestnuts.

this year the November 11th brought me new perspective, as till now I used to know it as the Latvian Lacplesis day, that marks a turning point in our history, with the newly formed national army, and help of civilian volunteers, we won a decisive victory in 1919 over enemy troops driving them from Riga, and developing our way to independence. Today while of my Portuguese days, I learnt about their old´n´old traditions of São Martinho day, which asides all other legends of the St. Martin, know as the day with celebration of the harvest, more over Dia de São Martinho has become a day to celebrate the maturation of the year’s wine production.

thursday - living like a local day.

when you are tourist in city you most of the times see just what other see, however if you stay at some place longer, get to know locals, then the city gets completely other image most of the times. And its all that not only because of the traditions or culture, but more over of some amazing places, that are there but you have no idea...or more over, you pass them hundreds of times, but never feel like exploring or going in, as the outside not always is the best advertisement. 

as from this week we are left alone of studying portuguese, as our teacher was not able to continue teaching us further, we had to investigate how to learn the language in other way than till now.

how S. celebrated the halloween two days long.

as it tends to happen with me, then the most best things comes least expected. So it happen this year with my Halloween celebration. Have to say, that in Latvia Halloween became popular just lately, more for the young generations and the tourists, as the public celebrations are done in the clubs, pubs, bars or we like to organize our own house parties. Here in Lisbon, its kind of the same as in general the tradition to celebrate Halloween started not so long ago, so to find something special and extraordinary you really have to look for it around the clubs or bars or just organize it yourself in case you are looking for the costumes and theme parties.

Welcome Almada aka my EVS On Arrival training.

Olja & Sandra @Belem, happily not lost.

Before I go to explain my adventures, i`d like to give small introduction of what the EVS On Arrival training is made for. All in all its easy and simple, as part of every European Voluntary Service Program project happens the On-Arrival training, which for every volunteer is a must to do. In different regions of Europe the training are organized by different bodies and institutions, so they varies. Also in some of the countries, you are lucky that the training takes place in different locations that you are living in, so you have the opportunity to choose not only by date but also by place. Here in Portugal, its all connected with Anime NGO, which on regular basis organizes these training events. As it seems they happen every two weeks, as the volunteers rotate fast and projects are happening all the times. In usual conditions if hosting organization communicates correctly of the timings for the on arrival training, then you should have it on the time when you are three or four weeks here.

But now, well, its time to share the first of adventures...

S. goes to Braga and to Portugal Participa.

Welcome @Braga.

I like to think that one thing leads to another,so if you take action, other actions follows. So this what happened with me when i got the offer to travel to Braga for the weekend seminar of Youth Participation. Since i returned from Slovenia trip, these last two weeks, I have managed to meet bunch of portuguese speaking people, either going out for the party with friends of friend, later on joining the youth round table done by IPDJ or after all finally managing myself to join the Toastmasters meetings. The busy week with portuguese culture lead to get invited to join National Youth Council organized seminar in Braga which was about Youth Participation. For me having the chance to actually experience and see how the youth acts and reacts in Portugal, how they think and if they are any different by taking actions than in Latvia seemed to be a perfect match for my weekend. And more over I had the opportunity to travel to north of Portugal, to visit the European Youth Capital 2012 aka Braga.

a day when things goes other than you wish.

CITIZENS, Flashmob of fashion show @Lisbon this eve.

After a great Braga trip and a great time in Porto, today I woke up in my Lisbon house with a terrible mosquito bite on my face. Not using the anti mosquito stuff just for one night costed me the "lovely" bite.

otherwise, i went to work. Managed to do the tasks very fast and cool, oh, luckily one thing went good and smooth today. 

Then out of sudden i got the message in my FB asking if im going to Fun. concert tonight, as he just got the ticket and has no company...i was amazed...i looked up for tickets two weeks ago, and at wortens they told me that tickets are sold out...and here out of nowhere a guy tells me that he just got one ticket at El Corte Ingles...Damn.

S. finally meets the Toastmasters.

My catch of moment @Toastmasters MBA Club.

I remember myself browsing around and coming across the Toastmasters International name and the time when first time heard, i wanted to know more of this sandwich name and see what is this about. Have to say, got to think of the sandwiches for just a short time as my curiosity brought me the true answer. If im not mistaken, then like year ago this all happened. Then i discovered that its nothing to do with toasts nor any other sandwiches and its all about improving your public speaking. And since some time they also say its about the leadership skills development.

All in all the first time I was curious to join their organization and to see what`s it all up was in Ljubljana.

Dinamo rocks at Round Table about Youth and Mobility.

A new way of Round Table.

As Dinamo, my EVS hosting organization, promotes youth participation and as well likes to lobby their interests within the governmental level, then I got the great chance to go for a round table about the topic of "Youth and mobility" connected with the celebration of the European Single Market, which was organized by the IPDJ or in english saying the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth. Yes, thats right, they mix the sports and youth all in one place.  So yes, we were invited to participate in the round table, where to share the experience and out vision on the youth opportunities and how mobility works from Dinamo perspective.

Bday dinner in Portuguese style.

Lisbon @Night...and all the rest in the story to remember.

I am more and more discovering the Portuguese lifestyles and their traditions. One of the new traditions that  I recently came across my way was their way of birthday celebrations, asides all other activities that they may do, the cool thing that i got to enjoy and experience myself was the having dinner party aka meeting up with friends for dinner and drinks. I joined the friends friends birthday celebration where i manage to be the only foreigner in around fifteen portuguese guys and girls company. So yeah, the perfect way for the perfect experience.

rain and jogging is possible at Cascais

This last week turned to be a nothing much to do week, as most of Dinamo were out again to Amarante for another international youth training course, but i was left home alone. First days of getting back from intense week with many actions and activities to nothing seemed for me as nightmare...plus being home alone as from one side seems to be cool "do what you want" part, from other its indeed boring.

As I am the one who makes my life, then only i can get out of the nothing and do something. Luckily there are cool people around me and its possible to find activities after all.

My meeting with another Robert & PSD.

I will soon start to think, that every second man in Slovenia is named Robert. as in beginning of the year i needed to go for hair cut, and I found myself at Roberts` Salon. This time of my return in Ljubljana, i did got to see him again, but other than that, upon my arrival from Venice, I got to meet another Robert, the transfer guy.

As life puts me together with awesome people, then thanks to friend of mine, i got to hear of a new shuttle service and with all the great story of him, i was encouraged to choose exactly this shuttle company. If the first impressions may not been the best, as from the story I was told there was nothing such existing. However still the transfer was fast, nice and all in all very pleasant ride. Plus I have to tell, that so far the best price from all the shuttles.
On the way back, well, that was a piece of story to tell.

sum up of my recent Ljubljana days.

eleven days, great conference, awesome people and superb get back to Ljubljana times have finished, as since couple of days I am all back in Lisbon.

did i had any adventures? oh, yeah, I did. here comes couple of them for you to have the glimpse.

I think that peak of the week asides all awesome activities and super busy schedule of conference was the chance for me to present our group idea in front of almost two hundred youth and business people.Thank you my awesome team for such a great idea that brought us the spot light and thanks for giving me the chance to present. I have done public speaking and presentations, however it was my first time of actually presenting a business idea, moreover knowing that there may be investors listening about it. I enjoyed the show very much, hope the all of you who heard it too.

too many happening too less of time.

All of us after the nice arts workshop. We gotta talent.

This is the day six of the conference, and this is the first of the days that i finally have proper hour of just free time for myself and rest with doing nothing or as i am now doing a making a piece for my blog.

Yeah, as you may guess, the conference is amazing, not only because of the superb people that have gathered together, but also by the organized activities for us, that are at the same time not only new knowledge, also a learning process and challenge for our mindsets. So far like seeing some of us being provoked and left outside of their comforts, so finally they can not only speak up but develop themselves.

Ljubljana I am back.

good evening Ljubljana. yes, i am escaping Lisbon and the rainy days there and looking for some sunshines i n the center of Europe. It`s been times but now I am again back here for some short time, to enjoy your beauty. Thank you for treating me so well so far, and than you for many sunshine for these last 24 hours of my so far stay here.

Other than that I wanted to share my travel to Ljubljana story as it turned out that direct flights also may bring you many of the adventures.