Few more pictures from Iceland

Visiting Iceland after one year...

Iceland is a country like no other, surrounded by endless miles of the Atlantic ocean, constantly shaped by the volcanic activity, experiencing dramatic weather changes and being home for 300 thousand crazy Icelanders.
For me it is definitely a country like no other, as it will always remain the place, where I had the chance to live on my own for the first time, to experience living in a different country and to fulfill my big dream.
Now, one year after my departure from the country, the time has come for me to visit it again, meet my old friends, and mainly do a real roundtrip around the country, which is something I did not manage to do during the year spent there. This sounds a bit strange, but it actually makes sense, because it is not that easy to travel in Iceland in other seasons than summer.
I came to Iceland on 7th of July. The next day, while walking through the city, I realized that it feels like I was away for a week and not for a year. Still it seemed to be rather a home than a place, where I come as a tourist.
But actually this time I have decided to enjoy the country as if I was a tourist. On monday 10th we have departed from Reykjavik in a rented car and moving counterclockwise we have started our 11 day roundtrip. We have mainly focused on the north part of the island, where none of us has been before and which hides incredible places and areas. There is no sense in talking about the beauty of Icelandic nature (I better add few pictures), generally I can say, that I haven't seen anything half that beautiful in my life and I think it will take some time before I get a chance to see something so breathtaking. I am not Christian, but I can imagine the god resting on the 7th day after creating the world and thinking about creating maybe just something small and beautiful for people to enjoy... I think that this is how Iceland could have been created:)
I have also realized that it is very interesting to be a tourist in a foreign country, which you already know quite well. Many things are still strange for you, but somehow you understand their deeper context, you can see, how the nature influences people, how this all reflects in the culture and how the whole country lives its life finding its specific balance. Once you had the chance to be immersed in all this for one year, being integrated in the system and finding out the rules and principles, it is fascinating to watch this through the "tourist glasses". This is something you can't experience in a country, where you come just for a short visit, but also not in your home country, because you will never be able to ignore all your connections to the country and look from external point of view. In this way this was something totally new for me and it has given me a new perspective of tourism.

My MC term in Slovakia is over...

It is hard to believe that the year in Slovakia is over. I am now sitting back home in Litvínov and trying to sum up my feelings and thoughts. It is really hard because the year was so full and intensive that it is vitually impossible to summarize it in few words.

I am definitely happy that I took this opportunity. Though I have never imagined that the MC team will face such internal challenges, that we will have sooo many problems with each and every national conference that we will have to rebuild so many things from the scratch, I do not regret. Perhaps it was so beneficial because I did not imagine that. Life teaches us to cope with surprises and unexpected situations.

I am leaving Slovakia...
... knowing much more about my working abilities and weaknesses
... speaking better the beatiful language of our post-federal brothers
... with many new friends, who have influenced me and hopefully they will continue in that
... knowing that national conference can be organized even not having or after losing OCP, chair, site or electricity
... full of wonderful memories of amazing, crazy, dramatic, illuminating or funny moments

Thank you AIESEC Slovakia, I was happy and proud to be your MC member!