Great Expectations

Luxembourg, the Grand Dutchy

Its been a long while...

Today I'm back with new impressions on new project I had during the week. LISEL co-organized with Amnesty International a small 3 day campaign of selling candles for a good cause in 3 campuses of Uni Luxembourg. This time the cause supported Roma people's rights in Italy. Unfortunately democracy and human rights are often considered belonging to those human beings who "fit" into the frames of European citizenship and European values. Those left outside the borders of "civilized" lifestyle are treated with suspicion and certain prejudices. This is the case with Roma people. And as I heard from my Italian colleague, Italy is one of those countries where not corresponding to "standards" is "punished" by direct exile to the world of social outcasts. Such is the world we live in..
But back to the "Vendre des bougies". I was nicely surpirsed to discover so many young people supporting the cause and as much as I got, Amnesty is popular and trusted in Europe. The donations were another proof of that. We also gathered a lot of singatures for a petition to Italian government requiring to stop discrimination of Roma people via collecting their fingerprints. The petition beared a small box for putting a fingerprint on it and many students (consciously or just for fun) wanted to leave their print there.
In Limperzberg campus I met Katja Hoenes, a nice German young woman doing her Phd in physics at Uni Lux. Being a member of Amnesty, she initiated and solicited candle selling activity indoors of ther Campus as the previous year the administration prohibited Amnesty lobbying at the Uni and demanded to sell candles outdoors. To be honest, I understand their motives as Uni wants to keep neutrality and ethical code in international relations with partner countries/ universities like in the cause of Tibetan rights in China. But on the other hand I believe in the importance of giving everyone space to express his support. Can we remain unpartial and not present in this extremely political times? I doubt it... So telling that Uni is a neutral place with no room for lobbying is diggin head like an ostrich into the sand.

about:project12-12-2008 @ 10:09 UTCno comments

Meeting with Emilie Hellers

Emilie Hellers is the second amazing luxembourgish I met in Luxembourg (first is my supervisor Agnes Rausch, of course ;)). And by God's will she's my mentor. We met late October for our first meeting but from the first sight she charmed me with her calm, harmonious attitude and firm handshake. We found out lots of common topics to talk about, cause neither Milly nor me didnt know what mentor-volunteer relations should look like. Little by little the conversation turned around spirituality and religion. As I was trying to explain in my broken french the importance of faith and spiritual side of life for me, Milly told me about St Theresa D'Avilla, a Spanish origin nun who wrote a book called "The Inner Castle". Its a story about spiritual journey a man undertakes in life to find God, however the book beautifully brings together parralels of allegory to underline the process. Hence, according to St Theresa, we're wandering all our lives in the labyrinths of a royal castle, where we try to find the King's room. Whenever we think we approached it, all of a sudden we recognized to be tricked by the labyrinth.

about:miscellaneous28-11-2008 @ 18:18 UTCno comments

Culture of Meetings

Had a wonderful evening with an ex-EVS from Estonia. She actually lives now in Lux and works in Walferdange. We took a shot in a small Spanish pub in the center and discovered a lot of similarities in our traditions and cultural habits. whew who'd think that an estonian and armenian might have so many things in common...! evidently no me :) but the most interesting part was at the end when we asked for the bill. Julia said she'd pay and I got confused cause in Armenia when you pay you say it normally before going to a pub (and the hidden message is: dont chose the most expensive drink/food whe somebody's paying for you;)) While here I chose irish coffee considering I can allow myself a small indulgence :) go figure out cultural differences!

about:leisure time4-11-2008 @ 1:30 UTC2 comments

Hakuna Matata!

So , I am back today to myEVS blog in an energized and elevated mood after yesterday's african party in Gasperich. Almost an allnighter! But I survived in the everlasting battle against "Morpheus" and enjoyed the music of Black Continent a lot. My housmates, Christ and Maike, were also there and it was so funny to discover each other's musical preferenced, dancing habits and the ability to integrate at once (or a bit later;) into the party atmosphere. Hint for blondes: if you want to catch attention, go to african parties, you'll probably be the only one there among your most ardent but not very faithful black admirers :)

about:leisure time2-11-2008 @ 15:10 UTCno comments

Ժամանում

Վերջապես ես Լյուքսեմբուրգում եմ

Երկար սպասումներից և բյուրոկրատական քաշքշուքից հետո ինձ հաջողվեց վեռրջիվերջո հաղթահարել բոլոր խոչընդոտները, և ահա ես սկսել եմ իմ կամավորական ծառայությունն այս փոքրիկ հեքիաթային երկրում:

Բոլորն ինձ հարցնում են, ինչու° Լյուքսեմբուրգը: Պատասխանս հաճախ նույնն է. սա մի երկիր է, որն, ինչպես Հայաստանը, փոքր է , սակայն ի տարբերություն Հայաստանի շատ բազմամշակութային է: Ուստի ակնկալում եմ առնչվել տարատեսակ մշակույթներ ներկայացնող մարդկանց և ընդլայնել իմ մտահորիզոնը:

about:miscellaneous1-11-2008 @ 19:35 UTCno comments