Weekend in Belgium

I was in Belgium for the weekend with friends. We were all members of AIESEC in Nigeria
It was a planned reunion, even though most people backed out in the end, those of us who made it had so much fun. A friend came in from the UK, one from the Netherlands, one of my housemates and I and our beautiful host.

It took us less than 3hours to arrive in Brussels from Bonn, we left after work on friday and travelled by road. There is this shared car method where car owners post on designated websites their travel itinerary and this is so cheap. Brussels is so cool and less structured like Germany. My housemate said Belgians are happier than Germans.

My housemate is the best travel mate ever, we were not ashamed to display out 'JJCness'. We were laughing so hard at ourselves and giggling like high school kids. Our hosts were so cool and I was so happy seeing friends again after such a long time. It was a rainy weekend in Belgium as well as Bonn, we are still looking for summer oh. The rain was not enough to dampen our mood.

Damiant Station

Brussels Central Station

At Brugge

When 3 girls gather together in a shopping village

The weekend ended with Barbecue made by our landlord. The man wanted to kill us with meat, at some point he said we were too slow in eating. Best weekend in Bonn so far.
I shall be on a blogger hiatus for the next one month, Nigeria is confirmed for mid August. Ramadan is only few days away.


Kisses from Bonn
♥ Lara

Locks off

Dear Mama,
Your daughter did not only get fat, she also shaved off her hair.

I can't wait to see the look on my mother's face when she finally sees me again. She will either ask me if all the food in India and Germany has finished that I am looking thin or she will just say, "you better watch your weight". I am hoping for the latter because the woman does not believe I am now fat.

I got tired of my hair, the thing was just breaking anyhow and the final straw was when I took out the weave I did 2 weeks back. My front hair was gone and I finally did the one thing I have always wanted to do in the last 4 years. I am still not sure how long I will keep this or if I will grow my hair back. For now I am loving the freedom.


Kisses from Bonn
♥ Lara

Helping Irma Bejdic

The AIESEC International Congress is the organisation's largest gathering. Every member of AIESEC looks forward to the day when they will finally get to attend one. The congress is attended by the leaders of from all AIESEC countries.

The 2011 AIESEC International Congress was hosted in Kenya, I think the first time in Africa which unfortunately ended with tragedy. A life was lost and Irma was left battling for her life. In August 2011, after AIESEC's International Congress, Irma joined a group of many other young AIESEC leaders taking a bus to the beach for the study tour which is usually organised after the conference.

There was an accident, and the President of AIESEC in Bolivia, Elmer Pérez Requiz,lost his life. Irma lost her right arm and sustained severe head injuries. Once she was stable, Irma was flown to a hospital in Munich, Germany. Irma has undergone several surgeries and still requires several more.

Irma needs 150,000 Euros for the next phases of her treatment, which include facial reconstruction and an artificial arm. So far, a little over 30, 000 Euros has been raised and it is still a long road to 150, 000 Euros.

Irma Bejdic is 23years and a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovinia. She was a member of her country's AIESEC executive board. I do not know Irma, I have never met her, I most likely would never meet her but I know this could happen to any of us.

You can be a part of this girl's story, You can help give Irma a decent life and future.

For more information and donations go to:

www.aiesecerknows.com



Kisses from Bonn
♥ Lara

Dear India

Dear India,

I never gave you the chance.
I never gave myself time to mourn you, I moved on quickly.
I never gave myself time to appreciate you. I was too focused on moving on to an organized society, to a new life and experience to remember that you made me what I am today.
You nurtured me, you gave me an opportunity even my father land was not ready to give me.

In you, I became a truly independent woman.
In you, I learnt to love and appreciate life more.
In you, I got to see beyond the colors of the skin and see everyone for the beautiful individual which they truly are.
In you, I began to appreciate colors, to see the beauty of life. That even in poverty, there is beauty, there is life and there is joy. I learnt to be contented with life's offerings. You never for a day judged me, rather you looked on and wondered why I judged you so much.

In your embrace, I learnt to fly. I got to embrace the true me, the woman I am destined to be.
In your bosom, I loved. In your bosom, I lost love and found love again.
In your bosom, I learnt to face my fears and try anything I set my mind on even if it fails
I fell in love with maaza despite the fact that I hate mango.

I have learnt to be alone and appreciate loneliness.
I have met citizens of the world and grown to become a global citizen.
I learnt to appreciate my origin, my language, culture and the beauty of my fatherland.

I will forever be grateful to you for every opportunity you gave and for the best 17months of my life

N.B: I would have a post soon where I would answer any questions you ask regarding my life in India, just ask and I shall answer.


Kisses from Bonn
♥ Lara