Cool Friends – p. I – The Boat

An incredible part of my journey are my friends. The closest people to me, those that support and inspire me into being who I am, into being involved in things I love beyond rational judgments of normality.

This morning upon waking, I have decided they will be here more and more often than before. But the first “chapter” I would like to share is simply entitled “The Boat”.

What is “The Boat”? Or better said, what is the story behind?

The story started on a cold winter night with splashes of icy water on our heads. It was in early 2003 and the 6 of us (residents of “The Boat”) have had just been elected as leadership team of our local committee (Bucharest) in AIESEC. It was the unconscious part of the ride.

Later on, in spring the same year, we gathered at Salma’s house to put together our vision for the next year as leadership team and (although we did not realized at the time) came up with a vision that would glue us together ever since. That was the unnamed birth of “The Boat”.

One year later, in 2004, as our roads as a team were due to part, we realized that what we had stood for together would still be valid for us. And as it had to have a name, it was called “The Boat”.

“The Boat” is the symbolic description of a group of individuals that, joined by a common belief in individual uniqueness and authenticity pledged to focus on supporting their growth and the development of others, for a sustainable future.

Now, one crazy cool member of the gang has just been elected the President of AIESEC International!!!!!! Gabiza, the one who spent more than two thirds of her life actively involved in education! In terms of enthusiasm, energy and inspiration, she definitely in the “you-must-know-her” section!

Two other fierce ;) ladies, Alexis and Norica, the first managing leadership development programs for sustenability with Two Wings (in Vienna) and Norica actively developing CSR within PwC from Bruxelles, have just been part of an amazing perspective-changing conference, Solutions developed within the AIESEC network. Congrats on all the cool things I heard/read on it!

Salma, the present adventurer of the group has just taken the bold decision of spending two more years in GE Australia!!! I bow to you and your guts ;)!

Liviu, also a great sailor in troubled water, is now with Coca-Cola marketing and I’m sure he’s assimilating all possible strategies in the field!!!

So, that’s for us and “The Boat” today, a big thank you for being who you are! Keeping close...

Hugs, Lexy