Reading, reading, learning lots..

I'm currently reading an amazing and powerful book by Sheryl Sandberg called "Lean In". It's really fascinating and talks about women, their careers and their every day dilemmas.

Being a woman is one thing, but being a career woman seems to be a whole different ball game. God forbid, you might want to have a child, too. Now, this, some woud say, is just asking for trouble...

Sheryl discusses her long and impressive career, first at Google and then at Facebook, and talks about many challenges a woman faces each and every day.

Here are some of the best excerpts:

• “Fear is at the root of so many of the barriers that women face. Fear of not being liked. Fear of making the wrong choice. Fear of drawing negative attention. Fear of overreaching. Fear of being judged. Fear of failure. And the holy trinity of fear: the fear of being a bad mother/wife/daughter.”
• “A 2011 McKinsey report noted that men are promoted based on potential, while women are promoted based on past accomplishments”
• “She is very ambitious” is not a compliment in our culture. Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women who display these same traits often pay a social penalty. Female accomplishments come at a cost"
• “For many men, the fundamental assumption is that they can have both a successful professional life and a fulfilling personal life. For many women, the assumption is that trying to do both is difficult at best and impossible at worst. Women are surrounded by headlines and stories warning them that they cannot be committed to both their families and careers. They are told over and over again that they have to choose, because if they try to do too much, they’ll be harried and unhappy. Framing the issue as “work-life balance”—as if the two were diametrically opposed—practically ensures work will lose out. Who would ever choose work over life?”

Ted Talk - Sheryl Sandberg from LeanIn.org on Vimeo.

Sheryl also did the TED Talk click once.

I find it to be super inspiring and hope you can appreciate it too.

I really think all women should watch this!

After all, like Sheryl said

“Talking can transform minds,

which can transform behaviors,

which can transform institutions.”

All Excerpts From: Sandberg, Sheryl. “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.”

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So sunny

The weather is pretty amazing recently in Brussels. And I try and take advantage of it. Not only am I taking care of my little garden but also chill out in the park as much as I can.

Also, it recently struck me that we have only four months till our wedding. I have to tell you that I am as excited as ever and I cannot wait to get married to my soulmate!

I would love to have something like this at our wedding... So stunning! Just take a look

Soo Sunny Park: Unwoven Light from Walley Films on Vimeo.

Soo Sunny Parks installation Unwoven Light animates Rice Gallerys expansive space, transforming it into a shimmering world of light, shadow, and brilliant color. Suspended from the walls and ceiling, thirty-seven individually sculpted units are arranged as a graceful, twisting flow of abstract form. Entering the gallery there is no set path to follow. Instead, we are invited to meander slowly as one might stroll along a rivers edge, stopping to admire the glints of light that dance on the waters surface.

 

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Destiny

There are moments in life when you know it's not a coincidence that something happens... When you are convinced that it was you and only you who was supposed to experience something. That it was DESTINY!

Those of you who follow me on Instagram and Twitter know that I surprised my mom with a trip to Paris. She has never been there, even though she always wanted to go. So recently, I invited her over to Brussels and she had no idea that in fact, she was going to Paris, the city of light.

Montmatre, Paris

We spent there 3 wonderful days and my mom's face showed nothing but love for this amazing city!

On one of our walks we went to the Polish Bookstore on Bd Saint Germain. It's a must see for everyone, but Poles especially. Established in 1830 in the Quartier Latin, it makes you see how big the Polish community must have been back in the days, to make donations, gather books and care for this place for so many years. Today, you can find here many books in Polish but not only.

We walked in there and I specifically remember telling my mom I didn't need to buy anything. Until I found this

Judith Krantz, original titled Sex and Shopping, Confessions of a nice Jewish Girl

The stamp of the polish bookstore

I have to say, I have never heard of Judith Krantz and yes, I know, shame on me. She's a famous US writer who's known all over the world and esp in her native New York City.

This book is her autobiography and I have to tell you, it's quite amazing. I have been reading it for the past two days non stop, and I'm almost done. I can't seem to put it away ;)

The one thing I love about autobiographies is that you get your foot in the door...you enter someone's life and get to learn about even the most intimate parts of their life. For me, this is truly fascinating.

What made me buy it, was the simple fact that when I opened the book and read a few pages. right there it was- her visit to Paris! It was meant to be haha

I love buying books, reading them, touching them to see how heavy they feel. This particular book called my name and that's why it came home with me. How could it not!?

If you're reading something interesting at the moment, do share. I always like to hear what other people are enjoying at the moment.

 

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Wet, sad and defeated aka Waterloo

Yesterday I got to go to Waterloo. For those of you who are historically savvy, I don't need to explain much. The name is meaningful enough. But those who are not quite sure about it, Waterloo is a place known for the battle of Waterloo which was fought in 1815 in present day Belgium. It was the last battle of Napoleon too which ended up in his defeat.

I didn't go to Waterloo to learn more about the battle though. It's a nice area and we decided to go there so that I could practise some driving;) To get here from Brussels is a straight drive with amazing houses, so not only I got to drive a bit but admire the rich and famous;)

You see the proud lion on the top of the hill?

Monday is a day off in Belgium! Loving it!

 

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Guilty pleasure...

Did you guys see the Eurovision contest yesterday evening?

I know, I know... Do people still watch it??!? Haha
I have to say that back in the days, we'd stay up late with all my cousins and watch it religiously ;)
These days, with my international friends, we're using Eurovision night as an excuse to meet up & laugh at the performers ;) some of them are really taking ridiculous to the next level lol

Go Sweden

kissing girls, really now?!

How gay can you be?

It's good to laugh, right?!

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Tired, leave me alone...

Instead of talking, I will show you what's going down chez moi tonight ;-)

Buttery popcorn, Spanish wine and nail painting

You might have noticed that I am posting much less recently. It's all because I am so super busy at work that I have no strength left to write, or do anything else, really

Hope you're being more productive. All I have planned for tonight is painting my nails ;-)

Bourjois peachy pink

 

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Eating strawberries & writing blogposts

You know how yesterday I told you how unbearably disgusting the weather is? Well, it cleared up eventually, and we got to go to the Ardennes. Some people (not me ;) call this place 'the Belgian mountains'. In order to find this funny, you have to realize how small & flat Belgium is ;)

the Ardennes are in fact small hills, but hey, who cares... At least you get to see something different than same old Brussels.

Dinant area, temporarily sunny

Since it was a day off, we decided to drive out of town to see if the famous strawberries are anywhere to be found. And yes, they were!

You have to understand how deliciously sweet the strawberries of Wepion are!!!

They are sold in those cute little strawberries stands

You want some, don't you ;)

How often do you see the real strawberries? The perfect ones, and the less perfect ones alike? Sooooo rare in Belgium

After we ate some strawberries (no, of course we didn't wash them!!!) we decided to go a bit deeper in the Ardennes land, up until Dinant. Yours truly did all the driving! In style, too ;)

As you can see from the pictures, the weather was already being a bit moody. We had a quick lunch there and decided to head back home to avoid the unstoppable rain...

Gothic church of Notre Dame

Have a great Sunday!

 

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