And this is actually Benny...

Dear Celesta,

I’m like sooooo jealous and all… ;) Brcko it is, eh? No vowel, but nevertheless a lot of excitement awaiting you there, I hope! Always remember that Bosnia is a wonderful country and that Ćevapčići is a dish worth trying (I’d highly advice a daily ration).
On a even more serious note, I wish you a really exciting year with lots of new experiences and good people all around you! I think you will really enjoy working with young people and children. To be able to do this kind of work in such a branded but nevertheless beautiful country with even better people is something you should definitely look forward to.
To add to all of this, I would like to say it’s been always fun and relaxing to have you around in the office. Actually, you where zee Globe is? ;) Mr Benny does…

Take care and keep us updated about the Brcko vibe! Also, enjoy Sarajevo (try the beer, ahh yeah)!!

Cheers,
Benny

Hi Celesta, I don't even know if this is being posted. I am navegating thorugh my Dutch blogger page. Anyway, in case you do get to read this I wish you very good luck in your new job. We've only known each other for a brief period but I am sure we'll cross again some time -Bosnia, Mozambique, the tram in Schveiningen - (did I spell it right?) Good luck!!! Buen viento y buena mar

Darynell

Jeeee Celesta, it's not fair.... You heading of to the Balkans, leaving your collegeaus and friends all to themselves........ How are we going to manage without you? Who is going to play the guitar now? And introduce Matrassjumping? Who is going to control the battle of the globe?

I'm going to miss your smile and charming personality around this office. I'm going to miss all the fun I had with you, Alex and Zahid and I'm very proud to be part of the "the Hague crowd", even though it was for a short period of time.

I'm so happy for you that you finally are spreading your wings again, this year Bosnia, next year Africa.....I'm wishing you all the best! And may all your adventures lead you to the path you want to follow. I'm sure your future looks bright and even in darker days you will sparkle like a star.....making sure the people in your surroundings sparkle with you!

Girlfrieeeeend...!

Good for you girlfrieeeeend! Bosnia mon, well good for you.

(yes, I would like you to remember me as the Professional)

Oh, I don't know. I want to say something nice and funny and memorable to distinguish my blog contribution from all the others, and I suppose the others are pretty good so I'm not sure how to deal with the competition here, and I've had too much Asian soup, and then apple cake and apple crisp and ice cream (and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which lovely Goele brought back from Boston for me) and on top of that too much coffee (and I'm still waiting for the speech, which I hope won't make me cry, as I get soppy really easily and that's just plain embarrassing), and as I'm sure you're aware by now I have a talent for blurting out with the wrong things at the wrong times, which make people (yes, that includes you) look at me funny...but then I suppose they laugh too, which can't be a bad thing (Oh I'm sure they're laughing with me and not at me .... right?). Spreadin' the vibes. I do try (last time I really tried I said I didnt ever want to be drunk again...).

Ah. Well. So I've really enjoyed having you around. I hope you will forget the horrible morning (pre-12 noon)-me and remember the sociable (post-coffee) me and our brief chats and good laughs in the kitchen and over the Swedish elk bell (the one on the table in your office). I will remember the genuine, witty, intelligent, no-nonsense you (and I cant think of further adjectives without getting into another internal debate about what works, what doesnt, is that really representative etc etc).

So yes. I hope we'll meet again, and that you keep us blog-posted in the meantime. Good luck with your adventures and well done you ;-)
Lots of huggin' from me x

кхм гмм... тебя зовут Селеста!

You’ve had a luxury, or maybe inconvenience,
To share a room with rather handsome man,
Sometimes I wonder, was that him, or beautiful Peace Palace,
Distracting you from writing business plan?

You’ve shared with him your apples and bananas,
Corrected crappy English, which he spoke,
You had to listen wearisome pianos,
And often joined him when he went for smoke.

You’ve often hated him, for very many reasons:
For schizophrenic order on his desk,
For leaving heating on, for throwing knifes at boxes,
Which honestly, you though, was quite grotesque..

Despite all that, and all the disagreements,
And all the fights that were particularly grim,
You wouldn’t speak for only seven minutes,
And then again you’d laugh, you’d smile, you’d talk to him.

You’ve taught him many things, you gave him life advice,
Let’s not go there though, that’s not for stranger’s eyes..
You’ve made him love Den Haag, and not to be afraid of Dunes!
Because you made him trust you.
Now you’re leaving soon…

You know, I can continue writing why,
It’s been so cool to have you by,
But tears are dropping on the keyboard,
It’s kind of time to say good-buy..

You’ve got the most amazing heart and passion,
I know for fact, you’ll use it all
To help - you’ve got for that compassion.

We’ll meet again - the world is small!

x Zahid

This Message is Actually From Annabel...

...who originally posted it as a comment:

Hi Celesta,

Just discovered that i am absolutely not a talented blogger, coz i couldn't even figure out how to create my own account. So i just make use of peter's blog to comment on it.

Anyway, i am sure you will make the most out of the coming year in Bosnia. Remember that 2009 must be your year! perfect eyes, your own personal blog and a full year of field experience in Bosnia. What more do your want?

It's been great having you at the office. Thanks for all the lovely chats and your support. We both experienced the tyring process of job-hunting. This step will definitely bring you to your future goals. Enjoy and keep us posted.

Annabel

February 16, 2009 10:00 PM

Someone IS in Mourning this time...

...and it's me!! I'm almost as upset about you fleeing the country before me as I was about you leaving me in Mariahoeve and moving back to civilization (abandonment issues? Perhaps). Nonetheless, I'm incredibly happy for you and just the tiniest (lies) bit jealous of the incredible experiences which Bosnia holds for you. While I'm sure this will be but one of the many great things you'll do in the future, I hope that our paths will cross many more times...and that we'll even have another opportunity to work together so we can whip up another apple tarte in a microwave. Barring that, at least make sure you always have a spare mattress around so I can visit. If you can promise that, I'll teach you how to 'act like a tree' in case you ever have to deal with an unannounced maintenance crew showing up to service your flat. And then vomiting.

(We'll always have those months of 'freedom'!)

Anyway – while I'm sad to see you leave, I'm extremely grateful for all the fun we've had and look forward to seeing you again in the near future!! Until then, I hope you can use this space to make me laugh as much as you do in person. Take care en tot snel!!

- Brad

Charlotte goes a bit crazy with the hyperlinks

Dear Celesta,

Brilliant though it is that you get to be 'indafield', the unfortunate consequence for the rest of us is that you can no longer be 'indaECCP', which, I think we can all agree, is SUCK!

However, as we all know how much you love anything 2.0, we fully expect to be kept up to speed on all your "Bosnian" adventures via this blog... no pressure though! :-)

To continue in the web 2.0 vein, I only got to share an office with you very briefly, which means that you missed out on some classic youtube moments. However, there is one video that would not be appreciated by my roommates, so I'm taking this opportunity to share it with you:



I reaaaaaaally hope I will be able to add my name to the long list of people planning to come and visit you (and of course I will be seeing you in the office the rest of this week so this is not the moment to get all emotional) so consider this said AFTER you leave:

- have an amazing time!!
- Don't forget to be awesome!!
- post on the blog loads!!
- and remember, always wear sunscreen!

HUGZ!!!!!! (because you like kittehs so much)

Charlotte

March 2008: After Hoedspruit, Dublin and Sydney I will start an internship at ECCPs office (European Centre for Conflict Prevention) in The Hague. ECCP acts as the Global Secretariat for the largest network organisation on this planet namely the famous and well known GPPAC. I'm very curious how that will work out and I'm very positive about it. And their entire staff looks so nice!!

August 2008: Guess what? They have offered me a job, although temporary, at ECCP!! My function will be Project assistant and I will be working on a new big project financed by the Municipality of The Hague and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The project is called Hague Peace Portal. Exciting! And I have a new roommate. He's from Azerbaijan and looks as nice as my other colleagues!!

February 2009: I'm going to Bosnia!! I will be working with children in a community centre in

Brcko, of all places. This is what I want: to work abroad! It's a contract for at least one year. O, but I'm sure I'm going to miss my colleagues of ECCP so much. And, oh yeah, I lasered my eyes two weeks ago, so I don't have to take my contact lenses stuf with me. No make-up for two weeks that was all the sacrifice.

December 2009: It's great here in Brcko. I really love the children and they love me too. It's amazing how I've adapted myself to this new environment and I how I can make a difference for these kids. Together with the local staff we've managed to start many new projects. And I'm looking forward to go back to The Netherlands with Christmas. I will see my mom again but I will definitely visit ECCP's office for meeting my former colleagues. I really miss them.

Leaving us confused

Dearest Celesta,

And so you leave. Well, that's not a good thing.. obviously! After a while you get to know each other better, and start to show your true selves. In outfits, in behaviour, in food battles over the toaster... How are we ever going to be able to explain all of that to a new person?

But hopefully this blog can help you to remember us, and for us to still feel like we are a little part of your life. So we can think of you conquering the Balkans, while we sit in long meetings with rainy The Hague in the background. So we can imagine you setting up exciting activities, while we battle with the portal. But maybe you will also think of us every now and then, when you are having lunch somewhere.

In the mean time, have a great time in Bosnia. I am sure you will do a great job, as you did here. Try to stay away from tents. And write as many updates here on the blog as you can, so we can follow all your adventours.

Good luck!!! Thank you!! And cheers, to a wonderful time in Bosnia, and an even greater career after that!!

Love, Marte

Dear Celesta,

Someone most be the first to take a bite at blogging in ECCP. And needless to say you are the perfect person to do it. As the reliable force behind the development of the Peace Portal and by pretending to be a shy person, having your own blog in Bosnia will be the perfect opportunity to start producing your own user generated content, set the example for everybody else, and meanwhile show us your passions inside.

While thanking you very much for everything you have contributed to ECCP in the past year, we now expect the real work: political analysis, gossip, catching pictures, detailed adventures and much more...

Have a great time, and make sure that 'staying in touch' will be a daily pleasure!

Peter van Tuijl