Norway on my Way

And again, AIESEC leads me to another place. Not hot and tropical this time, but a land way up north, with tons of snow, beautiful fjords and blond people... Norway!!

What brings me up there? I got selected to go the the Norwegian national conference as a facilitator! Jipiii! Right after Christmas break, on the 9th of January I will go to Oslo to attend the premeeting, after that we will make our way up to Trondheim together, where we will get the people of AIESEC in Norway motivated and equipped to lead the race!

Seriously, can't wait!

here, physically

I went to an AIESEC conference. Again. The sixth conference for me this year. And I figured one thing: I don't want this to stop. I don't. I'm serious.
This organisation doesn't only provide me with very good and challenging work-opportunities, the heart of AIESEC is it's people. I know, it has been said often, but that is because it is true. This organisation brought me together with many inspiring, intelligent, energetic, good people and by doing this actually got me involved in a big number of discussions that I will never forget. I'm glad for it makes me think further and helps me reflect on what I do, why I do it and what I want to reach. And more than all: Who I am.

I have many new ideas on how I want this experience to continue. However, none of them matured enough to be named here, yet. But one thing is said: I want this to continue.

Thank you, People of AIESEC, for providing me with something I value so much. A playground.

Teamday and ACT

Thursday morning, the EB (Executive Board) of AIESEC in Bern gathered to have their mid-term Teamday in Leissigen (close to Interlaken). It was an day of intense discussions, planning, and lots of results, but also a lot of fun. It brought me back into the Bernese reality of our organisation and back to my EB as a team, which is good. I know AIESEC in Bern is gonna do good in this semester.


By the way, the Jugi in Leissigen is the most beautiful Jugi I have ever seen. It used to be the summer residence of Mr. Wander (the Ovomaltine Guy), a beautiful old wooden house directly by the lake, with a small park around it with an astonishing view. Visit it, it's worth it and a perfect location for a Teamday.

The day after, ACT started in Kandersteg. ACT is the conference for all the Swiss EB members, to get more functional knowledge for the job and to learn about the global and national strategic direction of the organisation. It was very good to see many friends again and the MC definitely did a good job on this conference.
Just that I had 2 problems: Through my work in Thailand, I gained a lot of knowledge so that in this conference, there wansn't so much that was new to me. So in that sense I didn't benefit as much as I hoped. The other problem was that I have exams coming up in one week and really have to use my time to study.
So I had to compare the gain from being in Kandersteg to the risk I'm running, which let me to leave the conference one day early.
It was not something I enjoyed doing, but I had to. Thank you MC and EB for understanding.

Tears

The night after the conference, for the first time I get to relax alone, I'm standing in the hallway, looking out of the window, tears keep streaming down my face.

2 months back, when sitting in robs room and talking about my summer plans, would I ever have thought that this talk would lead me to experience such deep and intensive learning moments? That it would lead me to an environment, where I would suddenly start to see my life clearer?
9 month back, when sitting in that classroom and listening to those people running an info event about what is AIESEC, would I ever have though that this would lead me here to Thailand, to stand in front of people and change their lives?

Tears of happiness, the sort of tears that leave your body when you feel a Spark within yourself.

The beginning of a roaring fire

I'm sitting in the office, waiting for the others to pack up their stuff and get ready to leave for the conference site.
I take a moment and look back. I can't recall any week at all in my life, that I ever worked that hard, that long every night (not one night that I stopped working before 1 am.), and at the same time that passionate. Planning, outlining sessions, designing power points, practicing, discussing... intense, thrilling, exciting, overwhelming.
But now I feel ready (more or less) and I can look forward to my first national conference that I planned as MC member. Nervous? Yes! Definitely.

Ok, it's starting... The four of us are going out there and create a SPARK!

The Act of Creation

Yesterday was an intensive day of brainstorming, discussing and most of all a day of great output! We created the agenda for the first induction conference

SPARK - Get fired up!

(This is the team by the way. From left to right: Pui (Thai), Me (Swiss), Rob (British), Rina (Kenyan))

For the first time I have I can be part of the making of a conference from the first steps to closing plenary. This is awesome guys!

My Job

A lot of you have been wondering: "What is Laura actually doing in Thailand??"

Well, we worked on my definite Job Description and here it is:

CEEDer focuses mainly on ER.

- Setting, training and managing ER team after the conference in August
- Coach and train Promotion Teams (of PBoXes)
- Coach conference OCs on the ER side
- Responsible for developing ER products
- establish good relationships to university, government, international organizations, NGOs
- Establish conference partnerships
- Assisting in corporate fund raising
- Develop national learning partner (one for each issue)
- raising infrastructure for AIESEC in Thailand
- customize proposals PBoXes, Patrons, Supervisory Group, Sponsors (Conferences, Financial)
- helping to design/customise quarterly newsletter to partners (so it can be used also later
on)

Other responsibilities:

- cover up during IC, keep projects running
- facilitate sessions at august conference
- write report -> successes, failures, recommendations

spying on the chickens...

There is an LC in Switzerland who has not only an impressing number of motivated members, but is also doing very well in all departments and subsystems!
Oh yes, Geneva... How do they do it? The EB of Bern started to wonder... So we thought, let's go and have a look!
Unfortunately I was going all alone, because it was set on a very short notice.

Attending the EBM and right afterwards the LCM, I did notice some differences in the way things are done and I'm excited to share them with the rest of Bern! Jehh! Interesting updates coming up!!


After the LCM was over, I visited my sister in Geneva. Very nice dinner! I just love hanging out at her place. Its always relaxing. Each time I come, it has new awesome pictures hanging on the wall and I simply love hearing the stories behind them!
I really hope that was not the last time at rue du maisonneuve... since you're studies will be done soon.

meet the best photographer

Networking

At 7 pm tonight I get an SMS from Marie: "Where are you??" And I'm like: hmmm... at home.... but that might not be what she wants to hear, because perhaps this question should tell me that I'm somehow not where I'm supposed to be...??? What is it? EBM? Teambuilding?
Ah no! Ah fuck! The Weltpostverein of course, because there is a Networking Event happening (African Union Day) that we got invited to, and I totally forgot!
So I jump up and get formally dressed, make up, hair done within 4 minutes and run off!
So what is an "African Union Day"? Without a single clue of what to expect I went there anyway, and it turned out to be a very interestin evening. I learned that an African Union Day is an evening, when representatives of various african organisations, ambassadors and others get together to listen to about 10 rather boring and contentless speeches and afterwards have awesome food from all over africa and talk and introduce each other! Great, so, a networking event! The first time I attended something like that. And now I can barely wait to go to the next one. I met some very interesting people, talked to many african students and got in contact with the South African ambassador, who is pretty fired up for the AIESEC exchange programm. We are gonna set up a meeting to see what can be done... yes!!
In the very end of the evening, we get into the elevator where we start talking to the slovakian ambassador. We mention something about AIESEC and that guy looks at me and says: "AIESEC is my destiny!" Wow! Turns out he was active in AIESEC Bartislava and was on the slowakian MC 30 years ago. Still and active allumus. Cool stuff...

Goodbye with a lot of red wine

Yesterday night was the first time I spend about 12 hours at the MC office, talking, laughing, listening to cool stories and impovised music (way to go Dhruv!), good food (thanks for the 1 AM bbq), loads of wine and 2 unborn dead pigets.
For all of you, who weren't there: Imagine, they cleaned the balcony and it's very nice! You can actually be on it!
It was great to spend that time with you guys. I hope for Bee to have an ablsolutely awesome experience in Colombia and for Dhruv to have a super-time back home and wherever your way will lead you...