My whole experience so far can be coined as AWESOME; this is greatly due to the
assistance I’ve gotten from the @ South Africa and all my colleagues at Sigma
International. Both prepared and welcomed me in a way that was truly incredible. Also
through out me stay they always made me feel right at home and made sure that
everything was ok. The fact that I was an active member of the organisation back home
also helped to enrich my experience as I knew what was expected of all the parties- me,
@, and the TN taker.
I have been able to learn a lot about the consulting industry, gotten to interact and
network with business leaders and various industry stakeholders. Culturally I can’t say
I’ve learnt a lot because of the similarity in the local culture and my culture.
I used to interact a lot with interns back home in my LC ,saw the joy and excitement in
their face, listened to their experiences, and got learn a little about their culture. This
motivated me to do an internship. I saw how they got to gain valuable experience in their
respective fields/professions and also got a big dose of our culture. I too wanted to feel
that excitement and learn about another culture.
Also being an @r I wanted to complete the @ experience.
Through all that I have learnt and experienced, I plan to plough it all back in my home
country when I go back him. This I hope would impact positively not only the people
closest to me but the entire community as a whole.
Asante (thank you) @ in South Africa, Asante Sigma International for affording me this
life changing experience.
BK
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Eshitemi Douglas Ndeta
Local Committee-UoN
Former Local Committee President
Analyst
DHL Global Forwarding
Milan, Italy
Introduction
I always dreamt of that day when I would heat to JKIA with my bags ready to take a plunge into the world of the AIESEC Exchange programme. I had taught, encourage and sent other abroad to have this experience and yet when my turn came I was a little bit scared as I didn’t know what to expect.
While it was one of my dream companies the location was unexpected and had never featured on any of my shortlist and the only thing I knew about it was AC Milan. But I took it as another normal challenge in every day AIESECers life…….
Work Life
Work life is one of the most interesting aspects. We work in highly competitive and results oriented teams. We celebrate, critique and encourage each other and laugh at our victories and cry about our loses and move on the next challenge
The fulfillment and fun at the work environment stems from the fact that maybe 50% of what you do you’ve already done it in AIESEC so you are more or less at home working in a team, drawing a strategy, attending a brainstorming session with your colleagues, or just innovating and coming up with your new ideas on your laptop from your office.
Milan Life
Milan is the 11th most expensive city to live in the world, its global fashion capital and home to more than 40% of all global iconic luxury goods brands and designers, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the last supper and more so its home to AC Milan and Inter Milan at the Giuessepe Meazza Stadium famously known as the San Siro.
That alone should you give you a clue to the kind of lifestyle here…very fast paced and fun to the hilt. One weekend would be hectic and would include watching a fashion show, attending a highly entertaining match at the San Siro and closing off the evening dancing at one of the designer club like Just Cavalli
There are lots tourists here mainly for shopping and site seeing and a typical evening would involve meeting with friends for a happy hour session called ‘’Apertivo’’ this are held all over the city and are unique to Milan in that you go to a bar and buy a cocktail or beer and at the same bar there is served a buffet various dishes that help your self with till cant eat no more.
Conclusion
I my experience within AIESEC I believe that every AIESECer aspiring to become a change agent for the future should have an international mindset and experience. This you can achieve through international conferences, traveling abroad and going for exchange. But out of all this exchange stands out.
I encourage all you out there in AIESEC Kenya to start thinking of where and what kind of internship you want to do and start working towards making it a reality.
Good luck and See you somewhere in the World!!! Cheers
Monday, February 15, 2010
Mulache's Story
Local Committee-UoN
Former Vice President Finance and Administration-08-09
Intern
DHL Express Global Controlling
Bonn, Germany
BONN INTERNSHIP
Introduction
Thinking about distant lands conjures up images of speaking in foreign tongues, eating exotic foods, and listening to music that has a local flair. Different cultures have varied lifestyles that often seem more exciting or glamorous than our own. I wanted to see for myself whether my perceptions of other cultures were real, the allure of experiencing a new culture firsthand, working in a global environment and learning from a diverse group of people are the things that made me want to go on an Internship in another country.
Work Life
At DHL people are problem solvers with a passion for excellence. They are intellectually curious and highly collaborative. Employees are not regarded on the basis of their title but their competence and leadership. Here people address each other on first name basis and the work environment is set to allow interaction, foster cooperation and give constructive feedback.
The most rewarding thing for me apart from working in a global company is the people and networks I have made. They’ve made my experience here rewarding, valuable, and enjoyable. I enjoy spending time with colleagues and AIESEC Trainees, whether at work or outside the office at social events. When you’re in diverse a team, you really get to know your colleagues, their cultures and habits. You rely on them when things are going well—and even more so when they’re not. And you develop friendships that last for a long time.
Bonn Life
Bonn is a city with an absurdly high quality of living. In spite of its clean and tidy smallness and its dreamy air of a laid back style, it has all the benefits of a modern, vibrant metropolitan city: Excellent infrastructure, traffic connectivity and public transport with a wonderful Old Town and a nearness to major European cities which makes travelling affordable and convenient.
The Bonners are very laid-back people who enjoy fine arts, history and of course a nice sip of Kolsch beer(s) (The local brew). There are approximately 250 000 inhabitants and it has still retained a somewhat laid back village-like atmosphere. In fact you can see most of Bonn on foot and the entire inner city is a pedestrian zone.
Conclusion
In my own experience, I believe that exchange can help change some of the assumptions and preconceived ideas in societies because people are more likely to accept the change from within their society rather than from the outside. That is why I strongly believe that an exchange experience is one of the most powerful ways to promote human beings and challenge our world view and promote the AIESEC Vision of peace and fulfillment of humankind potential. Its up to you!
Former Vice President Finance and Administration-08-09
Intern
DHL Express Global Controlling
Bonn, Germany
BONN INTERNSHIP
Introduction
Thinking about distant lands conjures up images of speaking in foreign tongues, eating exotic foods, and listening to music that has a local flair. Different cultures have varied lifestyles that often seem more exciting or glamorous than our own. I wanted to see for myself whether my perceptions of other cultures were real, the allure of experiencing a new culture firsthand, working in a global environment and learning from a diverse group of people are the things that made me want to go on an Internship in another country.
Work Life
At DHL people are problem solvers with a passion for excellence. They are intellectually curious and highly collaborative. Employees are not regarded on the basis of their title but their competence and leadership. Here people address each other on first name basis and the work environment is set to allow interaction, foster cooperation and give constructive feedback.
The most rewarding thing for me apart from working in a global company is the people and networks I have made. They’ve made my experience here rewarding, valuable, and enjoyable. I enjoy spending time with colleagues and AIESEC Trainees, whether at work or outside the office at social events. When you’re in diverse a team, you really get to know your colleagues, their cultures and habits. You rely on them when things are going well—and even more so when they’re not. And you develop friendships that last for a long time.
Bonn Life
Bonn is a city with an absurdly high quality of living. In spite of its clean and tidy smallness and its dreamy air of a laid back style, it has all the benefits of a modern, vibrant metropolitan city: Excellent infrastructure, traffic connectivity and public transport with a wonderful Old Town and a nearness to major European cities which makes travelling affordable and convenient.
The Bonners are very laid-back people who enjoy fine arts, history and of course a nice sip of Kolsch beer(s) (The local brew). There are approximately 250 000 inhabitants and it has still retained a somewhat laid back village-like atmosphere. In fact you can see most of Bonn on foot and the entire inner city is a pedestrian zone.
Conclusion
In my own experience, I believe that exchange can help change some of the assumptions and preconceived ideas in societies because people are more likely to accept the change from within their society rather than from the outside. That is why I strongly believe that an exchange experience is one of the most powerful ways to promote human beings and challenge our world view and promote the AIESEC Vision of peace and fulfillment of humankind potential. Its up to you!
Melissa's Stories
Melissa Mbugua
Local Committee: AIESEC Strathmore
Local Committee President 2008/2009
LESSONS FROM MY EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE
Why should you go on exchange? It is one of those much-sung-about parts of the AIESEC experience, on which the performance of the organization is based. I had been an active AIESECer for four years before I finally got my chance to do exchange. I always knew that I would go. I also knew that it would be a life-changing experience.
Nothing could have prepared me for the amazing experience I had. Even after having traveled and met so many people from different cultures, I was still pleasantly wow-ed by the amount of information I learnt while abroad ( I was in Poland). There is something very profound about being in a different culture (no matter which culture it is) by yourself. Only then do you really ask yourself questions about what you believe and who you are. There, you have the opportunity to let your true self emerge. In order to be a high-level individual, you must have high self-knowledge. You cannot really conquer the world before you conquer yourself. Exchange gives you the rare opportunity to do just that- conquer yourself.
Now that I am back home, I know who I am and can feel the difference in how I do my work and interact with people around me. I know that I am blessed to have had that opportunity, and I urge everyone in AIESEC to take it. If you are sceptical about the ’miracle results’ which I am preaching about, then go for exchange yourself. There is no money-back guarantee, but at least you will know the truth for sure!
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