When AIESEC make me fall in Love

So, this afternoon Irina was sitting in the staffroom when I came and gave a big smile to her. I have booked my tickeeeeeeetttttt online! She asked me how and I explained her. We both then walked to in front of another class and sat on the bench while waiting for Aditi.

“You have changed a lot in 10 months” Irina surprised me and I asked her why. She explained that the first time when I reached in India, I even was afraid to buy my train ticket and traveled alone. Now, I can manage my ticket online and plan my travel where to go by myself. My skills have been shaped through my exchange experience.

But, forget about ticket and travel. It is only a small story about my leadership journey in AIESEC. There are a lot of story that I will never forget, how people in AIESEC help me to improve myself and I will always remember how my experiences in AIESEC shape my leadership.

I was sitting in library in November 2013 facing 3 interviewers from AIESEC. They asked me to mention 3 countries that I really didn’t want to go for exchange. I said India was in my first list. I didn’t want to go to India and face many problems there. Population is the main reason, this country was not safe from my perspective. My AIESEC gave me the chance to see closer, feel directly and dive deeper.

I packed my bag on 15 June 2014 and left my country to India. I passed the teaching project in India after struggling with 3 Interviews. I gave up and stop taking risks by missing chance to go for exchange in AIESEC. I kept waiting until another country apart from India announced that I passed. But none of them, I passed. I have to go to India because it was the only country that can accept my limited skill. I explained to my mom that I would be really careful in India. Especially 2 months before leaving, a doctor told me I got cirrhosis. Lucky me, that my mom could understand and allowed me to go for 11 months.  

Before I came to India, I have worked in AIESEC since 2012. I have known from the beginning that I would fall in love with this organization.  I introduced almost all of AIESEC members to my parents. Because I believe that I would spend more time in this organization and it would be my second home. I improve my professional skill by taking role in AIESEC. I was working as a public relation and I raised FAJAR newspaper, the biggest newspaper company in Makassar, as AIESEC’s partnership. I learnt how to deal with a big company. At the same time I built my personal network.

2012, 2013, and 2014 are the golden moment in my AIESEC journey. I applied many roles and passed GIP internship. Now, 2015, I am going to make my diamond moment, hehehe.  I am running my GIP project and trying to take higher position as LCVP Marketing in AIESEC LC UNHAS. This is what I like from AIESEC.

I CAN GAIN EXPERIENCE AS A YOUTH BEFORE REALLY WORKING IN MY PROFESSIONAL JOB. I CAN BE MYSELF AND CREATED A NEW BRAND OF MYSELF BY IMPROVING MY SKILLS. I CAN HAVE MY PROFESSIONAL NETWORK EVERYWHERE.

So, back to my story about booked online ticket. Maybe some people think, it is only a small skill. But can you imagine that before this I was the person who was afraid to travel alone by pete2 when I was in first semester in college. And because my exchange experience force me to break my limit and get out from my comfort zone.

I always believe that when I break my comfort zone actually I am expanding the zone. I was afraid to stay in India but now, I can travel everywhere alone in India. But please, I won’t do it in the midnight and wear impolite cloth. And many places in India really amazed me.

Then I was facing the moment where AIESEC in my city was opening the opportunity to be the vice president. I applied as Vice President of OGX and passed it. Unfortunately, I am still in India till now and couldn’t pass the next selection. The second reason why I like this organization is

I CAN REINTEGRATE WITH HIGHER POSITION. OF COURSE WITH MORE RESPONSIBILITY, MORE CHALLENGE AND EXTRA EXPERIENCE.

I believe that my dream company will love to read my CV and hear my exchange story. I never as brave as now to take any risk and challenges myself in my life. One more thing about AIESEC that I know

IT IS NOT ONLY ABOUT EXCHANGE. IT IS ABOUT LEADERSHIP.

You can shape your leadership skill through exchange because living a powerful exchange can develop your skill and create strong leadership. For me when you are able to convert the vision to be an action, that’s leadership.  

 So, if you are a member of AIESEC, why don’t you continue to take higher role, develop more skill. It will be difficult at the first. But if you are staying in your comfort zone, other people will shrink it. This organisation, make me fall in love many times in my live. I couldn't wait to see my AIESECer in my city. See you soon!