AIESEC International Blog

One of the most exiting chapters of being a member of AIESEC International, are those, where you have direct physical interaction with people of the network ... the best examples for that (sadly there are not MANY, that's why they're so precious!) are international conferences (as the fantastic IC we closed two weeks ago) and OF COURSE COUNTRY VISITS!

We, GN directors, are VERY lucky to have as part of our responsibilities country development. I personally think it's the "toughest", but more beautiful focus that the director role has. This year is not an exception, and as part of the country development strategy 2005 2006 the first round of country visits is starting the 1st of October of 2005!

If you approach the AI directors these days, our lifes are swinging between VISA APPLICATIONS, REVISION OF COUNTRY PLANS, BOOKING FLIGHT TICKETS (and trying to get the best air fares!) as well as getting personally and professionally prepared to live one of the most experiences of our lifes. In my case ... I am wondering when it's gonna be the next time that I will have the chance to visit 6 countries in 3 months ...

Today - I was again, in a consulate, asking for a visa. It's was so funny how the guy of the embassy when he saw the invitation letter of the AIESEC country and told me: "Wow, these are the best universities of the country the ones you will be visiting!" and "wow the place of the city where you will be hosted, is one of the best sectors to live in" ... then I said to myself - if the environment there is so cool, it needs to be easy for AIESEC there to increase their capacity to have more impact, and provide more and more AIESEC Experiences ... I need to make a difference in this country visit! And it's always like that, embassies are amazed with the kind of job we do, and the kind of mission we say we will do in these countries. Tell it to me, that as colombian, I got here an US visa (to visit one of my caribbean countries that is an US state :)) in one day, and US embassies that have the reputation of sometimes being quite rude or exceptical providing visas, this time they were just amazed with what we as director do - specially when they look ate your passport and say: God, you are only twenty-four years old!

Country Visits - more than a pass with a couple of new visas!

And yes :) you can laugh about my picture, ugly as it can be - I wish you could see the ones of the other of the team, hehe!

I just can't wait and I think that the more days pass, the more exited we all directors are. Almost all of us we'll leave the office and just come back in January - this is also a bit scary! But in then end we are going to meet the "Bread and Salt" of AIESEC (for those who were at IC 2005 know what I mean). More news coming soo, for now, I go back to work!