AIESEC International Blog

We miss you all, but had fun skating and drinking for you to enjoy the photos! :)

We're having brunch on Friday as well, (with scones!!!!), so we'll send more photos and virtual hugs during our last Happy Hour of 2008.

Hope you're all doing well, wherever you are in the world,

Come back healthy and happy in January please :)

Hugs,

Your buddies in the office!

At the beginning, we thought it was only one small mouse making disasters in the office. But, when our visitors in the office started to notice the presence of few of them in different parts of the office we started to freak out.

Rotterdam is becoming colder and since the office is a really warm place to be, our little friends have started to multiply themselves.. so we needed to take action on this, we don't want to get back from holidays and don't find the documents we need!!!!

Sorry, but AI will have an AI mascot in other occasion! :P






Let's see if it works!!! :)

Hey AIESEC!

"From the lands of Exotic Fruits, Spanish, White Beaches, Sun almost all the year and Passion; a lot of Passion; Iberoamerica"

A couple of months ago I've never imagined traveling around IGN countries will be such an amazing race!

Is being almost 3 months where I've had the chance to et to know 11 different countries, cultures, feelings, places, and the most interesting thing, many different ways to deliver AIESEC but with a key common factor; PASSION!

Spain and specially Madrid inspired me a lot, make me remember our roots, from where Latinos came from, its fascinating architecture, the old streets in downtown, all the environment of the starting of Autumn, very charming. After working with the MC Falcons all the week, we had the chance to get some Madrid action at night, Asier my friend & former IGN board, joined us to taste the famous "Chupitos" (small cocktails) and together with the MC colleagues we had an amazing time there. Spain is growing, specially on EP side & LC Development, great Financial Management and TM Processes Implementation.

After my visit in my European country, I got to the land of Tacos, Chili, Rancheras, Tequila and Mayan culture, Mexico!


What a great visit!!! Many things happened here, my 25th birthday, meeting again Ligia & Marco Tulio (current IGN Boards), attend to the biggest conference ever from AIESEC there (330 delegates) and get the chance to know the biggest city in Latin-America. Many funny things happened here in terms of coaching the MC 300, ER setting up basic processes very well, Finance simply outstanding in administration & legal, Projects running SER MAS very good, Exchange performing (even though MCVP X didn't want to meet me for individual meeting, she said it was not a priority for her :D). Is the country with the highest X efficiency en IGN, around 250 members delivering 200 Exchanges. On the social agenda, a bit of Tequila was involved in my birthday, but measured, it was very fun!

Moving on inside Central America, I got to the country with highest Exchanges per LC, host of our main regional conference in 2009, ILC; of course I'm talking about Guatemala!!! The green country!!!

Meeting with the MC guys there was amazing, they are growing a lot on TNs and EPs, having finally 3 official local entities and 1 MC full/part time giving support to deliver @XPs, they are taking care of almost every single process and its reflected on their growth. I took Marco Tulio with me to support the OC from ILC while I was coaching the MC, we have also a lot of fun visiting many places, for example I found out for Spain (thanks to their main airline) Guatemala is the most exotic destiny to visit, so tourism there is being a key topic. On the picture you can see the main square of Guatemala City, where the global village form ILC in March 2009 will take place :D. Hope to see as many of you joining to our ILC, march 13-19, 2009!!!

Then I move one of the most competitive countries in the region in economics (of course the size helps to be so); El Salvador. What a nice place, warm people, great weather, big challenges, great potential. Cindy (MCVP X) and her nana were amazing, what a great hospitality, Stela (OCP 60th anniversary) & Stefan (MCP) did everything to make my week there. We work out many things trying to put El Salvador in place, things are happening there now!!!

On the weekend we visit the beach, my first time at the pacific ocean :D. If you guys go once try “Popusas” are great! You can expect a lot of growth from this country in 2009! Stefan, Cindy & Stela, GO for it!

Keep updating,

Felipe!
AIESEC in Iberoamerica Director

Thanks! :)

After a mild bout of anxiety before leaving Qatar, I finally made it to Iran safe and sound! I had an excellent night spent with about 400 of my closest friends, all sleeping on the beautiful floor of the Sharjah airport. Two flights, One 14 hour layover, 2.5 movies and 5 hours of crappy sleep next to the cell phone recharge station and I finally I made it to Iran where the MC greeted me after going through customs.


Interesting sign at the airport: "A woman is beautiful who wears hijab (veil) and who acts with modesty and decency". Welcome to Iran :)

So far I'm having a great time with the MC team -- we're working hard and eating lots of delicious Iranian food.


hope all is well in the office with all the visitors! :)

Annika!

An important milestone in my term has passed by and I feel more than satisfied.. I feel, full! :)

The Global Communication Crew meeting 2008 was hosted in Rotterdam the last week thanks by the financial support of UNILEVER, that supports us in the development of the areas of Talent Management and Communication in AIESEC.

So far, it has been the most powerful experience I have had in my term in AIESEC International.

I had the big privilege to facilitate the learning of 12 amazing people, really committed with the organization, who decided to spend an entire week to learn, support and think the future of the network from the role of Communication.

Three romanians, one girl studyng Maths and managing the Exchange and Communication area of AIESEC in Sweeden, the other girl responsible for Communication in AIESEC in Romania since she was in her Local Committe in her university, and the guy, now working for a company who selected him for his ideas and professionalism.

Two australians girls, one of them travelling 20 hours to get Rotterdam and managing virtually the External Relations of AIESEC in Australia while she was attending the meeting. The other one, the most incredible colleague in Communication I have ever had in my life.

Two funny and really smart brazilians, one supporting the national initiatives of AIESEC in Brazil and the other one, managing the Communications of AIESEC in Spain, the last one living a powerful cultural experience and personal discovery.

One sweet, peaceful, creative greek, passionated about the external communications, responsible for the great performance of AIESEC in Greece till now.

A lovely and really inteligent girl, responsible to manage the Communication of AIESEC in Singapore. Small girl with big ideas and character.

Another colombian in the team! This girl is younger than me and today is part of a consultancy firm of Communcations in Colombia, supporting and managing accounts with big companies and also voluntary supporting the activities of Communication in AIESEC. She also connected me to my home, she brough me coffee, cakes and sweets I am missing from home.

A funny and focused italian girl. She is responsible to lead the Communication team of AIESEC in Italy and also supporting the organization of the next AIESEC International Presidents Meeting in Italy, taking place in the next February 2009.

The girl responsible for the Communication of AIESEC in Portugal is an intelligent, analytical, supportive and direct person. She is excited to manage the initiatives of Brand experience in the coming months.

There were also 5 members more that, unfortunately, were not able to attend the meeting because of different reasons, mostly because of lack of money: the responsible for Communication and External Relations of AIESEC Pakistan, of AIESEC in Turkey, of AIESEC in Egypt and the Communication responsible of AIESEC in Colombia and AIESEC in Hong Kong.

The person resposible to manage and coordinate these incredible team -and virtually- is a Serbian, he was in charge of Communication of AIESEC in Serbia last year, when the country was selected as the best performing AIESEC Country in Branding and Communication initiatives in the 2007. He is the best complement for me to manage this amazing team.

--

We were working from 10am till 8pm every day, thinking in the big impact we could generate if we bring to the organization that piece that is missing in the puzzle: connection! To imagine how cool could be that more people would know about our work, if even more the AIESEC members world wide could be more connected as the way we are, doesn't matter in which country, GMT, political or economic reality we belong to.

About how cool would be if we could spread the stories we generate and to show the impact we are creating in the world every single day. One by One, changing young people's life. Enabling life changing AIESEC experiences.

Suddenly, we were talking in the same language and creating a good family!
Thinking in big initiatives to make this possible and also sharing as old friends. No idea when we'll see each other again, no idea how our lives will change after this week, coming back to their countries, continuing their jobs and commited to the network virtually.

This is how AIESEC works, putting brilliant people together! creating friendship, facilitating personal and professional development, activating leadership, connecting this unbelievable organizaton moved thanks by the passion of its members!


Lala.

In team building games during the AIESEC in Greece National Conference :)