MIS 2009

AIESEC in Egypt and the people that I have met through it constantly reminds me of the power of AIESEC. This conference has made me think a great deal about who I am in AIESEC, what I am able to do through this organization, and how to continue developing within the organization. AIESEC is not perfect, and neither am I - but we fit together in a way that has inherently changed who I am. I want to thank AIESEC in Egypt for making this past year what it was for me, and the people in this organization for being members of my Egyptian family.
بحبكم قوي

Dialogue.

Last week, AIESEC Egypt hosted the third Middle East North Africa Exchange and Leadership Development Seminar, and kicked the whole thing off with a Global Village, an event that allows delegates to share aspects of their culture through food, music, pictures, or anything like that. Now, I wasn't able to attend the conference because of school, but I was able to go to Global Village and see the twenty countries represented taking over the Corniche in Gezira. It is strange to think that it was two years ago that I was in Morocco, participating in the same thing. So much has changed since then, but its incredible to see familiar faces so much later.
(Gail from UAE and David Ziser from Kansas/Oman and me and the beautiful Denise from GT). A note on my t-shirt: My 19th birthday present from Katie Mitchell, a Ramblin' Wreck shirt that has the song on the back - this shirt has been worn to every conference and global village I have ever attended as a member of @GT. I am in love with it.)

As there was only one delegate representing the US, which was a little disappointing, but given the financial constraints of the conference and travel to Egypt is a little understandable, we helped deck out the table. Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter and jelly, Pepsi (although I was upset that our friend from @Madison bought Pepsi and not Coke...my Atlanta roots were pained by that), a Braves hat, and as much Obama stuff as I had in my apartment. Which was cool when people asked for pictures with us, the table, the flag, and Obama's picture.

Which brings me to the role of the Global Village - to learn about other cultures, build relationships, and use that knowledge to create conversations that may one day change the world. Which is just what Obama is doing. His message to Iran exemplifies just that, the willingness to learn about a culture, reach out to them, and begin a dialogue that will initiate change. It's a small step towards a bigger leap, and the man keeps making me proud.

This is exactly what we need around the world - the creation of dialogue. The inclusion of two parties contributing equally to a conversation about the world. And that doesn't just mean speaking, it means listening, too.

For example, the conflict in Israel and Palestine is many things. Complicated, important, heartbreaking, horrifying. But more than anything, I think it is something that changes in definition depending on who you ask. Before coming to Egypt, I was unsure of everything - I had read about it, and knew basics of the conflict, but my understanding of it has completely changed now. Not because I have chosen sides, but because I have had the opportunity to listen to both of them, learn from both of them. And it is increasingly frustrating to find people who refuse to initiate dialogue from a standpoint of being fair and balanced, from both sides.

If you want a different perspective of the conflict than what is usually reported in the US, check out this discussion started by an Israeli university on the role of their military in the conflict. For the full description, take a look at Haaretz, a left-leaning news center in Jerusalem. It is a step towards recognizing the need for developing an honest dialogue on both sides.

reminders of @Love.

On Sunday, I hosted a dinner of a bunch of AIESECers who happen to be in Cairo - some Madisonians, @CU-ers, and interns - a tradition that I have adopted from our old LC dinners and am trying to implement here. I cooked an obscene amount of food, which of course was not even close to enough, and brought out the little Arab mother in me, making sure people were eating enough, had everything they needed, and were doing nothing but enjoying themselves while I ran around getting food, tea, and whatnot together for them. It was a great evening, getting to see people I hadn't for awhile, and introduce new ones into the crowd that has become a mini-@Egypt family. And the lovely Denise, an @er from GT working here in Cairo, brought me one of the best gifts I have gotten in a very long time. Some love from home - in the form of a t-shirt and a card, which just about put me to tears.

I can't even recall how many times I have gone on and on about AIESEC GT Love. But they are my family, my friends, my coworkers, and my inspiration. They remind me of how to live the Dream, and that while they make me proud, I constantly want to make them proud, too. I can't explain how much I miss all of them or how truly special and unique what we have at @GT is. I'm a gushing mess of love for those kids.

the endings of oh-eight, in pictures.

A room with a view.

A new year, a new start. The view from my apartment. Yes, that is the Nile and most of Zamalek. Jealous? You should come and see it for yourself. More apartment pictures to come...

A new MCP.
Tiffany Curtiss, one of my heroes not only in AIESEC but in my whole life. One day, this woman cornered me after an AIESEC meeting to come to dinner. Her (gentle) pushing is the reason I have come so far in this organization, the reason why I have such high goals that I am working to attain, and why I have been inspired to see every side of this world, know it, and make it a better place. If you don't know her yet, you should get to know her. You will know her someday either way because when they say change agent, this is what they mean. This picture is from the very very beginning, and always makes me smile to think of all that has happened since then. Congratulations Tiffany, I am so excited to come back to AIESEC in the US in June and work with you!

A friend heading back stateside.
Roommate number two to head back to the USofA. This girl has infiltrated my vocabulary, made these past few months bearable, renewed my love for hopping around like a crazy, and is totally ball-hair. I'm going to miss bovering her and commenting on various repressions that we experienced in this country, and so much more.

A Jenny-Benny.
Hey guess what? I miss you. Yeah, that's right. Like tons.

A city that I love.
Cairo, Al-Qaharra, Masr. I love this city. Yes, you can see the pyramids in this picture, if you look really hard. I'm celebrating the entry of 2009 in Siwa with Christina, and in just over a week I will be flying to London and Paris. But Cairo is becoming home.

Happy New Year. 2009 I'm feeling will be a fantastic year, insha'Allah.

sup-dates.

1. ACTIVATE = major success. such AIESEC love. more later when I've got the time.
2. my whole body is sore, most probably because of the AIESEC dancing and complete lack of sleep. standard post-conference exhaustion.
3. the Russell Brand show is no more. there will be a hole in my heart.
4. I miss people at home - for serious. wa7eshtenikoo awy awy awy.
5. Working on a video for @GT. Yes, there will be @love.
6. It's November already. yeeeeeesh.

why yes, I AM activating Egypt.

ACTIVATE 2008 starts tomorrow - but I'm heading off today for what will be my fifth conference facilitating. By far, this is the most organized, most well-thought-out, and most inclusive planning process that I have worked in so far in AIESEC. EVERY session is something new that we created in the past few days, and EVERY faci has been excited, involved, and full of ideas. It's a different working culture here, and I'm pretty sure that I'm in love with it. The sessions are going to be so exciting - they are situated around homegroups, and I've got the newbie track, so it will be even more fun. More dancing, more inspiration, and more talking about this insane organization that I love. This will be my first conference with a full-blown simulation (this one is about PBoXes) and actually discussing the AIESEC Way, History, and organizational structure without censoring or filtering it. I bet all of your Halloween candy that it will be a fantastical spectacle.

yellah AIESEC Egypt!

Prepare for little to no sleeping...

because ACTIVATE 2008 shenanigans start today.

Sunday: Planning 7:30-10:00
Monday: Planning 6:30-9:00
Tuesday: Planning 12:00 - 9:00
Wednesday: Planning 10:00 to whenever we finish.
Thursday through Saturday: A face-meltingly awesome conference.

get ready...

a much needed reactivation

After a week filled with some existential crises, I've found out that I am on the Faci Team for ACTIVATE 2008 - Egypt's NLDS. I'm pretty excited about it, and the 150 newbies that will be in my track. I guess it's time to brush up on my dancin' skillz.

and another generation begins...

Congratulations to Amira, the new LCP of AIESEC GT!!

It's weird to think it's been so long since the last election, and even more so since I started my EB term. What a weird, changed world I've got around me now.

Good luck to the next round.

A messy rebirth.

I don't even feel like I need to write about it, but I can't wrap my head around it yet. It's a chance for us who have been calling for something better to be that change in the organization that has so irrevocably changed us. Where do we stand, reborn? How do we grow again? Who will be the leaders, the teachers, the guiders? Can I count myself among them when I will be so far away? Will I be the new AIESEC US? Do I have the strength to be greater than those whose shoulders I have built upon? To be stronger? To be more humble in the face of the members that give me power? Because we are nothing without our smallest member, our newest face to the AIESEC family. I just know that my home, my family, is back on the map, and I couldn't be more proud of the work that they have done in the past two years I have known them.

epic failure.

I am an example in failure of Cairene blogging. And there is so much to write about, I apologize. There is so much here to share with you, I don't know where to begin. This summer, already, has been a revolution in perspective and in identity for me.

And on the note of exciting revolutions, I am so proud of the members of AIESEC in the United States for starting their own. It's time to start my part over here, Incha'Allah.

Spreading the Dream in two days or less...

I have sold AIESEC to at least 10 wonderful women solely based on my ability to smoke hookah and rattle off an elevator speech like it was a description of the weather.

totally Boss.

first Egyptian days...

three days in Cairo. my findings:

1) awesome ladies. from AIESEC and from AUC/ALI. fantabulous.
2) haven't met very men of the AUC boys yet (segregated dorms and all that), but they look like promising cohorts.
3) Stella, the local brew, is not too shabby (much better than India's Kingfisher, for sure).
4) I apparently am a hookah "champ". I blame AIESEC and the gentlemen of the modern American hookah.
5) I love AIESEC. and all that comes with it. Especially the people.
6) Tamiyah = delicious. whoa jeez.
7) An incredible whirling dervish performance can simultaneously make you dizzy and lifted. more on that later.
8) I miss everyone at home. Just so you know.
9) I am so ready for school to start. Cairene life requires Arabic, and I have never wanted it more.
10) Internets work best after 1am. Anytime else it is slow as anything.
11) Cairo = breathtaking. Yellah.

it's the FINAL COUNTDOWN

RoKS is here.


Bring it on.

talk about a recognition structure.

I should start a love affair with AIESEC Madison. This is reason number 73. Talk about recognition structure and enjoying participation. Zaps to the badgers from the north.


PS. I have a test in less than three hours. Study? No. AIESEC work? yes. nomadlife-ing? abso-fucking-lutely.

I bet Carmen Sandiego never had to deal with this...

My heart goes out to my beloved Shanky. The boy challenged himself to travel halfway around the world, Live the Dream, and then experiences something monstrous - a brutal attack. I am simultaneously worried and proud of him - half of my heart wants him home, safe, but the other half wants him to continue living. And I know that these monstrosities are not limited to Kenya, they happen in Atlanta, too.
I experienced something similar (although much milder and less scary I'm sure), and more than anything I wanted to come home. I remember crying, in pain, in an Indian hospital torn between home and continuing the challenge. If I had gone home, I would have been a different person. I would be a different person. So much of that challenge shaped the direction of the rest of my experience (and little did I know, a great deal more of my life as I spent several weeks later in the year in the hospital) - if I had left early, there would have been so much that I would have not known. As terrible as it was, it shaped something spectacular for me.
Knowing the extent of the attack, I was also torn on another decision - whether or not to tell my parents. I crave comforting about the issue - god knows how worried I am about Sean. But on the other side of the coin - would my parents comfort be worth their ultimate worry about my safety in the year to come? Would continue to support my decision to spend the next chapter of my life in what they have labeled a "dangerous place"? Of course, comparing Cairo to Nairobi is a little like comparing tequila and rum - both are exciting, potentially risky, and delicious - just differently. But would they see that? I have the feeling that they would lump together all the places they didn't understand and categorize them under "Places we will not let our daughter go." Their understanding and support in my decision to face that challenge are nearly as important to me as the experience itself, and I know that without them this challenge would be about impossible. I guess it is hard for them to relate, my cravings for international experiences are a little, for lack of a better and less cheesy term, foreign to them. They still expect me to "wise up" one day and put on an engineer's hat, to chicken out, marry, and have those babies that my wide hips were made for, and are still wary of my passion and desire for all things Middle Eastern, challenging, and international. I think that they are proud in some ways, but find it difficult to explain why their daughter is on the other side of the world, why she spends so much time in a student organization they have never heard of, or what the hell her path through life spends so little time on native soil. My new friend faces the same issues convincing her parentals to experience the greatness of the traineeship rocketship. But again, it all comes back to the Dream. And if it comes down to living it or letting it pass by, you better be sure as hell that I am going to be living and breathing all I can of it.

Daily Paradigm Shift

I respect, more than anything, the willingness of others to change. I revere individuals that embrace this phenomenon, the people that leap into change head first, not solely accepting changes that happen upon them, but their entire ambition is to constantly change and grow while supporting, pushing, encourage others to experience the same impact.
From reading about a revolution in perspective, to discussions with my role models about their direction in life, from gentle pushes from across the ocean to examine how to improve myself to improve others, to a hero of mine sincerely forcing me to look into the direction of my own - it constantly pushes me to change myself, my perceptions, and to focus my direction. To discover my purpose.
I am consistently impressed that AIESEC has placed these incredible people in my life. That their experiences in this organization has shaped them in away that they have been able to shape me, that their changes in perception of individuals, of cultures, of growth and the globe have so significantly changed my own. That taking on these challenges, whether it is a traineeship, an international conference, or leading other such amazing individuals, do not accept that they have overcome these challenges, but are constantly looking for new ones.
It is amazing that the slightness of one action impacts so many others. That missing a bus my freshman year allowed me to read a flyer advertising AIESEC, that one night of hunger turned into a dinner that cemented my personal connection to some other AIESECers that have been some of my closest friends, that one delayed plane caused me to have some of the most constructive and inspiring conversations of my life. That allowing myself to be dragged to one information session a year and a half ago could give me so many of the opportunities that AIESEC has.
Preston told me this, in a dead-tired, half-aware state on the plane somewhere over the Appalachian Mountains - there is a reason that change is in the word exchange. Because exchange may be the medium of AIESEC, but change is what we do.

start spreading the news, I'm leaving today...

Leaving for New York this afternoon with my fearless leader to step into a whole new fray - Subgroup.

I am slightly mixed about this trip - I am excited to be more involved on a national level (which I have not been able to do between being abroad, being sick, and becoming an NFT) and be integral (or hopefully so) in the direction of this organization. On the other and less pretty hand, there are some aspects of Subgroup that I find less than tasty - a great deal of transparency issues, favoritism, and interaction/dependency on external consultants (also issues that I have raised with national staff) make me wary of not only the efficacy of this group, but also its objectives.
I plan on entering the meetings this weekend with an open mind to the work that Subgroup does and the people involved with it, but also to constantly remind myself (and hopefully those that I will be working with) that everything we do in this organization, all the time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, and other bodily fluids - it is always to make the mission more attainable, the experience of the general member more meaningful, and to create a bigger impact in our communities, in AIESEC, and around the world. So much of the loss of focus on that mission and goal, or what I perceive of it anyways, is the loss of the bigger picture. We are part of something greater, and I think AIESECers in the US, particularly ones that have dedicated a considerable amount of time to the organization (even more so the ones that dedicate that part of their lives without experiencing the glory of the traineeship rocketship), forget that. So much of this organization depends on the belief that life is more than the sum of its parts, kiddo. AIESEC is the same.

it's february...already.

1. so excited about RoKS. in a month. This genius (also available here) told me to host an LDS - this as close as I can get at the moment, being the Conference Coordinator (in charge of content development and the FACI-TEAM. yes, they do deserve all caps.) - Any suggestions are most welcome, by the way.

2. i just finished my application to American University in Cairo's Intensive Language Institute - a stint this summer that will hopefully be an introduction to the full year. More hopefully as a Boren Scholar/Fellow. Most hopefully living The Dream for a full calendar year.

3. I'm no lemming. I'll find my own cliffs to leap off of, thank you very much. Lemmings, however, somebody should bring back. Especially to my computer. (later searching has discovered it here...thanks Firdaus)

4. I'm getting my life together. finally. And it is about fucking time.

5. AIESEC in Madison is incredible. Read their conversations about growth, community, organizational culture, and AIESEC...seriously. I spent most of my past week trying to keep up - exactly the way I pictured nomadlife working when I signed on nearly a year ago.

6. I am least sure what I want in my life this minute. But the most sure of where I am going with it.

7. I am craving, more than anything right now, a Spotted Cow and an amazing conversation around my hookah. Any takers?

and 60 years later, we are still fighting.

Today marks the sixtieth anniversary of Gandhi's assassination. His ashes, with Hindu custom, have been mixed with the ocean and sent to sea.

I remember spending months researching his life, his mission, and his death - one of those all-consuming semester projects that usurped the Spring of fourth grade. Back then, Gandhi was my hero, my guiding light. I read his letters, read accounts of his friends and family, craved reaching the same unattainable goals in my life; peace, fulfillment of humankind's potential, discussion over conflict. I quoted the man in my speech at graduation (as I am sure most people do in one speech or another).

It wasn't until I left for India that I really understood his work, or him for that matter. Americans exclaim that he brought together his country and his people - but India remains as divided as ever, as does the world. India loves it's Mahatma, but there is still a person behind the symbol that Gandhi has been forged into. Simply, a person - flawed, raw, and full of emotion. Ultimately, his humanity is what fascinates me the most. That the unattainable he was searching for was became a capability, and perhaps that my unattainable goals are not invincible either. I have felt the impact that I have created, experienced first hand what belief, what determination, and what the dedication of one person could achieve.

We are so much to so many, and there needs no national holiday, no day of remembrance to understand that. I wish the people who have changed my life could see what they have done. I wish my life could be laid out and show the changes in its course. I am beyond thankful - at this point I don't even know how to start.

maybe I should just start with you. Thank you.

if you like giggling...

...this is the video for you. It is fantastic, ridiculous, and oh man - very India.

If I ever told you the story of me dancing in a Punjabi music video after working all day (read 6am to 2am) in the Indian heat, driving around Punjab, nauseous from the amount of food and chai shoveled into my mouth from various relatives of my employer, without shower, make-up, brush, or sleep. Here is the proof that it did actually happen. Me and my Dutch roommate, Femke, dancing away. From what I hear, we are still on TV in Chandigarh.

yallah, habibi.

The time has come for me to leave the United States again. I'm feeling tied down, trapped, whatever - I just want to get out and see the world some more. Now I just have to figure out how to do it.

I am looking for a study abroad opportunity for this summer (preferably an intensive Arabic language program), as well as for either fall 2008 or all of next academic year (August 2008 - Summer 2009). It has to offer Middle Eastern politics, history, and culture as well as Modern Standard Arabic - so in the Middle East. And I want somewhere that has AIESEC. And that is flexible enough for me to travel around the region.

Any advice?

AIESEC love.

my musings.

I was going to post them here, but I wanted to take advantage of our shiny, new LC blog. which, I'm telling you now, is going to see amazing things coming in 2008.

get ready.

it gets you thinking.

AIESEC, the love of my life and at times the bane of my existence.

and then I read this, and remembered why I do it. it's more than dances and frustrations and fighting for the rights. I am not one person working for the good that this organization, and thank god for that. This is more than me, more than us, more than national staff. AIESEC is an opportunity, and I think sometimes people forget that.

this road is curvy, and sometimes its unexpected.

So - I will not be LCP for AIESEC at Georgia Tech in 2008.
And strangely enough, I am really okay with that. Preston is an incredible AIESECer, and I know that he is an amazing asset to AIESEC here and everywhere. Like I said before, the man is Captain AIESEC.
No worries, other AIESECers, I am nowhere near leaving. Although I will face the dire fact of being NFT'd in three months, I know that there is so much in this organization I can still achieve. And I am lucky that I will have the support of an marvelous LCP like the P-Rhea.

But it does throw into question - what am I going to do in the next year? (I'm quite open for suggestions! Please give me some ideas) I have a lot of choices, but each is as exciting as the next - it's going to be hard to choose. But for the next few days, at least, I can relax. I am heading to Paris on Friday (YAY - SOOOOO EXCITING!) to see my brother, and I can't wait to get there.

tonight's the night.

I got this email this morning.

Maddie,

On May 1, you sent yourself this message. Today is the day that you thought you should read it.

"applications are due in November. make a decision. what could you do with it? where could you go? who could you impact? it's up to you."

We hope you've enjoyed the adventure of knowing yourself.

Dreaminder
www.dreaminder.com

So I got the date wrong, but tonight I will see what comes of the decision I made. Elections are about eight hours. We'll see what happens. Either way - today is a good day. I can feel it.

I did it, finally.

After much deliberation, pushing, shoving, and freaking out - I did it.

I applied for Local Committee President for AIESEC at Georgia Tech.

And now all I do is wait. Wish me luck, fellow nomaders. I am going to need it.

where are we going? where have we gone?

i love this organization. there is no doubt of my dedication to what we all strive to achieve with it. but it is times like this where i no longer understand why we do what we do. this is not the organization i joined. something has changed, and i wonder if i can fit into that change.

i can't even begin to understand why the hell i am so frustrated right now.

namaste, hindustan.

tum to thehre pardesi
saath kya nibahogay
subha pehli gaadi say
ghar ko lot jaogay

foreigner, you don't belong here.
you cannot know love -
the train leaves tomorrow,
and you must go.

~~~

ten weeks ago, i stepped out into the blaring heat of New Delhi, not knowing what to expect, not knowing what to do.
tomorrow - i leave here and travel back home, not knowing what to expect, not knowing what to do.

i only know that India, AIESEC, and this summer has changed my life.

thanks.

J'awesome JNC.

a special thanks to AIESEC in Chandigarh for delivering a fantastic Bebot, being a good sport with silly drinking games, and making me feel like I belong. You all are terrific. AIESEC in India, incredible.

i miss you.

Preparing a presentation for AIESEC Chandigarh, I looked up our LC's specialty. And realized something - how much I miss you all.


7 weeks, and counting. I will be home soon, and I expect dancing.

full circle.

it was just over a year ago that I stood in front of hundreds to give a speech, nearly crying and fainting, nervous beyond anything, full of stage fright, devoid of confidence, and barely able to stand without my knees shaking.

this morning - I gave a speech to about 50 kids about the importance of public speaking and its role in personal and professional development. I spoke clearly, loudly, with confidence and conviction.


talk about a full circle of change. I am a different person today. and I blame AIESEC.

even dancing feels different

So it has been 6 days in India.

it is still incredible. there are some things that are still so strange to me.

AIESEC in India is one of them. There is such a different mentality here than in the States.
Background to how I found this out: I went to a conference in Delhi this past weekend, kind of last minute in fact. (And by last minute I mean they called at 11pm on Friday for us to leave at 6am on Saturday.) It was LCCON for AIESEC Delhi University (@DU), their local conference/congress that takes place twice a year. (Similar to ROKs except only with one LC). It was in a Public School Complex in an outskirts village in Delhi, and by village I mean thatch and mud huts, cows and buffalo everywhere, women in full veils, naked children playing in a stream village. The conference was neither organized nor motivated, no one wanted to be there and none of the issues they discussed in their Learning Networks discussions were irrelevant, and even worse, not up to date. Then there was, like at any @ conference, dancing. And if you know me - I love the dancing. But they were different - even NumaNuma and Cotton Eye Joe. I wasn't granted the chance to teach them Bebot.
The one saving grace of this conference was the presence of DU's trainees - few of which were @ers, but all had more @ spirit than most of the @ers from Delhi. There was a tangible divide - @ers would not talk to the trainees, no matter how hard we tried. Complaints were not answered, and any attempt to learn about Indian culture was, for lack of a better word, thwarted. Many of the trainees were meeting the others for the first time, and did not know that there were other trainees in the area for them to either hang out with or travel with. The point of the conference was to allow more interaction between the LC and their trainees, but failed miserably in the attempt.
The closing dinner was what really killed it - we sat through nearly 2 hours of @ers toasting themselves on their great achievements while most of the weekend had only brought out their faults. Imagine, being a trainee in a completely unique and foreign land, and feeling that the people who brought you there were not interested in your safety or well being but solely that you had increased their exchange numbers, and then listening to them gloat about the advances and superiority of their LC and its members. All of the trainees left the dinner because of their frustration, and then proceeded to attend a fantastic trainee party, complete with Spongebob mascot. I had a lot of amazing conversations with people from around the world- the Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Bulgaria, Sweden, UK, Canada (one of whom knew the @GT kids that went to CNLDC!!), Poland, and the Netherlands. I was listening to them talk about their experiences, advice on where to travel, and their plans for the rest of their respective traineeships (most of which were at least 5 months, some as long as 18 months!). That made me feel so much better - at that point I was still unsure if I could last 10 weeks - I was homesick and freaked out and absolutely exhausted, but now. I think I can face it.
All in all, an eye-opening weekend. I hope that I will not face the same challenges in Chandigarh, although I am sure I won't to the extent that the DU trainees have. I start my CEED on Tuesday - and I have so many ideas on how to get involved with the LC to improve them and myself. Being with another LC makes me miss my LC even more - they are like a second family, and it's the longest I have been in quite some time not seeing them. I know that I can become a better @er through this, I just have to figure out how.

Travel News: Going to Amritsar and Attari this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited! It is going to be beautiful. We are going to the Golden Temple and to see the Closing of the Border Ceremony. There will be pictures soon, and more stories. If you ever travel - get a Lonely Planet Guidebook (even the locals use them here), it will be the best money you ever spent on a trip.

byebye baby, baby good-bye

and I'm off.
It's an incredible feeling that I am finally heading out. I am still in shock. I am finally going to be working toward the Dream.

well, abracadabra homes.
see you on the other side of the world...

it goes on without you.

LTR is this weekend for GT.
and I am not going. and that fact is killing me.
I am so worried about not having any influence on the LC this summer while I am gone (12 days!), and not that I don't trust everyone who will be working - I just am wondering if I will recognize it when I come home. I have put so much into this LC, I don't want to leave it alone - but I know going on an exchange will help the LC as much as it will help me. And the people staying in the states will be amazing, I know.
I don't know what to do about this unsettling feeling I have.

choices choices

i have been thinking about the decisions i will have to make this year. actually they have been in my thoughts for the past few weeks. they're big - and i am not sure what my choices will be. it's kind of scary, actually.
before AIESEC, i had a definite plan for my life. my job was decided, where i would live, when i would graduate, what i would do, who i would look for. i had them all planned down to the year. my entire life was laid out before me - no distractions, no side routes. all i had to do was follow it.
but now. now, i don't have that plan anymore. there are all these things that i want to do - that i want to see before i graduate, or start in the real world, or get married (yeesh - marriage is a scary to me).
i realized that planning it out didn't leave enough room for me to grow. i didn't expect a lot of things coming at me, but they did - and i have changed because of them. actually, a lot of unexpecteds were thrown my way. my plan just didn't deal with that. so it is scary, yes, but so incredible and liberating at the same time. i have the opportunity to do whatever i want, i just need to make a choice. the problem? too many opportunities. where do i go from here? this year is still new, i can still make resolutions.
so - inspired by this, i started thinking about this year and where i want to be at the end of it. here goes.

- be amazed by india. be impacted. come home changed. pass on the impact.
- really focus on school. be an active student. study more. keep HOPE.
- make the decision by october 1st. yes or no.
- be a mentor.
- have seen 10 countries. (on the list right now - USA, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, France, Italy, Spain, Morocco. soon to be - India, ???)
- be proud of the past year and what i have done with it.
- be ready to take on anything in 2008.

bring it on, 2007. i'm ready.

you give me money, i give you what you want.

so the Honors Program, who gave me money to go to morocco, asked me to write an article for their newsletter about my experience. and it finally gave me a chance to sit down and write about my time there. granted, its not even touching on how amazing it was, or how incredible the people were. but nothing in words ever could.

so here you go:

Ana kountoo fe al-Maghreb. I was in Morocco. It is one of those incredible, ludicrous, surreal, amazing experiences and ideas that completely change your perception on the way your life works. You stand there and think about how ridiculous that actually sounds, For my spring break, I went to Morocco. Who says that? One of those dreamlike moments, and there I was. In the middle of Morocco surrounded by over two hundred amazing individuals and nineteen different cultures, living the dream… maybe I should start at the beginning.
In September, when I was just a Recently Acquired Techie, I was dragged to an information session for a student organization by the Honors Program’s very own Emily Pechar, and when I say dragged, I mean dragged. I had no desire to walk across campus (I’m lazy) to hear about another student organization intent on my membership (I had walked enough on Skiles even after that first month to recognize that pattern). But in that information session, I found exactly what I wanted in an organization, and it was called AIESEC. AIESEC is the largest entirely student-run organization focusing on leadership development and cultural understanding through international exchange. It offers around 4500 international internships in over 100 countries per year for students and recent graduates of over 800 universities.
Long story short, I joined. And through AIESEC, I have had so many opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. Which brings me to Morocco.
I was granted the opportunity to attend the Middle East North Africa Leadership Development Seminar (lovingly acronym-ized to MENALDS) taking place in Bouznika (a incredibly tiny town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco) with about 240 delegates, including the aforementioned lovely Emily Pechar. I met people from nineteen different countries, ranging everywhere from Brazil, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, to the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Tunisia.
It was an incredible five days, and incredible hardly does them justice. I had the opportunity to not only learn from these intense cultures and amazing people, but also had the opportunity to be a positive ambassador for America to nations that don’t necessarily see the best in the United States. I actually had the chance to completely shape the perceptions of Americans to a few people, as some of the delegates had never actually seen an American that was not on television. Believe me, that is an eye-opening and rare experience. I discussed everything from marriage traditions in Bahrain to Islam and women to freedom of speech in the Gulf, and learned something incredible each time. Imagine chatting over dinner about family life to someone whose father had a second wife, or discovering facets of a religion that tends to be demonized in American media that are so moving and thought provoking it changes your perspective on the entire region. I learned the concept of Insha’Allah, or “If God Wills It”, and the impact that has on one’s mindset. I was at one point in the conference pushed into the center of a circle of dancers to test my Middle Eastern dancing skills, and to my surprise was told by an Egyptian that I could fit in her country. I found myself watching the sunset over the minarets of Rabat’s mosques and the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, listening to the beauty of an Islamic call to salah (prayer). Like I said, incredible hardly does it justice.
If you ever, and I mean ever, have the opportunity to go to Morocco, TAKE IT. The people there are the most hospitable, gracious, and interesting people I have met in a long time. Or if you have the chance to go abroad, don’t let it pass you by. You will have the ability to experience a culture, change your perspective, meet incredible people, and see something that could take your breath away. And it could quite possibly, most probably, change your life.


i miss Morocco. take me back.

let's see how this works out...

and so it begins.

where do i go from here?

i feel so disillusioned.
for everything. school, friends, family, even AIESEC.

i want for anything else to be back where i was right after WSC this winter. i have never been so motivated, and its really hard to find where that came from.
i need an excuse to get genuinely excited about something. its getting harder and harder, and you don't even realize how depressing that can be.

follow the leader leader leader, follow the leader

was recognized at the Omicron Delta Kappa for my role at Georgia Tech as "freshman leader".
basically it was about 40 people getting a piece of paper that deemed us leaders of our class. kind of a farce if you ask me, but it was an interesting perspective on my future at the school, as well as the future of AIESEC at Georgia Tech. so much of what they were talking about as necessary for a sustainable organization and leadership development i have already found in AIESEC.

it was interesting some of the things that they talked about. especially the concepts of Ubuntu and conviction in action. i understand why, even at the most frustrating and struggling times, i continue with my work in AIESEC. because i have conviction not only in its mission and vision, but also its ability and influence, especially in my life. leadership is conviction. and action. and the ability to translate both.

it made me think a lot about my future. where do i go next?

paradigm-shift

ana kountoo fe al-Maghreb.
i was in Morocco.

and it changed my life.

tomorrow, tomorrow...

i leave in about 28 hours. i cant even begin to tell you how incredible that is to me.

there was a point however that i was almost told i couldn't go. my mother, upon finding out about the suicide bombing incident in Casablanca on sunday, officially freaked out and told me that she didn't want me going. i think that is part of the reason why i need to go - to achieve the AIESEC mission and end the need for suicide bombers. i believe in what AIESEC is doing, i just wish that i could get that across to my parents. and everyone.

speaking of conference - it looks like BEBOT will be the roll call for AIESEC US. count it GT.

7 days of waiting....

one week.
one week from right now i will be arriving at the airport to go to morocco.
one fucking week.

it seems so far away, but i know that i don't have enough time to get everything done that i need to. like buy clothes. and sleep. and find my head. and find an amazing book to change my perspective while i am traveling (open to suggestions people!)

talking to preston, and getting ridiculously excited about my time in valencia. i can't believe how much fun it is going to be. i don't even have a plan, which isn't that strange for me, but i'm waiting for him to take me to an amazing place like a native. oh god - i am excited.

also excited about joining national leadership team. talking to charlie and andrew has got me so pumped to start working. i want so much for AIESEC here at Georgia Tech, but also improving what we have as a nation. i love AIESEC, and i will do anything for it at this point.

i think that i have stated my excitement level is high multiple times in the past few sentences. but i'll say it again: I AM SOOO EXCITED!

oh silly.

so RoKS was fun. i went in excited - and it was great to see so many kids that i met at WSC. really good sessions were had - and i had so much fun being a Facii. i mean - i feel i could have done better, but its an amazing experience! we had a little trouble with the partying issue...soon to be resolved i hope...we'll see. but good. yay roks and yay aiesec. (speaking of which - I am now on national leadership team!! yay!)

but now, before i leave for morocco and spain (yay! 9 days!) i need to focus. i need to go to class and figure what the hell is going on in my life. and what i am doing with it. i need to find a way to make me work. and get stuff done. and not skip class.

ok meeting time.

ps. bought lottery tickets - i want in on $340 million!

yay.

1st roks, check.
done and done.
i love aiesecers.
more later.

Remotivation

when I found out that I was not going to Morocco for spring break, I almost started crying. my heart broke a little bit. and i lost the motivation to do anything. even AIESEC, which is a big deal for me. i mean, i'm not angry at the CC, just disappointed.

and then i trudged along to a meeting, still upset and confused and unsure what the next step was. and a comment came up in the meeting about how strange it would be if two integral members of our LC had not stayed with the organization - and how lost we would be without them.

right there was my motivation. I wanted to be that motivation and inspiration for someone else. i want to share with someone how amazing AIESEC is and have it completely change their life.

and here i am, remotivated. i still don't know where i am going from here, but i know i am at least going.


#sidenote: i bought my first suit today. i have never felt so old. and broke. but i better look good at the BOA meeting on thursday.

Nye says "Hey AIESEC!"

"[A] form of liberalism is social. It argues that person-to-person contacts reduce conflict by promoting understanding. Such transnational contacts occur at many levels, including through students, businesspeople, and tourists. Such contacts make others seem less foreign and less hateful. That, in turn, leads to a lower likelihood of conflict."
- Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
Understanding International Conflicts: An Introduction to Theory and History

umm... i'm pretty sure someone at AI needs to cut this man a check for some free advertising....

anyway - i'm sitting here studying for my test at 9 in the morning (its about 2:45 at the moment...) and reading about the interaction capacity of international and transnational actors in the pre-modern era from a liberalist perspective, and all i can think of is how @ is infiltrating every aspect of my life, even my classes. not a complaint, by all means, but just an interesting observation. how an organization that i was forced to attend six months ago is now such a major part of my life. i know i touched on that in my last post, but it is still so incredible to me.

for real - i need to study now.

...

for some reason this decided it did not want to post until now.... stupid bloggerface.