S p e c i a l T h a n k s |

Agrium is a participant in AIESEC‟s Global Internship Program, and has enthusiastically

participated in other activities with AIESEC Calgary. Their involvement has been instrumental in the development of our organization, especially in the leadership field.

Nexen‟s continuous support of AIESEC Calgary, not only financially, but by participating

in its Global Internship program, has had invaluable impact on the experience that the local has been able to provide for its members

N L D C | J u l i e P a r k , V P F i n a n c e 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1

he National Leadership Development Conference was literally the end of my

life as I knew it, and as a result, I am now leading a better life. When I had first decided to attend the conference in Winnipeg this past May, my main reason was to get away from Calgary - and all of the work involved with it - for once. I had no great expectations going in to the conference, even though everyone kept telling me that it would be the most amazing experience. These were all things that I'd heard before, and it didn't affect my view of AIESEC in any way. Throughout the school year, I had looked to AIESEC as an escape from school and work, but inevitably, even AIESEC became another repetitive slot in my ongoing schedule. My AIESEC experience changed right from the first day of the conference. I have very sensitive ears and tend to be in a lot of pain after plane rides, and that was exactly the case when I first arrived in Winnipeg. I couldn't hear very well because they were plugged up and I just had to take a seat and couldn't get up because it was really painful. We ended up talking to a bunch of people from different LC's and one of them had heard about my ears hurting from the flight. Because check-in was delayed, I couldn't even unpack to look for some pain killers. The amazing thing about that first few hours was that the one girl that had heard about my ears asked pretty much everyone she talked to at the conference for

decongestants and pain killers. She ended up being my roommate. I was nervous about sharing a room with people I didn't know and about being around hundreds of people that I had never met before, but just finding out that I was in the same room as her just set the conference off in the best way possible. (By the way, my ears finally popped at opening plenary by all the loud cheers). The conference has allowed me to open my eyes and see all the people who are so passionate about AIESEC and the little things that everyone sacrifices for AIESEC. It showed me how much our LCP, Mark, cares about his members and AIESEC as a whole, and how much he gives of himself in order to let others have the best possible AIESEC experience. Even more shocking was seeing the devotion of those who

weren't on the EB. As I'm sure some of the executives knew, I was planning on dropping out of AIESEC in September. As I had mentioned before, AIESEC was becoming just another slot in my schedule. NLDC had me doing a 180 and now I'm more dedicated to AIESEC work than ever before. It inspired me to take on a bigger role and here I am as VPF; scared and nervous that I might fail, but taking the leap anyways in hopes that I will succeed. I‟ve been told this numerous times, and I'm not sure who said it originally, but I think this is explains my overall journey in AIESEC in a nutshell - "You join for all the wrong reasons, but you stay for all the right ones." I joined just to have something to do in my spare time, but I stayed for the values that AIESEC stands for, the impact that it has on the lives of so many, and the

people.

T

N L D C | P h o t o E s s a y

T r a v e l o g u e | M a l a i k a ' s F i r s t T r i p T o E u r o p e Here begins the most ballin’est single, travel blog @CGY has ever seen…

pril 18th, 2010 at Quinten Matsysstrat 11, Tilburg, The Netherlands. My first

trip to Europe has been both beautiful and disastrous on account of the giant cloud of volcanic ash that is floating its way across the continent and, as a result, impeding my journey home. I‟ve been VPTM (i.e. VP Adventure) for +/- 50 days, and already I‟m stuck on a continent thousands of miles away from my own, with no credit or bank card, drivers license, student card, Health Care card and/or money - because my wallet was stolen (of course) 8 days into a 10 day trip. From the outside it would seem that I‟ve gotten myself into quite a pickle. In case there‟s anyone out there who is unaware, Eyjafjallajökull, a volcano in Iceland, erupted on April 15th, 2010. I won‟t get into the meteorological mumbo jumbo of it all, but basically the result is that all flights into and out of much of Northern Europe have been grounded. For me this means that the exam I‟m have in 9 hours will go unwritten, the paper due at the end of this week will require an extension, my desk at work will continue to feel the wrath of mountains of paper that are already accumulating, and though @CGY TM will go on, they will miss my presence dearly. Okay, maybe not dearly, but a little bit. I‟m not about to be the happy-go-lucky, “it could be worse” girl but…well, it could be worse. Really, being „stuck‟ in Europe just as summer decides to show its face is not a legitimate reason to be mad at the world.

The reason I‟m here in Tilburg, The Netherlands in the first place is that my good friend Marjolijn lives here. (This is where it get‟s AIESEC-y). We met two years ago on exchange in Singapore, and at that point in time neither of us had any clue what AIESEC was. We lived in Singa for 6 months. We studied, ate, partied, travelled Asia and made friends from all over the world, and at the end of it all, we went home with a newfound and greater appreciation for the magic that is being on exchange. Something about living abroad throws your comfort zone out the window, smashes it on the jagged rocks below and carries it away in a makeshift tornado, hurricane-ish looking thing. It forces you to do things you never imagined you could and this experience is, in a roundabout way, how we found AIESEC…and why being stuck in Europe is not so bad after all. Allow me to explain… I joined AIESEC in March of 2009, shortly after arriving back from Singapore. Initially, I despised the fact that I was back in Canada, and all I wanted was a way out of the frozen tundra and back to the foreign nirvana…so I thought about an international internship. I had another particularly wonderful

friend in Singapore (i.e. Francois…big up AIESEC Laval) who told me my life would not be complete until I joined AIESEC, so I did. Really and truly, it‟s been a slice. I‟ve been to two conferences on opposite ends of Canada, met so many amazing people that I almost need another Facebook account to keep up with the mass friend requests (you know you‟re popular when..) and I spend everyday, good or bad, learning stuff. Marjo‟s story is, as they say in Thailand, „same same but different‟. We kept in contact via Facebook and I still remember the day she sent a message saying that she was applying to go on an internship in Africa…with AIESEC! Wow-wee! Long story short, her would-be internship in Africa didn‟t come to

A

Malaika, with the bicycle that got her around Tilburg

fruition, but it did turn into a fulltime, year-long EB term with AIESEC Tilburg 2009-2010! We‟ve kept in contact for 1.5 years through the magic of the internet, and when the opportunity to come to Europe and visit her and a handful of my other Singapore friends (most magnificent handful ever) arose…well I just couldn‟t say no. So…here I sit. There‟s a bit more to the story here, but that‟s for another time and place. Now, onto why being stuck in Europe isn‟t so bad after all. In mathematical form: Long lost friends+ AIESEC + a volcano – AirCanada = Malaika get‟s to spend 7 glorious days meeting, learning from and getting to know AIESEC Tilburg.

The day after I arrived here I went to a Newie Info Session at Tilburg University. My friend Marjo is VPOGX (or Director OGX if you‟re Dutch), so she invited me to come sit in on the session. Later that evening I had a Dutch pancake dinner bonanza with Marjolijn, Marieke and Lieke from the Tilburg Executive Board, and two new TNs who had just arrived from Greece and Sweden, Dimitris and Helena. It was about two days after this that I learned of the whole Iceland/volcano/life plan altering catastrophe. I wasn‟t feeling so lucky at the time, as I had: lost my wallet, an exam to write in

Calgary in 3 days and, no clue how I would get home…or when. This was a disaster…but maybe it‟s more fitting to describe it as a beautiful disaster. This is the magic of AIESEC, my friends. AIESEC Tilburg took me in as one of their own and I was lucky enough to spend the next week getting to know the local. I sat in on an OGX meeting, preceded by dinner with the team. We went to a full LC meeting, followed by drinks with the entire LC. We spent time working in their office, attended an AIESEC Tilburg

parents night dinner and ate, drank, danced and laughed AIESEC style. Everyone was wonderful! Their beautiful LCP Linda told me I was welcome to stay with them as long as I needed and they would help

in any way they could. On the reals, I wish all disasters could be this magnificent. I realize that I will feel the wrath of my job/school/family/AIESEC work when I get home, but for now, I‟m nothing if not more motivated to come home and dive into TM. It‟s weird how although AIESEC locals everywhere are „following The AIESEC Way‟…everyone has a different spin on what means will achieve what ends. In my well informed, week-old opinion, the Dutch have got it going on. Dedication is not a question for Tilburg. They are AIESECers through and through and I‟m

honored to have had the opportunity to spend even just a week getting to know them. So, here‟s a great big, giant thank you to Marjolijn, Linda, Marianne, Marieke, Lieke, Dimitris, Helena, Anne, Marlin, Marlou, Rutger and everyone else whose names I have forgotten but who made me feel at home in the Netherlands! You all are welcome to sleep on the futon in my parent‟s basement back in Calgary any time! P.S. I actually finished writing this blog on a sunny afternoon, sitting in the beautiful English Gardens in Munich, Germany. This is a network in action people! As a result of my school exchange I have friends around the globe always there to lend a helping hand…and, as the airport here in Munich opened up first, I was able to come here, await a flight home and experience yet another wonder of the world: pretzels and bier!

The lesson to be learned for all of you reading this is:

GO ON EXCHANGE! Hit up the AIESEC Calgary website to sign up for the next info session so that we can show you how! Peace and love y‟all! Note: Malaika arrived home safe and sound 11 days after her regularly scheduled arrival.

Helena, Lieke, and Marieke at the AIESEC Tilburg office

Meeting the new interns from Sweden and Greece!

I n t e r n P r o f i l e | A l v a r o I p a n a q u e

lvaro Ipanaque had served leadership roles with AIESEC for five years before going

on his first exchange. Coming from Lima, Peru, he came here to Calgary not for the weather, not for the skiing, not for the Stampede, but for the job opportunity. “It was always the job description and not the city [or] country that drove my interest,” explained Alvaro. Alvaro started a year-long internship in August 2009 for Agrium in the corporate organization development (or talent management) team. He was involved in and contributed to three major projects: the Global Workforce Strategy, the New Grad Rotation Program and the Human Capital Metrics and Scorecard. “It has contributed a lot to challenge myself, [and to] understand the importance of Talent Management in a company such as Agrium,” said Alvaro, describing his experience to date. “As a result, I will definitely be developing more in this area keeping a broader perspective.” One of Alvaro‟s reasons for joining AIESEC and going on the exchange was to reinforce his

international professional experience before pursuing his MBA. He felt that he could use the practical, hands-on work experience towards his education. Through his five years in AIESEC, he has held two VP positions (outgoing and incoming exchange), LCP and MCP positions, and has facilitated and acted as trainer at various conferences. But even

all of that didn‟t prepare Alvaro for what he would learn from actually

going abroad. “I travelled in North

America and I learned a lot about the cultural differences between US and Canada,” he says, describing his travels while on exchange. “Within Canada, every province has something different to offer. Going to the east was like going to a different country. This is especially true in Quebec.”

The eye-opening experiences went further, with Alvaro‟s first-hand exposure to Canada‟s down-and-dirty hockey culture. “I was pretty surprised [to see] the hockey players fighting in the middle of the match,” he says. “Suddenly it becomes a boxing show.” Alvaro‟s AIESEC experience remains one of the most comprehensive and well-rounded of any AIESEC member, and he‟s always happy to talk about the great time he‟s had both at home and abroad. To him, it‟s the most intense and most fun way to experience a different culture and to develop professional skills. “If you see yourself working in a multicultural environment and being challenged every day, this

should be your first step.”

Written by Richard Lam

A

It was always the job

description and not

the city [or] country

that drove my

interest.

A l u m n i | V o l u n t e e r i n g I n I n d i a : C u l t u r e , P e r s o n a l G r o w t h a n d M a h a t m a G h a n d i

Whenever I travel to a new place, I try to keep myself free from expectations,” said Curtis Riep, reflecting on his internship in India. “And when I actually saw the people, places, and cultures that India beholds, my impressions became full, due to the capacity that I left for them.” On an internship facilitated by AIESEC and sponsored by the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Riep volunteered in Gujarat at the Research Foundation for Governance in India, a non-government organization conducting research on civil rights, proper governance, and other socio-political issues. “It truly is Incredible India and it must be experienced, especially given the current processes of the nation from ways of traditionalism to modernism,” said Riep. Riep is an international relations graduate from the University of Calgary and was looking for an internship in politics, governance and human rights, somewhere in the global South.

He also cited the influence of Mahatma Gandhi‟s work on his life and his interests. “And given the fact that the internship took place in the city of Ahmedabad, the place where Mahatma Gandhi lived and led the movement towards national independence, the decision to do research and field work on issues of political rights and justice in such a setting became

a very easy and sought-after one for me.” Getting firsthand exposure of the knowledge, ethics and natural philosophy found in the Eastern religions of India, Riep found his world perception altered. “I have never before experienced a society so based on conceptual and spiritual understandings of life and the many meanings that such life beholds,” said Riep. “The lessons and impact on the worldview of a person who can experience such a diversely rich culture, then, becomes difficult to describe. It must be experienced for one to understand the possibilities of perception.” When asked whether others should consider internships in India if they are undecided, Riep simply replied with a “Why not?” “The potential for personal growth and priceless experiences that will shape a person in who they are and who they are becoming leaves little in the way of

dispute.” As a recently-graduated student, financial realities kept Riep from realizing his ambitions for travelling the world. For this internship, Riep received a $1000 bursary, the

first of five recipients to be awarded from the newly created AIESEC-Shastri Indo Canadian Institute Bursary Fund. The program gives financial support to students interested in pursuing an internship through AIESEC and in India. Curtis is now on another internship through AIESEC, but just outside of Nairobi, in a remote village, teaching African History at Utugi Secondary School. “Presently I am in Uganda, where I am working on an initiative to establish a schooling system in underprivileged rural communities… Afterwards, I will spend some time traveling through the Middle East.” Though Riep finds it impossible to precise pin down the impact of the internship on his personal growth and life direction, he stated that it has

sustained his passion and desire for social justice, civil rights and commitment to knowledge-building and sharing. “There is more to India than the media and other outside sources detail, such as wide economic disparities, national economic growth, high levels of religiosity, pollution and dense population.” “Although there is much truth to these things, one‟s impression of India, once experiencing it, goes much deeper than these superficial understandings. The beauty of Indian cultures and societies leaves an impression on the human spirit, because it is a land made-up of human

spirits and potentials.”

Written by Richard Lam Published in Press+1 in May, 2010.

AIESEC Calgary Quarterly Newsletter July 2010 C o n t r i b u t o r s Richard Lam Julie Park Malaika Mendes D e s i g n Alexandre Ste-Marie Jamie Feng E d i t o r Annie Gong For any inquiries about this newsletter, please contact the AIESEC Calgary communications team at aiesec@ucalgary.ca Visit us online at www.aieseccalgary.ca Twitter: AIESECCalgary Facebook: AIESEC Calgary LinkedIn: AIESEC Calgary

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