Debate on LN... yet again

I'm hanging around until late 3am, neglecting my super dizzy brain, risking my 7am commitment, in order to get a glimpse of our future AI leader's great thoughts and ideas to bring the organization forward. Surely it's motivating to scan all of them. Yet I could not help trigger another round of LN debate with my teammates.

It's not that they do not agree with me. It's only that I do not agree with the thoughts in the application. Particularly when I read one very fantastic PAI application forms, with great passion, fantastic ideas, reflective truths, succint points, nearly among the best. Then what? There is NO SINGLE WORD - Learning Network present in the form. This recognition was like a freezing current sweeping from my head to my toe. And what's more, there are strong focus on expansion strategy. Immediately, I could not help firing at my teammate (not that I'm angry with them, but just need to air out to them)

I still do not understand.

WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING 4000 PEOPLE STEPPING ONTO THE PLANE READY FOR THEIR FANTASTIC EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES IF THEY HAVE NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

HOW CAN WE GENERATE THE IMPACT OF AIESEC IF THERE ARE NO TYING OF EVERY MEMBER'S @ EXPERIENCE IF ALL OF US ARE SCATTERED AROUND THE WORLD.

I could not forget the image described by Arthur in his AI application form. By far the most powerful image I could think of:

Networks that Create Change

“Imagine you are at a conference with 100 people from across the world, who have all completed their AIESEC Experience in the same area of learning and passion as you. Imagine the power of the networks that can be built between you. Imagine we have brought leading organisation and individuals, alumni and partners, to advise these networks on howto make real change and to offer them opportunities to make their ideas a reality. This is the power of the AIESEC Experience."

I feel painful, that this organization is not walking toward this image. I feel painful, that leader who has this vision and lead us to that has left. I feel painful, that the leader of our generation does not see this an the right direction.

I felt even more painful of hearing expansion. What is expansion if there is no tying of AIESEC Experience. Just for the sake of having as many SNs as possible? People, then is there no point to strengthen countries which our organization does not need SNs from. If you think in this way, you can actually wipe out the countries in one continent. What is this? I don't get it. Why do we need so many countries if we are not networking them into groups of same passion? What is the point of leaving many scatter groups of people scattering around the world individually thinking about how good their AIESEC Experience are? Where is the impact?

It's 3.40am, and I am searching for an answer, yearning for a leader who is bold enough to point to the right direction, instead of the "politically correct" direction. Futile, unless someday I become the answer and the leader.

Congratulatoins MC Sweden 06/07!!!!!!!

Thrilled!!!!!!!!!!
Aron got elected as MCP. Congratulations Aron!!!!!
And congratulations to Emanuel and Lana!!

When I saw all 4 LCPs applied for MCP (and the other LCP - Charlotte is going to apply for MC in HK ^^) I already screamed out. People! These LCPs are really AIESEC leaders that I have met. I still could not forget that they stepped forward to solve the crisis of OC during NC#1. Maybe it's trivial to them, but if you were me having the experience of WNCF 05, then you would truly appreciate a group of leaders devoting themselves to National Conference for the sake of a fantastic conference experience of their members.

And Aron in particualr, cos he's the leader of the hosting LC Gothenburg. It was a tough time for him, when there was only 5 OCs serving 100 delegates, and when serious crisis happened in the OC team. Aron, I'm truly amazed by your leadership. Congratulations, and I'm really proud to be in NC#1 hosted by your LC. I am sure you would lead @Sweden to achieve more. And, I am so so so so so happy for you!!!!!! See you in IPM!!!!!

Plus, I have another peice of amazing news from Ladi. I thought I have shared with some friends that I met a Brazilian intern in Sweden who is one of the EB members in the LC. And, what's more, she's got elected as MC!!! So it's (Brazil)LCP --> (Sweden) Intern + LCEB --> (Sweden) MC!!! Gosh!!! This is Lana, demonstrating amazing AIESEC XP. I'm going to make a case study out of her. Truly beyond my imagination. Ladi said similar situation happened in Finland as well "The MCPe was originally a trainee who didnt get involved with AIESEC until she got to Finland. So she is on the current MC, ran for MCP and has been elected" Great! I'm also going to meet her in IPM.

The Scandinavians truly amazed me. Surely I'm excited to be MCP, but, Scandinavia... I missed you... forever you're my number 1 place to go for International MC.

Overnight New Year Eve "Flower Market"

Neglecting the DDL of the Email campaign, I went to the flower market with our beloved MC CEEDers Melina and Marco =) I must say, Andi's words did make me reflect a lot. How many have I done to show them around Hong Kong. This is basic reception of every AIESECer, but when we are too deep into AIESEC work, we have lost our hospitality to fellow @ers, which was almost the first thing we learned in AIESEC. So despite the every "work-related" thing, I was there! The "fighting field" of last year.

Surely lots of memories flashed back about our hard work last year, shouting with broken voice, "guerilla"-type selling in intersections, running away from guards, looking at the amused faces of people walking by. We did have a good time. And last year's experience made me a very good "swimmer" among the "stand-still" crowd.

But then, I feel that I'm a bit reluctant to accept the defects of my own culture. I got to hear about it last night, felt uncomfortable, and reflected even more when I witnessed this "defect" happening all day in Lin Chor Yut (New Year Day). Marco said Chinese are SHY and COLD. Well, we should have known it before, but hearing it directly from someone, with a tone of complain did not sound great. Yet, I understand why he felt uneasy or upset about this, when I actually happened to feel the same way for the whole day.

Bai Lin, the most traditional thing that we have been doing. The routine is set, like carved into stone. (Grandpa's home --> "pour tea" --> temple --> Uncle's home --> Grandpa's home)There's nothing else I felt they are so rountine, since I've been repeating this in exact order for 21 years. Anyway. Throughout the whole process, we repeated some phrases of "kung hei fat choi" "shen tai king hong" (wish you with good health) etc etc. But I cannot see genuine wishes in ppl's eyes. We met each other once a year, my cousins, but we did not know each other personally. I don't feel any "intimacy" in the atmosphere. But then, I knew it for long, if it was not my grandpa's "leadership", nobody would come out and gather. I must say, this was only in my family's situation, this cannot reflect other Chinese' family. (E.g. I have much better relationships with my mother's side cousins) However, it really hit me hard when I was sitting there, looking at the situation, thinking about everyone having a wall in between each other.
Anyway... New year is family gathering time, and at least, seeing each other is better than nothing you know...

Cheryl's Email Campaign

I really learned something through this email campaign, in the future, driving any key initiatives in a limited period of time, I MUST keep in mind:
1. Sense of urgency is critical in getting commitment. You need to give clear ddl / or reason to ppl why they NEED to do it NOW.
2. There is nothing wrong about constant reminder. Just make it in every channel. Remind remind and remind.
3. Personal network is crucial. I must get everyone's MSN and phone no., starting from this moment on.
4. Information should always be passed to a mass group, no matter that piece of information would be useful to them or not. You'd never know, maybe in some point of time it would be useful, or the mass group could help you out.
5. Explain intention in details, no matter how tired you are or how many times you did.
6. Connect everyone to one formal channel (aiesec.net/ email list) and one informal channel (MSN name / xanga)

All in all, I should still celebrate success, 43 by DDL, and in the end we did attain 50!
Thank you so much for all your work. This is the first step we move forward to attract talented leader for our generation, for AIESEC. MC team is for all. The future is in the hand of all of us.