MC Experience at IC - DavLyn

IC 2006 in Poland…What can I say.

This has been my 6th International Conference and my 2nd International Congress. My impressions?…well not too impressed to be honest.

Although the session content is definitely useful, this IC had something missing. For me it lacked real genuine enthusiasm. Maybe it is me. After attending a number of international conferences, they may seem to start losing their magic, and become more routine. But I do not really believe that. I have always found all conferences enthusiastic in their own way. And I still believe that these conferences are what contribute to keep the organization alive…so what has happened this year?

Was it the AI vision? It is still the AIESEC 2010 vision. And to be honest their slogan "Everyday starts Today" portrays a pro-active approach in actively working towards the AIESEC 2010 vision. I believe it is more their approach in delivering the sessions. Where was their passion for AIESEC? They were doing a job. They seem to have lost the fun that AIESEC gives. The AIESEC spirit was lacking. I was a bit hesitant, that it was me who was feeling like this, but after discussing my views with various other AIESECers they seemed to have had this impression. The sad thing is that it was not only people who have attended other international conferences or international congress before. But people who attended an international conference for the first time have felt that the conference was not motivating enough.

I have to admit I was relieved when Brodie gave his speech. It was like talking a walk back in the past and finding the energy one needs. And in the powerpoint, when I heard the voices of the past AI team, it was like sitting at one of the sessions last IC and IPM and hearing them hand over their passion to us once more. For that moment I was thankful.

What does this IC mean to me as MCP? Well to be honest I have decided to be responsible enough, and to make most of the material presented at sessions and use it as best I know to keep improving the growth of AIESEC Malta. I believe that my determination in making things better is already motivating enough to keep me going in this direction. I also hope that my team members feel the same way.

So was IC fun on the whole?...well well well! I did attend all the parties didn't I? hehe Yes. It was fun. Meeting friends I already have was great, as well as making new ones along the way. That is the beauty of being at an international conference. You never know who will sit next to you during lunch or dinner. Neither do you know with who you will be discussing issues during a session. It is amazing how 10 people come from all corners of the world an discuss something as important as Expansion in the Middle East.

Speaking about expansion, I was definitely proud to be part of IC 2006 knowing that we have included 2 other countries within AIESEC. Bahrain and Qatar. Better still we have also included the MENA GN. I have to say thanks to the study tour I got to know the girls from Bahrain pretty well, and weren't we surprised we could actually understand each other. Oh my how our languages are similar…and we are both Islands! Hehe…And I thought that Bahrain was this country smack in the middle of the middle east!

It is these little things that have made IC 2006 so great. These little discoveries, these new acquaintances, these moments and memories are what will never be forgotten.

As someone has told me this IC, "In AIESEC there are no goodbyes, in life there are no goodbyes, because whenever we meet someone we live a new memory, a moment that will remain in hearts forever, and that memory, that moment, will travel with us wherever we go, and will be part of who we will be for the rest of our lives. Saying goodbye is like letting a part of us die. Hence saying see you again, is keeping that person alive in our hearts and in our minds, and in the roads we will walk from the day we part till the day we meet again, be it in this lifetime or another, be it in this world or the one to come."

Thank you to all the people I met, spoke to, discussed issues with, danced with...and even 'networked' ;)...for making this IC one to remember. Till we meet again…:)