Sunday, February 10, 2008
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080209/tts-uk-turkey-headscarf-ca02f96_2.html
I have nothing against the separation of religion and the state. It just seems funny that from the perspective of someone protesting this motion, the fear of 'pressure' from 'society' for women to wear headscarves in universities now makes them want to force EVERYONE NOT TO WEAR headscarves by placing the ban?
Is it not a more humane and reasonable society that allows an individual to make his(on in this case, her) own choice and not force an issue across the board? I'm sure there are far more relevant matters to be discussed in parliament anyway, besides the issue of the headscarf.
Friday, February 01, 2008
My AIESEC Story
Before entering university, I already knew some things about myself; I liked traveling, meeting new people and making friends with people from all over the world. I also knew that I wanted to gain real leadership and business skills during my time in university with the objective of starting my own company before I graduated.
In the summer of 2005, I was entertaining a friend who was in town from Boston, and he invited me to a friend’s housewarming. I didn’t know anyone, but he said it would be fun so I went. At the party, I found myself meeting people from a variety of places – Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Slovakia, Malaysia, Egypt, to name a few. Little did I realize then that I had stumbled onto an AIESEC intern and alumni gathering.
My friend Tom, from Boston, and I
At the time, I had no idea what AIESEC was, but from the way my new friends described it and from their obvious passion for it, I was intrigued. I was told that I could really make friends and work with people from all over the world, and could really develop my skills and abilities for future practical use. When they found out I was entering into National University of Singapore in less than 2 months, they encouraged me to sign up with AIESEC.
Shortly after, I actually wrote in to AIESEC Singapore telling them of my intention to join, and was forwarded to the NUS chapter, and was told via email of when the recruitment and selection processes were. When I matriculated, I was contemplating a few choices of activities, such as the Entrepreneurship Society or BINGO. In the end, I chose AIESEC.
My experience as a new member showed me that AIESEC was truly diverse, with people of different backgrounds, faculties, ambitions, joining it and at my first induction conference I really enjoyed myself and felt that I had met some really cool people. After that though, I was not that engaged, besides a few department meetings, a company meeting and social events.
Then, National Leadership Development Seminar came in December 2005 and that was when my passion for AIESEC ignited. Seeing international delegates in the conference, the intense sessions and intense learning that we went through, and at the end of the conference, feeling inspired, as well as having one of my friends telling me that I made the difference to him, I was hungry for my next opportunity to contribute and develop in AIESEC.
AIESEC Singapore NLDS 2005 Delegates
I left just before the closing plenary of NLDS, to go for the first and last OCSEA(Oceana and Southeast Asian) Leadership Development Seminar and I was even more overwhelmed, meeting people whom have come to be my close friends even till today, from New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, India and Canada.
OCSEA LDS 2005 Delegates, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
After these conference experiences, I was never the same and planned to run for the position of Vice President Incoming Exchange for NUS. Due to circumstances I found myself running for President instead, and getting it, I embarked on a more than one year journey of steep learning.
It was at the point when I decided to run for President, that I acquainted with my mentor, with whom we have had a close relationship for the last 2 years. His name is Attila and is currently working in DHL Asia Pacific, and at that point he was an intern as a Branding Executive and in fact had run a session on Branding at NLDS. I found what he spoke of so thought provoking and interesting that I decided I had to have him as my mentor.
My LCP Election
So through the year as President of AIESEC NUS, I found myself getting close to and learning from the Member Committee which was led by Sharon, my own NUS Executive Board team, my mentor, and all the members and alumni. It was a truly enriching and touching experience, and with every step I found that I gained a whole lot more than what I gave.
The 2006-2007 AIESEC Singapore Member Committee
At the end of the year, I found myself with unprecedented exchange and member results, a Best Local Committee Award, a great amount of experience in leadership, failure, negotiations and connections, a national event (AIESEC Days – Deepavali) which was a runaway success, attending AIESEC’s largest annual conference, in Poland, and friends and memories that would last a lifetime. I sincerely believe that my LCP experience and anyone’s LCP experience would be his best, in AIESEC.
When I came to the conclusion of my LCP experience I knew that my AIESEC experience was not over, and wanted to go back to things that I was truly passionate about; sales and training. I applied for the role of Vice President Incoming Exchange of AIESEC Singapore, and got it, as well as the position of External Relations. As a result in my 2007-2008 term I led 6 university Vice Presidents, 2 national coordinators and about 80 members to hit a sales target of SGD90,000. The experience is still not over and the learning and experience, as well as the network, I have gained, is invaluable. It is indeed extremely rare that anyone my age, in university would have had the fortune of going through the challenges and triumphs that I have gone through.
And yet, the journey is still not over for me. In the summer of 2008 I intend to go for a Development Internship either in Eastern Europe or the Middle East, after which I come back and continue developing myself in the areas I love; sales and training. My hope is to be a National Trainer for AIESEC Singapore in the coming term, as well as help strategically when the need arises.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about the experience that has changed my life. My name is Imran, and I am an AIESECer.
The 2007-2008
AIESEC Singapore Member Committee
