An AIESEC Exchange Participant’s Experience Part 1: Applying for the AIESEC International Exchange Programs
By Katlin Candice A. Sanchez
An opportunity to go abroad, travel and meet friends along the way was what the AIESEC experience has given to me when I went on developmental exchange just this summer, 2011.
I am Katlin Sanchez, a fourth year Communication student of Miriam College and the incumbent president of AIESEC in the same institution. I had been in AIESEC for 2 years now and I have always known about its exchange programs. When I joined AIESEC, I promised myself that I would go on exchange right after I graduated from college. I did fulfil my promise but I had earlier.
The opportunity to go on exchange was given to me when I went to this AIESEC conference last February. One of the Vice Presidents of AIESEC in Malaysia showed the delegation how rich their culture was and told us about the available internships that we could go on. I thought that maybe it was time for me to go on exchange and it was timely as well because I will need to do my on-the-job training during summer anyway. Why not be ambitious and have it abroad?
Being an AIESECer, I had the privilege to look at the available internships in our international database, the myaiesec.net. I looked first if there are compatible internships that I could go on before I decided if I should really go on exchange. Fortunately, I found one in Malaysia which was compatible to my course and to what I was currently doing in AIESEC which was marketing. I immediately told the Outgoing Exchange department of AIESEC Miriam College, those who are in charge of sending people abroad that I want to go on exchange. I was lucky enough that I knew how exchange processes would go and I had the easiest time ever of being matched to the internship that I wanted. I talked to my department chair and she allowed me to go on exchange for my OJT. It was the best feeling ever because I have only dreamt of going on exchange after I graduate and now, I am actually achieving that dream.
The Vice President of the Outgoing Exchange department helped me to arrange a meeting and interview with the internship manager in Malaysia. The internship that I applied for was the Youth Alive Project where I had to market the program to condom companies so they can give us samples and to teach secondary school students about HIV/AIDS.
The date was set for me to have an interview and they asked me questions about HIV/AIDS, myself and my work ethics. On that same day, they accepted me in the internship. I couldn’t contain my happiness. My family was there to witness how happy I was to go on exchange. Even the members in AIESEC Miriam College were happy because I was the first leader to go on exchange in Miriam.
I was super excited to go to Malaysia, be an ambassadress of the Philippines and work in an internship I liked. The opportunities AIESEC can give you are incomparable to anything. Where else can you get the opportunity to be trained to be the top talents of the world and to be given the chance to go to a different country?
I encourage you to go on exchange and wait for the second part to read about my adventures in Malaysia!
An opportunity to go abroad, travel and meet friends along the way was what the AIESEC experience has given to me when I went on developmental exchange just this summer, 2011.
I am Katlin Sanchez, a fourth year Communication student of Miriam College and the incumbent president of AIESEC in the same institution. I had been in AIESEC for 2 years now and I have always known about its exchange programs. When I joined AIESEC, I promised myself that I would go on exchange right after I graduated from college. I did fulfil my promise but I had earlier.
The opportunity to go on exchange was given to me when I went to this AIESEC conference last February. One of the Vice Presidents of AIESEC in Malaysia showed the delegation how rich their culture was and told us about the available internships that we could go on. I thought that maybe it was time for me to go on exchange and it was timely as well because I will need to do my on-the-job training during summer anyway. Why not be ambitious and have it abroad?
Being an AIESECer, I had the privilege to look at the available internships in our international database, the myaiesec.net. I looked first if there are compatible internships that I could go on before I decided if I should really go on exchange. Fortunately, I found one in Malaysia which was compatible to my course and to what I was currently doing in AIESEC which was marketing. I immediately told the Outgoing Exchange department of AIESEC Miriam College, those who are in charge of sending people abroad that I want to go on exchange. I was lucky enough that I knew how exchange processes would go and I had the easiest time ever of being matched to the internship that I wanted. I talked to my department chair and she allowed me to go on exchange for my OJT. It was the best feeling ever because I have only dreamt of going on exchange after I graduate and now, I am actually achieving that dream.
The Vice President of the Outgoing Exchange department helped me to arrange a meeting and interview with the internship manager in Malaysia. The internship that I applied for was the Youth Alive Project where I had to market the program to condom companies so they can give us samples and to teach secondary school students about HIV/AIDS.
The date was set for me to have an interview and they asked me questions about HIV/AIDS, myself and my work ethics. On that same day, they accepted me in the internship. I couldn’t contain my happiness. My family was there to witness how happy I was to go on exchange. Even the members in AIESEC Miriam College were happy because I was the first leader to go on exchange in Miriam.
I was super excited to go to Malaysia, be an ambassadress of the Philippines and work in an internship I liked. The opportunities AIESEC can give you are incomparable to anything. Where else can you get the opportunity to be trained to be the top talents of the world and to be given the chance to go to a different country?
I encourage you to go on exchange and wait for the second part to read about my adventures in Malaysia!
My Exchange Experience in China
By Abigael Jannelie L. Lacorte
Having an exchange through AIESEC really gives an impact and pressure for me as a person. Before my exchange I thought of myself as no one as a common Miriam student, I honestly labeled myself as a commoner, but after I went through a lot of interviews (formal and informal) I already know that I am not an ordinary student anymore. I have talked to our department chair before I left the country and she gave me an idea who am I going to be in China and she said “you are not just carrying your name here. You are wearing two hats: as an AIESECer of Miriam College and as an ambassador of the Philippines” and wow! It is really a big work and pressure for me. All of the people around me expected me to be at my best and to show the world how good the Filipinos are.
When I came here in China which was exactly last April 2, 2011 at around 1 in the morning I faced my first task. To find the hostel I have to stay for the night with no one who understands you and without the knowledge to read Chinese characters, I made it to the hostel. I felt like crying and thinking of going back to the Philippines because I felt I was been neglected by the AIESECers here in China. But that’s only the first trial and there’s more to come. Luckily, I am with my friend when I came here.
We stayed in Shanghai for a week to receive training from our company and end up paying for everything, but our contract says that the accommodation and food are provided for free. So we freaked out because the money we have are just for our personal use and for some pasalubongs. We are worried how we can survive two months with very limited resources. We end up eating once a day and we survived we are still alive.
Good thing we have AIESEC MiC to ask for help with all our concerns. They are the ones who talked to our TN manager and also they are the ones who really solved all our problems here. They really made our life easy! I SWEAR! I also like the fact that they make themselves free and online every night to check our status, just like parents. They never let us feel that we are on our own because they are always willing to give us company. Thank you so much AIESEC MiC especially to Patricia Quibael, Jeunesse Dagdag and Katlin Sanchez.
I, myself, recommend to everyone to join AIESEC and have an exchange because it is truly a life-changing experience! Everything you don’t appreciate while you are in the Philippines will be the greatest things that you will miss and treasure. The things that you think you cannot do? Then you’ll be surprised because you’ll see yourself doing it effortlessly. In having an exchange, you’ll be able to learn and interact with a lot of people from different countries. It is a really great feeling to meet AIESECers, share experiences and learn their cultures.
“AIESEC IS NOT JUST ANY OTHER SOCIAL ORGANIZATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD TO BE PART OF IT AND WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY PART OF IT, YOU’LL BE AN INSTANT AMBASSADOR/AMBASSADRESS OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY. YES! IT’S A REAL JOB.”
Having an exchange through AIESEC really gives an impact and pressure for me as a person. Before my exchange I thought of myself as no one as a common Miriam student, I honestly labeled myself as a commoner, but after I went through a lot of interviews (formal and informal) I already know that I am not an ordinary student anymore. I have talked to our department chair before I left the country and she gave me an idea who am I going to be in China and she said “you are not just carrying your name here. You are wearing two hats: as an AIESECer of Miriam College and as an ambassador of the Philippines” and wow! It is really a big work and pressure for me. All of the people around me expected me to be at my best and to show the world how good the Filipinos are.
When I came here in China which was exactly last April 2, 2011 at around 1 in the morning I faced my first task. To find the hostel I have to stay for the night with no one who understands you and without the knowledge to read Chinese characters, I made it to the hostel. I felt like crying and thinking of going back to the Philippines because I felt I was been neglected by the AIESECers here in China. But that’s only the first trial and there’s more to come. Luckily, I am with my friend when I came here.
We stayed in Shanghai for a week to receive training from our company and end up paying for everything, but our contract says that the accommodation and food are provided for free. So we freaked out because the money we have are just for our personal use and for some pasalubongs. We are worried how we can survive two months with very limited resources. We end up eating once a day and we survived we are still alive.
Good thing we have AIESEC MiC to ask for help with all our concerns. They are the ones who talked to our TN manager and also they are the ones who really solved all our problems here. They really made our life easy! I SWEAR! I also like the fact that they make themselves free and online every night to check our status, just like parents. They never let us feel that we are on our own because they are always willing to give us company. Thank you so much AIESEC MiC especially to Patricia Quibael, Jeunesse Dagdag and Katlin Sanchez.
I, myself, recommend to everyone to join AIESEC and have an exchange because it is truly a life-changing experience! Everything you don’t appreciate while you are in the Philippines will be the greatest things that you will miss and treasure. The things that you think you cannot do? Then you’ll be surprised because you’ll see yourself doing it effortlessly. In having an exchange, you’ll be able to learn and interact with a lot of people from different countries. It is a really great feeling to meet AIESECers, share experiences and learn their cultures.
“AIESEC IS NOT JUST ANY OTHER SOCIAL ORGANIZATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD TO BE PART OF IT AND WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY PART OF IT, YOU’LL BE AN INSTANT AMBASSADOR/AMBASSADRESS OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY. YES! IT’S A REAL JOB.”
The Internship that Changed My Life
By Katrina May Bardos
When I joined AIESEC, my intention is just to go abroad for my internship. I wasn’t thinking of having a life changing experience or something that could happen in order to grow as an individual. I just want to go to another country to travel and at the same time, do the requirement for school.
And when everything was finally settled, I was really excited to go to China. Not thinking about hardships, not thinking about work. But I guess, this changed my life as a person, as a daughter, as a student, and most especially, as citizen of my country. With all that happened to me during my stay there, I can say that my view for things already mattered when it comes to the lifestyle that I’m used to when I’m with the people that I am very dependent on. This exchange makes me realize how lucky I am that I had this kind of opportunity at this early age.
Even though things did not go according to plan when we got there, fortunately, our friends from AIESEC Miriam College and our families really gave us the courage and strength to face what is “life” really all about. It’s not about the convenience of having everything in your hands but the hardships that you will encounter in order to grow as an individual.
I would recommend AIESEC and be an exchange participant because this can make you realize that there’s more to life. Things that can help you be a better and stronger person.
When I joined AIESEC, my intention is just to go abroad for my internship. I wasn’t thinking of having a life changing experience or something that could happen in order to grow as an individual. I just want to go to another country to travel and at the same time, do the requirement for school.
And when everything was finally settled, I was really excited to go to China. Not thinking about hardships, not thinking about work. But I guess, this changed my life as a person, as a daughter, as a student, and most especially, as citizen of my country. With all that happened to me during my stay there, I can say that my view for things already mattered when it comes to the lifestyle that I’m used to when I’m with the people that I am very dependent on. This exchange makes me realize how lucky I am that I had this kind of opportunity at this early age.
Even though things did not go according to plan when we got there, fortunately, our friends from AIESEC Miriam College and our families really gave us the courage and strength to face what is “life” really all about. It’s not about the convenience of having everything in your hands but the hardships that you will encounter in order to grow as an individual.
I would recommend AIESEC and be an exchange participant because this can make you realize that there’s more to life. Things that can help you be a better and stronger person.
