Letters from AIESEC trainees abroad

Anna Coles to Krakow, Poland

Hello there!

How is SLO these days and most importantly, how are you?!

I am so glad you have kept me on the mailing list for AIESEC--I would like to continue to receive updates into the future, of course!

This past newsletter layout was fantastic--great pics, good info and great updates from everyone. It seems like a whole new group this year--I check the SLO site from time to time, and the member list is quite extensive--with quite a few new names!

Krakow has been incredible these past few months--it will be 7mths in June that I will have been here! The city has so much to offer--Poland is a country rich with history(though most of it in occupation of tyrants and horrible regimes) and culture--the people are very friendly and flamboyant at times. It is a nice change to see another culture let loose like we do in the States (the French are a bit more reserved--even the youth--which you know, I'm sure...)

The AIESEC chapter here is quite active--this past summer and into this academic year--they will have had a total of 70+ trainees!! Some things fall by the wayside, and I have been working with the EB about the quality v quantity of TNs issue--but on the whole, I am quite satisfied.

I am curious whether you have heard either Natalie or Heidi mention having received an update from me in the past couple of weeks. I had been wanting to get one to Heidi for quite some time, and so I prepared one and sent it out at least 10 days ago. I haven't seen the update made to the website under my name, and so I wanted to follow-up to this.

I would love to hear about your past months and future plans. Fill me in when you get a moment! I would also like to contribute to June's newsletter, so if you would like me to write something--let me know.

Take Care,

Anna Coles  alc_aiesec@yahoo.com  +48.889.574.399

International Consultant

AdRem Software, Inc.

212.319.4114

My experience in Poland has been filled with much growth, and has broadened the lense through which I perceive and evaluate the world outside of the States.

Being here in Krakow has taught me much about myself, and how I deal with new experiences. The range of emotion that has occurred since I have been here the past 6 months is considerable. Living abroad brings about much change in oneself, and tests the power of patience and of love for those things that are hard to understand, but necessary to accept. Lost in Translation seems to be a recurring theme, and some of the biggest differences I see pertain to the value of time, work ethic and relationships. My mind has wanted to critique everything I see and everything I do here in Krakow (for better or worse), and compare it to how I would be doing this in the States. I realize that I have been breaking the Golden Rule of living abroad, and in someone else’s country—never to compare!

When I remember back about evaluating other options for different areas in Poland—Bialystok, Warsaw, Wroclaw—I was unsure of which city would be a good fit for my interests. In retrospection, I couldn’t be happier with Krakow, and the fact that it is well situated for travel, and it offers many opportunities as the city of culture that it has been for centuries. The energy of the city is directly related to the number of universities here, where students come from all over Poland to study.

AIESEC KRAKOW is quite an active chapter. At any one time, there are at least 15-20 trainees here, teaching English or working in software companies, marketing groups and other domains. A member base of the chapter of between 60 and 70 students affords us never a dull moment or lack of event in which to participate. I have been impressed with the commitment of a number of individuals that attribute much of their time and support for this organization. We as trainees have resources available to us for everyday questions, concerns, and I feel I can approach most members with any challenges I may have. It is important to note also that as with any experience, especially those spent abroad, you have to assert yourself in order to take advantage of the opportunities that become available.

I cherish the times I have had to speak with other trainees from all over Europe and the world. We have a good network established here, and I am happy to be a part of everyone’s experiences. We have had a good time exploring the city together, exchanging viewpoints about life’s issues and the world, and collaborating on very successful dinners of national tradition!

My work experience has been very rewarding. I am happy about the Polish people with whom I work, as well as the level of commitment and value I have towards the company. I have been given substantial responsibilities, and have been prepared to succeed in these endeavors. I am happy about what I am learning in the field of network management software, working with clients to be a more effective communicator, and accepting the differences that this international work environment brings.

I feel fulfilled both with my work and social life, and it is hard to believe that 6 months have already passed! I am a more enriched person because of the people I have met and the experiences I have had at work, in travel, and living abroad. AIESEC is a committed organization and I feel fortunate every day to be seizing the opportunities and helping to fulfill our mission of international cooperation. I look forward to another 6 months here in Krakow!!

If you have any questions about AIESEC or are curious about Poland, please contact me!

Anna Coles, AIESEC San Luis Obispo, California USA

International Consultant, AdRem Software, Inc. Krakow, Poland--+48.889.574.399, alc_aiesec@yahoo.com

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Bjorn Shepard to Curitiba, Brazil

Once again my ancient friends,

I made it to a little place called Brazil, where the beer flows like wine. And evidently, back to _Gringo_ status. From novato, to giddy, extranjero, juero, farang, to gabacho in my native California, it seems my latest foreign nickname has become _Gringo_.

I have even been called _Gringo Caliente_. Not because I am attractive, but because I can consume the Brazilian hot pimientas better than any Brazilian rookies. The food is good, but not spicy enough.

I arrived March 5th in Curitiba (a great city). I explored the city with some entertaining AIESEC members who helped organize my _work exchange_ stay in Brazil. I started work on Thursday as a marketing assistant with a Brazilian company called Pac Brasil.

So far things have been great. My boss Francis is fun to work with. Right now we are in the eucalyptus and pine plywood market. However, with the help of Bjorn, the company looks to expand into the bikini and jewelry market. I was excited when my boss told me the news. Yesterday I checked out some of the competitor’s websites to see which swimsuit models they were using to present their Brazilian thongs. It was a rough day.

I live with a 27 year old Brazilian dude named Edson in a 3 bedroom apartment. He is entertaining and speaks no English at all, which is good. Important note for travelers: Nachos come with nacho cheese flavored _Doritos_ chips. However, most things are not that shocking anymore. For instance, motorcycles and cars still aim for pedestrians. I suppose it is the international standard outside the US. Anyways, this job is keeping me busy. I would love to get updates from everyone. Special thanks to the folks that let me stay with them on my way down to Brazil such as Ryan _the slayer_ Hunt and Michael in Curitiba. Pablo for the travel tips (Beleza and Floripa), and of course the fantastic Traci Chapman and my family. Oh and if you don’t want any group emails, let me know so I can permanently delete your name from my email address book. Oh and I got a bike and a cell phone from the company! Yeah that’s right!

The number is +55 42 9916-9015.

Bjorn Shepard

Mailing Address

Pac Brasil Com Ext. Ltda

Clotario Portugal 765

Uniao da Vitsria PR 84600-000

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David Founds to Bogotá, Columbia

Well . . .

For those of you who don’t know I’ve been living in Bogotá, Colombia for the last month and a half. I’m here with a yearlong business exchange program called AIESEC. I’ve been placed with a Colombian logistics company (no, not a cartel--more on that later.) Anyway, I tried to break this email down into easy-to-read sections. Feel free to skip sections if you are not interested in something. And if you are offended by mass Email, please let me know, and I will be glad to cut and paste future emails to your address so you can feel special. I’d love to here from all of you. E-mail is great, and if you want to call the 24 hour Colombian hot-line, my cell number is: 001 57 300 8253955.

First off, answers to my most frequently asked questions:

Q: So what cartel are you working for? or.... I hear a master’s degree from Cal Poly gets you a foot in the door with drug production.

A: Interestingly enough, the typical Colombian has less contact with illegal drugs than the average American. Drug use is almost unheard of among people I’ve met, (granted, they’re mainly college educated people in their twenties). The handfuls of Colombians I know who have visited the United States were shocked at how we perceive their nation, and at how frequently they were offered illicit drugs. Although the majority of the cocaine and much of the marijuana and heroin entering the US does come from Colombia, the production is almost entirely limited to remote jungles of the Amazon basin to the extreme south and east of the country. The day of the flamboyant, obscenely wealthy, city-dwelling drug lords is apparently over. Anyway, the drug production is now run by the rebels & terrorists — whom I will address in the next question.

Q: So there is some sort of rebellion going on, right? What is FARC?

A: Well, when the Colombian government (with the help of the US) shut down the drug cartels in the early 90’s, the Marxist rebels (they go by the Spanish acronym FARC) that had been around since the 60’s ( they were formerly funded by the Soviets) took over drug production and suddenly found themselves with a massive influx of cash. Their power exploded--they now control about 40% of the land mass, although almost all of it is undeveloped jungle. At this point they’ve pretty much given up on any ideological struggle, but they have more money than they know what to do with, and they are determined not to lose their ability to produce drugs/make massive wads of money. The newest, yoga-practicing Colombian president is amazingly popular largely because he has taken a hard line against the rebels and made progress in keeping them under control. Another interesting fact is that in the last US election the Colombians were overwhelmingly in support of Bush. This is largely because he is much more hard line against rebels, and would provide more in the way of support against FARC.

Q: What is Bogotá like?

A: Bogotá is a huge, sprawling metropolis that is home to somewhere around 7 million people. It is located at 8,500 feet, which is high enough to make your lungs feel like they are about to burst when you run or play ultimate. It is tucked up against a mountain range and the city sprawls out to the west and north. The weather is mild—even though I am at a high altitude the weather hovers around 60 degrees. It rains for a an hour or so about every other day, with an occasional spectacular electrical storm. Areas of the city are modern, immaculately clean and up-scale, which contrast sharply with the incredible squalor of the shantytowns pieced together with cardboard, pallets, tarps and whatever else the residents can find. The majority of people (including myself) live in two-story 3-4 bedroom houses that are built from brick and concrete. They are built together so every house on the block shares walls with their neighbors, and yards are essentially non existent.

Other neighborhoods consist of groups of apartment buildings which are about ten stories tall. Every neighborhood has its own small shops, many in the bottom story of people’s houses. For instance: my street has an amazing bakery, an Internet cafe, a small grocery store, a meat store and a few restaurants. The streets are congested, and the taxis and decrepit buses drive with reckless abandon as they jockey for positions on the road. The roads are a mess. Half-finished road construction and potholes big enough to lie down in contribute to the city’s general disarray. The city center consists of high-rise buildings, with an array of shops and restaurants on the street levels. On the sidewalks people sell just about everything imaginable on blankets or card tables. You want a used/ stolen cell phone? a pirated DVD? maybe a Guns and Roses shirt....? The city center is the place to go. Walking through the center is pretty harrowing as people have stolen the metal covers for the electrical and water services to sell for scrap, leaving a mine field of litter-filled booby traps. The Colombian women wear preposterous high heels in a walking environment better suited for army boots. As you head north the city becomes more upscale, with malls, office buildings and restaurants every bit as nice as anything in the US. The map I bought of Bogotá lists around 100 distinct barrios or areas of the city. There are four or five party areas in the city with a wide array of discothèques and bars. Spread throughout the city are an array of parks, the largest is about a mile and a half from my house. I often run to the park to run on the trails there.

A picture of Bogotá: http://solar.physics.montana.edu/munoz/bogota.jpg

Q: Isn’t Colombia dangerous?

A: Sort of. There is security everywhere; I’ve had my bags searched countless times. The library, the mall, the museums—entering any public space usually involves having your bag searched. At the discothèques I usually get a very through pat down, as well. The major safety problems seem to be those generally associated with any large city. Muggings, robbery etc...Many of the problems can be avoided by using common sense and being smart about avoiding certain parts of the city at night. One day a group of seven soldiers or police men (it’s pretty hard to tell the difference) stopped me on my way to work and asked to see identification. He said something I didn’t quite understand and it quickly became apparent that I was a foreigner. Anyway the head soldier/police man just checked my resident alien card (Colombian version of a green card), asked me where I was from, patted me on the back and sent me on my way. The implication of all this security is that it is really dangerous. Another interpretation might be that the Colombians are trying really hard to shake their bad reputation and trying to fix things. Personally, I have never felt threatened, and everyone I have interacted with has been amazingly nice. The US department of travel advises against travel to Colombia, but most of the things they warn about are only relevant in the rebel-controlled areas.

The following link will take you to the department of travel advisory for Colombia if you want to read it.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_941.html

Q: How is the coffee?

A: It’s good. I put so much sugar and milk into the coffee I can hardly taste it, but it is good. It comes really small servings (think Dixie cups).

Q: So you have a job. What do you actually do?

A: I work for a logistics company with about 500 employees. They provide third-party warehousing and digital inventory control for a variety of multinational companies (Proctor and Gamble, Nestle, Plough Schering, and Roche pharmaceuticals.) And no, they are not involved in drug smuggling.

In fact, they are really into trying to be like an American company.

They have a quality department, an OSHA-style health & safety program, lots documentation, an ISO 9000 certification (a certification from the international standardization board, which is necessary conduct almost any international business), and everything you would expect from a company in the US. They also have a coffee girl who walks around delivering fresh Colombian coffee to my desk. I have a windowed office which I share with two girls from the sales department. I have my own phone line, a computer, and an Internet connection. I am working in the “special projects” department, which consists of me, my boss (who is 28), one 23-year-old Colombian guy, and the sales girls. The 5 girls range in age from 21 to 25. They are fun and chatty and have taken it upon them selves to teach me how to Salsa dance. I am working with the other guy in my department to research ways that the company can implement new technologies. The first week I just met people and surfed the Internet and flirted with the girls in the office. The second week I started visiting distribution centers and took information and notes about their processes. (Truck deliveries, how merchandise is stored etc

etc) Eventually I am going to make recommendations about new technologies they should implement.

My breakdown of my time spent at work goes something like this:

50% work

10% drinking coffee

20% flirting with coworkers

20% writing mass emails

Q: Do you have a Colombian girlfriend yet?

A: No, not yet, ask me next week ;)

Transportation:

Even if I had a car, driving would be out of the question. The traffic here is pretty nuts. The busses rule the road; they swerve across multiple "lanes" on a dime to slow down for passengers. The bus drivers bully the taxis out of the way while honking gratuitously at the other lesser cars. The dirt bikes weave in and out of traffic and the cyclists hold on for dear life. The vehicles working their way through the maze of pot holes big enough to swim in and dodging the horse cart trash rickshaws are an eclectic mix of transportation devices reminiscent of the Mad Max movies. The busses range from converted vans to old school busses to 1970-era municipal busses to quazi-futuristic busses made by Honda. The only thing the busses have in common is that they spew black sooty exhaust like emphazima is going out of style, and almost universally have tires that are worn perfectly smooth. (Oddly enough the air pollution produces spectacular sunsets) The other day I was riding a bus and the driver decided to drive around another bus that had stopped to pick someone up. This involved a short trip on the sidewalk. A block later the driver took a corner too close and clipped the curb. He did all this while honking non-stop at the "bad" drivers, making change, and shifting. It was really fun. Everyone else on the bus was pretty non-pulsed, but I couldn’t stop smiling.

Q: Have you inadvertently said anything rude/vulgar in Spanish?

A: Funny you should ask. The other day I was sitting in a crowded restaurant for lunch with three of the girls from my office. They were making fun of me because I had written a note to myself on my hand. Then Pati remarked offhandedly that I had rather large hands. I tried to say, "I am a large person in general, for Colombia," but what I ended up saying was "I am big everywhere." The girls instantly took this innocently intentioned comment in the worst possible way and the table erupted in violent laughter and embarrassment. Pati flushed bright red and stared at her food (but laughed really hard), Erika laughed so intensely tears started streaming down her cheeks, and her mascara was running everywhere. Natalia looked shocked and almost choked on her beans. This story was repeated throughout the office, and it will be a long time before I hear the end of it. I also managed to say, "girl chickens have testicles." But that is another story for another day.

Where I live:

I live with a Colombian family. I sort of expected to live with

younger people, but as it turns out guys here live with their

parents until they are at least thirty. All the other trainees in

AIESEC work in different areas of the city, so I am renting a room

in a house from an older couple, their daughter and their

granddaughter. They really like to try to set me up with female

friends of the family who are within ten years of my age. This is

sometimes embarrassing, sometimes awkward, and always hilarious.

The other day they were having a get-together and the mom of the

family handed me a bowl of chicken flavored chips and demanded that

I sit next to her distant relative who is about my age. She spoke

no English and turned bright red when I sat down. The father of the

family sat near us (to make sure I behaved my self no doubt) and

cracked jokes about us getting married. Ha Ha, so funny I forgot to

laugh. I pay about 115 dollars in rent, which gets me my own room,

bathroom, bidet, and TV with 35 channels in Spanish and Fox news

and the E! channel in English. I also have a maid to clean up after

me and do my laundry. I am sure my general hygiene and personal

odor has improved by at least 100% since my clothes don’t smell

like Dave funk. My house as it turns out is about two blocks form

the American Embassy which is guarded by a bunch of Colombian

soldiers with shotguns and assault rifles.

Q: What’s the nightlife like?

A: Colombians go out a lot, and they go BIG. I have found myself making comments like, "Wow, Its 2:30 am. I can’t believe were going home this early." Salsa is by far the preferred choice of music and dance. Instead of buying individual drinks at the bar, you are served by waiters and order 750ml bottles of liquor from the menu for everyone to share.

Everyone in the group sits around a table and alternates between dancing, drinking shots, and talking. The beverage of choice is aguardente, which is an anise-flavored liquor. Also popular are Ron (rum) and Whiskey. (I went to family lunch on a Sunday, and was startled when the middle-aged hostess started handing out glasses with three fingers of straight whiskey to everyone present at 10am) I am struggling to learn how to Salsa dance. To the Colombians it is the easiest thing in the world, but I have trouble hearing the complex Caribbean rhythms and moving my hips. Also to be noted is the climbing gym combined with a bar. Want to drink and climb? No problem! Here you are your own liability. No safety tests, no experience necessary, and if you get hurt, it is your own fault and your own problem. Tonight I am going to a party for all the AIESEC trainees in Bogotá. There are about 20 of us and we come from 18 or so different countries. There 2 Norwegian girls, an English girl, a polish girl, an Austrian girl, a Czech girl, a Brazilian girl, an Australian guy, a German guy, a Mexican guy, a Guatemalan guy, and, well, you get the idea. It’s a pretty fun group to hang out with because everyone is pretty out of their mind fun and ridiculous (apparently this is the type of person who goes to Colombia). I am the only one from the US. In fact I have only met two people from the US the whole time I have been here. One was a representative for one of the American companies my company works for and the other was a girl who is teaching English in a nearby city.

That’s all for now. As previously stated I would love to hear from everyone, and I will be sure to keep you guys up to date as events unfold.

Chao, from Bogotá, Colombia.

Dave

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Emily Frye to Zlin, Czech Republic (returned June 2004)

Hi AIESEC,

Here's a few pictures with some description...pick whichever one you prefer...

Update:

    I have been working in Zlin, Czech Republic since June 2004.  My experience here has been absolutely wonderful, but complete with the downs of the culture shock curve.  I was originally supposed to stay only 6 months, but four months into my traineeship I decided to extend for a total of nine.  I can honestly say that these latter three months have been the best of the entire traineeship.  In hindsight, I realized that the first months are just a time to adjust, learn and get over problems. In the later months, you are really able to take hold of your environment; enjoy the culture and make closer relationships. Living in the Czech Republic has also given me the opportunity to explore other countries which are so close by.  I've had the opportunity to visit, Austria, Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, and soon Italy and Slovenia. I've picked up a little bit of culture and language from each of these countries, all giving me a better understanding of this region in the world and how things will be in the future for these post-communist countries.

    Furthermore, I've attend about 6 AIESEC conferences as an AIESEC Zlin trainee.  The latest conference was the January National Conference where we elected the new MCP.  The system of elections is completely different from how it is done in the US.  It was almost 8 hours of presentations, questioning of candidates, and debate amongst LC's, more questioning and finally voting.  As a trainee, I was able to voice my opinion of the candidate like any other member and participated with AIESEC Zlin in choosing the candidate for whom we would vote.

    Speaking directly to future or potential SN's, anywhere you go will give you experiences you can't imagine were possible.  Choose your destination country after research and thought, but don't limit your options. There is so much you don't know about the world that anywhere you go will only excite your curiosity to learn more.  This is exactly what I have realized and I wish the same for you.

Picture One:

Blowing glass in a glassworks factory in a tiny village in South Moravia, Strani.  The glassblowing factory was like taking a trip to the 18th century...

Pictures Two and Three:

Burcak party...vineyard also in South Moravia around the time when they produce a special drink called Burcak.  It is grape juice that contains about 5-6% of alcohol.  The direct translation is a young or new wine.  In mid October most vineyards produce this drink and there are some small festivals within the wine regions where you walk around to people's cellars and try their version of Burcak.  If you like their Burcak, you can buy 1.5 liters for 50 CZK, about $2.25.  I went to a couple of these festivals with a colleague from the university and his friends

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James Medina to Jaipur, India

The James Report

Coming to you live from India.

Contains mostly postconsumer recycled material

Hey Everyone,

  It's James. I'm in India now. I'm working at Infogain. It's been a while since I've been overseas and especially long since I've been to India. There are still lots of cows, crazy traffic, excessive odors everywhere, and general mayhem. The busses and autorickshaws now run on compressed natural gas. Which is awesome. They have recycling and composting bins on the streets. So those people in cities without recycling need to get with the times.

  I'm going to be pasting a lot of this over from some email to Liyun, who urgently needed a letter, and hence got the first long one. Someday, somehow, I'll get pictures. Now I'll get pasting.

Job first impressions:

  The company looks good. Helen, who worked here previously, said that 99% of what she did was data entry and that the job was not so fun. She did say that you can get more creative work if you really work hard and ask for it. Creative work really wasn't her thing, so she didn't feel the need to push for it. I think you know I'll push for it. The job will last 6 months. They're flexible as to possibly extending that. My goal is for them to want to extend it. If I work longer I'll need to prove my worth in the company because I don't want to continue working for 200 dollars a month for a long time. I'll stay only if I can get a half decent salary, like say 1000 a month. So I have to prove that I'm worth that.

Dirty and Stinky

India is dirty, oh so dirty. At work I wear my new fancy shoes. In casual situations everyone wears sandals. You can't smell my sandals anymore because of the background stink. The air is filled with swirling odors of car exhaust and sewage. Those are the primary smells everywhere, but in air conditioned, filtered interiors. Everything is dusty, and it is so hot. Hot hot hot hot hot. I sleep in my boxers with the thinnest sheet over my midsection with the ceiling fan over me on full blast all the time. In order to stay cool I sweat all night long, otherwise I would explode in flames wiping out half of Delhi. Indians don't seem to sweat so much. I think that they're more efficient people. I guzzle liters of bottled water every day.

Food

 Karan took me out to eat some very good food and I was doing okay. Then on Saturday night I had some pretty bad mutton tika. Some of the chunks of meat felt like they contained no meat. I spent all that night waking up to use the bathroom, I was somewhat better by Sunday at around 2pm. I managed to eat some instant noodles and regained partial control of my guts. We went out to a club last night to listen to very loud Jazz music and drink. I ordered some Indian food that contained spinach. The Indian menu is high on starches and oil, but I've already spent days fantasizing about your vegetables, big chunks of leafy green vegetables. That is what my stomach demands. My guts are under control for now, but I ate no breakfast and don't feel that hungry. Since I'm walking more and eating less I'll probably lose a lot of weight while here.

Shopping

  So actually I think that I'll like it here. I'll get over the dirtyness and stinkyness. I'm going to try to make the absolute most out of the job. The office is very nice. The shopping is interesting. Food is a little cheaper here, but lots of daily supplies are not so cheap. Shampoo is priced ridiculously. Suave costs three bucks for the same bottle that costs one in the US. It's still one of the cheaper options. I bought some very nice khakis for about 22 dollars a pair. So clothes are a good thing to buy here. All clothes are much cheaper and the style is equal or better than any department store in the US. They adjust the length of you pants for free when you buy them.

Traffic etc...

  Driving is so crazy here. If I won a car for free I'd sell it for half price rather than have to drive. The lanes are entirely disregarded. You can get most places in a little three wheeled autorickshaw for about one to three dollars. They're small so they weave through traffic more effectively and get places faster. Karan had a car, but parking is worse than in downtown San Francisco.

  Despite my missing vegetables most of the food is very good. My stomach will eventually adjust. I think that I'll be eating mostly vegetarian for a while. I ate vegetarian with Karan and I was okay then. Actually, India has some of the best vegetarian cuisine. Lots of potatos and spices. The food I think you might like. It is pretty spicy though, but I don't really notice for the most part.

  Now to new material.

  The other trainees at the house are awesome. The house is a third floor apartment with no air conditioning. It's only going to get hotter all summer. Of the people at my house, there is a shy Japanese girl, an Aussie dude, and some other people I've yet to meet. Roger, who was from somewhere in Europe and Helen the Russian American just left. They were a whole lot of fun and showed me around. Tonight there's a big AIESEC member and trainee get together event. We'll see how that is. This weekend, Sam the Aussie and I are going touristing.

  Since I'm just rambling. The AIESEC people here are some heavy drinkers, or so I've heard. They're all a lot younger than the trainees. Roger and Helen showed me the liquor store. Beer costs about the same as in the US. Wine is prohibitively expensive. Local rum and other hard liquors are really cheap, but not bad at all.

  You can get almost everything delivered. Laundry, food, groceries, etc...

  Visiting policy: For one to two weeks it's okay to visit. Not that comfy though. If you've got real cash I reccomend a hotel with air conditiong. You probably don't want to spend two weeks in Delhi anyway, but you can crash, leave to see stuff, and come back in a week. Hotels are supposedly pretty cheap outside of Delhi.

  A sum up: Delhi is fascinating. You forget how different of a place it can be. It is spectacularly different in so many subtle ways.

  The floor is open to questions and queries.

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Mike Smith to Zlin, Czech Republic (returned June 2004)

Mike Smith

AIESEC in the Czech Republic

AIESEC in Romania

Hello everyone!

IPM (International Presidents Meeting) is officially over. Two and a half weeks of preparation and 10 crazy days of meetings is now just an amazing memory.

What happened? What did I do?

My main roll was to organize the Entrepreneurship Awards at the House of People on the first day of the conference. I spent the first two weeks confirming the list of participants and talking with the sponsors to fulfill our agreements.  Once the conference started, I worked on managing the partners/externals that were giving speeches during the conference. It was a rewarding experience, because I had a chance to speak with top executives from multinational companies at a personal level.

Besides the work accomplished, I meet many new friends. Over 80 countries were represented at the conference.  The fact of this really didn't hit me until yesterday, when my friends started leaving.  It's a great feeling to hear someone say "I'm going back home, to Kenya!" or " to Japan!" or " to Peru!"

Most importantly, I have felt the spirit of AIESEC at its strongest!!!  I felt privileged to watch the new President of AIESEC International (PAI) get elected, to work with the current international team (AI) and to meet the AIESEC presidents (MCPs) from all over the world! 

Now that my work here in Bucharest is over, I'm moving on. I'm going to travel for the next 15 days, before I make it back home, to Long Beach, California (LBC). 

Next stop Istanbul, Turkey!!!

PEACE

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Morgan Wood to Beijing, China

Ni Hao,

Well I guess it is about time I tried this mass e-mail thing. It has been almost three weeks since I left SLO and almost two weeks since I left the U.S. Now I know many of you have been waiting diligently by your inbox everyday waiting for that e-mail I promised. Who am I kidding. I think most of you have forgotten I left. Either way I hope you are interested enough to read this e-mail because I am going to try my best to make it interesting.

Beijing is very different than what I expected it to be. I expected to see millions of bicycles and old people playing Mahjong on the sidewalk. Instead I am dodging cars and buses like I was in some crazy real life game of frogger and as for the old people, I think they all die when the temp. Drops below freezing and the wind makes your teeth hurt. Ah but I am painting a bleak picture and it is far from that. This city is teeming with life but as any good scientist will tell you, things tend to slow down when it gets cold. The real action starts when it warms up in a month or so.

This city is also the biggest I have ever been in. Imagine New York City, grab it by each corner and stretch for about 50 miles in each direction.

Then sprinkle about 17 million Chinese over what you have created. As far as foreigners go, there are not many, about 100,000 to approximate. So imagine yourself in a cage without bars where everyone who stares is getting a free show they can tell their family about over dinner. I am not exaggerating either. People don't break their stare even if it means running into the back of a bus. The other day we were walking down the street and a guy on a motorcycle almost died because his attention was not where it should have been. To find your way around this city is a real art form. It includes some innate sense of direction and a whole lot of sheer luck. True, Beijing is built around the Forbidden City in concentric circles called the Ring Roads but things that exist today may not exist tomorrow. For example, a row of bars will be open one night and the next day they will be razed by an army of bulldozers to make room for some immaculate apartment complex that will only fill up half way before the next one is built. That’s the way it is.

Construction is this hyperactive economy that is generating a lot of money and a lot of jobs. The sad thing is though is that the construction workers are usually the urban farmers who have moved to Beijing looking for a better life. More often than not they find something much different. But I won't go into that.

The tea here is amazing. I have never been into tea before but when you see a culture that is so into something, it is kind of contagious. They have tea houses where you can go and mix your own ingredients and make a tea that is unique to your own tastes. I have started out on green tea for now because of its legendary medicinal properties and I have to say that so far it has been working. I haven't gotten sick. Maybe it is a combination of the tea and washing my hands about a thousand times a day.

I have taken tons of pictures but haven't hooked my computer up to the internet yet. There is internet in the office building where I am working so the other teachers I live with and I have just been using that for now. But I will post them as soon as I can. I have some really sweet ones of Tienamen Square and the Forbidden City as well as some pictures of where I work and where I live.

I have not started teaching yet but we have been training more or less since we got here. But I am starting my first class on Monday so I will let you know how that goes.

Well I guess this e-mail has gotten way too long and I will end it with a Zai Jian (good bye) and a Gan Bei (Bottoms Up)

Your Link to 16 hours into the future,

Morgan

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Koura Fabiny in Pang Nga, Thailand

Hi everyone,

I've been in Thailand for almost a week now and I am really enjoying it so far. The people, especially the kids at the school we're teaching English in, are ridiculously friendly. It truly is "The Land of Smiles".

I am living with 2 other girls in a tsunami-affected house. It's a 5 minute walk to the beach. There is a huge police boat the waves pushed up behind our house and they've decided to leave it there and turn it into a memorial of some sort. Reconstruction is taking place all over and I'm anxious to start helping out with that.

Sabeye, sabeye (relax): The culture is incredibly laid back. It's also very communal, feels like one big family here in the Pang Nga region (a couple hours drive north of Phuket).

I'll be putting up a website soon so you can check out the latest adventures accompanied by beautiful, heart wrenching, hopeful, and hilarious pictures.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear how each of you are doing.

Let me know what you're up to.

Peace,

Koura

(Also, check out Koura’s Blog http://kourainthailand.blogspot.com/ )

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Matt Chance in Poznan, Poland

Hello Friends and Family -

I came across a chunk of free time and decided to catch up on my emailing. I am sitting down in Salamance, Spain and waiting for my good buddy Eric Zellhart to finish up his language classes. We were both just down in southern Spain visiting mi hermana Elisabeta for a couple of nights. It was short, but very sweet and of course we had a great time. I was able to meet many of her friends, go botayon (spelt wrong, but it means "street party"), visit the town, and even go to mass on Easter Sunday. It was definitely worth the effort of getting down there.

So about Poznan. I didn´t realize it until I left Poland for a little while, but I am actually falling in love with the place. The culture seems very cold and foreign at first, but if you ask for help you will find out how friendly they really are. The students are always asking if they can take me to the pub, shooting range, cinema or whatever. They are often shy in class, but never when it comes to social activity. It is something that would never happen in the states. Also, the actual english teachers are often young and cute and ask me to go out with them. My biggest problem is time. I have come to realize that 2 and a half months is not enough time here. I am going to be sad to leave.

I have attached picture of the view from my dorm. I pretty much live in the ghetto, but people say that it is nicer than other places and so I believe them. The view is not the most beautiful, because of the industry outside of the town, but I will get some pictures of the old market and surrounding areas out in the future. The town is very cool.  I also attached a picture of the team of people I am working with. The girl in the front right is greek. The other two are Russian. The Indian is my roomated and the other person is me.

Ok, I hope you are all doing well. Let me know what´s going on back home!!!

Matt

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