Never in my mind, to really love an organization like this.
An organization,
That bring me to the highest sky that I've never reach before.
That changed the way I see life.
So, here it is... I present to you, my last dedication for this organization.
A long story about me and AIESEC.
#1 : I'M HAPPY TO BE ME
AIESEC became the important part of my self-confidence. Back then, I never wanted to take high responsibility. I always felt I was never capable and ready for it. Fortunately, I joined Indonesian Youth Leadership Conference, the first touch point of me and AIESEC. I still remember I was asked by my home-group leader to take part in President Fictitious Election (simulasi presiden-presidenan). My first respond was shocked "What??? Who am I, nothing more than just a new member, Why should I apply?" I already judged myself that I would lose. In that moment, my home-group leader encourage and even insisted me to try. She said "There's nothing wrong with trying, It won't cost you. Instead, it will help you to understand more about yourself. You want to change yourself better, don't you?" SO, YES I APPLY. You know what happened next? I'M ALREADY LOSE even in the first phase of selection. It happened just what I was thinking before, right? But, Did I regret? NO! Because I'd changed my mindset. I told myself that "okay, winning is not my purpose here, the most important is I can learn something new about myself". It was true because my home-group leader didn't leave me with the feels of losing without gaining something, she instead gave me constructive feedback that is very concrete and reasonable (bukan kata kata inspiring bulshit semata), so I could exactly know what I will do better next time. And yes, it happened to be my touch point when I started to fall in love with AIESEC.
"The feeling to be trusted, the encouragement that I get was super life-changing that makes me see myself more than I see before."
#2: SATISFY WITH WHAT I'M DOING
I started to craving more with AIESEC Experience. So, What's Next? My choice fell into being a committee of Bandung Global Youth Conference 5.0. Can you guess what is my first response when I was elected?
"Apa? Ngurus konferensi buat 80 orang cuma sama 6 biji manusia?"
"Iya, di aiesec itu kan kita mau developmentnya, kalau kebanyakan orang , yang ada banyak gabutnya dan yang kerja cuman pemimpinnya."
Is that seems crazy? However, it's not bullshit. I just realized that kind of development they talk about after I finished the project.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I WAS SO SATISFIED TO BE PART OF A BIG EVENT.
First, you are not alone.
At the beginning of the project, you have to do coaching a thousand times just for planning and running your responsibility. I love the way AIESEC is not let their people lost in directions. They ensure we know 'the way organization do' and the most important things why we do it that way (Intinya di sini gue sangat puas, karena ga cuman harus ngerjain sesuatu seperti ini seperti itu, tapi ada alasannya gitu yang belum pernah gue temuin di kepanitian lain)
Second, you learn a very different thing.
Why can I say like this? Only because in AIESEC we have to run projects a little bit differently from what we do in other experience. Start from how to manage your team well (learning to set team expectations, how to understand other people's strength and weakness so we can build a super team) until doing your works professionally (jadi ceritanya gue semacam kuli poster yang disuruh bikin planning promosi buat konferensi, dan gue baru tau kalau bikin poster tuh ada aturannya, ada tekniknya, ga asal bikin aja disini)
Third, you really get a thing after the project, not only get your tiresome.
The most favorite point. After we do the project, we usually get some evaluation only about the project. Here, in AIESEC, we also get feedback as a team and as an individual. In AIESEC, people is very open and honest. They will give us feedback that may be unthinkable before. This is super cool because not everyone can give an honest feedback. Our principle that "weakness is not something bad, because nobody's perfect, right? but it was something that you can always overcome and improve"
#3 INCREDIBLE BUSINESS EXPERIENCE
First, I learn HOW TO RUN A COMPANY.
Why? In the first year of joining AIESEC, I was totally shock looking the way AIESEC do things. There's a lot of procedure, system, that should be fulfilled. For example, I'm PR staff: I had to brand-filter every poster that want to be posted to social media. And If I don't pass the brand-filter, you have to edit your poster over and over again (udah kaya lagu Nathan Sykes lah pokoknya) until it pass.
AIESEC's system is quite complicated, not perfect, but at least it made me know the real situation of working professionally.
It's even getting harder when you became a manager or VP. You have to learn how to breakdown the KPI effectively (to be honest I know KPI for the first time in AIESEC rather than in my college hahaha), do assessment based on Behavior Assessment, design learning and development planning for your member, and even design effective tracker to keep you on track in achieving target and goals.
Second, be very ambitious, competitive, and innovative
In every semester and even quarter, our performance as a whole local committee would be tracked by the national board (AIESEC Indonesia). It means that we will compete with other local committees to be the most performing and growth entity (intinya kita bersaing gitu ama aiesec tentangga). The winner will get their award in the national plenary. Bandung (my local committee) was quite ambitious and competitive, so we strive for winning the award hahaha. The competitive ambiance triggered us to ACHIEVE or even OVERACHIEVE. This also triggered us to be open with new idea, seeking new solution or even innovation that can lead us closer to the goals. The very interesting part for me is that I can really implement my idea, and apply my knowledge that I get during my college. KEWL ABIS LAH POKOKNYA.
#4 TAKE ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE
Finally comes to the most precious experience: Becoming an Executive Board (EB) in AIESEC Bandung. It's not only about the title, but also the responsibility behind it. The EB's experience was quite challenging. Since the first time we apply, we have to prepare intention letter, application booklet, and even our courage to have speech in PANEL. And after you were elected, the challenge was getting hard. The hardest moment I can remember is that when I have to sacrifice my dream in EB. It's the dilemma, especially where you are not recognized for all the effort you have been put into your works, and you are forced to sacrifice your interest for the sake of organization's interest. Most of the time, maybe some of you just want to quit simply feel because this organization does not belong to you anymore.
However, I choose to stay.
I was thinking that if I'm done here, I'm just going away from the problem and it's not what I want. I finally take the courage to change. It's not easy, it's not comfortable especially because you have to start everything from the scratch, learn from zero, while at the same time you have to keep on track with your performance.
Finally, here we are. Me and my new team. A new spirit, new role, new ambition. I choose to stay with them, as I see that changing is not as bad as I think in the beginning. I still can deal with changing situation without sacrifice my dream in EB at all.
And Taraaa... sacrifice pay off! With being open to change, see it is from another perspective, I can have more chance to do something better (I do reallocation of my manager) and get my team more engaged. The result? I'm pretty satisfied with our team and our legacy for AIESEC Bandung :)
#5 LIVING BY MEANING NOT A SYMBOL.
Back then, I was kind of people with the mindset : Lulus, Kerja, Nikah, Punya Anak. Bye neee...
What about now? Still the same. But more than just following the common path, I have a reason why I choose that path. I prefer to looking for meaning in everything I do. One of the examples is graduation. In AIESEC, you will see most people will not put much concern about when they will be graduated. They don't look for "Ye, lulus!", but looking for why they have to be graduated. It doesn't mean that they are not capable of being graduated soon. But simply because they want to do some things purposeful before they are graduated. I'm not saying as AIESECer we will always have to be graduated later. You have to understand that every people have very different path and condition that will shape their meaning in life. For me, I choose to be graduated soon, why? I have strong personal reason that differs from others, that I can't tell you. But yes, I'm pretty sure why I have to be graduated. This meaningful way of thinking not only could apply in the big things, but also small things. A small things, if you understand the meaning behind it will be more valuable and more happy to do it.
Lastly, I want to say that
Experience would be the same with all people who get in touch with AIESEC, but the story may be different.
Because story is build not from the experience, but from the way you see and feel your experience.
*please don't assume if you join AIESEC your story will be the same with me. But I promise you, you will create your own meaningful story with AIESEC, if you have courage and really reflect on your experience.*