May 16th - May 22nd

What I will be working on this week:

TM coaching:
Eszter (FR)
Fabian (BA)
Anne-Juliette (LA)
Advisory Council meeting in Zürich
Visiting the last Basel LCM
Preparing individual and T2T-Transition (cleaning up and updating the server, creating an agenda, assembling the important files, preparing sessions, ...)
Lots of little tasks :-)

Picture of the week:

Phoenix e.V.
This picture was taken in Brandenburg at the annual gathering of the anti-racism organization founded by my incredibly wise Dad

On another note: this whole pseudo-diversity thing in AIESEC is starting to piss me off actually ... what a bunch of unreflected nonsense. So we call ourselves "culturally sensitive", but is that a reason to ignore racist comments and attitudes, prejudice-reinforcing roll calls and to behave as if we can make racist (or discriminating) jokes simply because we have friends from other countries?!

Best moments:

Spending time with 35 wonderful people (many of whom are family) in a place that scared me and still was the exact right place to be; getting to know amazing kids, hearing their stories about daily racist insults and occasional violence, working on response strategies together, and being touched and inspired by their spirit and courage; the transition prep session - damn, we can be good and fun if we want to be!; a relaxed evening with my Ruthie and a huuuuge breakfast with Monika and Kwesi in Berlin; realizing that true success lies in moving things without compromising your principles for recognition or fame

Soundtrack:

Congolese gospel in Lingala - memories of my childhood :-)

My weeks: April 28th - May 15th

What I worked on these past weeks:
- TM coaching: Aline (BE), Nicole (GE)
- LC coaching and LCP elections (and partying) in Lugano
- Yearplanning with LC Fribourg
- Coaching with Nuria (WI)
- Creating the AiS TM Wiki
- Preparing transition (individual and team-to-team)
- Chat with Saba from the Global Communication Crew
- attending the career event in Zurich (and getting a very specific idea of what I want to apply for)
- attending LC Bern's learning event on Business in Southeast Asia
- the usual MC stuff :-)

My best moments in the past weeks:

A day on the lake in Lucerne with my older brother (in the African sense) Kwesi - sometimes a discussion can change your whole life ...; an sms last night - three words is all it takes :-); my days spent in Lugano (the train trips with Simone, chairing the LCP elections, laughing hard at the Ooops hihi and partying at the Irish pub, coaching at the Irish pub the next morning (with huge chocolate croissants and perfect cappucino); finding my passport; RARA studying; 4 days in Germany with my mom; falling in love over and over again ...; every moment right now, I am so happy

Picture of the week:

Luki in his flat office hihi.

Soundtrack of the past weeks:

That's how it goes :-)

My weeks: April 7 - April 27

What I will be working on this week:

- Year planning with LC Fribourg (and Luki)
- Learning Event LC Bern
- MC internal trainings for the LC coaching in the weeks to come
- Catching up on emails
- Research on allocation
- Communication with TMs
- Catching up on blogging!

Best moments of the past weeks:

Popping the bubble with Regi and then AIESEC in Switzerland; a phone call on a beautiful Saturday afternoon; walking through Stockholm on a sunny day and crazy late-night kitchen talks; a dutchified night in the MC office (ferry well)

And this:



We are here to be inspired, to inspire others that inspires others who inspire the world

Photos:

Team Experiences ...

With my MC team and the Swedish MC in Sweden ...

The TMs ...

KICK-OFF 2008 - What a faci team ...

Soundtrack of the past weeks:

Other than the Chicken Pie song (Faci roll call - very hard to get out of your head), it would have to be Akon in all variations and combinations (am feeling pimpy):







And also this song (courtesy to Regi and a studyful weekend):

My weeks: March 24 - April 6

What I will be working on this coming week:

TM Coaching with Heather, VPTM Lugano
Teambuilding with EB Lugano
Chairing EB elections in Winti
KICK-OFF 2008:
- Teamee Track
- visa matters and information for international delegates
- faci communication
- communication session with Gianca (AiS Media Coordinator)
Global Competency Meeting with Sara and Jelena
Setting up a Swiss TM group on myaiesec.net
IBM Mentoring Training and DISCOVERY follow-up
Several other smaller coaching obligations

Best moments of the past weeks:

A beautiful Easter brunch with an ensuing, very memorable, round of Taboo; dancing "Don't stop me now" in the LDS Plenary; MBTI revelations and their aftermath; starting to plan my future; channeling in the UNITE and LDS closing plenaries; many many talks

Photos of the week:

Delicious Currywurst at Duisburg train station - miss it!!!

"Pretend-happy-dancing" with Camilla during an impressive Alumni Dinner in Norway at UNITE 08 (which I was chairing): appearing to be completely happy dancing with yourself as a new strategy to avoid getting asked to dance once the slows start playing ;-)

Soundtrack of the week:

Stand up for the Champions - Right Said Fred: my DISCOVERY 2008 LDS song - I just wish that the video was not so horrible! ("When I fall down, I have to pick myself back up" has been stuck in my head all day)

My Weeks: February 23 - March 23

What I am working on this week:

- Faci selection for KICK-OFF 2008
- Track preparation for KICK-OFF
- KICK-OFF presentation for LCs
- Chairing UNITE in Norway :-)

Picture of the week:

"Germany Black&White": A ground-breaking, common sense, much needed book about everyday racism (including an interview with my wonderful Dad). It should be mandatory reading in all schools (not only in Germany). And YES, most AIESECers could use these lessons also ...

Best moments in the past weeks:

A group hug in plenary, attending Easter services at my church, being back in the beautiful, lively, chaotic, warm, people-filled, love-soaked place I call home, an early-morning phone call with a wonderful surprise (I have so much to look forward to ...)

Soundtrack of the week:

What a sexy song ...

My Week: 18 - 24 February

What I'm working on this week:

- LC Fribourg
- TRANSIT sessions and funky
- Meeting with Simon (BE) about the new Career Talks concept
- Meeting with Christian (NST) about the new Career Talks concept
- Meeting with Gaudi (NTT) about the LDS track at DISCOVERY
- Meeting with Fabian (incoming VPTM Basel)
- Meeting with Ato (incoming LCP Basel) about planning and allocation
- Day-long meeting with my successor Sara about the TRANSIT Funky and the GCM meeting
- Global Competency Model meeting on Saturday

Video of the week:

A classic moment from the transition weekend of EB Geneva 050607. Dancing around a table to the wise words of the Baywatch Soundtrack, during a night of Jih-Ming Jih-Meng Simone and writing papers.

That was then, but where are they now?

Regi: incoming MCP of AIESEC in Switzerland
Aïda: having a blast in Canada
Simone: VPX of AIESEC in Switzerland and my source of calm and keeping it in perspective
Luca: VPER of AIESEC in Switzerland, fellow Obamaite and partner in crime for random- and slight inappropriateness
Joao: Big Daddy, The Master, off to London :-)
Prashanth: has been working in the "real" professional world for a long time (reluctantly, though ;-)) and WILL soon go on an AIESEC internship (right, Prash...?)
Dhruvli: in the process of starting his own business in India (and soon coming to Switzerland to pay us a visit - we insist!)
Joan: awaiting a response for an internship (and jogging with me in the mornings)

And speaking of Baywatch, here a long-forgotten gem of David "Don't hassel the hoff" Hasselhoff. The possibly best video in the history of music:

Hooked on a feeling

Soundtrack of the week:

With you - Chris Brown

My Week: February 11 - 17

This week I am working on:

The output of the OGX brainstorming meeting
General recruitment materials
Setting objectives for the teamee track at KICK-OFF (incl. briefing my external Jude)
My TRANSIT Session (The AIESEC Way)
A phone meeting with Chris (LCPe Lugano)
Meeting my NTT (one half of it, that is, Yavor)
Meeting with Sara to prepare the TRANSIT Funky
And so much more (it is crazy these days, crazy!)

Picture:

This week's pictures are a tribute to someone who has been there for me ever since I arrived in Switzerland. She was there when I hated everything (the infamous Petershöfli, the city, university, the people - I was quite negative back then lol); she welcomed me into her home, when a home away from home was really what I needed; she was there to make sure that I always ate enough vegetables when I could live on rice soup for weeks; she agreed to come to Italy with me on the spur of a moment and made an unforgettable first conference experience a lot less scary; she helped me pass every single economics exam I ever took and always encouraged me to keep on studying even when I was so completely sick of the whole thing (I used to study until 6 in the morning and then go wake her up for her studying before I went to bed lol); and most of all she watched me making the same mistakes over and over again, but she was there each single time, always listening and cheering me up (with listening, advice and hot chocolate with cream and Bailey's).

She was there for the bad times then and she continues to be there for the good times today.

Thank you, Joani!!! You only deserve the best ...

I am looking forward to moving in with you for one week, to studying, "Dirty Dancing" and hours of talking about you-know-what.

Best moment(s):

A moment in a bookstore café where everything seemed to come together - my talents my wishes, my needs, my love, my future - and while I am a little less optimistic now, I am thankful for someone putting everything back into perspective for me and making me realize how I need to go about making it happen; jogging at seven in the morning

Soundtrack of the past week:

Inspired by a lot of missing, irresistible lyrics, beats that makes me move if I want to or not, and the joy of walking to work in the morning singing where no one can here me

Faze - Tattoo girl



Faze - Loving you everyday



P-Square - Do me



Jordin Sparks - Tattoo (yes, Leila, I won American Idol after all ;-))