MY AIESEC EXPERIENCE!

“AIESEC! What is it all about?” this was the question I asked the first time I saw an AIESEC poster stuck on one of the notice boards in campus. Luckily, a friend who also happened to be an AIESECer told me the basics and suggested I attend their meetings I later learnt were referred to as MSSes. A week later I presented myself at the meeting and guess what, the experience was …mhh cool. Three weeks down the line, an announcement was made in the MSS that there will be an NIS (National Induction Service) conference, which is newees stuff, and was to be hosted in Nakuru. Oscar; the LCP, added that it was a nice thing since it would teach me more about AIESEC. With no second thoughts, I decided to attend. I arrived at Cool Rivers where the conference was to take place and to my surprise, the number of delegates present from all the inclusive universities in the country, I was the only one from my LC.                                   

Being a newee and the only delegate sent shivers to my nerves since I felt let down by LC members and was lonely. The people there were all cheerful and seemed to be enjoying themselves, something I thought was absurd at first. A single man I was, and a single man army I convinced myself I would be.                                                              

 Thinking that securing a distant place from ‘them’ would help, I quickly did that. From this isolated table I enjoyed seeing them enjoy and take on each other like friends. ‘Man! AIESEC is a family. It is not all about me and you, but rather us.’  Then I saw this bunch of ladies from UON coming towards my direction and my mind psyched me to be the bold person I have always pretended to be when I am with strangers.  On being asked why I was alone, I told them I was waiting for ‘my colleagues who were on their way.’ Jordan, whom I knew later recruited me in their LC and insisted that I should perform a roll-call with them and because a ‘no position’ could not present itself, I joined them. From that moment I felt the need to belong and involvement. To my surprise everything these guys did, I became part of them and hey…I was in a home away from home in their company. ‘…and the journey begins’ was the conference’s theme. The ‘journey’ began with a bang; from funny roll-calls to serious stuff. A brief AIESEC history was presented then came the other agendas that were to be talked about. Fiona, the president (2009/2011), happened to know everything about AIESEC and jeez…she made me think she was giving her life history. I felt awesomeJ and everyone seemed too from the applause she received after the speech. The team she came with wasn’t an exception either. It comprised of very talented youths who tended to define the tagline, ‘a leadership potential for young people to discover their talents.’ I enjoyed branding so much because it taught me on how a person can brand him/herself or any other thing. I came back loaded with everything except regrets. From the fellow AIESECers I learnt that no man is an island and therefore we all need each other to survive. Back to our LC I was to give a report on the NIS and I felt whoa since it gave this newee a chance to stand before members and do what I thought was the most difficult to do. That day I also learnt that AIESEC doesn’t harbor cowards. Talking of non-cowards I met a team in our LC that is super-awesomeJ. These guys go out of their ways to make this organization a success without complains and grumbling. BIG UPS YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPERB WORK. To all AIESECers in Egerton, let us light other people’s candles especially those with flameless ones. THUMBS UP AND remember to read Philippians 1:6. (Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus ChristJ)

-By Atieno R. Onyango