Thursday, 21 December 2006

Learning to fly

Christmas 2006

Today I feel a bit nostalgic... I was looking for some photos to create an album which I can show my friends and family without the help of the computer and I noticed one thing - most of the pics are actually AIESEC pics. Looking through all these albums (not done by far yet, there're more albums to look through) came all those fun memories flushing back to me.

My PD team, most of it anyways :)

Looking back to my own year in the most of fun kind of way, with pics - that is something I recommend for each and every one of you. Pictures are the best reminders of good times (and bad as well, if you've had them). Pics also have the ability to bring out the best in the situations we've had. You might not want to remember that bad food from that conference, but you will most definately remember the great people and cool sessions and awesome parties, right :)

LTS - Local Training Seminar for newies 2006

LTS - my very first facilitating experience. It really showed me that the most important thing about making such a seminar happening are the people who you do it with. Feeling so sick just minutes before my performance and being able to pull it together within 5 minutes - that is something special and the biggest thanks are to Siim, our LCP, who was willing to make this thing for me, should I not have been able to. But seeing him gave me so much strength ;) Ahh, sweet memories.

Photoshoot in July 2006

This years recruitment started already in June. We had such fun time together with the recruitment teams from Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu, especially at our photoshoot where we made some pics for the recruitment materials. The team was awesome and the photoshoot even better :D Just some month before the photoshoot we had LC Tallinn picnic in the very same place, Kadrioru Park, and it was the very first time we had a chance to feel ourselves as a team with our EB. I still remember so vividly the yellow hair of Siki's on Siim's pic :D

Transition in May

It doesn't seem that long ago at all when we first started our transition for this term. The old EB trying to get all their knowledge delivered to us within 1,5 days. Seemed impossible at the time, but here we are now - half of the term is already over and soon we begin preparing everything for the new EB for the next term. Even now that two of the former EB members are in MC, I feel somehow close to them, connected in some level - knowing that I can always turn to them when I feel like it. I wish that the next term's EB would be as close to us as we are to the previous ones. It adds extra value to the term and the whole picture :)

Synergy 2006

And last, but not least greatest memory of the past year - this is where it all got started for me. I was so doubtful about going to Synergy. I felt that it wasn't for me, I don't want to go, it's something silly and so on. But then I somehow managed to get all my schoolthings done on time and I even managed to get there on time for the election of MC members. What a great feeling it was, I had butterflies in my stomach the whole conference :) It was awesome and the conference itself was the first event where I started to feel that I'm part of something big. Something out of reach. That something that's called AIESEC spirit. I remember the chats we had with EB, other members, exchanging cool ideas and thoughts. It was AWESOME!

So, all in all - I have had so many great moments throughout the past year that it's impossible to put it all in this one post and few pics. It's so much more than that! I wish you all so many nice memories and moments from AIESEC and also from life itself. Today is the best day to start living your life fullest and start collecting those AHHAA moments ;)

When, if not now? Who, if not you?

-- Your PD girl Riina

Saturday, 16 December 2006

EB at AIESEC office after midnight

Hey :)

It's 2:00 am and probably you are thinking why Siki is logged in to LC Tallinn's blog, doesn't she have another life? Nooooo, it's a joy :P AIESEC is one big part of my life and I'm enjoying it!

I had forgotten the username and keyword while logging in, I tried and I tried, sent one sms to Riina (it's 2 o'clock!) and then I remembered it! After that I received sms from Riina with the data :D (EB is connected even at night)

But why am I talking that to you? Am I weird? Of course I am, but I just arrived home.. We had EB chill night at AIESEC office in TUT :) We drank some wine that Siim had brought from Macedonia and talked and talked and talked.. Talked about our future plans, about school, about AIESEC.. and laughed a lot. Meanwhile visited a shop in TUT's dorm, bought some snack and went back to the office.

It was so great feeling to talk with my EB members. While we are so different persons, we have something similar as well, AIESEC connects :)

We prepared our performance for tomorrow's Christmas party and we are waiting to see our beloved members :)

After 1:00am Siim and Riina sent me to home. We walked through the avenue of Sõpruse and visited one park called Männi, where children are playing. Unfortunately at this time we were the only "children" in this park. We had fun :)

One thing is to work in one team or to be a team leader, other thing is to be in EB, where your team is small but still the synergy is so powerful. I just arrived home and I got really motivated from that night. Every minute that I spend with my EB gives me the great amount of energy and I feel how great is AIESEC =)

It's good to be it's good to be in EB, hell yeah !



--Siki

Wednesday, 13 December 2006

Last LC meeting in 2006

Yesterday, we had our last meeting in this year for the whole local. It's funny, just today when I was in the office talking to one of our members, Tarvi, we thought that half of the year has gone past so quickly. Soon it's the election time of new MC after that some months and it's time to apply for the EB of LC Tallinn and our term will be over. That is a bit sad, but I'm sure interesting times are ahead of us all.

Anyways, I didn't really want to talk about that, moreover, I'd like to reflect a bit on yesterday's meeting :) So we started off pretty smooth, all of the most important people in our LC had a chance to say what they have been up to and what's the status of their projects and all. It was really great to hear that people have been busy and what's even better, one of our project manager's is going to a company meeting tomorrow and one of our cool new members is going with him to get the experience.

Then later on we had a really cool session about AIESEC values by Vika - do you know what they are? If not, do you know where to find them? If not, do you know to whom to turn with this kind of questions? :) Well, I hope you already know at least the question to the last question :D We also went over some really basic things, just to refresh our memory about them. And that got me really thinking about my job experience in the summer where supposedly, we were to have refresher trainings each month - and trust me, the systems and processes there were lot easier than in AIESEC. So here's a thought for next years to come.

Another thing that really made me wonder was that most of the time, people were softly chatting on the background while we spoke. But once I started to talk about the thing I had prepared earlier for the meeting... well, the audience went really quiet and for a second there, I thought I'd scared them with something. But that's the thing, I have prepared something and I so much want to attach to it that I forget to do it interactivly, so it would be interesting and to get people speaking up and asking questions. Hmm, some things to think over for the next times, I believe :)

So all in all, the meeting was such a success in my point of view and Siki's session added such value to it. For a moment there, even I managed to imagine what I've done so far and see a glimpse of myself in few months from now. I really liked how many people were present and the atmosphere was just awesome. As I said to one of my dear friends just moments ago - my relationship with AIESEC is pretty great and what motivates me the most are people, the social atmosphere. Knowing that we can have loads of fun even in the LC meeting and we don't have to have a drinking party for that - this is really priceless and something to take with me to the year 2007.

See you all in our Christmas party - let's make it yet another unforgivable event ;)

-- Riina

Tuesday, 12 December 2006

It's official now - AIESEC Tallinn blog

We're very happy to announce that the new AIESEC Tallinn blog is now officially open to each and every one of our dear members, members of AIESEC in the whole of Estonia and all of you who are interested of what's happening in our local committee.

AIESEC Tallinn EB presents you the

AIESEC Tallinn BLOG!!!

Saturday, 9 December 2006

Representing AIESEC

Hello,

Two weeks ago I got a phonecall from MC. Siim Säinas was inviting me to go to the birthday party of The Federation of Estonian Student Unions (FESU). It took place at House of Mustpeade.

Together we were representing AIESEC.

Before going to that birthday party we met at Viru center and tried to think what to buy for a birthday present. It was really really hard (I remembered the day when our Student Union of TUT had a birthday and Siim Saarlo was trying to find something for the present, huh, quite hard). Finally we decided to give to the FESU 5 free tickets to our Annual Conference's open day event. We bought one cool decorated mug from Tiimari :D and in it we put those tickets.

In front of the door we tried to think what symbol does this present have. Siim Säinas thought that this mug is for the milk and milk is symbolizing richness :D Haha!

When we went in front of the stage Säinas was pretty cool and talked better than in front of the door :D

During that night we drank a wine, had a talk with different people, had fun

Even Ursula was performing during that night :D

Some days ago my friend sent me an e-mail and told that I am famous (Üliõpilasleht - in one newspaper there is one photo of me with other cool people, photo from that party

To sum this text up. While being a member of EB you get many different invitations as Riina mentioned in her posting. Before that FESU party, I was representing AIESEC with our LCP at Student Union of TUT's birthday party

One month ago I was representing AIESEC in one commission as well where we chose the year's best ones in TUT (e.g. the best organization, best lecturer etc).

It's good to be it's good to be in EB.

-- Siki

Our girl applying for MC Finland

This morning I heard some really great news and that really got me thinking about how small Estonia really is. One of AIESEC Estonia members has applied for MC (Members Committee) Director position in Finland. Even though Helena is actually from AIESEC Pärnu, it doesn't really matter to us - just like it was when Mairi got to AIESEC International. When in a small country like Estonia and one of our AIESEC members applies for a great position outside, it's a success for all local committees in Estonia, aside from Pärnu, also in Tartu and Tallinn.

So, Helena, I wish you in the name of all our LC Tallinn members, best of luck and hopefully you will get the desired position :)

-- Riina

Sometimes you've gotta shine like a star

Click on the image to see the full picture and go to the gallery

Absolutely, sometimes you just have to shine! Like we did in this Christmas ball organised by Student Union of TUT. It was a nice event, not so well thought-through, but we enjoyed it while being there. Didn't get to dance though.

I just wanted to say that it's really nice to be in a student organisation like AIESEC is, because you get to be in so many places, you get invitation all the time. All you have to do is to show up and shine :) I really encourage you all to take some opportunities that suit you - find the things that make you shine like a shooting star and enjoy every single second of it ;) It'll be worth it, I can bet on that!

-- Riina