Winds of change

It's not that long since the New Year's Eve when everyone makes promises for the coming year. Almost two weeks of this year, fabulous 2007 has gone by and what has happened since? It is clearly the time when people look to the coming year and decide what they want to get out of it. From my point of view, I guess it's even more important to do this in the first days of the year, rather than spending last days of the previous year for it.

So have I started to look into the future and I have started to believe what all the astrologists have been saying in different forecasts for this year - year 2007 will be a lot better than the last one, it will bring great success for those who know what they want and know where they want to go. So it's time to set our compasses ready, for that will be one of the things that lead to fulfill all the expectations we have.

However, in the sense of AIESEC, some setbacks that are common to happen in January, have already started. I think that for a People Development responsible, the hardest times are firstly in the fall, sometime in October when you find out about first people who at first thought AIESEC would be cool, but then decide to focus on something else. The second time will come around in January, where people look back to their schoolyear, what they have done in AIESEC so far and decide that it really isn't for them. I do believe that the time is not over yet, it has only begun.

The last period will be the end of May, when the term ends and you're no longer sure what's going to happen with all these people under the new EB. Will they stay, will they go? Will they find new challenges in AIESEC or do they want to achieve so much more in their personal lives? These are tough times for any person in leadership position in AIESEC, but most of all, for the one who really cares for each and every one of the members and doesn't want to see them go at all. The best thing to remember at times like these, is to make sure that I know - it's nothing personal - it's not about what I haven't been doing, not caring enough - it's about people developing so fast these days that they grow out of their own ideas so quickly.

Well, I'm sad to see any of you go, but if you really have to - it was really great to get to know you and I wish you all great success in the future and I do hope that you have found something great out of the times you got to spend with us ;)

God speed,

your PD girl Riina