Don't Feed Me Bullshit
I've been spending a lot of time thinking. Mainly because my replacement has already been adequately trained and my only purpose before my departure on Sunday is to sit and stare at my Mac. Although I do get to chat on yahoo messenger with all the Cote d'Ivoire AIESECers working away in the LC hang out, bringing in trainees, shipping out trainees, spreading HIV/AIDS awareness, and going around to local businesses/NGOs to ask for sponsorship. I'm realizing something profound each and every day I am here. I'm going to be extremely blunt here I hope none of you are offended. Actually no, I do hope some of you are offended because that means I got my point across. Why did I leave the United State on May 29, 2008 feeling sick to my stomach whenever I thought about my past semester in AIESEC? Because all of us in AIESEC-Madison were finally told what AIESEC really was: a business. Basically I was told the entire year that TNs are so great and they'll change your life because you'll meet AIESECers and love each other and get the AIESEC experience blah blah blah blah and I believed it all. I ate all those lies like they were candy. I was on an AIESEC high. I cared more about what I thought was "AIESEC work" than I did about my classes, because I believed we were doing something great. I believed we were working for a better tomorrow, for world understanding, for cultural awareness. And then at the end of the year we were all informed that no, events don't matter, feelings don't matter, it's all about exchange for a profit. AIESEC is a business, I get that. And leaving America, I was so angry I couldn't stand it. I left thinking this: AIESEC is nothing but a group of people who sit around and talk about change and love. It makes you feel good to be in AIESEC because you all love each other and everything is just fucking rosy as hell.
Now I have to apologize. I have to apologize to AIESEC Cote d'Ivoire, because my previous statement is not true in their case at all. I saw kids get excited to learn about HIV/AIDS because the AIESECers made it fun to learn about it. I saw businesses give sponsorship to AIESECers so they could travel to the Brazil conference without paying any money out of pocket. Why did the businesses give some rando kids money to take a field trip to Brazil? Because the AIESECers here have done so much to help the kids of Cote d'Ivoire that businesses are more than willing to give the AIESECers opportunities to go abroad, meet other people with similar experiences, and bring back that knowledge to further their achievements. Isn't that what we all signed up for? I know I did. AIESEC was presented to me as a way to change lives. What did I do Fall/Spring 2007-2008? I didn't change lives, that's for sure. And no one can tell me it's because I didn't do anything either. So what happened? I don't know either. But I can tell you that I can honestly say I have changed lives while I've been here. AIESEC gave me the opportunity to see things I would never have dreamed I would see. It let me experience things I never dreamed I would experience. Of course I am talking about AIESEC Cote d'Ivoire. AIESEC US gave me nothing but a hole in my stomach.
I know what you're thinking, "Meena, if you love Cote d'Ivoire so much, why don't you stay there." I'm really not trying to be a bitch. And I can't stay here because I am getting kicked out. In truth I am no longer a USA hater. I love the United States. I am so so SO grateful I was born there and get to reap the benefits of having an opportunity to succeed. I am just really super frustrated and disgusted. I want everyone to realize how much AIESEC-US...AIESEC-Madison could do if we cut the bullshit and did something. I'm realizing that I was truly brainwashed earlier in the year thinking AIESEC-US actually did any good for anyone else but themselves. I get it now. And if anyone can bring me to the light please speak, because I am so far from rejoining AIESEC in the Fall. Can someone tell me the point? Are we going to make things happen next semester or are we just going to smoke some shisha and talk about nothing?
Now I have to apologize. I have to apologize to AIESEC Cote d'Ivoire, because my previous statement is not true in their case at all. I saw kids get excited to learn about HIV/AIDS because the AIESECers made it fun to learn about it. I saw businesses give sponsorship to AIESECers so they could travel to the Brazil conference without paying any money out of pocket. Why did the businesses give some rando kids money to take a field trip to Brazil? Because the AIESECers here have done so much to help the kids of Cote d'Ivoire that businesses are more than willing to give the AIESECers opportunities to go abroad, meet other people with similar experiences, and bring back that knowledge to further their achievements. Isn't that what we all signed up for? I know I did. AIESEC was presented to me as a way to change lives. What did I do Fall/Spring 2007-2008? I didn't change lives, that's for sure. And no one can tell me it's because I didn't do anything either. So what happened? I don't know either. But I can tell you that I can honestly say I have changed lives while I've been here. AIESEC gave me the opportunity to see things I would never have dreamed I would see. It let me experience things I never dreamed I would experience. Of course I am talking about AIESEC Cote d'Ivoire. AIESEC US gave me nothing but a hole in my stomach.
I know what you're thinking, "Meena, if you love Cote d'Ivoire so much, why don't you stay there." I'm really not trying to be a bitch. And I can't stay here because I am getting kicked out. In truth I am no longer a USA hater. I love the United States. I am so so SO grateful I was born there and get to reap the benefits of having an opportunity to succeed. I am just really super frustrated and disgusted. I want everyone to realize how much AIESEC-US...AIESEC-Madison could do if we cut the bullshit and did something. I'm realizing that I was truly brainwashed earlier in the year thinking AIESEC-US actually did any good for anyone else but themselves. I get it now. And if anyone can bring me to the light please speak, because I am so far from rejoining AIESEC in the Fall. Can someone tell me the point? Are we going to make things happen next semester or are we just going to smoke some shisha and talk about nothing?
posted by Meena Zia @ 3:05 AM
2 Comments:
At July 8, 2008 9:41 AM ,
cmckim said...
Well Meena, we will most certainly be sitting around and smoking a lot of shisha... I'm buying a new hose from Knuckleheads that has a cobra head on it and you suck out of its mouth so smoking shisha is going to be a given... but we're going to be planning legit shit while we do it. I've all but officially decided that I am going to do the whole VP P thang (for the fall, to get the position established) and the flexibility in the LC that I'm going to be able to create out of that role is going to be so sexy it isn't even funny. Start by thinking along the lines of a community out reach project where AIESECers are mentoring kids in local area schools that are still learning the language and adjusting to the culture, then take it from there and tell me something even cooler when you pass me a freakin snake's head with mango flavored smoke puring forth from its mouth hell yes!
Also, I'm going to forward on an email to you and you'll see you aren't alone, by any means at all.
At July 8, 2008 11:54 AM ,
Teresa said...
ditto to chris....we need to start doing some serious thinking about our work for the fall. i was on the same page as you after that fateful LTM. Confused, angry, sad....
We have to find a way to channel those feelings into legit work (like that you've seen on your TN.)
For this we are going to need your help, and all the other help we can get.
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