AP: The Hangover Returns

Last night was the election for AIESEC Queensland's State Manager for 2007. The candidates were two close friends of mine, James Webb and Eloise O'Mara, so I had taken the back seat and didn't have much of an opinion other than 'they are both fabulous and should both get it'. Shockingly for me, James dropped out and Eloise was confidenced - much drinking followed.

As is normally the case when much drinking ensues, Jess Erhart and myself start talking about AP, 2007, IC, IC 2007 etc etc. Basically all of the AIESEC stuff we want to do right now dammit!! Jess' boyfriend Jake is currently in Poland for You Can!, and she mentioned he sent her photo's the other day of himself and other Aussies at IC with many members of the AP 2006 delegation.

How jealous am I? I found memories flooding back of fantastic times on an island in the Philippines and the incredible situation that most of those delegates are in Poland at IC, and we seemed like almost the only one's not. Anyway, we wished we were there.

Not much of an alcohol induced hangover this morning, the AP one still lingers.

Bring on Turkey 2007!

Azz H.

CULTURAL CURIOSITY

It isn't a secret that lately I have had a lot more free time without a full time role in AIESEC since wrapping up AIESEC Australia's July National Conference for 2006, well most OC duties anyway. This has lead me to start doing one of the things I used to love doing as a child: reading.

Now when I say reading I dont ofcourse mean lecture notes, AIESEC materials or textbooks, I mean books which I go out of my way to read the blurb on the back of an purchase with my hard earned cash!

Combine this with my two seperate travels to Taiwan and Philippines, and me absolutely falling in love with people from the Asian continent, I noticed a book one day entitled Cultural Curiosity: 13 Stories about the search for Chinese Roots by Josephine M. T. Khu. Amazed to find that the sticker price was a mere $1.95, I hesitated but purchased the book anyway.

Well well well, I couldn't put the thing down could I! I think it was such a good book I must have finished the book in record time. I was intrigued reading about the perspectives of 13 different people with Chinese heritage who, through one way or another, were desperate to get back to their homeland and find their roots. Not all the essay - ists from the book lived in China at all, but their parents had such a profound impact on their lives, each person was drawn back to China for one reason or another, and all they wanted was to learn and experience more and more of what they had missed through being bought up abroad in as diverse places as Inida to Australia, the USA and the UK.

This book was a fantastic insight for me into a culture which I am deeply fascinated in, as well as opening my eyes to a facet of my growing up that I do not think I will have to deal with: Searching for forgotten roots in a foreign country.

Does this make me feel lucky? Interesting question really. Am I lucky to be 'white' as far back as people can remember? The interesting thing for me here is that there is some NZ Maori in my blood, and perhaps if I find more out about my family's heritage, it may take me back to parts of New Zealand, where I never thought I would be.

Uncharted Waters

It's funny how things change and before you know it you are in a situation you havent been in in a very long time.


INTEGRITY QUESTIONED
This is something that was a real eye opener, a terrible passion and drive crusher, a reality check and potentially one of the best things that has happened to me for a while. A couple of weeks ago i was 'torn limb from limb' (may be dramatising a little bit) by some people very close to me, in a drunken state, basically, in my drunken eyes, being told I was shit and could perhaps not 'Be Better.'

REFLECTION
Upon recieveing this 'beating' I went through a lot of stages:
1. Disbelief or the 'How Could They?' Stage
2. The 'How Dare They?' or Denial Stage
3. The 'Maybe They Have a Point' or Swallowing My Pride Stage
4. The 'I Don't Think I Am Good Enough' or Stage Where I Gave Up
5. The 'Fuck That' or I'm Can Overcome Stage

and finally
6. The 'Lets Dot It!' or Evolve and Prove Them Wrong Stage

I am currently in the process of getting opinions from people in the form of professional competencies as to what areas I am shit in, and I use the phrase Shit as I respond to being called shit in an area better than 'Not Good At'.

One thing I have learned:
Complacency is the DEVIL. This is something I always pulled others up on, but that was my problem, I fell into the trap of stagnating in my own performance and development, while still being quite happy to tell others that they suck. I am past this now, I still voice my opinion, however am making steps to make myself a better person.

Special Thanks to these people for making me realise I am a valued person, but that it doesn't mean I can rest on my laurels and relax:

Mel Mel, James W. (A.K.A. My Two Amigos), Kezz, Jess (My QUT Girls), Nicky (Fav Sydneysider), Shaun and Caitlyn (My Other 2 Wheels).

Azz H.