My challenge for this year

It was really funny... I went to the last AIESEC national conference (CONADE), in May 2006, imagining that would be my last conference. I was sure that I would become an alumnus (a person who leaves AIESEC after passing through the learning experience during some time), although I was really confused: I really wanted to keep involved with the organization but I couldn’t see opportunities to go further and take different responsibilities (as the election for the National board happened in beginning of the year) and I was feeling the pressure (or need) of having to do an activity which connections with my graduation course were more explicit (by the way, I study Law).

But in the conference I met Rita, a great friend, who was in the AIESEC in Brazil national board in 2004-2005 and was the former (current at that time) "External Relations Coordinator for SSGN" (region of Latin America, Spain & USA). We talked a little bit about her experience during the last year and about the changes of the organizational structure in the SSGN Board for this year. And I was really surprised when she "invited" me to apply for a position in the Board.

My first thought was: "Are you serious? But I wasn't even a MC member! I'm not ready for that" :) But she showed herself extremely persuasive (:P) and convinced me to apply. It was really nice to participate on the selection process. It's really nice to see how you can realize things about yourself with a simple interview or filling an application form.

My interview happened on May 31st and the result was released on June 2nd. Do I need to say that I didn’t sleep during these two days? :D It all only passed when I received an email with the subject "CONGRATULATIONS", with the results of the selection process. And I really can't explain how happy I was when I read it.

And all my plans for the next year completely changed: instead of stay in Vitoria and look for an internship in Law, I will continue in AIESEC for 1 year more, working with an issue that I really love (Corporate Responsibility) and with my motivation and energy completely reloaded. :)

ABOUT THE JOB
This year I will be the “Corporate Responsibility Talent Development Coordinator”. Sounds important, doesn’t it? :P This big name means that I will be the responsible for the Corporate Responsibility initiative in regional level. My job will have to focus:

• Internally, I will be responsible for coaching the MC teams towards the implementation of a long-term development plan for the initiative and for coordinating countries participating in the initiative;
• Externally, to be the external relations of AIESEC in the region in everything related to Corporate Responsibility, representing AIESEC in external events and directly selling the CR portfolio of products to the main companies in Latin America, USA and Spain.

To receive the transition and get prepared to perform the job, I had to go to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, where the AIESEC International office is. Really bad, isn’t it?

On the next posts I will talk about the one month I was in the Netherlands, my team mates and the places I visited there.