28 days to go

One month, more exactly 28 days to go, until my term as an local committee president (LCP) comes to an end. It has been a ride (and still is) with its up and downs. There have been times when everything seemed so easy. And times when even the simplest things were made and felt to be so damn hard. What are the points and discussion topics that I take out right now?

- it's all about the team besides you. not only YOUR team but the whole AIESEC Pärnu team.
- if you're not doing your job, you're harming the organization.
- if you're doing your job, you may be harming the organization.
- there is no "you must do this".
- fight for what you believe in until the end (struggling with this).
- it's hard only if you make it to be hard.
- it's not about this year/term. that's not sustainability.

The biggest thing that I am proud of this year is the fact that right now AIESEC Pärnu is a team. When I and my team were elected as the new leaders of our local committee (LC), we as AIESEC Pärnu were divided and without a common purpose. Today we still have challenges. But in my rainy days, I feel that I have a team to support on. Even when I've been a bad girl :)

Mari
still a LCP

Yesterday I read a born-new book which includes stories of alumnis of Pärnu college. Some of them have achieved a lot after their graduation and have much to say...

As I think that some of their ideas would be important to know by our members then I will post two of them here.

Tauri Sumberg who is working in the Legendijuhitmise AS and has established hotels like Georg Ots Spa, Kolm Õde (Three Sisters) and in Riga hotel called albert, answered to the question "What was the difference between theory you learned in college and reality when you went to work?" the following: "... What concerns general theory of economics then I would like to calm you down - your studies are more like training of communication and broadening your mind than learning a real job. In future competition will win those who have better leadership skills and characteristics, are better communicators and are more ambitious than those who have better results in macro- and micro-economics..."

And later on: "...If I recruit people to my company then usually I dont care about their results in the university. The knowledge of people is useful if they cannot communicate. Besides your studies I suggest you to listen to wise people, read good books and travel-work around the world..."

Lehar Kütt who is leading PEAK (in Englist Pärnu Entrepreneurship Development Center) answers the same questions the following: "...In management one of the most critical dimensions is the ability to communicate in extreme situations. This is the thing which you cannot learn in the university. Communication skills and the knowledge how to act in different situations can be learned only by practical experience."

A part of the answer of Kristi Pihelpuu, Marhaba Tours, to the questions "What were the first impressions in the college?" comes here: "...At the very beginning, in the 1st course, I realized that in 3 years 20 young and good people will graduate from Tourism and Hotel Management who will start competing with each other in the labor market. That is why I decided to actively coordinate student life besides my studies (Kristi was in Student Council and also organized Student Winter Days etc). I wanted to differentiate from my course mates and at the same time to test my organizing skills..."

With this posting I dont want to tell you that you dont have to learn in the college or university - of course you have to because this gives you the ability to think and use your brain for learning and growing in all kind of situations. I just want to say that people who are already in the real work and labor market really evaluate the same things we are doing here right now - AIESEC and its members are on the right track. Keep on moving!

Noored Kooli

Kas sa oled kuulnud Noored Kooli programmist? Ei ole? Soovitan seljuhul uurida selle kohta rohkem.

Noored Kooli alustasid just oma programmi blogiga, kus kirjutavad nende programmi valitud noored õpetajad. Eesmärk on, et need lood tõstaksid õpetajaameti mainet ja inspireeriksid noori õpetjajakutset valima. Lugege noorte õpetajate igapäevastest raskustest ja seiklustest aadressil: www.nooredkooli.ee/paevik

Mulle meenus praegu ütlus: "Kui sa ei ole pidanud kasvatama last, ei tea sa mida eestvedamine (ing k leadership) tähendab". ;)

The beginning of a new era ...

From the President of AIESEC Pärnu 2006/07.

Good evening members of AIESEC Pärnu, its friends and fans, my ladies and gentlemen.

Im glad (actually 50% sad also) to let you know that today is the day, when AIESEC in Pärnu celebrates the first day of a new year, a new term. For some people this is maybe one of the most important and life-chaning opportunity giving day in their life so far. From today, I mean still the 1st of June, new EB members and project managers got the one of a kind chance to make something extraordinarily great with their own lives and help others also to grow.

The topic of this e-mail is "The beginning of a new era..." which is actually true from one side. But on the other hand our so called new generation, our future leaders and positive-changes-in-society-generating-change-agents, continues to follow the path which first steps have been made by Helena, Liisa and the EB of 2006/2007 and others who have been always there...

But this is not only the happy day for new leaders - it is also an important and worth of celebrating and remembering day of the whole AIESEC Pärnu. It is like the New Years Day the AIESEC way.

As it was said already - new leaders will continue walking the same path as previous generations. New leaders, I adjure you to do it with passion. Carry on the contribution of previous generations. Enjoy it, support each other, be tolerant, want to learn and develop and help others to do it as well. I truly belive that it is in our hands to ensure that after 20 years we can gather together as alumnis of AIESEC Pärnu and recognise with proudness that once we were the leaders of this organization and contributed to the opportunity to grow of the youth several years after us. Work towards this feeling.

Some of you used the unique opportunity to enjoy AIESEC Pärnu LC picnic this Thursday - thanks for being there - and already heard some final words from me as an LCP. But they also experienced that it was not so easy for me to find proper words to say in the situation where I should give my last speech as an LCP. I guess that even with this quite a long letter (I thank those who have reached this point with their reading and will do it until the end of the letter, even then if it is only one single person:)) I cannot express all the thoughts and feelings I would like to say you at the moment. And throughout the whole amazing year we have had togehter. Thank you, everybody.

Take it as the last speech from me to you as an LCP of AIESEC Pärnu.

Happy new year!

Enjoy and behave, smile and be happy :)
Marko
LCP of AIESEC Pärnu 2006/2007