Thursday, December 3, 2009

'An AIESEC can change your life'

Like it changed mine! Read on:

I was always a back-bencher, watching the play unfold from the shadows. I was never serious about anything, which was only reciprocated by people not taking me seriously either. 19 years of my life summed up to only 9 in the eyes of my family. ‘Grow up Ankit’ was something you’d hear too often in my house, not just by my immediate family, but also my extended family. This was Ankit before AIESEC happened.I’ve been in this organization for more than 15 months now and these have undoubtedly been the best days of my life. AIESEC has completely changed my life!

I never thought I had it in me to clear all the 3 rounds of selection and be one amongst those 60 people who were recruited out of 1800 applicants in Aug ‘08. This very selection was an eye-opener in itself! It kindled a strong sense of self-confidence and self-realization in me. From that moment on, this confidence has grown leaps and bounds and has made me the person that I am today.

AIESEC has given me a platform to explore my leadership skills, a platform to explore the world, a platform to explore myself! Being a part of this organization has helped me acquire a lot of skills that have made me a much more focused person in life. I have learned the art of multitasking; managing AIESEC activities with my regular studies and other activities and striving to strike the perfect balance between the two without compromising on the quality of my performance.

The amount of exposure I have received by meeting new people, not only from different cultural, but also different geographical backgrounds has made me more culturally sensitive and tolerant towards different genres of thinking and living. Conversations with people who are established achievers in various walks of life have given me the inspiration to dream big and set out to turn those dreams into reality. My experience in AIESEC can be best described by comparing it with the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

I recently happened to go to my native place for attending a cousin's wedding where I met all my uncles, aunts and relatives. At the end of the trip, one of my uncles remarked that I have transformed completely, that he can see a spark in me now; that I am more confident now in dealing with people and I socialize a lot better than I used to.

The credit for that wonderful compliment goes totally to AIESEC!!

I’m an AIESECer!!!
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- Ankit Sharma
Team Leader, Education Sector
Student, Guru Nanak College of Engineering

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