Fly SkyEurope (with special AIESEC prize)!

That's why I love this organization and proud to be part of it. Thanks to Yat for the link!
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Been there, done that

AIESEC Internships at DHL;



Cecilia is in the video, at least one Singapore Mafia representer there! :)
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my "singaporeans"

While uploading my videos from Italy trip, I took time to add this video I compiled some time ago. Maybe it is based pure on emotions and memories, but I repeat again that that was an unforgettable experience in Lion city. Dedicated to the wonderful people who made it special for me. Here.


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last Saturday

It has been some time since I had my last "AIESEC" hang out. On Saturday, Piros's International Evening party for Praha LC and trainees came into realization, and it was a total blast. Food was fantastic, especially chicken breasts, and I contributed with my classical "fried eggplants in egg with fresh tomatoes" :). And that made some believe that I knowing cooking very well :))). Should learn more of such dishes to get on well on such occasions. Shows and dances took the party to higher levels. Happy faces after all;


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Ilya & Alice Bday

This is the community that met me and other AIESEC related people with open arms when I came to Prague, since then I've been hanging out with these people mostly. Actually moving out from Andel to Hostivar put me more in isolated situation, yet it is still fun to meet up with this crazy group time to time.
In January it was Ilya's and Alice's BDay Party in one of the pubs. The theme "dress as unusual". I realize my blog is turning into more picture blog than weblogs, but anyway picture tells you more about the story;
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weekends in Prague

There was bunch of AIESEC trainees from Brno past weekend, another reason to party, go for sightseeing and taking photos. Coz I sold my digital camera, now I have only chance to put photos taken from others cameras.


Tugce(turk), greek girl (damn, forgot her name), Alba(catalan), "daddy", Andreea(romanian), Ashil (cameroonian), Murat (turk)


Forza Barca! Catalonia is not Spain! :) (famous Charles Bridge is on the background)


By Vltava river


Crazy girls from Brno, full luggage packed castle+cathedral tour :). Key words for them; "Keys, RCV3 batteries, voice, boots, 4 Charles bridge visits in 2 days,... . Lovely duo!


Marketa, me and Yat. Better view of Cathedral.


Inside the lift of Clock Tower near Old Town Square, Prague.
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farewell party

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footsteps of the highwayman

Map of the footsteps of the highwayman - work done by creative TPLC members. Xie xie.
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Hard to say "good-bye"

It's the thing i hate, to say good-bye to many good friends just after you found them and became good friends. it happened in Turkey, it happened in Singapore, it is happening here in Taiwan. You come to a place totally new to you, but after a while you leave this place with so many good friends and many nice memories. For some time you want to stay, but sometimes it is beyond our control. But I believe in one thing, that we leave the place and people we love to meet new people and new places that we are going to love. It's worth it. and every good thing is short, and should be short. Important thing is to keep these friends, to keep this warm feeling. By time some will be forgotten, some will become closer, sort of filtration over time. But world is getting smaller, and means of communication are growing, so more possible that our ways will be crossed again.

Today we are just trainees, or fresh graduates, or students. But tomorrow we will be the buisness owners, politicians, scientists, etc., leaders in our society. Today we are just friends, tomorrow we will be professional partners besides that. This AIESEC friendship network is very important for me, it's of highest value.

For all friends, thanks for great farewell party, for your nicest wishes, posts, gifts, for your warmth. I didn't think that this time I will feel sad to leave, but you guys made me sad. Truly Taiwan and taiwanese people touch the heart of any guest in their country, any guest that understands them.

One good friend told me that it's easier to leave the place alone and by not looking back. It's hard to say "good bye", so I'll just say "see you again somewhere sometime soon".

p.s.: I'll post photos from this evening later. Sooo busy these last days.
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AIESEC in Taiwan, winter national conference (photos)

Cheng Chi University LC (CCLC) members


CCLC members - indian dance


sharing


You better keep it well, Elmo!


Delegates n trainees


surrounded by pretty halves



TPLC president & dear friend - Vivian


Global Village hosts - Lewis & Aibek


closing plenary


my TPLC - Official dinner


TPLC delegates


MCLC delegates


OCP (organizing committee president) of the conference - Nelly


OC team - cool bunch of @ers (AIESECers)


OC team - Global Village


OC team - Official dinner


Elmo "Ghandi"


Sheana - newly elected president (MCP) of AIESEC in Taiwan


Vega - old friend & one of ex-MCPs of AIESEC in Taiwan


Jessica from CCLC


Dung Hai LC (Taichung)


"Sushi wars"


my "japanese" friend


Aries from Malaysia


Carla from CCLC, sweet girl


YoYo from CCLC, good dancer!


Arif - what a pose, dude! :)


Weaw from Thailand
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Fujen LC event

this saturday I was invited along some other trainees to Fujen LC to participate and share our AIESEC experience. The beginning started with me taking cab to Fujen university, I was thinking it is in Taipei City, but it was in Taipei County! Luckily the taxi fare was not that big.
Event was fun, but what I always like most is to meet new faces, new people. Sometimes you find good friends from these kind of gatherings. The event was typical AIESEC sharing and discussion event. Later we went for nice dinner and played some fun card games. Chinese/taiwanese people like cards, no doubt, and you can learn some fun games from them. Below are some shots from saturday;


Postcards by Fujen LC for us.


Sharing my AIESEC traineeship life - 1


Sharing my AIESEC traineeship life - 2


Beating locals in chinese chess ("Think Joseph, think, yet you will lose!" ;) )


some Fujen LC members


Aibek, Aries, Teemu n Diego with our "chinese names". Mine is spelled as "Ai-Bei-Ky".


Dinner.
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AIESEC trip to GuanDu-Bali-Danshui

...visiting Guandu Bird park...


...who are you checking out with a binocular, dude?! no wonder...


...on the roof of SSH archeological museum...


...visiting SSH archeological museum...


...group photo... (famous act among Taiwan youth :) )


...Elmo - copy+paster, stealing art...


...sunset...


...view of Danshui from Bali...


...big kids...


Heather, Arif, Aibek, Eugenia


Pretty CCLC girls
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"kyrgyz" of Taiwan ;)

best LC of AIESEC in Taiwan ;)
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Halloween (glance at that funky night)

One of the best parties I attended here in Taiwan, and many trainees n AIESECers turned out that night. It was organized jointly by AIESEC and Trinity language school. My idea was to be a devil in a suit, idea was good, but the result was not that good, so after a while I took off my mask. besides Yuup girls were putting artistic make-up on everybody. I regret that I didn't hang out more with AIESECers and trainees, definitely, life seems more fun when you are part of this fun group. As we went there with usual expectation of AIESEC parties, it was a nice surprise to see so many pretty Taiwanese girls. (I repeat my claim that Taiwan has one of the most prettiest girls in Asia) Met some new cool friends/aiesecers like Luiz, Josephine, Kelsey, Christine, Jay, Carla, etc. Another funny part was that we went in groups for "trick or treat" to some restaurants n Taiwan beer fabric. below some pictures from that night (you can find more in my album);


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Welcome party by AIESEC in Taiwan

My welcome party was organized by TPLC, just after the AIESEC E-Cup games.

It was very different than Lau Pa Sat welcome dinners in Singapore :). Most surprising thing was one of the AIESECers appearing with paper-made Kyrgyz national dress (for women) on when I was showing our national dresses during my country presentation slideshow. Will post those pix once I scan them. And Jane appearing from corner after not answering my phone calls that day. And I was given a gift with chinese gold and lots of glass chillis, they wished me a "hot n spicy year"...

And of course, a traditional "family" photo with the famous twix finger pose (inspired by victory pose). Looks sooo original, rite? :)

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AIESEC in Singapore Recruitment Camp

Photos are here.

This is an AIESEC event, or recruitment camp, for newly joined juniors. Basic introductory seminars, AIESEC culture, some simulations and games, activities helping juniors to learn more about AIESEC are parts of this camp. Of course, teaching AIESEC dance, AIESEC parties with crazy competitions and finally initiation to AIESEC are fun parts of camp too. This year it was held in SMU campus. For me it was also new. But although being non-AIESECer, I volunteered to be an orientation group leader for a group of juniors. I was given team "Estonia". As a group we had a lot of fun. Miss AIESEC AROC was also from our group (this is a beauty competition of boys dressed like girls). I had chance to meet a lot of new friends, learn more about AIESEC, learn some AIESEC dances (although they are too crazy and I am a serious person (hmm, am I ?!)), some country roll calls (like "Ass-toe-knee-eye" for Estonia), we (Teresa, Celine, Cyrus and me) won the sculling competition (it is a beer drinking competition, but as a non-drinker I contested with Coke), and finally was initiated to AIESEC! Here, we were supposed to enter completely dark hall. I volunteered to be the last one among around 100 people to enter. I entered and was asked who I am. When I said "Aibek", whole crowd started to welcome me in chorus "Aibek, welcome to AIESEC!". And I was supposed to crawl all the way between 2 long rows of AIESECers (first comes girls then guys) who were welcoming me and at the same time hitting, touching and pulling you back. Imagine you are crawling in a dark and a lot of hands are touching, hitting you, pulling you back although you are trying to crawl forward. I even tried to get on my feet, but they even didn't allow that, and you can?t see their faces. But when the whole crowd was saying my name, for the moment I felt like a superstar (haha!). It was tough to reach the other end, though I was tired and my elbows and knees hurt, I enjoyed it! Yeah, I am an AIESECer now! And it is amazing to be part of this very big family. Also I got my first AIESEC t-shirt thereJ. Well, that was another memorable day of my traineeship in Singapore.
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DHL Mafia and other new friends

More Mafiosi photos are here.

So the new chapter of my story begins, and after flying over 40 hills and 40 seas, I landed in Singapore? (we had a short stop at Bangkok, Thailand) Yes, I was finally in Singapore!!! Frankly, after many stressful days of exams, preparations and rush, it was hard to believe that I am in Asia Pacific, another part of the world. Tong Lee and Sharon (my reception officer from AIESEC Singapore, who is responsible of me) were waiting for me. They were my first friends here. Everything seemed ok till I got my first shock; when I just walked out of airport, I was hit by very hot and humid air! That reminded me that I was in tropical climate. First days I stayed at Fortune Jade with my new big future friends like Devrim(US/Turkey), Teresa(New Zealand) and Nacho(Argentina). All of them are AIESEC trainees and they work for DHL too, or what we call here as mafiosas! Well, I was nominated as Mafiosa-022. Also there are Gitti (Hungary), Krishna (India), Steve (Kenya, ex-trainee), Cecilia (Hong-Kong, ex-trainee), Lars (Germany, ex-trainee) and in September there will be new mafiosa, Michal (Slovakia), arriving for traineeship. All of us work in DHL Regional Office in Parkview Square, which is located at Bugis, one of the central places in Singapore. Jane, Zafirah, Weihan, Chong Wey, Qian Wen, Dong Wei, Triin, Marek were among first friends that I met here. I am very grateful to all these people, especially to DHL Mafiosas, who helped me a lot in my first days, shared their house and time, guided me how to make my stay in Singapore easy, fruitful and fun! Most of my time I spend with them, we hang out a lot, travel to other countries, share all fun together.
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Traineeship story...

Here I put all writings from my traineeship story that I used to keep updated with me, from now on I will be directly blogging them here....

Before coming to Singapore
Well, many people in Central Asia and Turkey still don’t know much about Singapore, so did I. What was my first feeling when I heard that possibly I will be going to Singapore for AIESEC traineeship at DHL?!! I looked at the map!!! I knew it was somewhere in Asia Pacific and it took some time for me to find its exact location. It was an island! And it was almost on equator line!!! “Ohhhooo!” (or “Oha lan!” in Turkish) was my first reaction. I didn’t know much about it, I’ve only heard that it has been developing rapidly, that there are some really strict rules and big fines like “500$ fine for chewing a gum” (!) and that it was very clean country!! The next thing to do was to open old buddy Google and ask for brief info about country. After going through all the process of work permit and visa applications which took more than a month ( thanks to Zafirah who helped me a lot, answering all my questions and directing me in arrangements), I went back home to Kyrgyzstan for only 2 weeks (after being away for 3 years, I missed it so much, every stone, every corner,….. .. sounds like a poetryJ), my sister and my brother looked so grown-up! I spent 2 weeks with my family and also I visited my brother and his wife in Almaty, had the chance to explore Almaty, ex-capital of Kazakhstan, very beautiful city indeed!! After 2 short weeks holiday at home, anyways, I went back to Turkey to give my final exams. My starting date for traineeship and final exam dates were coming to same dates, as a result, I gave my last final exam and the next day I was on my way to new experience, new life, new adventures!

On the plane
It is hard to leave a place where you spent some wonderful years, so was to leave Ankara after 6 years of study and work. A lot of friends, a lot of nice memories are left behind, and just taking only 1 suitcase of the most necessary things with me, I headed to Istanbul to fly to Singapore from there. Till the moment the plane took off, I didn’t realize that I was leaving Turkey, and going to the place I have never been before and I didn’t know anybody. Everything was new, it was like to start everything from zero, it was very exciting! I tried not to think about future, coz I was sure that a lot of nice things would be waiting for me there. Did I know at that moment that I was going to have great experiences in Singapore, meet a lot of new friends, work in one of the most beautiful buildings in Singapore (Parkview Square), have possibility to travel to many countries in Asia Pacific, and most importantly that I would meet very special person here?... Answer was no, I didn’t know anything, just hoping to experience a nice traineeship and rest after my tough 2 years in University & Student Senate & Part-Time work. I was just trying to relax on the board of THY Airbus A-320.
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