Dayre

I got myself a Dayre account!

You can find me at: feelthebreeze on Dayre.

It's quite fun to blog with the stickers they provide through the app! :) 

Volunteer

Saw this online and reminded me of what I did for my Explore! Programme. Although what I did is not something big or tough but one thing for sure is that whatever I did, I always think of how to make it better for the kids there, be it activities planned, lessons planned etc. I REALLY want to be the kids' eyes to see the world outside of Taiwan. I REALLY want them to be interested in learning English and be able to speak and write good English in the future and be so much better than me. 

One thing that I regretted not doing was not going the extra mile, by doing something out of my job scope, like to do a big project over that 6 weeks. If only I have more time to prepare, I might be able to do it. Like some photography project with polaroids....something that will be memorable for them and for me. 

I really admire volunteers who can think of others so much so that they forget about themselves. I really admire that kind of spirit as it's something that I don't think I will be able to do it. I don't expect myself to be like them as you can't just learn such spirit, it has to be from within - your heart. 

Global Community Development Programme Executive Committee Member

That's a mouthful isn't it? :D 

The name of the position makes me sound like some big shot. :D :D 

Anyway, yep, I'm officially in the committee for AIESEC, under the Outgoing Exchange Department. Yesterday (20/02/2014) was my first time working for AIESEC. My team and I are in-charged of doing marketing and recruitment in Faculty of Engineering. We set up a booth yesterday outside a LT and approached students who walked passed the booth to introduce the organization and the programme to them. Actually my team members did this last week and the turnout was good, within 2-3 hours, they managed to get 23 emails. I didn't attend that session due to my allergy. :x Stupid allergy that I don't even know why it exist in the first place.

So yea, back to the booth. Last week, was good but yesterday, there isn't much people over there. Our team leader decide to change the plan. We packed up and went to the canteen instead. No. Not to setup the booth there......but to approach students there. 

It was my first time using such a way to do marketing/promoting. At first, I thought it's not gonna work. To my surprise, it worked out and I prefer this method than the one approaching students by the booth. Reason? The students we approached at the canteen had nothing to do as they were queuing for food. Therefore, they will definitely listen to what we have to say and TADAHHHHHH.... I managed to get their email. :) Of course, the main purpose of getting their email is not just to update them but also to contact them, give them more information so that they can be convinced to join the Explore! programme. 

Through this experience, I realized something. Some people are really very nice! You know how some people just approached you to talk to you and end up trying to sell things and all? I really don't like that....so I will normally say NO to them. For those giving out flyers, most of the time I will not take the flyer because I know I won't need it, taking it will just be a waste, so not environmental friendly too. AND NOW, it's my turn to do such a thing. Although I'm not there to sell anything but I'm supposed to go up to people and convince them that this programme is good and they should join. Apparently, a lot of the students were willing to listen to me and even got interested in the programme. Some of them just listen while some even chat with me. I'm so happy to be able to talk to them. I will normally end the conversation with a thank you and if I remember I will add a 'Have a nice day!'. Some of the students even replied, 'You too!' I wasn't expecting that.....because I thought only ang mohs will reply to such things. :x 

Such little comment really made my day. It's so tiring to stand there, approaching people and talking non-stop in such a warm weather. Their reply to my 'Have a nice day!' means that they are actually listening to me, appreciate my wishes to them and wished me back. I just have a super good feeling about it. Yep, if everyone does such a small thing like that everyday, I think the world will become a happier place to live in. If you learn to appreciate others, others will do the same too and the cycle goes on..................and on.............and on.........:) 

I'm not sure if there will be more marketing activity after recess week but I hope there will be! It's a good experience for me do such a thing....especially so when I have a lot of knowledge on the thing that I'm suppose to promote and "sell". 

Reflect

It's almost a month since I'm back from Tainan, Taiwan. I've been SO BUSY ever since school started. I don't think having such a long lunar new year holiday is a good thing after all. I'm lagging behind.....the festive mood just make my holiday mood to stay in me even longer  I have reports to write for the trips, weekly economic quiz to do online, 2 presentations coming up next week and 1 homework is already due, 1 more coming after this week.  BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. I'm now officially part of the executive committee in AIESEC, under the Global Community Development Outgoing Exchange Department. From next week onwards, I have to start working with my new position. I'm in charged of marketing with another member. I never do such a thing before but I know my members will be there to assist me and my team leader will guide me along. I hope I can learn many things from this experience and gain the most out from it. 

Anyway, I miss Taiwan so badly. Not just the place, the food, but most importantly, the people and the kids there. They are the ones whom I look forward to to see everyday when I go to work. It's really pleasant to chat with the teachers and students there. This is because the more I get to chat with them, the more I know about the local Taiwanese style of living, thinking and mindset. 

After coming back from the trip, I have to submit 3 reports. 1 for AIESEC NUS, 1 for NUS (as I applied and got an internship bursary) and 1 for the principal at the elementary school in Taiwan. Each report has its own main points to be delivered therefore I cannot use the same report for all of them. Hence, each time when I start to write the report, I will do a reflection. I think back what I've done for the 6 weeks, the details and see which one I should include for the report. For each issue/area that I include in the report, I will think about what's my takeaway from it and any feelings and comments I have. I think it's important to do reflections, especially after such trips. This way, I can pen down the thoughts I have and I will have a chance to look back. Through these reflections, I may also find new values and principals that I want to include in my life. When I really do that, my life and character will change gradually. Of course, I have to keep in mind those values and principals, apply them in my actions and then I will be able to see the change. 

However, change is really not easy. Sometimes, I just realize, no matter how hard I try to change, certain things just remain the same. The same old cycle and result will still happen. I think only the start of the cycle might be a little different, but it will still give me the same result. The same result that I don't want, that I want to change. 

Change. It's easier said than done. 

Even if you've done it, the change might still not be seen. 

All I want is to have a change. A change for the better. I tried. I failed. I tried again. And I failed again. And I tried again and fail again. How many times should I do this to see the result I want? Persistent is the key? I know but I don't have much time left. It's just so depressing to see myself fail again and again. 

Now, I truly understand, good things don't come by easy. 

Can anyone tell me when will I be able to achieve the change I want?