IPM 2007: Here we come!

IPM 2007: Here we come! AIESEC in Pakistan is eligible to apply for full membership status at IPM - we are SO excited =D

[for some of us it took a while for the news to sink in since our brains had turned to mush trying to study Law for an upcoming exam]

And in other news: Applications for the MC of AIESEC Pakistan for 07-08 have been released! Check it out here.

End-of-Semester Shisha!

So its the end of the semester here at uni, and we're all running crazed, overdosed on caffeine and junk food, trying to finish up all our final projects, presentations and other assignments..

..but in the midst of all the chaos, we do take time out to relax ;) The great thing about SZABIST is that all the classes taking Marketing courses end up doing these great projects where they have to set up stalls/restaurants on campus..and one such team was selling shisha and shwarmas..which if you know our LC, is a must-go to! And since Wangari's on campus (Ashoka's office is based there too) and Rabia introduced her to shisha on her very first day in Karachi..

..well, the pictures tell the story!

Wangari and Saaim

Sharmeen and Wangari

Wangari



Saaim, Sharmeen, Wangari, Mikaal and Khurram

6 Guys, A Girl..and a Conference! =D

Announcing..the final OC team for NLC 2007!

OCP
Mikaal Mahmood

OCVP Logistics
Saaim Khan

Logistics Teamster
Khurram Lodi

OCVP Marketing & Communication
Mansha Pasha

Marketing & Communication Teamsters
Waqas Saeed
Misbah Nawab

OCVP Finance
Agha Talha

Congratulations to the newest additions: Agha, Misbah, Waqas & Khurram! :)

Another intern in the house!

After the arrivals of Thomas, Wangari and Karim..we're now all set to welcome the newest intern to Karachi...

..Kouadio Yao, from Cote D Ivoire, who is flying into Karachi tomorrow morning to start his traineeship at Berlitz! This will be the LCs second realization - woo hoo! =D

All that Taha!

Taha - who unfortunately was suffering from jaundice and is now thankfully on the road to recovery has been dubbed as "Taha Jazz" by us..*credit to Naveen for the image/name* because since he is prone to blushing and was yellow courtesy jaundice..

..so paraphrasing on the Jazz slogans:

Taha..aur sunao
Taha..ab sirf aik rupay ninyanway paisey mai
Taha..ladies first!

NYDS: Navigate Your Destiny's Sojourn

7-11-2006
1:05am

It is nearly 32 hours since we parted from The Grand Hotel, Lahore after attending NYDS 2006. The echoes of the sessions, parties, jives, roll calls and people's goodbye words still remain. But that is not why I'm writing this post; to be honest, I can't exactly pinpoint the reason why I am indeed writing this post.

I guess it has a lot to do with what Mike Dawson(the 2-Mega Watt UPS) said in his last session. All of us would, under most circumstances, remincese about what took place and move on with what we had before we left for the conference. But this conference was, to me at least, more than just a chance to party and meet new people. I would like to emphasize at this point that before leaving for Lahore, I was going throught quite a lot of changes, most of which were painful (read last post). I did not care to think about inspiring other people, or activating my passions or leading people (I didn't even care where I ended up).

During IBES, when we were forming our different LC's, I had an epiphany (or call it the screaming message sent out by a nerve-racked, sleep-deprived brain). Three words never meant so much than at that point. Three words that made me feel so driven about going out and doing my part, of helping others doing their's. Those three words were "bring the change". These words woke up a certain drive in me that I felt I had lost long ago. The will to move forward, and to understand that while you strive for excellence, there are others around you, physically or electronically, that are consciously or subconsciously inspired by you. That you have a certain responsibility to yourself and to others to make sure that there is progress.

It doesn't matter that you had 10 realizations, or that you raised umpteen traineeships. What matters is that you did what you had to. That at the moment when it counted, you managed to propagate the drive to move forward and progress, not only in yourself but also in those around you.

I walk away from NYDS a person who has been moved, motivated, humbled and praised. While I cannot objectively say what changes I have found in myself, I know that when I look back at 2006, I will have achieved what I set out to do.

And to all the AIESECers (actual and potential) I met at NYDS: Please know and remember that I love each and every one of you for who you are and what you have set out to do. As gay as that sounds, it's true. And if you ever need anything, whether it be feedback, a shoulder to cry on or perhaps just a silent journeyman for your path to realizing your purpose - you know what to do ;-)

Go on: walk your own path, blaze your own trail!

NYDS 2006!

Have finally managed to get a free moment to blog after checking all my email, emptying out my suitcase (which for the first time ever had more documents than clothes! i am a smart nomad!) and sorting out all my personal email.

NYDS 2006 - wow. Thomas, Khadija, Agha, Khurram, Sharmeen, Sadaf, Saaim, Mikaal, Shahzaman and myself headed to the conference via train/plane..and since Nida's done a pretty good job of putting down the best parts of the conference..I'm going to jot down whatever else remains..

The train ride and the amount of food everyone had got!
The alien wedding on the way
Saaim buying plastic spoons for Rs. 5 each
The incredibly helpful OC
The energy in plenary
The King! [Dhruv was a fantastic chair!! =D]
The note that was slipped under the door, preceded by endless text messages and calls asking the occupants of the faci/chief del/MC meeting to come out and party!
Saad and Obaid complaining before legislation because they got stuck between Nida and me in the legislation seating! :P
Teaching everyone jives!
The 7 hour non-stop legislation party! (when I say motion, you say block! - when I say 2a, you say b! - when I say IPM, you say del fee!)
Baaaaaaaaaaa!
Formal dinner :)

Lots of random moments to come later :)

NYDS 2006!

Been less than 24 hours since I got back from Lahore and I miss conference already. Our largest conference so far, the experience was amazing! So let me type out my personal list of the 'good, bad and the sleepy' of NYDS 2006!

- Opening Plenary with Ali Siddiqui
- MC Jive (Chicken DANCE!)
- Portraits
- The sheep and the super cool king
- The Chair - Dhruv :D
- Late night Shisha Sessions (courtesy: Adeel, Shibli aka Shisha Corner and Saad for detailed Seinfeld discussions;))
- Lahore Night (awesome arrangement)
- 1 hour of sleep-in (Bliss!!)
- Karachi Night (7 hour long legislation surprise!)
- Legislation - motion-block
- 2a+b
- Faci-ing at the LC session
- Free coffee/kitkat/red bull
- Formal night and all the 'First' speeches
- Endless photo sessions
- NLC 2007 Bid Presentation
- Wake up call by 10 people screaming 'GOSSIP'
- Singing Drops of Jupiter in my 'potential-heavy-metal-vocalist' voice with the rest of the delegation!

Thanks to the NYDS 2006 Team: Dhruv, MC, Facis and OC for making this conference as good as it was!