AIESEC (Association Internationale des Estudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commercials) is the biggest independent and non-political student organization in the world. Founded shortly after World War II, AIESEC tries to bring people from different cultures together, to exchange ideas, to get rid of various prejudices, and to give students the opportunity to improve today's world. That's what their vision stands for: Peace and Fulfillment of Humankind's Potential.
Today, the organization counts more than 50,000 students from more than 750 universities in 87 countries. AIESEC arranges traineeships for students all over the world as well as offer the possibility to work with other students on worldwide projects (like RED - Regional Economic Development).
In October 1999 I decided (actually, the idea to apply for an internship within AIESEC appeared to me much earlier) to apply for a traineeship in a foreign country.
Firstly, I had to hand in the application papers, and then every applicant had to go through an Assessment Center. On account of this AC, the potential trainees were selected (and I was among them!). The last step of the selection procedure was a written and oral language exam (I, too, passed!)
Now, I'm waiting for my traineeship - I applied for a traineeship in an English-speaking country (that's in particular Australia, Ghana, UK, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Cameroon, Canada, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, USA, Zimbabwe) - I would prefer to be matched to an Asian country but that's not the most important thing as the key word for getting an AIESEC internship is "Flexibility".
So, here I am - waiting patiently for a traineeship. I'll keep you posted about further developments. Ok? Till then, I hope you keep your fingers crossed for me getting my "dream" internship.
It seems that all of you have crossed your fingers for me, as I have been accepted for a traineeship in Delhi, India. I will be working for a dotcom company called outlooktraveller.com (details see below). My "Indian Adventure" will start on February 28, 2001 and will last for at least 4 months.
I'm going to write an Online Diary about my experiences in India - you'll find it here.
A travel hub and vacation planner, outlooktraveller.com is packed with insight into India and all the curves of the globe - designed to take people places with a comprehensive view of a destination from sightseeing and shopping to food and lodging.
Outlook Traveller is muscled with maps, travel news, online air reservations, and a plump database of hotels, restaurants and essential facilities enabling people to plot all the practicalities of a holiday right from their homes.
The site leads travellers to the most spectacular holiday destinations in India and abroad. From the peaks and verdant valleys of the Himalayas, the intriguing ports and villages along the coastline to the less ventured places in central and east India.
Discover it all in Inside India. Each destination is presented with an insight into all that a traveller Must See Must Do - in terms of places of interest, eating out and shopping and all the good times.
Choosing a vacation becomes easier with Trip Out. Each week the site unveils theme vacations designed to take people places in full measure, from adventure and wildlife to a special experience or a cruise.
Going well beyond the essentials, Trip Out doesn't simply tell you where to go. It tells you how to make the most of your leisure time by challenging travellers to explore hidden nuances of destinations.
Both Trip Out and Inside India arm travellers with high-utility route, tourist and state maps. Developed with flash technology, all maps on Outlook Traveller are easy to download and easy on the eyes with a special 'zoom-in' facility.
Route maps go further than the distances -- they also plot resorts, petrol pumps and scenic areas like wildlife sanctuaries. To help people spend time seeing places without having to stop and ask for directions, tourist maps indicate road grids with airports, railway stations and bus stands; hotels and restaurants; shopping centres and places of interest.
Inspiring people to save on travel and spend on fun, Outlook Traveller showcases discounted airfares, red-hot packages and price breaks on holiday deals across India and the world.
Go Places, a daily contest, has 'Welcombreak' holidays waiting to be won, everyday - twice a day. Winners of the daily contest are automatically included in the draw for the 'Grand Sweepstakes' - a holiday in Malaysia for a family of four.
Besides regular bargains, Outlook Exclusives are all about people enjoying the best for less. These stylish vacations sparkle with discounts. All the HRH palace properties in Rajasthan at 30% less; The Lucia, a Taj Business Hotel in Kerala with an Ayurvedic spa, to combine work and leisure discounted by 25%; Hotel Marine Plaza International for a rooftop rendezvous in Mumbai with 20% savings and many, many more.
Outlook Traveller Channels
Trip Out: A weekly webzine
Written with colour and insight, Trip Out is all about the ripest places on earth whose time in the sun is now. The edit team covers India and the world to include features on theme vacations such as River Rafting the Ganges; Going Wild at Kabini; a Malaysian Circuit; an Austrian Symphony; and a sinfully luxurious holiday at Rajvilas - ranked by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top 25 villa hideaways in the world. Each feature is also balanced by the opinion of an independent expert in a section called 'Raves' to delineate lesser-known aspects of destinations.
With an in-depth focus on the experience, Trip Out zooms straight into the highs of white water rafting on the Ganges, the flavours and sounds of Vienna and how to make most of a Malaysian circuit. Every feature is supported by a wealth of information from the Travel Centre.
Inside India: 40 destinations and growing!
Those who already know where to go can now get to know more with Inside India. From Vaishnodevi to Pondicherry and Mumbai to Kalimpong, Inside India has the big picture and the little details to custom design a holiday.
All the corners of the country come alive with a click. Starting from a hot list of Must See Must Do, packages, news, great eating and stay.
Travel Centre: Info pack for vacationers
Every aspect of a vacation is managed by the Travel Centre. The Amadeus air booking engine allows people to make reservations on all domestic airlines and almost 1,000 international airlines. Outlook Fares -- specially negotiated discounts, up to 10% less in any sector within India - are available to all visitors on www.outlooktraveller.com
For those who prefer the firm ground beneath their feet, train and luxury motor coach schedules across India are available complete with fares and frequencies. The Travel Centre is the only one in India which yields results for the farthest stations through an optimised 'via' option on routes where no direct trains ply.
Find your way to and around a destination with Outlook Traveller's high-utility designer maps. Leaving little to the imagination, route and tourist maps have detailed information on roads, tourist landmarks and locations depicted with user-friendly icons and a zoom-in function.
Weather forecasts with satellite images for 300 cities in India and 150 international cities come from Acuweather, one of the largest weather data providers in the world.
A hotel to suit a budget and restaurants to spice up a holiday are quick click-throughs in the Travel Centre, which has an extensive database of hotels and delectable restaurants across India. All other queries can be routed to the Help Desk to find all the fast facts on banks, ATM counters, petrol pumps, tourist offices and cyber cafes.
Planning a vacation has never been easier. Great holiday ideas, the ease of online booking and a handy little application to create your vacation mini-guide. All you need to do now before leaving home is say 'print' to outlooktraveller.com and 'cheese' for the camera!
AIESEC links:
AIESEC at the WU Vienna
AIESEC at Delhi University
AIESEC in India
AIESEC in general
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