Stian S. Nustad - Sendai, Japan

The biggest motivation for doing an internship in Japan was my interest in this country, and I wanted to improve my Japanese a bit as well.

Airport welcome

My first meeting with AIESEC in Sendai was when I arrived at the airport. They offered me a warm welcome, and had even made a big sign with my name on, which they must have put a lot of time and effort into.

AIESEC also helped me in the beginning with a lot of practical things in order for me to get adjusted to the Japanese life. As a foreigner in Japan it takes some time to get used to everything, especially since not many people here talks English. Even a trip to the grocery store was a challenge, since I didn’t have a clue what most of the items were and everything was written in Japanese. But thanks to the AIESEC members, this process went a lot smoother. At my second day in Japan they showed me around my neighborhood, introduced me to the most useful stores, and went to the electronic store to get Wi-Fi

The company

At work, holding a presentation

The company I worked for is called Hyakusen Renma, and in Japanese it means something like “one who has fought a hundred battles”, which is, even in Japan, a strange name for a company.

But after all, Hyakusen Renma is not your typical Japanese company. Unlike most firms here, the employees don’t have to wear a suit to work, there was not much hierarchy at the office, and instead of going to an izakaya (Japanese bar/restaurant) after work on Fridays, we often stayed at the office playing board games. I think they must have had at least over 50 different games in their office, and I think I played at least one new game each week!

At work, holding presentation about a new service

Hyakusen Renma is a small IT firm, with offices in both Tokyo and Sendai. I worked in Sendai where there were about 15 employees, all of them Japanese.

The company is mainly developing various internet services where a majority is focused on the travelling sector. So naturally, my work tasks were to come up with ideas for new services, and also help improving their existing services. This was very challenging since I didn’t have a lot of experience within innovation and entrepreneurship, but I was fortunate enough to work together with a talented Japanese intern.

Teaching co-workers English

Later I also held weekly English classes for the co-workers, since they wanted to improve their English. I had never taught a language before and English is not my native language as well, so it was a little tricky. But I got used to it after some lessons and we had a great time together in the classes.

It is important to mention that among the office, there was only my boss and the other intern who could speak English fluently. And so communicating with the others was a little hard at the beginning because my Japanese was very basic. Eventually it went a lot smoother as my Japanese slowly improved, and we could meet somewhat “halfway” communicating partially in both English and Japanese.

I think I was quite lucky with this company, since they are not as conservative as the standard Japanese company. To my pleasant surprise, there was not a huge extent of hierarchy in the office. We had one big open landscape office, where we all could see each others and I sat right next to the boss. The office environment was very casual and we could easily talk to each other without any formalities. We were also free to take frequent short breaks so we could go outside and get some fresh air. So in other words it was a very nice workplace with a lot of nice co-workers.

Japanese work culture

The company’s office hours were from 9:00 to 18:00, but it seemed like almost everyday, the employees worked overtime. Luckily, I didn’t need to stay any longer and I usually went home the same time as my boss. Apparently in Japan you should not leave the office before the boss goes home, but that didn’t apply to me since I was just an intern.

Company lunch

I was a bit surprised over the rigid rules as well. I had lunch break from 12 to 1, and I thought the time was flexible. And so one day I decided to take my break half an hour earlier to get ahead of the rush hour at the ramen shop, but then later my boss told me I couldn’t do that again. The reason was simply that it was stated in my contract my break was from 12 to 1, and I simply just had to follow that.

One of the most memorably moments from the internship was when my boss took me and the other intern to a business conference. This was the first time I had to use my suit for work and really got to see the formal Japanese work culture. During the conference I got the opportunity to mingle with the other Japanese businessmen, and exchange business cards as well. Exchanging business cards is very typical in the Japanese culture, and the whole process of exchanging cards is a lot more complicated than I think it should be. Luckily, before to the event the Japanese intern learned me the proper way to do it and we practiced a lot as well.

Social life and after work activities

During my stay I had a lot of pleasant social events with AIESEC, among them were a welcome and farewell party, some festivals and other cultural activities. They even organized a day trip where we went to an onsen (hot spring), and to a well-known Japanese whiskey distillery. It was very nice for me they could take me around and show me some aspects of the Japanese culture I probably wouldn't have experienced on my own.

Trip to an onsen

I also got well known with my boss as well, and we had a day trip to Matsushima, which is known for the beautiful nature and the birthplace of a famous haiku poem. We also went together to a baseball match to watch the city’s local team play against one of the better teams in the league. Although our team lost, I had a great time. Going to a sport event in Japan was quite different compared to Norway. At football matches in Norway the mood at the stadium becomes significantly worse when the home team is losing, but for the Japanese they didn’t seem to get so affected by that fact. But what I found most odd was the fact they were playing the opposing team’s song in the stadium. It would be the same if they played “You’ll never walk alone” at Old Trafford! And this I think is a good example that sometimes Japanese are just too polite.

Traveling and Culture

Tokyo by night

During my stay I took the time to do some travelling on my own. I visited both Tokyo and Fukuoka where I visited some friends. Travelling in Japan can be a bit expensive, but at least there is nothing bad to say about the transportation system, as it is incredibly punctual and efficient. Trains are the most convenient way of getting around, and they are always on time. Sendai was located a bit far away from Tokyo, but with the high-speed train one way only took about 90 minutes.

What I maybe like most about Japan is its food. It’s so delicious, and so much to choose from. The prices for eating out is very cheap compared to Norway, for about 50 kr you can get a lot of food.

Most people tend to think of Japanese food as mainly sushi, but there is so much more! Japan have a big food culture and the Japanese cuisine consist of a variety of dishes from raw fish to deep fried meat. My favorite food is Sukiyaki, which is a kind of hot pot with different meat and vegetables in. Perfect to share with friends and colleagues after a long day at the office.

At the end

The time here went way too fast and before I knew it, my two month internship was approaching an end. On the last day at work I had a final presentation, summarizing my internship and my experiences in Japan. I even managed to make half of it in Japanese, as I had already made a promise to my boss. Therefore I very nervous having done all my previous presentations in English, but somehow I pulled it off.
To finish my internship we all went to an izakaya after work to drink and celebrate a successful internship.

The AIESEC members were kind enough to see me off at the train station before I took the train to Tokyo. It was very sad to leave Sendai, but I will definitely come back one day.
Even though my internship was just for two months, I feel I got to learn and experience a lot. I’m not regretting my choice about going to Japan at all, and I will never forget the fantastic people I got to know there. I can warmly recommend going to Japan on an internship.

Eirik Nilsen - Sri Lanka

I was finally off. After backpacking in South America (also with AIESEC), I made a pit stop in my native Norway, grabbing some milk chocolate and collecting the best wishes from family and friends. Not a single person seemed to understand why I would go down to Sri Lanka for a whole year, and to be fair, I don’t think I did either. Other than the wish of adding experience to my CV, I just wanted to see if I could succeed in a foreign environment. Leaving Colombo I must say I did it really well!

The first months

Wow. I was overwhelmed. After laughing my ass off through crazy traffic and sweating myself over meals that seemingly only consisted of chili, the joyous spectator became the moody and frustrated westerner. Packed buses, endless queues, the smothering heat - I was experiencing my first symptoms of culture shock. Trying to live a normal western life in the middle of the crazy melting pot that was Colombo, I was on a collision course with my surroundings. Coming from a place where everything’s organized, where silence is an actual thing, I was expecting order where there simply wasn’t any at all. Tuk-tuks were driving everywhere in all directions, bus horns with the roar of a jet engine, and people everywhere. I struggled to get the food that I wanted, and cheese had the price of gold. I remember the confused faces at the rotti shop when I asked them to cut the amount of rice in half (the Sri Lankans love their rice): “The hell do you mean, less rice?!”.

View of the neighbourhood, Mt. Lavinia, Colombo

Before I knew it, I had slowly worked myself into a routine with the help of a supporting office and an amazing gang of expats. Suddenly I found myself enjoying the kamikaze bus rides, the spicy food and the wonderful nature the country had to offer. Weekend trips were a great escape from the busy city and along the coastline I experienced things I’ll remember forever. Riding tuk-tuks to the surf in the morning became the norm. I was having fun!

The office

I was lucky enough to work in a company with a Norwegian supervisor. Some would call it “cheating” when it comes to cultural immersion, but it was a great help in difficult times. My first major mistake at the office came when one of our interns stopped by my desk to say her goodbyes. Knowing little about how the locals conduct themselves, I gave the girl a big bear hug in a typical Norwegian fashion, which was a big “no-no” as you’re not supposed to touch people in an overwhelming manner. I could hear the giggles in the office as the girl froze up like a mannequin. I promptly apologized and wished her the best of luck, but the awkwardness of the situation hung on for at least a day. I strictly changed to formal handshakes after the incident!

The most difficult part was understanding when my co-workers were actually agreeing to something. In my experience, Sri Lankans will say “yes” to almost anything. They hate to disappoint people, and so they never turn you down. It actually took me a while to realize that I couldn’t expect work to be done with a simple agreement, actually, asking 5 times with confirmation became the necessary procedure. I also learned that lankans love to mingle around the office, something that meant a lot of activities after office hours. At first, I viewed a lot of the office interactions as time wasting, but I also learned to appreciate a more relaxed office environment, and it’s something I definitely will take with me. They simply had another approach to work than I was used to.

I was extremely lucky to be handed a lot of responsibilities and to work in different teams with high tech expertise. The learning curve was rather steep, but I learned more as an intern than I did in 4 years at school, which says it all really.  

Travelling

Sri Lanka’s coast and inland are sheer beauties. You can sunbathe, relax and party on a variety of beaches, drink world class tea in the impressive mountains and walk around in majestic temples. The highlands around Nuwara Eliya offered a range of activities with the train being the most memorable one with an absolute stunning view. To be fair, public transportation in Sri Lanka can be a pain in the ass, but with enough time and planning it can also be very pleasant. Taking the two-hour train from Hikkaduwa to Colombo, fresh out of the surf, was one of the highlights of the week.

Magnificent view in the highland

Eating local was a big part of the experience as well. Western food was generally bad, so whenever I had the chance, I stuffed myself with the locals. Kothu (shredded roti bread with vegetables and/or meat), roti (flatbread with filling) and my everlasting lunch favorite, rice and curry, were the dishes I enjoyed the most, and by far the cheapest and most convenient ones. Find yourself at the right shop, and you’ll eat like a king for next to nothing. Oh, and try the banana lassi, delicious!

Sri Lanka is also a famous surf destination. The island offers a variety of waves, A-Bay in the east and Hikkaduwa in the west being the most famous ones. I bought my first board in Colombo and tried to jump in the water whenever I had a day off. Inconvenient at times, I still found it to be a great way to see new places and villages. People in the countryside were friendly, helpful and extremely interested in who you are and your story. A nice change from the hassle in Colombo.

Weligama is a small town known for friendly beginner waves.

Back to reality

Before I knew it I was heading towards the last couple of months of my stay. It had been a great year, with ups and downs, which I learned a lot from. Being more than a tourist enabled me to embrace more of the culture, but also made me more aware of the negative sides of the country. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka struggles with corrupt police, poverty and drugs. Seeing people without limbs begging for money outside your shop makes you realize how well you’re off, and how lucky some of us are. It’s something that always comes to mind when I go home.

Leaving was a bittersweet feeling. Though I felt it was time to move on, I also missed the nice weather, the relaxed lifestyle and the people as soon as I landed. To me, the Aiesec experience was the perfect mix of professional development and cultural exchange. Without a doubt one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Bohoma istuti, Sri Lanka.

   

Done and dusted: Last day at the office

Einar Aastveit - Malang, Indonesia

Unity in diversity 

Indonesians asking me where I was going were always surprised when I told them I was heading for Malang. As a bule, a western looking person, they assumed I was going to Bali or maybe Lombok if I was the research type. Malang, on the other hand, is not the typical place to find foreigners.

On our way in an angkot

As a part of AIESEC’s environment project at the University of Brawijaya I spent seven weeks this summer in Malang, the second biggest city in East Java. Little did I know about the place. When you as a Norwegian are asked for your immediate opinion about the differences between Indonesia and Norway, it is impossible not to mention the traffic. You’d better like motorcycles, as you most likely will find them coloring any street in Malang. Survival of the fittest really applies in the traffic. Each driver is for himself, trying to find the best position in the big bunch. The motorcycles are like a school of fish and as long as you go with the flow, you’re pretty safe from bigger creatures such as trucks and cars. Besides motorcycles, other means of transportation are the delightful angkots. This public transportation system consists of cars with different routes, each route identified by a letter code. They can be found everywhere. Apparently, an angkot has no limit in the number of passengers it can take. Counting 17 people in my angkot once, I resigned to this fact. A frontseat capable of three passengers and a driver, benches rather than seats and most important the open door and a mobile doorbench make this possible. If you want to treat all your relatives a holiday, just rent them an angkot.

Smiling after pottery with the locals

Environment is obviously a central issue in a country with 250 million inhabitants. Malang is no exception. As a part of the project, we tried to make the locals realize the great importance of this issue. The easiest aids are sometimes the hardest to find. Trash-bins are literally non-existing. The streets are an accepted place for waste. Witnessing people casually throwing their garbage in the street, it was a bit frustrating displaying our signs with “wanna-save-the-world” statements. This mutual agreement exceeds the city-border and applies even in the most beautiful and remote nature. Sempu Island is well known for its turquoise lagoon, naturally created by seawater flowing through a hole in the cliffs. The unique place is a popular destination for camping. Even a natural wonder does not prevent people from leaving trash behind. Happy monkeys do not make up of for the fact that a layer of trash covers the lagoon beach.

Car-free-day in Malang wearing national items

In spite of some bad habits, the people of Indonesia have the biggest hearts. Wherever you go, you are met with nothing but smiles and great hospitality. Everyone wants to be your friend, and you can always find someone to join you for a great time. The unique thing about the experiences from these weeks, which separate them from those of a tourist, is the way we lived. As a tourist, you witness the culture. We lived it. Living in a host family leaves you no choice, but to adapt their way of living. Relying on someone from another culture to take care of you for seven weeks, can be a bit frightening. In Indonesia however, in most cases, there is no need to worry. As for myself, I had one of my most memorable and intense periods in my life here. I love football so I was not sure going to Indonesia during the World Cup was the best decision. I read that football was popular here so I hoped to watch a few matches at least. Luckily, the footballfever here is overshadowing. I got the best host possible. Wahyu, my Indonesian brother, loves football and we watched as many matches as we could. I will always remember waking up at three in the morning in order to go to a café to watch the best football matches in the world. The atmosphere outside was perfect and everyone cheered passionately for their team, just as if Indonesia played. The loss of Portugal, my favorite team, made the taste of world cup bittersweet though.

Amazing race in Malang, the first day of Ramadan

After applying for the project, I had an interview with Irfan, one of the OCs in AIESEC Brawijaya. He finished by saying: By the way, in the end of June we begin Ramadan. One month of fasting was one of the things that made me a bit anxious. I was not sure if I would like to join this tradition. Especially, since I was going home before the big celebration in the end, Eid al-Fitr. One of the project’s main events was scheduled for the first day of Ramadan. Amazing race can be as exhausting as the TV-show suggests. This hybrid of a race and an environment day was somewhat of a challenge. The obviously diverging interests between saving your limited energy in the fasting month and winning the race added another dimension to it. I believe it was a hard, but hopefully a memorable take-off of Ramadan, for the fasting participants. I tried fasting one day myself. To go under the same conditions as my Indonesian friends I decided to do fasting on our way to Sempu Island. I think it was a bad idea. Not because I couldn’t do it, but because various events resulted in me being the only fasting person who reached the island. After that, I maintained my fasting between breakfast and lunch instead.

Coming from a quiet place as Norway I have to mention the sound of Malang. This city never sleeps. My first night I had no idea what the singing that penetrated my pillow at four in the morning was. I was soon familiar with asan, the Muslim call for prayer, and the recitation of Al-Quran. Sometimes, however, I couldn’t help dreaming back to the silence of Norway. Ramadan is no exception of course. To make sure everyone wakes up for Sahur at three in the morning the streets are crowded with kids playing drums. What a great idea. The traffic is not a quiet place either. The countdown makes every traffic light a big race. From four seconds the horns starts howling. Do not dear to wait for the green, that’s way too late in this competition.

Locals and interns at the beach the first week

You may also be allowed to do some things you never thought you’d do. The most random thing I did was being a Batik model. Batik is the traditional clothing of Indonesia. The request for our service as models was place a bit surprising, but a five-session photoshoot for three hours with approximately 20 excited photographers in each group was overwhelming. Being applauded to the stage, welcomed on the speakers, let alone the romantic scene by the pool I felt the setting made a good story. Enough gentleman poses and “look here mister” were delivered that day. As a foreigner in Malang you will get many looks and people find you interesting. Every day on my way to the angkot a bunch of children from elementary school followed me saying “Hello mister” and then laughed. Another day, buying a book in a bookstore suddenly turned out to be a captured interview with psychology students taking turns for every question, nodding happily to whatever I said. Wahyu asked me one evening if I wanted to go to a wedding party. Throwing on some pants and a shirt, we headed for the place, our main goal being the food buffet. I felt a bit lost when I 15 minutes later suddenly was saying selamat to the parents and taking pictures with the groom and the bride. Perhaps I didn’t feel I had anything to do in such a picture, but at least the food was enak, delicious.

Bakso president serves the best bakso in the world

Indonesia is a food destination for sure. In contrast to Norway every dish has its particular name that everyone can distinguish. Nasi, rice, in all versions, is the main source of energy here. I also ate a lot of ayam, chicken. Food is often prepared as goreng, fried. In every street, you can smell the steam of nasi goreng, ayam goreng or just goreng itself. There are small restaurants on every street corner, so you don’t have to stay hungry here. Mobile restaurants are also a common sight. It is amazing how much you can get on a motorcycle, even a restaurant. Malang is known as the home of bakso, meatballs. My friends claimed bakso bakar, grilled meatballs, to be the best, something they definitely were. I also enjoyed the Pandang food, originally from Sumatra. The pandang rendang is said to be the best food in the world. As often as I could I tried to eat this dried meat with the special sauce, accompanied with rice of course. Every Restaurant has its own taste and recipes, so you should ask the locals for their favorites. Indonesia is in Asia so mie, noodles are also common and of course you can get it fried as well. This food covers just a bit of all the things I tried these weeks.

Eco, Irfan and me preparing a game at an orphanage

Language is important for efficient communication. Trying to speak to angkot-drivers and waiters will most likely take some time. Occasionally we taught or had different arrangements in orphanages. Using the OCs as translators, we tried to explain about our own countries. What fascinates me about Bahasa is how much you can say about so little. We made a two-sentenced statement and I’m sure the translation could have been the side of a novel. Often the smallest things can be a lot to talk about in Bahasa. I always assumed there was a problem when the Indonesians asked for something. Eventually, after talking for a while, I would ask if there was a problem. My friends would just smile back at me and say they ordered a coke or something like that. I guess I must learn the language to get some insight here. An easy thing as paying can be complicated too. We always got a shared bill in the restaurants. Supposed to add on ten percent tax in addition to the menu prices and no opportunity to pay with your credit card, it is an exhausting process. Operating with a currency where you pay thousands of rupiahs for any meal as well, it fits quite well with the Indonesian style I think. In other words the time-consuming style. At the orphanages however, practical games and activities were great solutions. This is a common language spoken by everyone. Relays, paper planes, origami, drawing and painting filled the rooms. I can confirm the football fever is present here as well. In all our activities, we tried to focus on the environment. Recycling was for instance a key part of our project.

Lisa, me and my buddy Firaz at Sempu Island

After the project we also had time to visit some other places in Indonesia. Indonesia is a gigantic archipelago so it’s not possible to cover much in such a short amount of time. In Java there are a lot of spectacular places. I’ve already mentioned the amazing lagoon on Sempu Island. After a walk through the jungle, the cool water of the lagoon is really tempting. It looks just like paradise. Many persons told me I had to go to Bromo mountain, a volcano a couple of hours east of Malang. Eventually we did, and witnessed the morning sun painting Bromo orange, framed with the peak of Semuru, the highest mountain of Java, in the background. The scenery was amazing. We also walked on the edge of the crater and made our wishes as we threw a bunch of flowers in the volcano. Yogayakarta or Jogja in Central Java is great if you want to see some historical temples. Borobudur and Prambanan from respectively Buddhism and Hinduism are both present on the UNESCO world heritage list. The gigantic temples of Prambanan houses several of the Hinduistic Gods. We preferred to sleep in a hotel room though. Walking the circular ascent of Borobudur, we felt the aura of numberless statues of Buddah. At Borobudur, we also tried to see the sunrise. We waked up at three am in order to be there on time. After a tough walk on a slippery road, the view was amazing. Too bad the sun was absent because of the rain. It never rains in Jogja we had heard. Cannot confirm to that fact.

Sunrise over Mount Bromo and Semuru

Scuba diving in Bali

Having Indonesia as a destination, we had to visit some beaches too. Goa Cina beach on the coast south of Malang had a great composition. The big waves, tall cliffs and white sand made it perfect to share some grilled fish. Indrayanti beach was a remote beach 70 km from Jogja and offered a great view, made even better by the sweet taste of coconut water. To be able to call ourselves true bules we had to go to Bali. Surfing, diving and sunbathing here were great. The last thing we did in the project was visiting the Coban Rondo, a waterfall close to Batu a bit north of Malang. Batu itself is higher than Malang and at night in Paralayang it offers a majestic view down on millions of people of Malang. At the waterfall, some of us walked into it and felt the true power of thousands of liters in our head. The water washed away any regrets we had or mistakes we had made. Touching the stonewall felt like a victory.

Never time for resting, the weeks flew past pretty fast. When people asked me why I traveled to Indonesia, I said I wanted to experience something different. I truly did. Not everything turned out as expected, but reviewing these weeks, the overall of my journey has been an amazing adventure. Terima Kasih. It has been a life lesson to experience the world from a different point of view. It feels like the one place for everyone, where you can go whenever and with whom you want. I will always be a bule, but in certain moments, I truly felt Indonesian in my heart. In a place so diverse, that anyone can call it home, the term country and its associations is insufficient. Welcoming us all, Indonesia really fulfills their nation’s motto.

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika - Unity in diversity.
Einar Aastveit, Exchange participant, AIESEC Brawijaya Summer 2014.

Marie Skara - Maputo, Mozambique

After being part of AIESEC in Trondheim for 2 years I decided to go on GIP exchange. I have been living in Maputo now for 3 months and I still have 2 and a half months left (From 1st of February to 30th of June). This blog post includes some of my experiences from living and working here. If you want to know more about my experience you can check out my blog http://marieskara92.wix.com/maskara

The first thing that hit me when I got of the plane was the heat. We left the ice-cold Norwegian winter and arrived to hot and humid Mozambican summer. My body was in shock, but after a couple of days I managed to adapt.

Siri (my travel buddy) and I were greeted by our project manager, Tania, at the airport after 20 hours of travelling and taken to our home. We live in the 13th floor with the most amazing view. We live in a three-bed room apartment in the center of the city with 3 AIESEC alumni. The people we live with soon became some of our best friends here. Ivandro, our host showed us around the city and explained all the most important things we needed to know about Maputo.

My room mates

My work

I started my work a couple of days after I arrived. For the five months I´m staying here in Maputo I will work for a marketing agency called On Spot. It was founded in Portugal in 2003 and in 2011 they expanded to Mozambique. Here they work with big companies like Coca Cola, Toyota, Millennium BIM and MCEL.

Last year On Spot worked with Save the Children to create a campaign called De Mãos Dadas (Holding hands). It was an awareness campaign, which aimed to prevent unsafe migration from Mozambique. Children from rural areas are sometimes being trafficked into child labour and even prostitution in South Africa. The goal of the campaign was to create awareness and equipping children, families and communities with the knowledge and tools to prevent unsafe migration.

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Since the campaign was a huge success, On Spot wants to continue working with other humanitarian organizations with similar goals. They saw that there is an opportunity to take their expertise and apply it to social programs through NGOs. So my job is to research and contact NGOs here in Maputo, and then develop strategies and projects to help these NGOs reach more people who can benefit from their work. On Spot wants to contact NGOs working within the areas of sexual education, prevention of HIV/AIDS, health education, nutrition education and women empowerment.

Culture shocks

I been living here now for 3 months, but I still have culture shocks. In the start of my stay here everything seemed so different to me, just going to the market to buy food was a culture shock. Now I’m finally starting to get a grip of how things work. All small things that shape the every day life are totally different, and I had to slowly learn everything.

Walking down the street here in Maputo is a culture shock for me on its own. People are constantly stopping to talk to each other. In Norway I’m used to people not talking to each other in public places. We don’t talk to stranger on the bus or anywhere else unless there is something we want from them. We prefer to stay in our own personal bubble. Here, personal space is not even an expression. Just try to take the local bus and you will find out pretty soon that there is nothing called personal space.

Bus in Maputo

My AIESEC experience

The months I have been here I have gotten quite close with AIESEC in Mozambique and I have had the chance to see how they work. I even got the chance to be a facilitator in an international conference they were hosting in April. All over the world AIESEC is hosting conferences to teach about leadership and how to become a global citizen. I already been to 6 conferences in Norway and one in Greece, but they cannot compare to this one. After this conference experience in Mozambique I know for sure that AIESEC is changing lives.

Faci Team

At the Global Village

Travelling

I have been so lucky that I could travel around Mozambique and the countries around. This country has so many beautiful places to go, but so far I only travelled two places in Mozambique. The first time to a beautiful island outside Maputo and the second time to a place called Ponta D’Ouro which means the golden point. Since I have to go to the boarder of Mozambique every month I always try to make a vacation out of it. First time I went to Johannesburg, second time to Swaziland and the third time to Ponta D’Ouro, which is at the border of South Africa. There are so many things to discover here. Next week Siri and I are going to Johannesburg to do bungee jumping (if I dear) and in the end of this month we are going to Swaziland for one of Africa’s biggest festivals. I’m so excited!

Inhaca Island

Ponta D'Ouro

Last words

It’s hard to sum up all of the amazing things that I have experienced during these three months in only one blog post. Going on exchange changes something in you. I can´t really put my finger on it, but things change. You get another outlook on your own culture. You learn to love and accept the differences in people. You break stereotypes. You change your opinions. You get to know yourself in a totally unique way. And at the same time you get to contribute to the society. I know that the impact that I’m making is not very much in the big picture, but if I can change someone’s life just a little bit to the better I think I done something right.

I can honestly say that these three months has been some of the best months in my life. I met so many people that will stay in my heart forever. I had experiences I never dreamed of. I changed for the better in so many ways. I have fallen in love with Maputo and the people living here.

Chunqi - Kenya

Chunqi was a student at NTNU in Trondheim when he went on an internship in Kenya with a friend. His experiences are described under.

Life in Kenya

We went to Kenya in the winter in 2012 as volunteers. Although we only stayed there for one month, the country and the life there impress us. Even right now we still will miss the days in Kenya-the magic country. We had been told that when you left the volunteer life there, you would realize that the voluntary experience in slams will be most unforgettable period. Now I have to admit that they are right and this blog is to provide what we have experienced, heard and seen in the Africa. We hope to provide you an image about the country or at least give you some ideas about what Kenya is.

Part 1: Life in Kenya

People

Along the road from the airport to the city center, many people sit near the entrance of a building, waiting for the hiring of temporary workers. The driver told me, now the unemployment rate in Kenya is very high, they are a lot of people waiting recruitment, and wages are very low. He said for manual workers, such as janitors, cleaners, the salary is only about $100 a month. The gap between the rich and the poor are quite large. Although the life there are quite tough for somebody, but the enthusiasm of the people of Africa impresses me. It is very common to see the locals say hello to you from a long distance even on the other side of the road.

Traffic

Matatu means bus in the local Swahili. This bus is different from the kind of huge size. The space inside is very crowded. Usually the driver will drive very fast, especially in the evening or night with loud African music inside. The communication between drivers with conductors is completed by flapping doors or other parts in order to tell the driver to stop or re-start. The most crucial point, the price of the bus ticket is not a fixed. They will take the initiative based on market supply and demand, so you?d better ask for the price before you get on the bus. Of course, they also have several minibuses, which are similar to the normal buses and they will provide a regular ticket receipt. 

For the other traffic vehicles, small planes are quite popular for the business people or tourists. Unfortunately, I had never taken them. There are only two or three train routes in Kenya. According to my experience, the trains usually are delayed for several hours, even a day.  Another way to other cities is to take a bus. The buses are very old and uncomfortable. The most roads are not flat and full of dusts. If you want to take a night bus, I suggest you to prepare a lot.

Food 

Compared with Europe, the price here is really cheap. Mango with papaya can be regarded as the most popular local fruits. The flavor of the mango is quite good, but the papaya feels slightly different with what I have tasted. I strongly recommend you to try the fruit juice. They look good, taste perfectly. As for the local poor people, almost every day they eat the same food Called Ugali and the vegetable (sukumaviki). As for the local restaurants, the food is almost like the western restaurant and the price is not very high. Usually 5 dollars can buy a quite good meal.

The traditional food (Ugali) made by me

 
The food in the restaurant (6 dollars)

Accommodation 

I live in the host family instead of intern house. In the host family, the breakfast and dinner are provided, while you have to solve the lunch by yourself. My landlord in Kenya is a lady who is more than forty years old. She is quite nice and enthusiastic. I live near the city center and the living environment is acceptable. Hot water for shower is available. The sanitation may be not as good as our own families.  Water repellent is recommended because of lots of mosquitoes.

My room in my host family

 
My host lady

Religion

 Almost all Kenyans believe in Christianity. They will go to church every weekend. Every Sunday, I was wake up by the sound of the church choir. When you walk down the street, you will find the sound of singing of the church, covering almost every corner. She must pray before each meal, before going out and when the visitors come or leave. Even for the children in my school, the children will pray before the rest and the lunch.

Part 2: Travel in Kenya

Nairobi

Kenya is a very famous tourist country of Africa. The capital city, Nairobi, has many places to visit. There is Giraffe center near the city center and you can hold free food to feed the giraffes there, in the way to touch its cute little antenna. If you go to the national conference center, you can overlook the entire Nairobi. The National Museum is also a good choice. Since Kenya has been tormented in the colonial war, there is little really traditional culture compared with the Louvre in Paris or the British Museum. The entire museum isn?t very crowded and seems to be a little monotonous. A lot of stuffed animals and recent oil paintings also belong to the museum's display exhibits. In the museum, quick review of the history of Kenya is also a good choice. 

 
Feeding the giraffe in the giraffe center 

Tourist cities 

In Kenya, there are another two famous tourist cities, naming Mombasa and Malindi. The small island Lamu is strong recommended. A lot of foreigners settle down there. The African beaches are different from those in Europe. The sunshine is very strong and the soil is white. Lying there for the whole afternoon is a good choice, but sun cream should be used in case of sunburn.

African beach

Masai Mara 

Masai Mara grassland of Kenya is the most famous attraction, and is also the world's most famous wildlife sanctuaries. Here people will marvel the original true there are so harmonious coexistence animal paradise. The birds in the sky willfully takeoff and landing, aquatic animals enjoy bathing in the Mara river, a variety of terrestrial animals stroll there. Here, you can see two Bucks gladiatorial combat for territory disputes, you can see two male zebra fight for a girl; you can see harmonious and happy life of the elephant family. Two lions lazily lay in a secluded corner, you can see; you can also see the bones of the body of the buffalo, to prove that there is a law of the jungle world.

 

Part 3: Work in Kenya 

Kibera slum

Before going to the school, I was told that in the rainy season the road of the slum is extremely difficult to walk. I appreciate the sunshine in the recent days, the surface of the roads are slightly dry. In most parts of the surface, you can distinguish most roads are made of rubbish and the smell of the water in the nearby river is disgusting. Walking in the slums, you can also see everywhere people operating their own small shops. As for children, they will be curious to look at you, follow you and say hello.

 
 

My school and the kids 

My school is located in a small yard along with several other tenants sharing the limited space. The small living room of our house is not big, only a small about 10 square for children to eat or the indoor activities. The rest is a smaller classroom and a small kitchen. 25 children are sitting around two large tables crowdedly. Every day they will learn some simple and obvious knowledge here, perhaps the figures or English letters, but at least they are taking the positive energy. Children will eat a free meal every day in my school at noon. Sometimes this may be only one meal of their day. I have been told some children cry not for pain or wronged, just because they feel hungry. They will also feel curious about your things, such as your skin and your clothes.

 
 

Volunteer

For many locals, the volunteers are not a new vocabulary. Every year there will be a variety of organizations, volunteers from around the world coming to Kenya. Volunteers in different schools in different positions according to their different situations will do different work. In short, volunteer job is to vary from person to person.

In my school, a Portuguese girl and I help raise and prepare lunch for 25 children. When kids have a break, I'll go with the boys to play football and she will do some games with the girls. Of course, the most important part is we have to find ways to obtain funds to the school. I have been busy with selling the hand-made accessories online.

End words 

The changes made by our volunteers are minimal to the whole situation of Kenya, but we are on the way to transfer the positive energy into this land. Perhaps the power of our volunteers is limited, but our spiritual heritage cannot be measured. We just hope the kids to have a happy childhood, let them know that there are still many people are willing to help them, and let them believe the earth is covered by great love. Kenya trip brought me the thinking of life will never end in the future. It inspires me to chase the dream, it inspired my enthusiasm for life, it also gives me a new view of personal gain or loss values.