Becoming a Global CitizenSince I was child, I have been fascinated by different languages, places, people, customs, food - you name it. I chose the University of Victoria because of the International Business specialization and to take advantage of the academic exchange program at the university.
So in the summer of 2012, I decided to travel and volunteer in Ecuador and Peru with International Student Volunteers (ISV). I helped a small community by teaching English, building a library, educating the town on sustainability, and planting mangrove seeds to promote eco-tourism. The experience was life-changing, and I realized that other students need to have experiences like these too. That's where AIESEC came in. When I returned to university, I found an organization that facilitated international internships for post-secondary students, and joined it. Soon after, I became an executive member, and in late 2013, I applied to be the President of the Victoria chapter. In 2014, I helped over 10 students to have life-changing experiences abroad, just like I did in South America. So this means that I have diverged from my original plan that I had when I first started at UVic. Now, I am pursuing Service Management as a specialization. Instead of an academic exchange, I have led a team to facilitate international experiences for others. In the process, I've gained invaluable lessons on how to manage a small organization, deal with conflicts, and manage stress. I hope to have an international career in HR, and I know that I've taken the right steps to obtain it. |
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