Never forget to love - AIESEC in The Netherlands

Never forget to love

From the Netherlands to Greece – after 4 hours flight plus 3,5 hours by bus I arrived at my destination: Patras! The third biggest city in Greece, located in the north-west. It was smaller than I expected, but with very beautiful sea and mountain views. In the late afternoon, you can always grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the sun setting into the mountain.

“I was so happy to share my culture with them and show the diversity.”

My project

My project Transform’ aims to prevent cultural and social discrimination, and present different cultures and traditions to little kids in Greece. I worked for a kindergarten and assisted the teachers. The kids were around 4-5 years old. I remember the first day I went to the class, they were so shy to see a new face from another country. But they all have such warm and shinning smiles that can melt your heart. I was trying to talk to them in English and be close to them. Surprisingly, one kid told the teacher that I had a very warm smile! I was so touched and happy about it!

“That is the love kids have and that is the love kids teach you: pure and genuine.”

volunteers in GreeceI joined the daily routine with all the kids, singing, dancing and playing games. I fell in love with the Greek greeting immediately: people kiss your cheek and hug you all the time. That helped me in being close to the kids very quickly! Every day, when I opened the door, the kids were happily running to me, hugging me, kissing me and calling me Miss Jing (in Greek). That is the love kids have and that is the love kids teach you: pure and genuine.

Sharing my Chinese culture

It was so much fun to show my Chinese culture: the new year tradition, the Chinese zodiac system, daily life, etc. I will never forget the kids’ happy faces and laughs. I remember that when I was showing the dragon dance video to the kids, which they never watched before, the kids and the teacher were so excited! They kept clapping and asked to watch it over and over again. I was so happy to share my culture with them and show the diversity.

On saying goodbye

volunteering in Greece and working with childrenOne and a half months is short, and it is never easy to say goodbye. The teacher asked the kids to paint for me and when the teacher gave me the present they prepared, I couldn’t stop crying. So did the teacher. Kids came up to hug me and said goodbye. I’ll probably never meet them again, their smiles, cute faces, and warm hearts…

Wish all of them to grow up happily and healthily.

The volunteering experience gave me a chance to explore this beautiful country, warm-hearted people, and also helped me to explore myself. Never forget to love, with your heart and eyes.

Sundown at the Sea in greece

This post was written by AIESEC in the Netherlands. We offer international voluntary projects and professional internships with the aim of developing leadership in youth. 

Read more
The essence of feminism

The essence of feminism

How can we transmit the essence of feminism? -by Iasmina Caramidariu A lot of people are reluctant when it comes to feminism and gender equality. It still seems like a TABOO for people to talk about. Why is it so? Why is feminism seen in a bad name even if it's just a...

Climate Action in Italy

Climate Action in Italy

I will take you on a journey of climate action, joy, tears, and development through Italy. It was the 1st of June 2021 when I decided that I will go on a volunteering project with AIESEC  in Torino. I decided that I want to be part of the change. Bringing my...

How to make your marketing internship a success?

How to make your marketing internship a success?

When you look through the AIESEC opportunity portal and search for Global Talent projects, you come across loads of business and marketing internship. Lucky for you if you are interested in doing one of those! But you might wonder why there are so many? Well, that is...

Your exchange packing list

Your exchange packing list

As the summer vacation is approaching, so are many volunteering projects and internships. But what to pack on such a new exciting experience? Even if you have been abroad many times and are an expert in packing, there are sure to be moments when you miss a thing or two. To help you have the best preparation for your project, or any other vacation, we made a special AIESEC exchange packing list!

Inspired, empowered and ready for change: The story of four young leaders in the contemporary world

Inspired, empowered and ready for change: The story of four young leaders in the contemporary world

When we talk about young leaders, people quickly think of Greta Thunberg or Mark Zuckerberg, due to their media attention or Greta’s well-known, activist speeches on climate change. But more quietly, the world is packed with young, inspirational leaders, trying to create a more stable, sustainable and inclusive world for future generations, minority groups or the society they are part of.

Discovering culture in Morocco: An exchange to Marrakech

Discovering culture in Morocco: An exchange to Marrakech

When I decided to participate in the Nour project of AIESEC, I felt like I did something impulsive yet brave. I never went abroad on my own before. I always had people I could depend on like friends and family. This time I wanted to challenge myself by doing this project on my own, and I wanted to discover and embrace another culture.

3 Inspiring TED talks on inequality

3 Inspiring TED talks on inequality

We’ve pulled together some inspiring TED talks for you to watch about inequality. The speakers in these videos describe their view on inequality and what the world needs in order to change this. Let these people inspire you, to create new ways of thinking about inequality and the road to changing this.

4 Tips to make your CV stand out

4 Tips to make your CV stand out

On average, recruiters spend 5 to 7 seconds screening a CV before deciding whether to continue with the applicant or not. It equals the average time that we spend looking at an Instagram post on our feed. So, here are some tips that can help your CV stand out in a large pool of applicants.

My AIESEC volunteering project in Italy

My AIESEC volunteering project in Italy

In January 2020 I participated in an AIESEC Project on environment and sustainability in Castellana Grotte, Italy. I was lucky to stay six weeks in one of the most beautiful small villages I have been to. My work was about teaching the kids in the local Highschool on the UN SDGs and sustainability. My fellow AIESEC students were so kind to pick me up in Bari. They made sure I was safe and showed me how to travel to my destination.

Interested?

Take the first step.

Book a free consultation call in one of our cities to explore your opportunities!