Alas...

With the exception of a few issues that won't affect the overall layout, this blog can now be viewed in both IE and Firefox (and hopefully Safari, Andrew).

As far as I'm concerned, no template changes for at least a couple of months, ok?

Be Like Katie

Do you have a quote that you’d like to see in pink?

Submit them by posting a comment. I’ll try to rotate them every week.

Why Are There Always Problems?

Ok, so I should let y’all know that this blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer at the moment. There seem to be some issues with Firefox viewing, so if at all possible, use IE.

My plan is to get the IE version figured out before attempting to figure out how to fix the Firefox version. I’m aware that the margin calculations are different, so my plan to fix the problem is to send a nice little email to the Microsoft and Mozilla, demanding that they standardize their browsers at the risk of me boycotting both of them. Opera, here I come.

Wandering about in the mountains

So, I am planning on heading out to wander around in the mountains sucking up some fresh air this weekend and was thinking some of you (perhaps the interns not going to Kelowna) would be interested in joining me. As far as where, I'm not sure yet, depends on who all wants to come...I figure the interns need a Lake Louise - Moraine Lake - Banff tour at some point so that's an option or there is Kananaskis Lakes or Grassi Lakes.

I will likely not go until Sunday as there is this little event going on in Germany on Saturday which I think wins out...and anyone without TV is welcome to come watch the games...Brasil vs France...I will be torn...good thing my better half is away so I don't feel compelled to cheer for France...

From Liz

Hey all,

On Monday, July 3 come down to the Kensington Pub for drink to close out
the long weekend, and so I can say a final farewell before I go to Hong
Kong! Kensington Pub is in the heart of Kensington, right behind Starbucks
on Kensington Road. There is a reservation there under my name at 7:30pm,
but just drop by whenever you can, we will be there for awhile :P If you
have any questions please call my cell at 816-1072.

Please forward this to anyone who should be on the list but is not. I did
not have everybody's email addresses (especially some of the new
AIESECers), I am really sorry, but please come out and invite friends.

Hope to see you there,
Liz

Intern coming on Thursday

Hey AIESEC!

Guess what! Another intern is arriving soon! Ave Mellik from Estonia will be working for Calgary Immigrant Women's Assocation. Introducing Ave:

Birthdate: October 10, 1980

Languages: Estonian, English, French, Finnish, German, Russian!

Music: Mostly mainstream, some indie; basically anything but heavy metal.
Attends a yearly Estonian folk music festival.
Bought a French/Armenian CD and would like to further explore in this direction.

Favourite activities: Biking, swimming, walking/hiking (didn't Alan want to do something at Kananaskis)

About the World Cup: This is difficult As a small country we have to be very diplomatic. I am enjoying more the beauty of the game and cheering with ones who beat the expectations. Like I was really happy for Ghana. (smart answer. We'll love her for supporting Ghana!) Probably I am a bit on the side of England and Italy as I have some good friends in those countries.

Reception Details
When: June 29 at 2:15 p.m.
Where: Gate C-subject to change (flight 473 from Manchester)

See you guys there!

P.S. AIESEC Calgary blog is lookin' hawt! Thanks, Kent!
P.P.S. 10/12 EnCana internships matched by the end of this week!...even possibly 11 if one of the NGOs make their decision fast enough :o

It's Friday Again.

The Ukrainian government has formed a new coalition. -RFE
A Swedish journalist was shot in Mogadishu, Somalia. -AFP
President Mugabe of Zimbabwe slams churches and other critics. -BBC
Saddam Hussein stops hunger strike after missing only one meal. -Reuters
The leftist candidate in Mexico has a slight edge in recent polls. -Reuters
East Timor president will remain in power. -BBC

The $64,000 question is: What do these stories have in common?

Culture Night Pics

Because nobody else seems to want to post pics of the culture night, I guess I'll have to:

Aren't interns great?

What are you trying to say, Diana?

Yikes.

"What the @#$% are you talking about?"

See what a little bit of the happy stuff will do for ya?

Almost Done....

Ok, people, as much as I hate to say this, but I think Layial is on to something with the black background. I like the way everything looks from the date down on the left and from "contributors" down on the right.

However, the header looks pretty much brutal and it needs a lot of help. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps someone wants to design a header? I don't doubt that any suggestion will have to be Ok'd by Layial....

Another Intern! Yay!

Hey peeps!

It's time for another one of my oh-so-exciting-another-intern-is-coming blog entry :) Introducing Gelman Cortes (matched with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society; photo- second from the left)!

Hi AIESEC CALGARY

This is Gelman, your new trainee from Bogota COLOMBIA (South America), I just want to say hello to all of you, and let you know that I’ll be arriving to your beautiful country next Friday morning (June 22), so if some of you want to know a little bit about Colombia just get in touch with me personally, by e-mail or visit the official AIESEC web page with information about Colombia. (I really recommend http://www.discovercolombia.org/index.asp). I’ll be glad to share my experiences with all of you and of course I hope to get to know you!!!!

Hoping to meet you soon!
Gelman

Ps 1: if some one wants to learn, practice or improve his Spanish, I will be glad to help you; also I will be looking for members interested on teach me some French.
Ps 2: don’t be afraid of correcting my English (I know I need to improve it, thanks : )

Gelman enjoys doing Jiujitsu, Karate-do and Judo. He likes pop/rock music.

And in Gelman's own words:
About Football… well I’m not a fan but I guess Brazil has a good team.

Reception Details
When: Friday, June 23 at 10:10 a.m.
Where: Gate A (AC 117 from Toronto)

Dinner: TBA; I promise you that it won't be at Moxie's :)

Cheers!

Who Visits Our Blog?

A surprising number of people, actually. If you look under the "Other Links" section on the left, you will see a new link called "Blog Stats." Click on it to find out how many people are stopping by to see one thing or another. There are a variety of statistics available, so feel free to check them out.

New Template

As you can probably see, a new template adorns this blog. You can thank Layial for the colours (especially the pink and black at the top), as she suggested that the design needed an overhaul..."it need to be more, umm, flashy," I think she said.

It's gonna take some time to get used to, so be mindful of that when making suggestions. If you do have ideas, here's what I need:

1. Details of what exactly it is you want changed
2. If you want a colour changed, provide me with the colour code (you can find that in adobe photoshop or other such image editing programs)...don't just say, "a lighter green," etc.

And, just so we're clear, the blue and orange "branding" thing was totally Layial's idea and not mine...that is not how I roll.

My Own MasterCard Commercial

AIESEC Traineeship - $600
Flight - $1500
Monthly Salary - $280

Layial's face when she found out she had a blog she didn't know she had...Priceless.

Test your president

Introducing to you the segment that will allow you to test your beloved president:

Ask your president anything about AIESEC or Life...and it shall be answered....

remember there are no limitations...(except lets keep it PG)

love Layial

Friday, err, Saturday News Brief

You all probably thought you could get away without learning something about what’s going on the world this week. Haha…nice try.

Slovakia is holding parliamentary elections today. (BBC)
Bolivia announced an anti-poverty plan. (BBC)
North Korea intends to test missile amidst Allied protests (RFE)
US has suspended issuance of Honduran visas. (Reuters)
The Chechen rebel leader was killed today. (Reuters)

Felipe's Culture Night

When: Saturday, June 17th, 2006
Start Time: 7.00 PM
Where: Henry's House (80 Hawkmount Close NW)

Looking to experience the intensity, excitement and passion of Brazil?? Then come out to our Brazilian Culture night hosted by Felipe! Felipe is planning a night filled with food, culture and unforgettable memories, so mark your calendars ladies and gentlemen, June 17th should be a night to remember!

Everyone is welcome so be sure to bring friends!!

See ya there!

MoM

It's a BIRD ... It's a PLANE ... NOPE! ... it' the MoM for May!

This month's MoM is not only an asset to the ICX Team but has also taken an active leadership role with Project Neptune, a project aimed at increasing awareness about water issues around the globe by providing first hand experience to interns from developing countries. His amazing energy and positive attitude not only at the National Leadership Development Conference in Hamilton but also within the local bring a smile to everyone around. For all his efforts and dedication we would like to congratulate ... (drum roll please ....)

JEREMY TORIO

on being this month's MOM!! *APPLAUSE* If you see JEREMY around give him a huge hug and a big smile!! and if you can't wait eMail him (jeremytorio(at)hotmail.com)!!

New MC Blog!

Howdy ya'll, looking to get to know the new MC a little bit more?! check out their blog!

http://mc06-07.nomadlife.org/

Who to Cheer For...

Interested in the World Cup but not sure who to cheer for? The World Development Movement has got you covered:

Here at WDM we have produced this handy tool to help you choose who to shout for when your own team isn’t on the pitch. Just click below on the teams playing in the match you are about to watch and see how they score on ten different supportability criteria.

Whoshouldicheerfor?

As the WDM says, the chooser "is intended to be a fun and interesting way to think about a serious issue – that of global poverty and the inequality between the nations competing in the World Cup. Please take it in that spirit."

PS - anyone else need a nap after last night? I'm getting too old to stay up until after 1 on a "school night" and get up for @#$% 7:30 conference calls.

News this big can only be found on blogs

Guess what, everybody?

I was doing background checks on all of the EB members and came across none other than...

A blog started by your LCP. She tried for weeks to say how "uncool" blogs were and judging us based on what she wrote. Little did we know that she actually started one up and has left some "spam-like" messages on the blogs of our community members.

If you'd like to get inside the head of your president, go check it out:

http://layialneedsablog.blogspot.com

Who knows what you might find.

Brave American Intern Ventures into the Cold North

Hey AIESEC!

Katie Laufenberg from the United States will be arriving to work for Pembina!


Katie's self-introduction:

I'm 24, just graduated from college where I studied Spanish, international/environmental studies and business. I LOVE to travel and feel like I am at my best when outside my element. My family is very important to me and we spend a lot of time together. The attached photo is my nephew Charlie and I on a family vacation this winter. I'm a vegetarian who occasionally eats seafood and I love to cook. Politically I'm on the liberal end of the spectrum and enjoy a good bashing of President Bush. Interests: biking, jogging, watching movies, plants and music. Favorite music: Cake, Beatles, Coldplay & Manu Chao. Favorite drinks: gin & tonic, bloody mary or any micro brewed beer. I have two cats (Conan and Claire), but I swear I'm not a crazy cat lady. I fostered them for a few months and just couldn't give them up! I'm very laid back and people tell me I'm a good listener. I'm looking forward to meeting you soon!


Reception Details:

Flight Arrival: June 13 at 11:55 p.m.
Meet at Gate C (F9 4342 from Denver)

Katie will be temporarily staying with our lovely BOA member, Dave!

Remember to drop me a line if you want her e-mail!

Gotta love Brazilians!

If you've already met Uncle Fil, I'm sure you enjoyed your time with this fun-loving Brazilian! We love Brazilians so much that we decided to ship another over here! Introducing:

Felipe's fiance (a.k.a. Cassia dal Corno)!!!

Cassia will be working at Alberta Ecotrust Foundation.

She graduated from the Universidade de Caxias do Sul.

She is fluent in English and Portuguese. She has also learned some Spanish, Italian, French and Polish!

She has previously travelled to the United States, Poland and Portugal (as an exchange student)!

Reception Details:

Flight arrival: June 12 at 11:10 a.m.

Meet at Gate D (AC 171 from Halifax/Toronto)

Drop a line if you'd like Cassia's e-mail to say hi!

Across the Ocean

It’s that time again….

The US trade deficit widened to $63.5 billion. -AFP
Togo residents were denied German visas due to not having bank accounts. -BBC
President Bush cancelled a scheduled trip to the Ukraine. -RadioFreeEurope
Floods in southern China leave 50 dead. -BBC
Islamist militia takes control of Mogadishu. -Reuters
ECB raised interest rates .25% to 2.75%. -AFP

Would it kill you to read an article?

What Do You Think?

The UN just released a report stating that approximately 200 million people “now live outside their country of origin.” -BBC

Does this seem like a small or large number?

How has this affected immigrant-receiving countries?

What about the immigrants’ origin countries?

How does this affect you?

Share your views. Challenge someone else’s. It’s time to start paying attention to global issues…not just what’s happening in Calgary.

Happy Graduation

I went to my brother's high school graduation ceremony today and there was this one speaker who truly inspired me. Dr. Rod Elford, BPE. MD. CCFP. MSc. I really want to share with you, a bit of what he said.

First off, he came on stage on his motorcycle in order to have his moment remembered by all the graduates. His speech had three main points. 1. Life sucks 2. Life is sweet 3. And sometimes we die. The point that really stick with me is that 3.sometimes we die. And it is usually not until we discover that we are about to die that we truly try to make the most of our lives and live! This is when people quit their jobs, leave school, go travelling, connect with people, spend all their money or give to the poor.

There is a saying "Live like you're going to die tomorrow". But if we lived like we were going to die tomorrow, we'd have no jobs, not education, no money. So instead, we should "Live like you're going to die tomorrow, but also live like you might actually get old and wrinkly".

So live your life to the fullest people. Work hard but let yourself have some play. Enjoy the company of others now! Go ahead and spend some money and share your wealth. And to those who are graduating and moving on, I wish you the best of luck.

........lotsa love.........d

13 years ago today, my life changed..

13 years....THIRTEEN!!! It can't be...(counts out fingers, takes off shoe...) yep, it is, June 2, 1993. Amazing...I can still close my eyes and remember everything about the day.

Heading off in the morning, seeing the CN Tower for the first time, the long flight, the Duck a l'Orange Air France fed me...the exhausted feeling landing in Paris, the 12 hours of quality time in the airport. Watching The French Open on the TV, the wing of the airport getting cleared because of the bomb threat, the lonnngggg wait on the tarmac thanks to the groundcrew going on strike. The realization and subsequent panic I wasn't going to make my connection in Helsinki...the Flight Attendant assuring me the pilot had called down and my flight was being held. The long sprint from the international to domestic terminal, and finally the relief of landing in Jyvaskyla and seeing Marco and Jari there to pick me up. Whew...I had made it! I was in Finland to start my traineeship!

It was quite a momentus event for a young Saskatchewan lad who's furthest travel was to exotic Tijuana. It truly was a life changing experience. My whole world expanded and my eyes were opened...this is what AIESEC is all about... this is what those crappy calls to uninterested companies was for...this is why those trainees who came to flat boring Regina were so excited.

I understood then...and I continue to be impressed with this organization to this day. Some of you have come to the same understanding I have and have probably been nodding your head.

Some of you are about to head out on your life changing adventure to which I say enjoy every second of it. Even enjoy being hungover, (tip: if any of you end up in Finland and a guy named Aki hands you his 4 litre jug of homemade wine during a game of 3-man, just say no!) . Enjoy the days of not understanding what anyone at work is saying, enjoy the weirdness of it all, and the friends you make. It's a blast.

For those who are around this summer, I challenge you to spend time with your trainees. Look into their eyes, listen to their experiences and you'll get an idea of what it will be like when you have a chance to be in their shoes. Also help them in making the summer of 2006 one they will never forget, you won't forget it either.

Kiipus AIESEC!
Dave.

Friday News Brief

I can see this becoming a weekly segment. I put the test in because I know you people won't read anything unless they're being tested on it. In any case, maybe take a look at one of the articles? Please?

Maoist rebels meet for the first time in Kathmandu. -AFP
Czechs are voting in an election today. -BBC
Six foreigners are kidnapped on a Nigerian offshore oil rig. -BBC
Peru will vote for a new president on Sunday. -BBC
Uzbekistan dismisses an NGO working there. -RadioFreeEurope
Taiwanese oppostion put pressure on President to quit. -Reuters

Enjoy.