Hmmm....sitting here in the AIESEC office, at a considerably different point in my life than the times that the sight of this place bring back.
I, as usual, find myself lightyears and sleepless nights away from whatever the hell I was planning at one point in time. And although I've got a few game plans, I have answers to nothing, and quite a few fears. Regrets, I suppose, because like they say, I always manage to fuck up my own parties, and this ride of a college career has been little more (or less) than that. BUT. I will never forget a few important, hilarious, or impacting things...and sometimes a place can bring those time back.
0. Sitting in this office, with AIESEC music as loud as it could go, a passion strong enough to fuel me through the entire night.
1. My first AIESEC RoKS. FUCKING freezing, thank you Madison, in some random ass tents out in a boyscout lair. Ch-rist, and thanks for the experience. Because amidst the chattering teeth, ONE shower, and frozen bagels, our newbie class found out just what the hell we'd gotten ourselves into.
2. Sitting in the backseat of a car, while Amber and Bostwick yelled out the lyrics to some Spanish song. I thought, "My God, they're speaking another language. I will never relate to these people". One year later I found myself giving a newbie a ride home, and somewhere in the middle of screaming every word to La Tortura, a realization dawned.
3. Ha Ha. WSC with Arnaub and Vania. Ch-rist again. I do remember a coffee pot, mixed with copious amounts of VARIOUS liquids, which Arnaub decided looked a damn sight like an initiation. Despite protests from Vania, and being a little afraid of the people screaming DRINK MOTHER FUCKER at me, I downed it and started down one hell of a path... =)
4. RoKS at...Purdue, was it? Sleazy hotels, no conference space, but a Valentine's Day auction? Memorable wagers include, "My first born child!" and "My virginity!"
5. Ah, of course, of course. WHO could forget the most amazing AIESEC experience (in the US) I, and maybe others, have had to date...Rickesh's farewell, WSC. Him in a dayglo orange jumpsuit, in the middle of all of us, with every AIESECer screaming, "It's great...to be...in AIESEC USA!"
6. CHRIST. Filling in last minute for OCP of RoKS in Chicago this past year, organizing the conference in...I believe it was...under three weeks. One of the largest RoKS held since the mid-90s, also in Chi-Town. More memorably, the car ride there, in which JESSI'S WINDOW BROKE AT A TOLE and we FROZE for the next THREE HOURS.
"Life is Good. Yes it is!"
7. Hmmm...speaking of RoKS, on the way to Purdue Roks, perhaps, in which Michigan (mostly Arnaub, but also myself) contributed significantly to the fact that Michigan always arrives "In Style". Hmmmm. Shocked some newbies that night.
8. Je-SUS RoKS at Ithaca. Hahahahaha. I won't claim to have gone to too many of those sessions, but it was a GREAT, GREAT time. Memorable moments...the Michigan spoon, root beer floats was it?, and dancing (there's always the dancing). In fact, I must say when Michigan gets together with Cornell it's pretty much always a solid time.
9. Walking around randomly in the cities of WSCs. This includes Chi-Town and Dayton. Dayton was dead. Chicago was not. =) (well, to be fair, Dayton did have the hilarious episode of the McDonald's. "What do you mean we need a car? Quick, get in a car formation! Why do you get to drive?")
10. Oldest, and even best memories, must be dredged from the infamous 507. Sessions, parties, VIP rooms, drunken movie nights, quote books, the list goes on.
Whew. I didn't even get into the hilarious interview quotes, or good times at LTMs or even my CEED in Arequipa, but I really could just go on and on. Hookah, exchange, political careers ruined...that's what it's about. Well, maybe not what it's about but sometimes that's what it boils down to, because it adds up to an experience, a feeling, a way of life that rushes back and hits like a ton of bricks.
"Here's to the good times, and even the last times. Bring on the new times, and may my memory never fail me".
