In Memory of Bharat Bhasin, 1977-2005

(The picture was taken in Singapore, 2001)

It’s very hard for me to write this piece since I learned this bad news from Stephen. Sometimes, I was thinking how I can best describe this man. He was such a special friend with big smile. The last time we met was in Singapore, GAMMA 2001. We drank, chatted and danced in a crowded apartment with all AIESEC alumni the whole night. We talked about the life, the career, and the old good days. After the weekend, he flew back to India. We continued our sessions in Malaysia.

It’s odd that I only remember many little things about him instead of every detail. The first time I met him in Atlanta, USA, IC ’97. Because “Bharat” sounds like “Guava” in Chinese, I told him so. He laughed loudly. Since then, I always called him “Guava” rather than “Bharat”. A lot of friends mentioned that he was such as great leader in the blog. Indeed, his legacy definitely left AIESEC in India and fellow AIESECers a great foundation.

When he visited Taiwan for the International President Conference in 1999, all AP presidents came out for a short break in the night market. We smoked and joked about each other. That was fun! Chatting with old friends is something you always enjoy. At the end of the conference, it was time to say goodbye. We all agreed: “Never say goodbye because we are all AIESECers. Absolutely we will meet each other somewhere and someday”. I still believe so after learning this tragedy.

Remember the picture we took together in Singapore? The Chinese on the wall in the temple said: have a safe trip. So long, my buddy. We all know that you will be good and start your journey up there. All of us are on the tracks. We will cherish what we have in hand. Eventually, we will still meet. It’s only a matter of time. Get the beer and the music ready then. When we party together again, we shall share our different stories again. Take good care of yourself.

悼念我的老友—Bharat Bhasin

對我來說要寫這篇文字並不是件容易的事。從另一位好友口中聽到這個噩耗之後，我常常想該如何描述他。他是個很特別的傢伙，總是笑得很開懷。我們最後一次碰 面是2001年新加坡在AIESEC的老骨頭聚會上；那一夜，大家都玩得很盡興，擠在小小的公寓裡，喝酒、跳舞、天南地北閒聊。我們聊人生、工作、過去在 AIESEC的時光。之後他回印度工作，我們則前往馬來西亞繼續既定行程。

奇怪的是很多關於他的細節，我已經記不清楚了，反倒是對一些瑣事念念不忘。第一次認識他是1997年在亞特蘭大的世界大會。「Bharat」的發音聽起來 像「芭樂」，我忍不住告訴他，他當下笑得樂不可支，引起路人側目；自此以後，我都叫他芭樂。很多朋友在紀念他的網誌上都已經說過，他是一位 很優秀的領導者。的確，我想他所留下的足跡將會令印度總會和後進AIESECer深深懷念。

1999年他來台灣參加世界總會會長會議，某天所有亞太地區的總會會長趁著空檔到夜市閒晃，我們倆叼著煙、互相取笑對方，現在想起來還是很有意思；跟老朋 友聊天永遠都是一種享受。當會議結束，該是說珍重的時刻。對於AIESECer來說，與其道別不如說後會有期，我們都知道，總有一天大家會在世界的某個角 落重聚首。即便現在，我還是如此深深相信。

還記得那張我們在新加坡拍的照片嗎？廟牆上寫著「一帆風順」，正如我此刻的心情。再會，芭樂！我們都相信你在那兒會過得很好，開始屬於你自己的旅程。我們 每個人也朝著自己的方向踽踽獨行、珍惜自己當下所擁有的一切。最終我們還是會相聚，不過是時間長短罷了。到時候記得備好酒菜與音樂，讓我們重頭分享之中的 點點滴滴吧！保重！

¡Hola, México!

I wish that I could have more time to go southern state of México… At least, almost everyone we met in México told us so. I am sure that someday I will visit there again. Our two-week experiences in México were full of surprises and joys. We went to Guadalajara, Amatitan, Puerto Vallarta, Mascotas, Guanajuato, and DF, México City. I already started missing it on my way back to Arizona…

Stephen Tseng and I couldn’t wait till the final week finished. We caught a midnight plane flying all the way to Guadalajara, starting our adventure from there. At 5:30 am, we were sleepy and stood in the crowd speaking Spanish. Figuring our way to the rental apartment was not that difficult. The cab driver was very friendly and gentle although we had no clue what he was saying. The direction from Michael Grifka was very helpful. He knew that we might finish in the middle of nowhere if we only had the address. So at 6am, we were in front of his temporary apartment, while we didn’t know we were there already, and tried to ask the corner store where his apartment was, of course, with my poor Spanish.

“Well… ¿Dónde está la Casa Cora?” After her extremely fast explanation in Spanish, I still had no idea what she was talking about. (Later we realized that her store was next to the apartment.) Stephen and I knocked at the door. Sleepy Michael had no choice but woke up before his flat mate kicked him off the bed. (Yes! That was 6AM!) Guadalajara was still half asleep then. We actually felt so great to escape from Glendale and almost shout out on the street: “¡Hola, México!”

The first day in Guadalajara was really interesting. We walked around this working city and found some “mimos” (clowns) performing on the plaza. Three of us stood in the crowd and watched the show that a mimo would randomly choose people, two men and two women, to the center of the plaza. When he started, two guys had to choose between two ladies. Quite entertaining session, we thought. There was another mimo collecting the tips. When he came to me with a hat, I had no small change but 10 pesos. I was trying to look for help from my two “best” companies. They stepped back and pretended strangers whistling. The rest of people watched me. OK! OK! Here you go! They were so happy because 10 pesos were rare.

They decided to let go two guys and get me to the center. Stephen and Michael were more excited than I was. The mimo asked me: “¿Hablas español?” I replied, “un poco, poquito.” (a little) He seemed not to believe what I said and yelled: “Gua! Jotito!” (Sissy) Everyone was laughing, and they two didn’t stop taking pictures. Well…what can I say? I don’t want to remember what happened next. Eventually, I got off and felt quite relief. Stephen and Mike still enjoyed the pictures alone.

Our one day tour in Amatitan was a big party. It’s one of towns with Tequila factories. We went to the Herradura Company. Its historical buildings and stories were a charm stronger than its tequila. As you can imagine, we tried “some” samples of various tequila. Stephen started the idea to plant some agaves back home. Who knows how long it’s gonna take? Well…you know Stephen. Don’t be too serious. Besides drinking, Stephen and I became very famous in eating. We are not only the fonda (vender) kings but also comelón (gluttonous). Why? It’s because we enjoyed the venders too much. The food from venders was not only cheap but also yummy! Although we could poorly speak Spanish, “Taco con…this or that” was our common phrase everyday.

The other interesting thing was that everybody thought Asians knew Karate. We met some people greeting us by yelling “Ada!” I guess that stereotype might help us avoid some troubles. Bruce Lee or Jacky Chan seems very hot around. Sometimes, if we were not in a hurry, we would have greeted back by “Ada!!” We were glad that nobody really challenged us during the whole trip. Otherwise, we might need to show how fast two Taiwanese could run.

Going to Puerto Vallarta was what we expected for a long time since we just escaped from the desert. When Stephen and I were in university, there was a beach on our campus. We missed the ocean very much. When Michael brought the idea on the table, we didn’t hesitate to take it. It’s not like what you used to make a plan or a reservation. We didn’t bother to do so and jumped on the bus heading to the PV. That’s it! We started to look for a hotel to stay as soon as we got there.

The first hotel we went was with a little girl sitting on the reception desk and watching cartoon. When Michael asked her in Spanish, she was shy and looked at the ground. As soon as he finished, she ran back and didn’t show up at all. We three stood there and looked at each other. Hmm…maybe we should try another one. Anyway, we found a good alternative with 15 dollars per day. The room is a bit humid and made me feel like home. After we settled, the idea to get some food came up. While we walked out the hotel, the old concierge told us: “Taco, many many tacos”. A pause took place, and we laughed.

PV at the night wasn’t pleasant. The beach was fun and nice before the rain, but too many tourists, including ourselves, gradually changed this place. The smell in the ocean reminded me when I swam in the harbor on campus of my undergraduate in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Seriously, on my trip, I found a lot in common between México and Taiwan. Although the humidity made us sticky, the wind brought us the memory back to the college through the salty taste of the air. People drove around and played the music loudly. Some teenagers fought when they were drunk. Many stores were like the bad make-up to the city. I preferred the old downtown with few tourists, more venders, and more historical buildings. Walking around there was a pleasure.

The balcony of the hotel presented itself with European style. Besides taking pictures, I couldn’t figure out a better to capture the moment. It was too bad that I forgot to bring my charcoal. Otherwise, sitting there and working the portrait might be a good option to spend my morning time. We had the breakfast at the recommended restaurant according to the Lonely Planet. Michael said that many Latino buildings had the patio without the roof. When it doesn’t rain, you can enjoy your meal with the sun light and the breeze coming from everywhere. It’s like you open yourself to invite them.

Mascotas was a surprise. Michael’s friend, Alma, had never been there and suggested us do so. Not many people, especially tourists, heard this place. Of course, Stephen and I came here to experience everything we could. Thus, we decided to rent a car and to drive there. Gee…I am glad that we came all the way to this little town. Not only on our way to but also at the town, there were more than we thought. Mascotas is a historical and a typical Mexican neighborhood. Small plaza only took you 3 minutes to walk around. People are super friendly and very hospitable. BBQ corn vender was right on the corner and cost you 10 pesos per corn with their big smile.

The evening was full of thunder storm. We found a hotel 5 minutes away the downtown by driving. The house we rent was about 1,000 sq feet and 600 pesos per night. Wow! We even had a nice kitchen and a big fire place. A hammock outside the house became the hottest place for us to fight for. August is not their busy time because the raining season starts from May through September. The cottage style made us feel quite comfortable. We had coffee talk around the fire place and warmed ourselves by the fire. You didn’t have to be rush. Just sit there, and it’s up to you whether you want to chat or not. Holding your coffee and listening to others was joyful already. The next morning the owner gave us the freshest cucumbers from the farm. The view outside the house was wide open. You could see the farmers working in the field and the horses taking paseos around the barn. Then I didn’t realize that those horses would take me for the first horse ride in my life.

I might ride a horse when I was 3 or so. The detail was too long ago to be remembered. While Stephen picked a shining and glowing horse, I chose an opposite one, which is a brown horse. He looked shy and humble with spots around his skin. I padded him before riding on his back. He seemed to nod to me. I was glad to choose him. Stephen’s ride wasn’t quite smooth at all. The owner had to ride with him to prevent the horse jumping around. I only needed to gently switch the bridle, and he understood immediately. I whispered to him on our way to the other side of the corn field. His speed was not too slow and not so fast. I had enough time to take pictures on saddle. He is a 15-year-old horse with the intelligence and the tenderness. On his back, the view of Mascotas was totally different.

Guanajuato is a city that you have to visit while you are in México. It was built along the hill given the history of the mining industry. It’s also a college town. Charming architectures were dyeing by orange sunsets. It’s peaceful and quite at the first glance. We found out its different beauty after the night came. The weekend festival was very famous. The crowd walked toward the plaza and around the city afterwards. Music, fun, and a little magic made you enjoy the moment. My bed was next to the balcony. Lying on it in the morning, I could watch the main street full of people and venders. The city just woke up with the sun shine. The market across the road was busy and energetic. The police’s whistles sounded like birds singing. Somehow, I thought that there were some canaries outside the window while I slept.

Before we left for México, many people told us that México City is quite dangerous. The only exception was the comment from those who lived or were born there. Almost all of Michael’s flat mates told us that it’s dangerous to travel alone there. At the beginning, Stephen and I weren’t worried that much. But you know that you would change eventually if more than three people gave you the same comment on something you think the opposite. The reality in México City concerned us a little.

Sitting on the bus to México City from Guanajuato wasn’t long; at least, I thought so. Michael departed for Guadalajara earlier. The trip to DF would be only Stephen and me. With our limited Spanish, we got a lot of help from friendly Mexicans. We almost know every vender on the street in our neighborhood since we tried different ones every morning. We had 6-peso tacos with beef tongues and 15-peso beef soups for the breakfasts. The girl in internet café knew us well and nodded to us every morning. (she is cute!) The other night, we went to a local bar and tried to order the pork skin. I pushed my nose up and pointed on my skin. However, she had no clue what I was doing. Three gentlemen on the other table laughed at me (hehe…it’s a good way for me to know people though) and helped us order the chorizo. We were invited to their table. The best dish in the bar was something not on the menu. Another amazing soup was made by the shrimp with the chili. Hot and juicy taste was full of my mouth. Drinking some cerveza with new friends would be a good option, too. It was quite a night! On our way back to the hotel, they started singing “♫ La cucaracha ♫...la cucaracha ♫”.

I couldn’t help it but took 2,000s pictures for the whole trip. Of course, we went to many museums and tourist places, such as the Pyramid. There are so many things I want to write down. My friends from AIESEC or a GMBA student, Patricia Nakagawa, Summer ’06, helped us a lot. We really appreciated their kindness and friendship. The most and the best memories I have are still about the people there. Even some details of interacting with them are still fresh in my head. It’s just like yesterday rather than a month ago. I love this country and its people and look forward to visiting there some day. Before that, I shall practice my Spanish in order to start another adventure.

“¡Hola, México!”

The Mid Autumn Festival—Party Time!!

Although the moon was a little shy and didn’t show up quite often, we still enjoyed a great party at Fish on September 19. Greater China Club, Mandarin Club, and Taiwan Club co-host this party for all T-birds to celebrate our Mid Autumn Festival. The breeze sent us the message from home. The weather was perfect to share the beauty of the night.

Renee Zhang, Winterim ’06, and I were the MC of the party. I am sorry that I wore sloppy when Renee dressed up with her qipao, a Mandarin dress. Well…in a way that shows how pretty she is at the party. The moon cakes were something you definitely couldn’t miss at the Mid Autumn Festival. When you cut off them, you would find egg yolks inside. Don’t you think that they look like the moon in the sky? We shared the cakes with the joy and the blessings.

As a tradition, the new students were introduced to the crowd. John Yao, Winterim ’07, not only presented himself but also recited “Thinking of You” to everyone. Accompanying with the night, the poetry was so beautiful and touching. The moon showed up from the clouds eventually. I didn’t know whether the poetry drew the scene or whether the scene recalled the poetry…

The karaoke, of course, was one of the most popular programs. People lined up for performing their songs. Executives from China Telecom also joined us and sang together. From English to Chinese, no matter you are a professional or a beginner. The music simply decorated and smoothen the night. We swung according to the melody…Quite a night! Thank you all. Special thanks to Mike Bolante. Your help was grateful.

The Chinese Wall

Finally, my last trimester is almost done. When I look back, this experience is very unique and definitely valuable. Of course, these trimesters are not always as smooth as we think, especially to a non-native English speaker. I talked another first trimester student and realized that my two cents may be helpful for them to enjoy their T-bird lives.

My first trimester here was a totally disaster and a chaos. Some seniors told me that they thought that the first and second trimesters were the most demanding. There were some courses that I even lost the track in class. That wasn’t a joyful experience at all. As a native Mandarin Chinese speaker, the way or the logic I think and speak is totally different from the Westerners’ are. The burden and the barrier were significant. Sleeping and party became sumptuous to me. The more I studied; the less I understood. There seemed an invisible wall in front of me. Like Sisyphus rolling the rock, I spent my time on something never ended and kept wondering why I came here.

My professor in the college told me if I only want to study a master degree, there is no difference else where. It’s even cheaper in Taiwan with the same courses. The key point is my learning experience. My professors and classmates from other countries are why I want to go oversea. If I only have limited time, what’s my first priority? Since then, I started to involve as many extracurricular activities as I could and to practice my English as much as I did. From the case competitions and school projects to the cultural nights and the parties after the pub, the most valuable payback was that not only my English but also my understanding to other cultures increased.

After getting back to the textbooks, many things seemed easier to me. Professors’ slang in class was also understandable. Although my time management is still bad, I am not like an alien in class anymore. I dare to challenge others’ opinions and discuss with the class. In Asia, speaking in class is rare, and we were not encouraged to do so since the element schools. When you understand this part, you may know why your Asian students seldom speak in class. It takes time for us to adjust. I also urge you all patiently listen to your fellow. Most of time, you will learn something very different, which is the key why we are here, to enhance your T-bird experience.

I always joke myself: The better my English is; the more I drink. Of course, I am not asking you to become alcoholic but to hang out in the pub. You will find out that you are willing to try when you are involved in the atmosphere. In class, we all talk about the serious stuff, but hey, in pub, we need to talk something fun. The more relax you are; the easier you speak.

Reading is always difficult for me. Sometimes, I found that my brain became blank when I read in Chinese, not to mention English. Beside the textbooks or the cases, we have weekly Business Week coming up. I felt guilty and waste that I didn’t finish reading them all. Panic and depression jumped up my mind everyday. One day, another senior advised me that there were few people finishing studying everything on campus. It’s not an excuse though but simply a relief to me. I am like anyone else. Studying hard is a good thing, but we need to balance our lives. I am not telling you to forget your school work. When I took Prof. Kenman’s English class, I wrote a 50s-page individual report as the final project! My point is that we have many things to see around this world. Reading the books and interacting with people are both helpful. Humans have the limitation in study. When the limits are reached, unlike a machine, we have to take a break. Sporting, clubbing, chatting or whatever you feel comfortable is definitely necessary.

Afterwards, I only scammed those materials and magazines. Set some time everyday to study. Anything beyond that is your choice. After all, MBA may be our last time as students before starting our careers again. How come we don’t enjoy this journey? 10 years later, what will you remember about the MBA? Are those terminologies we learned or the cultural events we attend? What matters to you? It’s your choice. At least, I am sure that I won’t regret every moment here when I look back my trimesters. Wish you the best luck!

挑戰極限

這終於是我在雷鳥的最後一個學期了，每當我回想去年七月以來的點點滴滴，總覺得不虛此行。當然一路走來，不見得都是風平浪靜。英文不是我的母語，挫折算是家常便飯。前陣子跟另一位新生聊到第一學期，或許我的經驗可以提供各位參考。

坦白說，第一學期對我來說根本就是一團 亂。有些學長姐說第一、第二學期是課業最重的，此話不假。上完一整天的課，我完全分不清東西南北、只想挖個洞把自己埋起來。很多時候因為是以中文來思考， 我的想法跟其他西方同學差異很大，在溝通上有許多障礙。而且，睡覺和玩樂對我來說是極大的奢侈；書念得越多，真正理解的還不到一半。眼前彷彿有著一道無形 的牆，困住自己。我像是希臘神話裡的薛西佛斯，日復一日推著大石、朝著山頂咬牙前進， 永遠沒有終點。

我大學教授曾經在出國前叮嚀我：重點在於我想學什麼，如果只是為了要唸書，在台灣跟在國外是沒啥差別的，台灣的學費還比較便宜哩！雷鳥的老 師與來自世界各國的同學才是我來這兒的目的，我可以從他們身上學到什麼？如果我的時間有限，我該如何決定優先次序？想起老師的話，我開始盡可能參加每一個 校園活動並把握每一個練習英文的機會。從個案競賽到文化之夜、從社團專案到一個又一個的派對，每次都讓我對於不同文化、國家有了新體驗，當然英文也相對進 步不少。

回到書桌前靜下心來，無字天書般的教科 書變得簡單許多，教授所用的俚語也不再那麼難懂。雖然時間管理作得很差，課堂上我不再格格不入，勇於挑戰其他觀點、融入討論。對大部分的亞洲人來說，上課 發言很不尋常，從小學到大學，整個教育體系甚至不鼓勵學生這麼做。當你瞭解背後的因素，你就會明白為什麼班上的亞洲同學很少在上課的時候發表自己的看法， 我們需要一些時間調整、融入西方的教學型態。我也希望你能耐心傾聽我們的看法，你會從亞洲觀點裡發現和過去不同的思維，這也是雷鳥的價值所在。

我常開自己的玩笑：酒喝得越多，英文就 會說得更好。當然，我不是要你當個酒鬼，而是要你去體驗一下酒吧生活。你會發現那裡的氣氛會讓人無形之間打開心防、攀談。課堂上我們談各式各樣的理論、案 例，但是在酒吧裡沒人會問你對變異數分析應用於哪裡之類的問題。天南地北、古往今來，隨你開口聊。氣氛越輕鬆，說英文就變得越容易。

閱讀對我來說是另一個難題，有時候我連 讀中文都會出現大腦一片空白的狀況，更甭提英文了。除了永遠念不完的課本、案例，我們還有每週定期到信箱報到的商業週刊。面對這些滿坑滿谷的資料，我常常 有很深的罪惡感。看不完總覺得浪費，焦慮與挫折隨著資料量累積。直到有一天，學姐告訴我，這是正常的現象，很少有人能夠把所有資料在上課前唸完，這才鬆了 一口氣。我並非要替自己找藉口偷懶；而是明白大家都跟我一樣。用功唸書當然是件好事，可是在生活與學業之間保持平衡更重要。這不是告訴你，從此就可以丟開 課本盡情享樂；第一學期金門老師的英文課，我一個人就寫了五十幾頁的期末報告！重點在於這世界上還有太多美好的事物等著我們去體驗，唸書和交朋友都有助於開拓視野。人總是有極限的，超出我們能力範圍的時候，記得休息是為了走更長遠的路。運動、跳舞、三五好友談心小酌都是不錯的選擇。

自此之後，我不求細讀，先快速瀏覽、大 概明白重點在哪，有空再多翻幾遍。也規定每天唸書的時間長短，除此之外就看自己安排了，要去玩、要休息都隨你。畢竟，這應該是我們學生生涯的尾聲，我們為 什麼不好好享受這趟旅程？十年之後，你會記得商學院裡的什麼事情？是我們在課堂上硬生生背下的一堆術語？還是我們某天在文化之夜把酒言歡的點點滴滴？對你 來說，什麼才是最重要的？選擇在你自己手上。最起碼，回頭看一路走來的痕跡，我了無遺憾…祝好運！

Hey! AIESEC!

It is the largest student organization around the world. It has almost 90 member countries with more than 50 years of the history. It is an association presenting over 800 universities with approximately 18,000 members and nearly 1 million alumni worldwide. Thunderbird even provides the scholarships for its members. It is AIESEC (pronounced “eye-sek”).

The core activity that AIESEC provides is the International Traineeship Exchange Program (ITEP). This program “enables over 3,500 students and recent graduates the opportunities to live and work in another country”[1]. ITEP was built upon the vision that the understanding among mankind should be based on the interaction between different cultures. Through the internships in other countries, not only the participants but also the local communities will be benefited. Like a chain reaction, the impact can last and continue inspiring others.

The other day in CCC class, I thought about AIESEC, this great organization I have ever involved. A standardized framework called “Exchange Process” was defined by three steps: the preparation, the reception, and the reintegration. “Build as a model for developing and changing individuals whereby the process lasts from an individual’s first interaction with AIESEC until their life ends”[2]. In fact, these three elements work not only for AIESECer but also for any T-bird or expatriate.

The preparation stage is to help an individual obtain the skills, the knowledge, and the attitudes to change. AIESEC uses the Student Review Board to review and to facilitate individuals to adjust them into the foreign country. BaFaBaFa is always the first role play and the prerequisite for the candidates. The transformation begins as soon as they applied. The survival kits and the local contacts are available and compulsory. Interns have to read the material and to contact local AIESECers before they arrive. This process takes about 3 months prior to the reception. AIESEC from both countries (host and domain) help students ready for a positive change.

The reception takes place when the interns arrive. AIESEC helps them from the accommodation and the visa to the cultural adjustments and the company visit. This stage is to ensure the individuals have “a powerful experience” and “a positive change”. The physical exchange experience comes from interns’ daily lives, including their work and leisure time. They are invited to different community activities or AIESEC parties and sessions to interact with locals. Many tours or cultural events are designed for the locals and the trainees from various countries. Trainees may be from every corner of the globe. They help each other to transit the understanding and the practices about the local culture. This step is to ensure a positive impact to both of the trainees and the locals.

The most difficult part is the last one: the reintegration. As soon as the trainees come back, AIESEC ensures their transition to their home country effective. This stage is very challenging because what they go through is very different from their experience. It’s a life-long learning process. Everyone having ITEP becomes a change agent to his or her local environment. They are also involved in AIESEC events to share their cultural shocks and to help others ready for the incoming process. Even I am still going through the reintegration after my work in AIESEC.

Every T-bird is most likely a perfect example of the exchange process. We worked hard for our MBA application. Some prospective students come to the campus for the hospitality weekend to understand the school better. A series of preparation are essential to be granted the admission. After we arrive, the reception includes the school work, the cultural events, and our peer activities (or any time you go to the pub). Upon our graduation, the reintegration starts. Each of us is like a change agent. We are not about to change to world but to be trained as an individual with the values and the global mindset. The interaction between us and our local community is a chemical or chain reaction. The impacts are invisible but effective.

I still remembered the last international conference I attended as a National Committee President in Slovakia in 1998. At the closing, AIESEC International chose “Imagine” as the theme song. I suddenly had a deeper understanding about this organization. That’s why I like it so much and live with it. “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I am not the only one…”

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven,

It's easy if you try,

No hell below us,

Above us only sky,

Imagine all the people

living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,

It isnt hard to do,

Nothing to kill or die for,

No religion too,

Imagine all the people

living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,

I wonder if you can,

No need for greed or hunger,

A brotherhood of man,

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,

but Im not the only one,

I hope some day you'll join us,

And the world will live as one.

---

[1] http://www.aiesec.org/

[2] http://aiesec.org.sg/globalexchange/process.html

Lost in Translation

In the last two weeks of September, there was an executive seminar for China Telecom and UTStarcom on campus. In order to ensure the quality of the program, the department needs some students to translate the lecture in class. I never thought that this job would be so stressful and exhausting. However, I don’t regret that I had this opportunity to work as an interpreter.

Before starting my job, I thought the consecutive interpretation should be piece of cake. Although the alum and the program manager told us that it’s not an easy task, I didn’t really pay attention to it. Come on! What I have in class everyday is actually the same process. I listen and interpret in mind simultaneously. Done! That’s my daily life. As a native Mandarin Chinese speaker, I shall have no problem. After reviewing all the slides, I went to the sessions with full confidence.

The seminar is to provide a series of strategic and marketing views for those executives. They are from different provinces in China. The tiles are from the general managers to the directors. Those top executives were very proactive and eager to learn from the classes. Our role is not only an interpreter but also a bridge between them and professors. The first session was Prof. Teagarden’s “BaFaBaFa”. The whole class was divided into two groups, about twenty each. I only needed to handle one group, given that we all played this game during the foundation week. I was quite relief. However, I underestimated the difficulty too early…

The second class I worked for was Prof. Ettenson’s “Brand Management”. His lecture was too interactive for me to catch up. Although I understood every single sentence he composed, it took me a while to get the corresponding message off the ground. As you know, there was no room for any hesitation or a pause in class. Sixty people stared at me and waited for me to say something. Their eyes were like full load of the laser shooting at me. I noticed that my hands were shaking. So was my voice. Too much information was stuck and overloaded in my head. I sweated like a water tap. That was ugly, I can ensure you.

Karin Zhang, Spring ’05, and Richard Yuan, Summer ’02, stepped in and helped me out. Thanks to both of them. Otherwise, I stood there and was hung there. After four hours of the translation, all I wanted was to sit in commons and to do nothing. Interpreting can be very exhausting. Now I totally understand why Karin and Richard explained and told us: don’t be too hard to yourself. There were so many times that my brain was blank. Besides, a lot of vocabularies in English have no similar ones in Chinese. Furthermore, the difference of the terminologies between Taiwan and Mainland confused some executives. They sometimes challenged and corrected me. For example, marketing can be directly translated as “Market operation and sales” in China but as “Marketing” in Taiwan. That made me even more nervous. I had no idea where or how I could start to prepare for the next session.

Short-term memory is essential and critical to get this job done. Since many professors forgot that the lectures needed to be translated, I sometimes had to stop them for going further. But you know, high power distance in Asia wouldn’t allow me do so. I had to force myself to stop them against my will. If they spoke too long, I already forgot what they said at the beginning. I could only translate the last two sentences. “Because this…that…blah, blah, blah…I really appreciate this and that” from a professor. I could only jump off “Thank you”.

Because of my hand writing, there was a very interesting discussion about the Simplified and Traditional Chinese. Some executives said that the Traditional Chinese is more beautiful and more understandable. Others told me that the Simplified Chinese is easier and faster. They braved in challenging the professors and brought up many issues and examples in class. Prof. Ram’s and Prof. Michel’s sessions were smoother for me since I get used to the consecutive interpretation. I also learned a lot from not only every professor but also those executives.

Each session started at 8 o’clock every morning. Normally, I began at 8 and didn’t finish until noon. After the lunch, another was on its way. Most likely, I would end up with from 3 hours to 8 hours a day. Meanwhile, I still had my classes, assignments, and team meetings during the break or the evening. When I managed to lie down, it was already the midnight. Some classmates thought that I was sick or something because I always looked so tired. A lot of my brain cells were killed. This job was far difficult from what I thought.

Of course, the experience was still very valuable to me. I reviewed many professors’ slides and translated their lectures. Hey! I got paid to learn everything again with different examples and insights. Those executives’ enthusiasm to new theories and management knowledge was very impressive. Their ages are from mid-30s to late-60s. I admire their ambition and dedication. If I were them, I could not have studied as hard as they have. It was very interesting to see the integration between Chinese and Western styles of the management. The dialogues between different mindsets and cultures enlighten me. After several sessions, they started to implement what they learned earlier. It was amazing to see their progress every day.

After two weeks, I realized that this experience was so unique and special. I had the opportunity to work with different professors and to interact with top executives from China Telecom and UTStarcom. The process was painful, but people said: No pain; no gain. Isn’t it? Thanks to Michael Shen and Prof. Teagarden. I really appreciate your patience and advices. There may be another seminar coming in November. Are you interested in? Don’t get lost in translation though.