What if you are passing by the experience of your life every day?

That is something Zak, today’s Global Volunteer, thought of. He thought of it until he decided that he didn’t want to miss out on any opportunities that lay ahead of him.

And he chose to embark on a journey once in a lifetime.

Getting to know the beginning

You see, Zak is one curious person.

He has been a member of AIESEC for well over a year, and he was inspired by the stories his exchange participants told him on their return to try it out himself.

History has always been a passion for Zak, which is why he wanted to explore a country that offers a history lesson with every step. That’s how Zak landed in, you guessed it, Egypt.

Getting to know Egypt 

Arriving in Egypt, Zak has been met with great enthusiasm and warmth.

“My arrival in Egypt has been a blast. I had people waiting for me at the airport. Little did I know back then that the people from AIESEC at Ain Shams University would end up being close friends of mine. In fact, everyone I met during my trip would become special to me.” [Zak] 

Once Zak settled in, a mandatory session for volunteers was to attend the incoming preparation seminar.

“The incoming seminar was there to teach us more about AIESEC, about the local culture, and about the work we will be doing for our project. I chose a project called Scale Up. Some of my tasks revolved around doing marketing activities for a clinic. It was quite the experience. I was familiar with marketing before, but it was different to learn how to do it in a different country. Our goal was to also educate the wider population about their health, tooo,” says Zak.

And while Zak learned more skills during his working hours, he learned more about the local culture in his free time.

“I experienced a lot. Like, really, a lot. Not only did I meet international volunteers like I did, but I also got to meet locals who would invite me to their houses. In Alexandria, I was hosted by an Egyptian family for 4 days. Those were four days filled with hospitality and kindness. It was highly interesting to see how a local family lives. What their daily lives look like. This is an insight you rarely get to experience as a tourist. Not to mention that I even got invited to their daughter’s graduation party. Who gets to experience that?” [Zak] 

But the experience in Alexandria wasn’t Zak’s only worthwhile experience.

“During my free time, something I liked to do was explore Cairo. That is the city I had my project in. I liked trying out new foods, meeting people, and doing fun activities. I remember some of those activities including bowling and having a little fun party on a fallouka. Falloukas are the boats you can rent on the Nile. People like to party on them.” [Zak] 

Yet, the main reason he chose Egypt didn’t fall short.

“Of course I had to visit the museums. But the highlight of it all was my visit to the pyramids. It was a dream come true. Over 5000 years of history are in front of me. It’s mind-blowing!” [Zak] 

Getting to know AIESEC

Thanks to Zak being a member of the organization, he experienced a few more opportunities. Such as a local conference of the local AIESEC branch in Ain Shams.

“Participating in their local conference was fun. At AIESEC, we have a conference every quarter. During these conferences, we learn more skills, deepen our knowledge about the vision of the organization and how we can become better leaders, and ultimately improve the world. At the same time, they also offer an opportunity to connect with people. I was very fortunate to arrive in Egypt when they had this conference going. It brought me closer to the AIESEC members here.” shares Zak.

Concluding

For Zak, his experience in Egypt has been a wonderful moment in his life, with many memories. Just like Aydan, he fulfilled all his objectives during his exchange and returned home with new skills learned, more stories to tell, life-long connections, and, of course, a better understanding of one’s capabilities.

This wouldn’t have been possible if Zak had waited. So, what are you waiting for? You can sign up today and experience a life-changing experience with Zak.

And because images tell stories worth a thousand words, we left you here with some more from Zak’s journey. I hope you enjoy it!