Zi Yee’s Global Volunteering in Bucharest, Romania!
Looking for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop your communication and leadership skills? Soar abroad with our youth-based program, Global Volunteer!Let’s hear it first-hand from our alumni, Zi Yee, the former Local Committee President of AIESEC in Edinburgh. Besides being an AIESECer, she went to Bucharest, Romania, for the project Scale Up!, where she and her teammates worked on projects to help kids better understand their culture.Each AIESEC project contributes to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Zi’s project contributed to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. In this article, we’ll explore her experience to better understand the meaning and importance of AIESEC for young people.Zi Yee’s Motivation
In her time with AIESEC in Edinburgh, Zi Yee was the head of the ship, leading her cohort to deliver humankind’s potential. But beyond being a leader, she wanted to experience AIESEC not just as an alumna, but also as a bright-eyed applicant. She wanted to test herself in a challenging environment and learn what AIESEC truly stands for. Originally, she wanted to go on exchange to Hong Kong, but Romania turned out to be one of the best options according to her preferences- a place to learn, grow, and experience something new. So she took the leap.Of course, preparing for the project wasn’t without challenges. The most stressful part of the preparation was the documentation. Fortunately, the AIESEC teams in both the UK and Romania were skilling in handling the process, providing Zi Yee with smooth sailing. “I immediately felt the difference; a new country, a new language, a new environment. They were the spark to challenge myself!”
The Project and Beyond
Zi Yee’s role was to run an online course on Culture, working on the project with teammates from different countries. But her journey was much more than just project management. One of her core memories was teaching kids about Chinese culture- writing with brushes, sharing traditions, and watching their eagerness to learn. Seeing the kids try to communicate and connect made her feel valued and impactful.A big part of the experience was also thanks to the partner organization, which embraced cultural exchange and created an environment where diversity was celebrated.But of course, it wasn’t all work. A true AIESEC exchange also means making memories and take in the surroundings! Zi spent her free time exploring Romania with her new friends- visiting the beautiful city of Braşov where she relaxed at Romanian beaches, and even traveling to Austria and Bulgaria. Even though the friendship had been a few weeks, the group knew they were locked in for life.For Zi Yee, this wasn’t just a project- it was a life-changing experience full of challenges, lessons, new cultures, and unforgettable moments. Adapting to new food, new people, and new ways of thinking gave her unlimited confidence in herself. Memories
Final Advice to Future Leaders
As Zi puts it, “A leader is not someone who rules- it’s someone who guides.” She shared some recommendations for those considering their own exchange:Track your growth: bring a journal to document your experience and reflect on your progress.Stay connected to your roots: while you’re in a new environment, carry something that reminds you of home, your country, or your family—it helps you appreciate cross-cultural understanding even more.Have fun: most importantly, enjoy the experience. This is an opportunity you’ll never forget, a chapter of your life you’ll always look back on and say, “I’m glad I did it.”