Overview
Summer 2015 - 2017
AIEF is HOBY's exclusive partner in China and Taiwan. Together with HOBY, AIEF is dedicated to promoting global collaborative learning through Youth Leadership Camps and Internship Programs. Every summer, AIEF helps bring in 80 top students from China and Taiwan to attend HOBY's World Leadership Congress (WLC) in Chicago, Illinois. A week prior to attending the WLC in Chicago, these 80 students stop by Los Angeles for a week to attend a pre-WLC camp sponsored by AIEF. The goal of this camp is to help prepare and transition the students culturally before heading to WLC.
I acted as a HOBY ambassador, which means that I was the students' go-to person for the week. Along with 10 other ambassadors, I spent the week showing the kids around LA, facilitating group discussions about seminars we attended, creating a group project to perform in front of other students, leading group activities to encourage creative and critical thinking, and most of all, connecting with each student to ensure a smooth transition into American culture.
Each year, HOBY had different themes the camp focused on. The HOBY theme for 2015 was "Think Green, Go Green," "Youth's Community Involvement" for 2016, and "The Gold Standard" for 2017. Each summer, about eight different speakers came in to talk about a variety of subjects such as how to save the environment, become more involved as a community, apply for college/get a job in the US, and even about stereotypes of Chinese/Taiwanese culture, education, and people. Such speakers included Walnut Council Member Eric Chiang and CA State Treasurer John Chiang. These seminars allowed the students to ask questions and engage in discussions that allowed them to offer their personal opinions (something that is not highly encouraged in their countries).
Some field trips we also took were to the following places:
Toured: USC, CSUSM, and CSUF Campus, San Diego Art Museum, California Science Center
Participated in: Oceanside Beach Community Service, Operation Christmas Child
Conducted mock city meetings at: Walnut City Hall and San Marcos City Hall
These trips were designed to help students experience American culture and
American life. The activities sought to enhance their understanding and ability to participate meaningfully in the friendly but competitive, multi-ethnic, fast-paced AIEF activities.
Reflection
I thoroughly enjoyed being an ambassador for three consecutive years. As a second generation Taiwanese/Cantonese American citizen, this program has allowed me to share my own experience in America while also gaining a better understanding about theirs. This is significant to me because in the business world, I know that I will encounter many people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. Through HOBY-AIEF, I practiced how to communicate with "non-Americans", understand cultural diversity and strengthen my interpersonal relationship skills, all which are important qualities I need to pursue business.
