Being selected as a Philippine delegate for the ASEAN+3 Youth Digital Business Summit 2019 is my second experience of being an ambassador of the country for an international program. (Read about my experience as an AIESEC Exchange Volunteer in Thailand here.) It can be nerve-wracking experience, since you’ll be staying in an unfamiliar country and meet people from different cultures.
The National Youth Commission posted the call for applications for the AYDBS 2019 at least a month before the event. The NYC posts applications for different programs, and I keep tabs on these posts so that I can apply. My application to be a delegate for the AYDBS is my 3rd application for a NYC opportunity, and like what they say, third time’s a charm and I was finally selected.
I received the acceptance email from the NYC around 2 weeks before the summit. Like all NYC programs, there is a pre-departure briefing which is where I first met my co-delegates. The briefing took place the day before we flew out to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the summit.
Here are tips on what to do before your departure:
- Cultural Awareness – Where would the event take place? What countries would other delegates come from? Once you are aware about this, do some research about the country you will go to. This way, you are aware of how to behave appropriately as a global citizen. Be familiar with the culture of your co-delegates as well. There are gestures or expressions that we may consider okay, but they may find it inappropriate.
- Program Preparedness – What are the program activities? Is there anything that you need to prepare beforehand? Understanding the activities can help you pack and prepare accordingly. For instance, the AYDBS had a Cultural Night in which delegates are required to wear national clothing.
- Tokens – You will be meeting new people and will make new friends! It would be nice if you could prepare trinkets for them such as local snacks or souvenirs. Also, there is a high chance that you will meet VIPs (for instance, I was chosen by the organizers to meet the Minister of Youth and Sports for Malaysia), so it would be advisable to prepare a token for them.
That’s a wrap on what to prepare before your departure.
NYC-Philippines-AYDBS 