Internship with AIESEC Ain Shams University XPlorEgy

AIESEC is an organization committed to developing students to become the next world leaders. They accomplish this by giving students the opportunity to intern abroad to gain experience that might not be otherwise found at home. This summer, I had the privilege to intern for 6 weeks with XPlorEgy, a program based out of Cairo, Egypt that aims to revamp the country’s touristic image by having marketing interns from across the world come together to develop new strategies and material to encourage tourists to the country.

Tourism is a vital part of the Egyptian economy with 12% of the workforce being employed within this sector.  Unfortunately, in previous years, due to political turmoil as well as general unrest in the Middle Eastern region, the amount of tourism within the country has declined drastically, heavily impacting the economy.

The project, XPlorEgy was created to correct some of the misperceptions that travelers have about Egypt as a whole as well as fulfil number 8 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, Decent Work and Economic Growth. Interns are expected to create material highlighting the rich history and natural beauty of places across the country as well as be able to market these places in a presentation style setting. I had the opportunity to develop materials promoting 12 cities in Egypt including Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria with a team of 5 other interns. After creating material for each specific city, our team was expected to present our material to our project managers.

As a Global Business major, the ability to work with people from over 15 different countries and cultures was a vital growth experience. I was also able to put into practice technical skills such as photo editing and video creation as well as utilize soft skills such as team work and communication.

The experience of interning abroad through AIESEC was a defining moment in my life. I was able to meet and network with people from across the globe in various stages of their studies and careers. In addition to developing necessary skills for job preparation, through XPlorEgy, I was able to visit cities and places I had previously only dreamed of, including the pyramids and the Library of Alexandria.

As I continue to pursue my degree in Global Business at the University of Texas at Dallas, I am confident in the fact that the skills and experiences I have had through this AIESEC internship will stay with me as I continue onward to further studies and a fulfilling career.