Attending an international JCI conference is a unique experience. A great number of JCI members reach there after very long trips. The excitement of those days helps them overcome whatever jet lag kept them awake at night. Believe me, it is an incredible experience! You get to know what it is like to get off a flight from the other side of the world and go straight to business. The clock on the wall says one thing, your watch says another. You are trying to work out what the clock is saying back at home and your body clock says “I give up”. However, you will not only live through it but you will love it too.

As someone who has gone through quite a few international events, I am going to tell you one thing that you should remember. You are not going to get much sleep when attending an international JCI conference. However, you will be motivated to achieve more and perhaps a bit awestruck at what you will be experiencing. How could you not? You will be meeting men and women from every corner of the world from more than 110 countries. And as you will crowd into the hotel’s elevators, you will be seeing people in dress that you have never seen before and hearing languages that you have never heard.

The amazing thing about an International JCI conference is that it makes us all stop and wonder at the miracle of JCI, for you will all be there for the same reasons. You will be there because you love JCI. You will be there because of what JCI has enabled you to achieve. You will be there because you want to achieve more! But what will really strike you the most is the one aspect that we don’t always think about – the incredible diversity of JCI and the opportunity to bond and make friends.

JCI Curepipe members, I am urging you to start planning to attend at least one international conference and experience the magic of JCI through it. You will never see JCI from the same perspective.

Yours in true JCI spirit,

Prashant Lallah

2015 JCI Mauritius Immediate Past National President