As a sequel to our previous blog post about Caelan’s first impressions, we had the chance to talk to Shiyu about what she thinks of her time so far as a New Rover Scout.
Hi Shiyu, thanks for letting me speak with you. Let’s start off with something easy. What made you decide to reach out to join the Crew?
At first, I went in for an interview because I was interested in opportunities to do some community service and to improve my management skills. After browsing through their website and seeing all the events and international service projects, I thought it looked really fun and attractive!
I’m a manager of a coffee shop. It’s a full time job, so I spend a lot of time at work with my co-workers. I want to branch out and meet new people, and be exposed to new ideas to further my personal development. It’s also a great way to practice my English!
That’s great! Since you are a manager, are there any particular skills that you like to focus on?
Yes! I’d like to improve my management, communication, and leadership skills.
Great list. It is a lot to tackle though. How do you think you will balance it out, and how have the opportunities you found so far in the Crew help you?
I think it’s just about making time and taking whatever responsibilities come my way. It’s definitely not easy since I do have a full-time job, but having a willingness to participate is very important.
So far, I’ve helped out with the Recruitment department and planning Orientation. I helped to come up with icebreakers that would energize the room and make everyone feel more comfortable. It was a great feeling to be able to share my ideas as I tried to put myself in the shoes of the attendees and think of what they would want. I treasured the opportunity to be a facilitator at Orientation. I was able to speak and interact with the new Rovers in a way that was entertaining and informative. I definitely a learning experience and it was a lot fun!
I also attended the project management workshop (PMT1). It was another opportunity where I got to learn, and I really enjoyed the experience since everyone was very encouraging.
Based on these experiences alone, I feel like I’m already slowly building my leadership and communication skills.
Glad to know that you are already enjoying yourself and taking away so much from the Crew in such a short time. If you could only describe the organization and your experiences in three words, what would they be?
Interesting and caring.
I chose “interesting” because I got to participate in things that are very different from my job. For example, all the Rovers are trying to create more socials to ensure that the members are connecting, and I am very grateful for these occasions to meet more people. I appreciate having so many events to attend.
As for “caring”, I think this is a very supportive group. When I signed up for PMT 1, there would be text reminders about the time and location. They also put in the time to make me feel welcome and important when I attended the workshop.
Awesome! Once again, thanks for sharing your experiences with us and I’m glad you’re already enjoying yourself in the short time that you have been with the Crew.