Young Arab Leaders (YAL) at Daimler
On the 2nd of July, Daimler organized its first event to its Arab International Exchange Interns. It was a group meeting in Untertürkheim with one of the Board of Directors in Daimler, Mr. Porth. We all gathered together, talked and presented and concluded the evening with a delicious cuisine.
When we all (the interns) met at noon, the event kicked off by a short presentation presented by Mr. Meier. The presentations’ topic focused on Daimler’s activities and its involvement in various fields. It has also uncovered the initiation of the Daimler Internship Exchange Program, which was founded under the title “Young Arab Leaders” in corporation with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai in 2004. But after the financial crisis in 2009 and several financial sufferings, the program could not be funded, and there were Daimler changed the program’s name into ‘Daimler Internship Exchange Program-Arabia’ (DIEPA). We have also seen the various divisions in which Daimler is greatly involved. Daimler as mentioned is greatly involved in cars, trucks, vans and buses production as well as financial services.
After the short presentation, we were given some posters and asked to draw and write our names and our first impression that was indulged in us when we first stepped in Germany. We drew what came in our minds and then we were asked to present about ourselves and explain what we drew in the posters. Mr. Wilfried Porth, Mr. Bernd Staudinger as well as Salome Bosch, an intern with Daimler who was responsible for the events of the interns at Daimler, attended this presentation. We all got to know each other more and more and the barriers between us were somehow dissolved. Mr. Porth listened to our presentations and elaborated on a point that was mentioned several times by most of us, the various forms of cultural greetings. Each of us has a different way of greeting the other person. Coming from Germany and travelling throughout his life, Mr. Porth was able to explain to us how cultures differ from one another when it comes to greeting.
The motivating team spirit
The next day, on the 3rd of July, Daimler once again organized an amusing trip. Today’s trip was one of a kind. In the morning, we met Christina Lydia Joos and Salome Bosch, interns with Daimler whom are responsible for the events planning and interns issues.. We all were more like a family, walking, talking and joking as a complete whole family.
We visited Daimler’s Head Quarters in Untertürkheim in the early morning. Being present beside the motor factory plant, we attended a presentation that revolved around the different types of motors in the various classes of Mercedes cars.
We entered the motor plant factory, and saw how the magnificent tiny motor parts get to be assembled together to form a marvelous motor. Our finite minds would hardly understand the complicated and sophisticated processes that the motor parts go through in order to get a single motor unit at the end. Parts are collected from different places all over the world and each part is scanned and given a specific serial number in order to be identified by several sensors. Robots are everywhere working coherently. Everything including the automation machines works in peace and harmony.
Having lunch together in Daimler’s canteen was our next step. We enjoyed a delicious meal with Daimler’s staff and afterwards we headed off to Mercedes Benz museum in Untertürkheim. This was a whole new experience. This museum is more like a town in a town. The museum did not only present the latest Mercedes cars and its predecessors, in fact, it has also a huge section which portrayed Germany’s history and how life looked like before the introduction of automobiles in a group of simple pictures and models. We observed the first automobile on earth, which was the Benz motor wagon, and saw the first designed motors that are named under its inventor, the Otto motor. We have also noticed the various models of Mercedes cars, vans, buses and trucks. Huge massive machines were all brought from several years back and put together under one roof.
Last but not least we were excited and keen to try the formula 1 stimulator. We were taken through a visual as well as practical tour, by trying a moving simulator that uncovered the history of the Mercedes racing cars.
Overall, those two days not only will not be forgotten. I would like to deeply thank Christina and Salome for this amusing tour. I would also like to emphasize on thanking my dear friends for making this day fun to all of us. Thanks Elias, Nasser, Asmae, Zineb, Farah, Basma, Gina, Lina, Mohammed, Noha Khater, Noha Hassan, Salma, Nancy and Christine. It was fun and comfortable to be with all of you, and looking forward to enjoy another interesting day with all of you. Although I wonder how a more interesting day would look like more than the past two days!