The cradle of AEGEE in France has unfortunately for many years been dormant. Things seem to be changing and we know that the AEGEEans in France are defenitely ready to revive the AEGEE spirit. One piece of advice: Be prepared.
It has been a challenge for me to work on the development of this part of the Network, but in return it has been one of the most remarkable experiences I have had throughout the past two years of my life.
Regional Training Course (RTC) Paris
It happened in Paris, between March 30th and April 1st, and it had something magical: Was it the kindness of the organizers? The enthusiasm of the participants? The motivation of the trainers? The place? The laughter? The smiles? In the end it was probably a combination of all this, which made it an amazing weekend!
A vast majority of the participants were from Paris, but others came from Toulouse, Lyon, Strasbourg, Lille and Bruxelles. Most of them were French; others were Europeans living in the country. Some already knew each other, but quite a lot were new members, and it was a privilege to be the one introducing them to AEGEE.
Let us “fix” AEGEE in France…
During those two days, apart from some specific trainings provided on key thematic issues such as Human Resources (HR), Public Relations (PR) or Fundraising (FR), participants were given the chance to discover what AEGEE has to offer, and to exchange and discuss their problems and difficulties. Indeed, it is not easy to come from an antenna without a strong Network, where members are lacking experience and where it seems like the hardest task is to find people who discover AEGEE and decide to stay for good.
This is why it was quite amazing to see how even new members were actively contributing to give solutions and how the members would support each other. But suddenly it all becomes easier when you realize that you are not alone, that we are all connected, and all united towards the same goal, that of creating a strong and inclusive European community, where young people have the possibility and the will to express themselves. This kind of event definitely helps to create some invisible link among the participants, as they themselves start to think of as a group rather than individually.
Students during the week, movie stars in the weekend… 
Surprisingly enough, everybody was so enthusiastic. When the initiatives comedirectly from the members, without even being pushed by its Network Commissioner (NetCommie), I have to say it is an excellent sign!
So I suggest you all stay tuned, as you will soon see the result, which I am sure that you will love it !
We often say that quality is more important than quantity, and this is what it was all about. These 25 participants were an example of active participation and you will most probably hear a lot about them in the future, because, from what I experienced, they are ready to rock the AEGEE world.
Written by Lucille Rieux, AEGEE-Toulouse & AEGEE-Las Palmas & Subcommissioner