There are lots of things people like about being a member of our beloved association. The friendships we make, places we discover, European Nights some unfortunate souls do not remember, and the familiarity. AEGEE is a little world where lots of people seem to know each other.  You go to an event, meet new people, and, after the other introduces themselves, you say: „I know someone from your antenna“.

Being a part of a big network and a small village is nice and comforting at the same time. You even know people you have never talked to, but you have seen them around or heard their names. Others you know because they have done a great deal for AEGEE and some have merely built up a reputation of being someone who – let’s phrase it politely – have conquered lots of the beauties Europe has to offer.

And there is one little sentence most of us have heard: „He/She is famous in AEGEE.“ If you consider AEGEE a village, being a so-called „famous“ person is not all that impressive. If someone holds a position in AEGEE or sends lots of emails to AEGEE-L, it is no miracle these people are known within the network. Comite Directeur (CD) members are a good example as they are the village celebrities. They have presented their candidature in front of hundreds of people, travel around, send emails to the network, and lots of members are very keen on taking pictures with them.

The election craze 

In the AEGEE village, even just saying you want to be a CD member can make you an instant internet sensation. Online you can find long interviews, topped off with the best holiday pictures, convincing us why the potential candidates are the right ones for the position. In times where internet rules the world, promotion has become more urgent than handing in the actual application form.

When you find yourself accepted in the in-crowd of AEGEE-Europe (or you just cannot hide your latest escapades from the network), there is one obvious advantage: you do not need to introduce yourself, people already know your name. However, you might be intimidating and people are shy around you all of a sudden, people will know things about you which you either would not tell them or which actually are downright wrong, and some people just want to be seen with you.

Advice nobody asked for

Even though nobody asked for my opinion, I kindly ask you to consider three things:

Stop thinking people are famous.
Do respect people for the work they do. But do not think that others are better than you, that you cannot talk to them, or that you need to act weird around them. We are all volunteers who do not just work for a better Europe, but we also want to meet new people and have fun.

Let the others say what they want.
Trying to be everybody’s darling is pointless. Be as sweet as you want, there will always be those who don’t like you for whatever reason. Take it from the rappers: Haters gonna hate.

Do not use more than one exclamation mark or question mark, stop using tons of smilies, and never – never – use emoticons if you want to be taken seriously (this has nothing to do with the rest of the article, but I felt it had to be said).

And they gossiped happily ever after…

In AEGEE, we are overall quite nice and respectful to each other and of course little harm can be done when people gossip a bit. But every now and then, just stop and think whether things you hear might be true. A lot of them are not. If I think of the things some people in AEGEE think about me (and I am usually the very last one to hear all the gossips, so thank God I do not know about the rest), I have to consider myself quite bipolar; I am nice as well as tough, mean, and bitchy; I am serious as well as a loudmouth cracking stupid jokes all the time; I am the boring relationship girl as well as the flirty heartbreaker. Obviously, not all of this can be true. And, as mentioned before, there is no point in making a big deal out of it (I even went as far as to repeat some of the things others said about me just to prove my point. Stop caring what others say).

Luckily, AEGEE is not just a village where people gossip, but also a place where you can meet intelligent and inspiring people and stand up for what you believe in. And it is a place where you make true friends. In the end, all that really matters is that there are those who know and like the real you and laugh with you at stupid things that some random person thinks he has to say.

Written by Yvonne Antonovic, AEGEE-Utrecht

Photography by Roman Klementschitz, Vienna, Austria & modified by Erman Berkay, AEGEE-Magusa

The “Where Does Europe End” – project  (WDEE) has proved to be an AEGEE success story; there have been multiple events all over Europe throughout the last years. Participants have been exploring how the European youth perceive their continent; tried to find out into which direction Europe is heading (about enlargement for example); and also discussed the development of the European Union.

The final conference will be held in Utrecht from the 12th till the 18th of May 2012. The local organisers have been working hard for quite some time and their work is paying off – Youth in Action granted funding! 40 EU students will have the chance to stay in a nice hostel and take part in interesting workshops and listen to inspiring speakers. Documentaries will be shown, the living library will let you experience various topics, there will be debates challenging prejudices and stalemate opinions, an excursion to the Hague, a visit to the Dutch parliament, and -maybe the most important aspect- participants will have the chance to speak with policy makers from politics and influential NGO’s.
There are four topics that will be discussed: the enlargement of the European Union, the economic crisis, nationalism, and European borders.  There will be a group for each focus area and the participants will find out how European youth see this particular topic. The event offers you the chance to share your opinion with others, but also to see Europe through the eyes of someone else. How does someone from another country see the economic crisis and why is their view so different from yours?  What would you really like to say to policy makers?

The main coordinator of the event, Casper Wolf, is an AEGEE veteran, and is happy to have the wonderful opportunity to finish his AEGEE career with an interesting conference. He already worked in the local board for one year (full-time) and had left the WDEE one year ago. Under the influence of a beer, and maybe another beer, he could not resist: He and the dedicated ladies in his team want to give it their all to make this conference a success for the network. Thanks to the active support and expertise of the WDEE Team, this conference promises to offer the very best for its participants. Applications will open in February, so keep a watchful eye on the events calendar, come to Utrecht and enjoy the beautiful canals (and some warm stroopwafels at the market).

Written by Yvonne Antonovic, AEGEE-Utrecht

If you have been to an Agora or EBM, you have seen the Chair Team sitting on stage. Some things are obvious: they preside over the plenaries, make sure you can present your candidature, type ferociously, run around in suits, and cut people off.
But there is more work to be done than meets the eye, so have a look behind the scenes.

Like all other teams and Working Groups in AEGEE, the Chair Team also heavily depends on skype meetings and emails, and we can hardly remember the few days when we did not have emails in our inbox. This brings a lot of flexibility, as you can check your emails wherever you are, reply whenever it suits you best and we mostly schedule our meetings at 11 pm so we do not have to take the entire evening off. It might also happen that you think you will just quickly check your mail and end up replying to all mails for at least 30 minutes.

“Of course. I am young, I can work the whole night. I can sleep when I am retired.”, Ilija Bojchovikj, IT Responsible  (when asked by Yvonne at midnight if he can help with a task for the next two hours).

We set up the online application system and are in charge of the communication with the participants (you can send your questions to chair@aegee.org), local organizers, the Fair Manager, the Content Manager of the EBM, and CD members. The work behind the screens thus is fairly administrative. This is what makes the Chair Team a bit different from other bodies in AEGEE. Our work is very concrete, goal-oriented, and more or less efficient. We know all the hard work will pay off, because the event we work towards is going to take place. Working so closely with lots of other people and European level bodies is very rewarding and we enjoy the contact with the network.

We cannot manage all our responsiblities just via email. Before every Staturoy Event we have a Chair weekend (somewhere in Europe) where we have a very intense schedule, but also lots of fun and time for teambuilding activities. Next to the Chair Team, the Juridical Commission and the Secretary General of AEEGE-Europe are present. We select participants and workshops, discuss the proposals, arrange the agenda for the event, divide prytania, structure the plenaries, keep in touch with the local organizers and discuss whatever else comes up. During such weekends, working for 11 hours a day is rather common than exceptional.

Mariella Rapa, Vice-Chair: “I have by now accepted the fact that I will never bring my unread emails down to zero because as soon as I finish, I would have two new ones for sure – it’s like plucking a gray hair out of one’s head; you will end up getting two more in its place. “

During the Agora itself, the 11 hour workday of the Chair weekend almost seems like a piece of cake. We get up early, are the first ones in the plenary room in the morning, work after the programme for day is finished (for instance because the vote counting might take up to 2 a.m.) and cannot join the parties until the break of dawn like other participants. Some of the best, yet very challenging moments, are the prytania and plenaries. The Secretary is very busy typing, the IT Responsible has to make sure all presentations are running smoothly, and the Chairs will do their best so all points on the agenda can be dealt with in time. The challenge is to manage for everyone to be heard, to remain impartial, to always keep an eye on efficiency, always stick to the rules, not to take any offense personal, and to ensure a fair and fruitful discussion.

Sygrit Andringa, Secretary of the Agora/ EBM: “It is a lot of work, but coffee, good music and chocolate keep me going. It is rewarding when everyone involved is happy (participants, CD, JC, organisers, Chair Team) even when things do not go as smoothly as planned.”

The team consists of a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and IT Responsible. The Chairperson and the Secretary are elected during the Autumn Agora. The IT Responsible is appointed after an open call has been sent to the network. The Vice-Chair can either be elected during the Agora, but if there is no candidate, he can be selected via open call. Before the Autumn Agora, people interested in the task can apply as job shadowers.

Yvonne Antonović, Chair: “The most special moments for me are the Opening Plenary (when you finally get started after all the hard work you have done to prepare a Statutory Event) and the Closing Plenary (when you can get to thank the people you worked with). The big smiles on the faces of the people really come from the very heart.”

We do our best to keep up a clear and friendly communciation with the network (also including you!) and to ensure that the Statutory events are run in a professional way.

We are always happy for your feedback and you can always feel free to approach us at any time.

See you somewhere in Europe!

The Chair Team 2012

written by the Chair Team 2012

The AEGEEan proudly presents the new member of the month: Jana Pokorna from AEGEE-Praha and AEGEE-Istanbul! Even though her reaction was “Me? Oh my God! Why?”, I am sure all those who ever had the pleasure to work with her will know exactly why she deserves this prestigious nomination. Dear network, meet the lady who works hard for AEGEE both day and night.

How did you join AEGEE?
During my Erasmus in Bolu, I met some AEGEE people and I loved what they did for the community. The President contacted AEGEE-Praha and I joined when I returned home. I interned in Istanbul and saw the Autumn Agora with all its preparations and AEGEE spirit. I taught English for AEGEE-Istanbul.

You have been a member for a little more than one year now and already have a stunning track record. You revived the Visa Freedom Working Group, were the Fair Manager for the Agora, are part of the Eastern Partnership Team, and you are the Content Manager for the EBM. How can you possibly manage all of this?
The Visa Freedom Working Group was improved due to the Working Group Reform accepted in Skopje. We have four board members and more projects running, so this is a big relief for me. In the Eastern Partnership Project I am responsible for the Citizenship Pillar and I take care of the deadlines and organise meetings which is not that time-consuming.
It really motivates me if work is in progress, things work smoothly, and people respond to their email. Other than that I only need passion, enough coffee and deadline stress.

What improvements would you like to see in AEGEE?
I want people to be more active. It is not about the money. My friends and family do not always understand why I put so much time in AEGEE when I could also work in the meantime, but I’d rather do something fulfilling and have two part-time jobs instead.

What is your occupation outside the AEGEE bubble?
I just finished my second degree in International Relations and EU studies. At first I studied English and Russian for commercial purposes. Right now, I am looking for a job. Until finding a full-time job, I give tours on a castle in the weekends and visit my friends and family regularly – my life is full of excitement!

What makes you happy?
I like being useful and contributing to a cause. I enjoy stories, talking as well as listening, solving problems for other people, and I really enjoy tricky questions that challenge me to think hard. I would like to achieve something big and AEGEE is a part of this mission.

What upsets you?
People who ignore orders and show up late. I grew up in a small village and that might be the reason why I do not like gossips (although I like taking care of the gossip box during events).

A strong dislike for people running late and being unable to take orders makes you sound like you are mentally German.
I definitely am! (laughs)

What was the moment during which you felt the strongest AEGEE spirit?
During the Agora in Alicante when the video for the Visa Freedom Working Group was shown and everyone was clapping. But I also like group pictures (for instance during the SU and during the Planning Meeting in Poznan).

Your motto is “Life is my playground”. What is your favorite thing on a playground?
I am competitive and I like ball games and contact games. When I was little, I used to have more guyfriends than girlfriends. I guess I was more the Lisa Simpson kind of student getting straight A’s.

Thank you Jana for all your passion and dedication towards our association!

Written by Yvonne Antonović, AEGEE-Utrecht

Dear Network, meet another Italian president:  Ermanno Napolitano, the new president of the Juridical Commission whom you have given an amazing 93,3% of your votes.

During the introduction of the Chair Team and JC at the Agora Skopje, you clearly had the loudest and most passionate applause.

(Ermanno is a bit shy now) It is strange and emotional every time people applaud for me so loudly, but it gives me the strength to continue working.

You very successfully concluded your mission to clear up the archive. What motivated you to keep going?
It was the biggest challenge for the JC last term. We actually created the archive, because before there was only a mess of statutes, CIA’s, and current as well as deleted antennae, all lying somewhere in the basement of the CD house. After discovering this, I went to the CD house twice to establish a proper archive and Edouard, the former JC President, joined me during the second weekend. After the Chair weekend we finished our task. The archive is sorted from A-Z now, and there are different folders for statutes, CIA’s, antennae, and deleted antennae. I scanned all the CIA’s to create an online archive. I found out some Convention d’Ahésion were lost and most of them were re-signed during the Agora.
It was a huge amount of work, but I found the first Key to Europe, old booklets, old pictures from every CD AEGEE has ever had, and documents from before the fall of the Berlin wall. When realizing you hold a piece of AEGEE history in your hands, some from before I was even born, that motivates you to keep on working until the task is done.

Before you were elected JC President, you were a part of the JC and Edouard Mougin was the President. How did the working together go?
Working together was great and the most important thing is that we are friends. Edu also attended my SU in Catania. Of course we had disagreements about JC things and it happened that we sent 52 emails back and forth, disagreeing on how to handle a proposal. The most important thing is that we always found a solution in the end.

You just have a very big impact on each other’s daily life when you have skype meetings for three hours, even at night. I think there were just two days during our term when we did not keep in touch and that was when we had exams.

You were present during the Chair weekend before the Agora which is unusual since you were not the President of the JC back then. How was your cooperation with the Chair Team?All I can say is that the Chair Team is my family! I felt like a part of the team, we stayed in touch a lot and I was there for the Chair weekend. You sit together in front of the whole Agora and when difficulties occur, I felt we have been in this together. Whenever there was a tricky question to one of the Chair Team members, it was just as well addressed to me.

I am proud of the former Chair Team and I look forward to working with Yvonne and Sygrit this term, also because I knew both of them before the election already. Even though we are still recovering from the Agora, I already had a skype meeting with Yvonne at night to work on things and it was a great start for our term.

Rumor has it that you are very impressed by the Dutch in AEGEE. Does this make you any less Italian?
I guess I am half Dutch and half Italian. I went to the Netherlands a lot to see how Dutch antennae work. When I went to their offices in Groningen and Utrecht, it was like entering another world. They spend at least 7 hours a day on AEGEE and it is a job for them so they treat it like professionals. I want to see what they do so well and take it home to my antennae and also use it for my work.

What did you think of the pasta served at the hotel in Struga?
(laughs) It is the same when eating pasta in the Netherlands. I try it and then I go out for dinner because I just cannot eat it. I do not need Italian food, but I want nice food and I therefore I spend way too much money on food.

This is the only downside in the Netherlands: their food is just not good.
Do you consider yourself an Italian Casanova?
(laughs again) I really do not feel like a Casanova.

Are you still looking for subcommies?
Yes, the open call has been sent. Some people expressed their interest during the Agora and I hope they will apply. They will be working in one of the most important teams where they will understand the legal structure of AEGEE and also work with the Chair Team. Of course a subcommie has responsibilities when he is assigned for a certain task, but in general he just learns and supports the team. Sometimes I miss being a subcommie and having way less responsibilities.

Thank you, Ermanno and all the best of luck for your term as JC President.

Written by Yvonne Antonovic, AEGEE Utrecht

The Agora: some might sloppily refer to it as AEGEE’s place where the magic happens, others describe it as the stakeholders conference for AEGEE. It is not an average stakeholders conference though, because some people just come for parties and we do not all dress to impress.

It could mean this if it were not for two other reasons: Even if you look all professional with your tie, but still do not actively take part in the discussions in the Agora, looks can deceive nobody. And you should wear what you feel confident in: You want to change the world in your pajama’s? Great, go for it.

The grey Brussels sky greeted me as I arrive at the CD house on a Friday in September.  The greeting from the CD inside was a lot warmer though. Upstairs in the social room Percin was already discussing proposals with Edu and Ermanno from the JC. I just had time to put my bags in a corner and the work continued. However, there were three things to look forward to on Friday night : We were done quickly, Alberto was about to arrive at some point, and it was Alfredo’s birthday party. I still think we lacked a performance of someone singing “Happy birthday, Mr. President!”, but we had a great evening anyways.
The next morning started way too early. We slowly got into the kitchen, cleaned up the remnants of the Presidential birthday bash, had breakfast (with some sweet stuff for our Alberto and Ermanno of course) – and got back to work. We discussed and selected workshops, improved the voting procedure, were impressed by the most silly invalid voting ballots Edu found in the dust of the CD archive,  and of course selected each and every participant. This meant a lot of mouse clicks for Percin and Alma, the Secretary General who is practically also a member of the Chair family. It also required some discussion with Jüri, the current Network Director, and sending lots of emails to people whose applications were faulty. Even if it means that you need to spend your short break on writing lots of emails to people, we always know: Chairing is caring.

After a hard day’s work, Gizem and Guillermo strolled through downtown Brussels with us. Edu had to get ready for his first gold strike and we all enjoyed delicious chocolate waffels – and the pictures proving we had chocolate all over our face like little kids. El padre Ermanno cooked a romantic candle light dinner for 15 people (pasta, what else?!) and the evening was topped of by Jüri’s speech, Guillermo’s bitch cocktail, and the arrival of Robert! The task division was clear: Percin left to for a college party (lame!), Ermanno cooked, Alberto took the pictures, and Rob simply charms everyone by just speaking English the way he does.

On Sunday we were complete (Chair Team, JC, Alma, Alla) and the complicated puzzle of dividing prytania started. We talked to the organisers from AEGEE-Skopje and are happy to see they put a lot of effort into making it a memorable Agora. The hardest part came at the end: stuffing the entire program into the agenda. At 11 pm we decided it was time to hit the clubs. We took Gizem with us and rocked a gaybar until everyone had left and we were kicked out.

The weekend was tough, but the atmosphere was fun and inspiring at the same time. And let’s face it: the hardest part for us and real lack of sleep is yet to come. See you in Struga!

written by Yvonne Antonovic, AEGEE Utrecht