Are you looking for something fun; the next online craze in Europe? Then get ready to kick your instagramming, travelling and AEGEE spirit into overdrive. The Your Vision for EUrope team wants you to get online and share that one special moment you felt most European. Elinne Mertens tells you all you need to know about your next greatest online addiction.

The AEGEEan: What, in a nutshell, is this online campaign all about?

Elinne: To start very dry and theoretically, one of the objectives of Your Vision for EUrope is “to involve at least 1000 young Europeans representing at least 25 different countries in public discussions and (social media) campaigns that allow them to share their own personal views on Europe, as well as to be informed about topical European issues and politics.”

We realised that the project is doing a good job in ‘offline’ activities, like delivering workshops or organising a conference, but that the ‘online’ involvement can be increased. That is why the idea to do an online campaign popped up, connected with the abovementioned objective. Also, 2017 is the anniversary year of Erasmus+, so why not connect these two together?

Who can participate?

Very short answer: everyone in Europe.

How can they participate?

We will create an event on Facebook where people will have the opportunity to share a memory, moment or experience when they felt European. You could include a picture, tag the persons you experienced it with and use the hashtag #MyEuropeanMemory. By posting it in an event, the stories are collected in one place and can easily be shared.

How long will this campaign last?

The campaign will last for one month, starting the 2nd of February and ending the 28th of February.

What are the goals of the campaign?

The campaign makes it possible for every person to share their European memories. The campaign aims at collecting different stories that show a connection with the European project, which is more than only the European Union. We want to show that the European project is part of our everyday lives, that it is made up of different moments captured in our minds.

Why is it important to have such a campaign?

2016 was a year to never forget. We had the refugee crisis which is still going on, we had the Brexit and the election of president Trump, all of which are considered to be a threat to democracy. We had people calling upon solidarity and responsibility. But most of all we had people feeling powerless, like what is happening on the level of politics is something bigger than themselves. This campaign allows people to show that the European project is valuable to us by taking a small action. We are all different, but what unites us is that we all live in the same world. We may be falling apart, but we cannot ignore the fact that we all have some valuable memories, which can be connected through the European project. That is what this campaign tries to show.

Is there something I did not ask, but that you would like to see included in the interview?

Well, we are trying to get ESN branches on board, regarding the framing of the campaign in the 30th birthday of Erasmus+. This is why we are sharing some Erasmus+ related content on our Facebook page. We hope that ESN branches will spread our campaign, and more importantly that all AEGEE-locals will cooperate. We are sure that in AEGEE there are endless European memories to be shared, but also outside AEGEE or Erasmus, people might have stories to tell, even if it is just a holiday memory or an internet experience.

Written by Willem Laurentzen, AEGEE-Nijmegen

With all the promotion for events like YO!Fest 2017, you will likely see the words “Maastricht treaty” being casually mentioned in emails, posts on social media, promotional texts and others. But what exactly is the Maastricht treaty and why is it significant now? These and more questions will be answered in the article below.

What is the Maastricht treaty?

In a nutshell, the Maastricht treaty is what created the European Union, and drafted what it meant to be a member state. There would later be amendments to this treaty in Amsterdam, Nice and Lisbon, but, simply put, the Maastricht treaty can be seen as the ‘mother treaty’. It created the concept of European citizenship for the citizens of its twelve member states at that time, and it laid out the plans for what would be the economic and monetary union with a single currency- the Euro.

Why is it significant now?

The laws in the Maastricht treaty have had an impact on the life of all citizens of the member countries of the European Union, because this very document largely defines what it means to be part of the European Union; to this day it still serves as the anchor point for the European Union as a whole and for the national governments of the member states. It becomes especially significant now, since we are approaching the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty (signed in Maastricht on 7 Feb. 1992) that has influenced the legislation for almost an entire generation.

What were the objectives of the Maastricht treaty?

According to Article B of the Maastricht treaty, the EU shall set the objectives of promoting balanced and sustainable economic and social progress, most notably by:

• creating an area without internal frontiers, with a single currency;
• implementing a common foreign and security policy, with the option of leading to a common defence of the union;
• creating a European citizenship;
• analysing and eventually revising policies and forms of cooperation, if necessary, for the assurance of the effectiveness of the mechanisms and institutions of the European Community.

Did the Maastricht treaty have immediate acceptance?

No. Three countries in Europe: Denmark, France and Ireland, held referendums on the signing of the Maastricht treaty in 1992.

The Danish rejected the Maastricht treaty with 50.7 voting against and 49. 3 per cent voting in favour with a turnout of 83.1 per cent. This led to the “National Compromise”, which called for four exceptions for Denmark: the country would not participate in a common defence action, it would not take part in the single currency or other economic policy obligations linked to the third stage of the EMU, it would not be committed in relation to union citizenship, and it refused to accept the transfer of sovereignty in the area of justice and police affairs.

Ireland and France voted in favour of the Maastricht treaty, but in France this was only done by a relatively slim margin: in the end, with a turnout of 69,8%, the difference was decided by slightly more than half a million votes.

John Major, the then prime minister of the UK, signed the treaty, but also negotiated for a special opt-out of the Social Chapter provisions on employment law for the United Kingdom. This, however, still needed to be ratified by the British parliament in 1993. Opposition to the opt-out was fierce, and the debate on dismissing the opt-out escalated to a point where parliament almost lost confidence in Major’s leadership.

Decades later, issues surrounding the transfer of sovereignty and the allowance of opt-outs would still play an important role in European politics, such as the EU-UK negotiations on the very eve of the Brexit.

Had Jean-Claude Junker have anything to do with the treaty?

Yes, the current President of the European Commission was deeply involved with the creation of the EU, even back in 1992. There is a lot of information you can find about Junker and the Maastricht treaty (and we encourage you to do so), but perhaps one of the most outstanding things he did was that he literally left his mark on the treaty, signing it in 1992 in his capacity as Minister for Finance of Luxembourg.

Written by Willem Laurentzen, AEGEE-Nijmegen

Sources in the links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/europe/euro-glossary/1216944.stm

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/556938/IPOL_STU(2016)556938_EN.pdf

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/treaty/pdf/amst-en.pdf

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ftu/pdf/en/FTU_1.1.4.pdf

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ftu/pdf/en/FTU_1.1.5.pdf

https://europa.eu/european-union/sites/europaeu/files/docs/body/treaty_on_european_union_en.pdf

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/treaty-tightrope-the-social-chapter-what-it-is-and-why-conservatives-hate-it-1486124.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-maastricht-debate-major-faces-the-ultimate-challenge-todays-commons-motion-this-house-has-1486484.html

http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/2/228.extract

https://tidsskrift.dk/index.php/scandinavian_political_studies/article/view/13222/25191

http://www.yofest.eu/

Europe on Track is an official AEGEE-Europe project in which six ambassadors, divided in two teams, travel for a month across Europe with InterRail in order to get to know how young people see the present and the future of Europe.

A bit of history: the first edition of EoT took place in 2012 thanks to a partnership of AEGEE-Europe with InterRail. It was so successful that it won the European Charlemagne Youth Prize. In 2014, the second edition of EoT followed, with a focus on the European Parliamentary Elections that coincided with the trip. In the third edition, last spring, the topic was “Borderless Europe”, ending in Agora Bergamo, where the project became an official AEGEE-Europe project.

After Agora Bergamo, we went back on the rails to evaluate EoT3, and to prepare for EoT4. During our evaluation of the 3rd edition, we analysed the countless data that the ambassadors collected, which will be published in a results booklet soon. Due to our analysis, we can implement changes for our preparations of EoT4 in order to improve the project and to expand its growth. In summer, new members joined the project team and a knowledge transfer took place. With the new team, and in cooperation with the Civic Education Working Group, we decided on the topic of the next edition: Civic Education and the European Citizens’ Initiative “More than Education” (see and sign: www.morethaneducation.eu).

One thing we knew was that we wanted to start the next edition with a big opening conference. When the opportunity to apply for the Franck Biancheri Award was presented during Agora Chisinau, we did not hesitate to apply. For those who do not know, the Franck Biancheri Award is a yearly prize awarded by the Association des Amis de Franck Biancheri to a thematic conference within AEGEE locals, in order to commemorate our founder’s ideas and to push forward the values of our association.

AEGEE-Budapest, apart from being a great and hard-working local, is really involved in Civic Education. For example, they are carrying out a project called “Get Involved!” in which they conduct several debates with students about different topics that are relevant for the current situation in Europe.

After many conversations, we organised a Skype meeting where both teams, Europe on Track and AEGEE-Budapest, were present. Everything went very smoothly; we were all on the same page and had similar ideas of what we wanted to get out of this cooperation. I think this has been one of the keys for winning the Franck Biancheri Award. On the other hand, we would also like to thank the Association des Amis de Franck Biancheri for believing in us and making our idea a reality.

As a result of this, you can already book your dates: the opening conference of EoT4 wil take place in Budapest from the 21st to the 23th of April, and the ambassadors will finish their trip at Agora Enschede on the 23rd of May.

The overall crisis has proven that there is a need of re-thinking democracy and how our systems work. We believe that the only way for a long-term change and democratisation of Europe is good civic education to which everyone can have access, to shape critic, active and responsible citizens.

Europe on Track 4 will explore what being a good citizen means all around Europe, what is being taught and what needs to be improved in order to achieve a better and inclusive democracy according to young people. The idea of this edition is to involve as many people and stakeholders as possible, collecting more different ideas and points of view, in order to have a better impact.

If you want to know more, check www.aegee.org/europeontrack and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeOnTrack/ . If you want more information, contact us at europeontrack@aegee.org.

Stay tuned, open calls for hosting local and ambassadors and much more news about EoT4 coming soon!

Written by María Ballesteros Melero

Last September, AEGEE-Baki organised a Model United Nations (MUN) about Human Rights. It was directly connected with the Civic Education Focus Area (Aim 1, Objective 1) and the Spreading Europtimism Focus Area (Objective 3). For this reason, they were chosen as ACTive Local of the Month. We spoke to Vazifa Khalilli, PR Responsible of AEGEE-Baki, to find out more!

ACT: Which emotions did you feel when you were told that AEGEE-Baki was chosen as ACTive local of September?

Vazifa: At the end of a very busy and tiring day, it was really nice to know that AEGEE-Bakı was chosen as Active local of September. This totally made our day!

Why did you decide to organise this activity/these activities?

Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations where participants role-play delegations in representing a country’s position on a certain topic, and it is also directly connected with the Civic Education Focus Area and Spreading Europtimism Focus Area. On the other hand, it gave students the opportunity to use their creativity to find a resolution to the problem while enhancing their knowledge of politics as well as their public speaking and debating skills. MUN provided youth with a wide range of possibilities of debates in the following committee: UN Security Council.

What was the result of your activity?

Our conference gathered 15 delegates from different countries coming from all over Europe and the world. These delegates engaged in enlightening debates in our committee. In brief, the delegates were challenged to think outside the box and find solutions to the problems related to our society. Moreover, participants were not only members from AEGEE-Bakı, there were also non-AEGEE-Bakı members -which understandably describes that we were able to reach as many young people as possible.

How do you inform your members about the Action Agenda/Strategic Plan?

Actually, we inform our members about the Action Agenda and the Strategic Plan at our Local Training Courses and in some of the events organized by our working groups, in addition we used to have a project giving information about AEGEE, Action Agenda and Strategic Plan. Furthermore, we also inform our members on our social media accounts about open calls for the positions and projects in Europe where they can help to develop these areas and also get new experiences in AEGEE Europe too.

Do you have any other activities related to the Action Agenda/Strategic Plan?

As mentioned above, in Local training Courses we do some interesting activities related to the Action Agenda/Strategic Plan. Besides, every week during the summer, in our lovely office we came together in order to share our ideas and do some workshops related to that. Now, we are thinking about new, inventive activities which can also inform members about the Action Agenda/Strategic Plan in a different way.

Why should other locals organize activities related to the Action Agenda/Strategic Plan?

I think the most important thing in AEGEE for improvement is to share. Because, as a local, if you do not share missions and visions of AEGEE, clearly you just try to survive. In other words, without Action Agenda/Strategic Plan, you cannot be aware of anything and AEGEE cannot make a change. That is why we come to conclusions, make future goals for the Action Agenda/Strategic Plan and share them in order to make a change for a better future in AEGEE. If every local does what they have in their mind, we cannot say “Feel the AEGEE Spirit”, because that spirit is not felt anymore. Doing what you want does not change a thing. If we need to improve together, we need to act together.

Do you have any tips for organising thematic activities?

The tip that you need to organise something different, creative and amazing is not your only motivation; your motivation is also buinding a big, but also strong team like AEGEE. And for this big team, you do not only need to find people that work together. For that, you have to also find a team that trusts, shares and cares for each other!

Can you tell us a bit more about your local? (Founded in, members, active members, committees you have, etc.)

AEGEE-Bakı started its activities in 2004 and more than 1500 local students have been involved in different local and international projects. The main purpose of the organisation is to promote the European ideas by creating cooperation between Azerbaijani and European students. Since the academic year started we are in the process of gaining new members and currently we have almost 150 members. It is really wonderful that we can attract so many students from different faculties. For example, we have law students, economy students, engineering students etc. On the other hand, the AEGEE-Bakı Board consists of 5 board members(President- Farid Rahimov, Secretary&HR Responsible- Narmina Yolchuyeva, PR Responsible- Vazifa Khalilli, Treasurer&FR Responsible- Vusal Veliyev, Project Director&External Relations Responsible- Rashad Nazarli + 2 advisory board members- Orkhan Babayev, Kanan Atayev). Besides, we have also 5 working groups, namely Human Rights, Languages, Education, Sport and Entertainment, Culture. As board members, we are working on new, creative projects and giving motivation and inspiration to our lovely members every day.

Characterise your local in one sentence.  

A work of heart! 

Written by ACT

Every year, on the 11th of November, the Network Commission celebrates its birthday, and this year, they turn twenty. To celebrate this special occasion, we interviewed a number of former Network Commissioners: Lia Touska, Mario Galea, Hanna Alajõe and Andrea Schmelz, to tell us about their time in the office, and to see how much the commission has changed.

The AEGEEan: Could you introduce yourself?

Lia: I am Lia Touska from AEGEE-Kastoria and AEGEE-Sofia. I was a NetCommie in the period starting from Agora Patra until AgorAsturias.

Mario: My name is Mario Galea, I am from AEGEE-Valleta.

Hanna: I am Hanna from AEGEE-Tartu and I have been a NetCommie until very recently, as my term has finished just after Agora Bergamo.

Andrea: I am Andrea Schmelz and still a happy member of AEGEE-Passau. I was a NetCommie from October 2014 until November 2015.

How was it being a NetCommie during your term?

Mario: At the beginning, we were eleven people who had to start working with their own locals immediately after the elections, in a mostly individualistic approach to our network. During our mandate, we changed the term periods to allow more team building and knowledge transfer, before actually starting our work. We have built a more unified approach towards the whole network with one functioning platform, a single massive working plan and one activity report, acting like a real body and not as individuals.

Andrea: It was a lot of work, almost like a part-time job, and luckily very rewarding. Most of the work happened online, but the best moments were when you actually went out in the field and met the members. AEGEE’s strength is the impact we make on the individuals and this is something you constantly experience as a NetCommie. To a large extent, the NetCom is responsible for a lot of administrative work, but it is also a hub of different political views and values. One should never underestimate the diversity of the network that influences our work – it is a huge challenge and learning experience for any NetCom team.

Lia: Being a NetCommie was, and still is, the best experience someone can come across. I took care of locals from two different areas (Dutch-speaking and Greek-speaking), I was always there when they had questions and I visited them during my NetCom trip. Lastly, the team spirit that we had within our NetCom team was the trigger of friendships that have been lasting until now.

How was this different from now?

Hanna: I think being a NetCommie during my term was quite similar to what it is now, and this is because my term is still very recent. The strange thing about being part of the NetCom is that, during your term, you can have two totally different experiences, as every half a year half of the team changes. That makes working in the NetCom so hard to explain. The group dynamics can be so different depending on who is part of your team, which locals you are working with, which apps are malfunctioning on Podio… et cetera.

Lia: Back in my time, the term of NetCommies was not equal, LTCs and RTCs were not antenna criteria yet and it was hard to find a hosting local for a NWM.

Andrea: Since my term was not so long ago, there have not been too many drastic changes. We have moved the entire work during our term to Podio, professionalised quite a lot and coordinated the work more as a team, rather than 11 individuals. I am glad to see that the NetCom kept this up, as it aims for a much better understanding of the network from a broad perspective. In this way, the ideas which have been developed before and during our term are kept alive and in progress by the current NetCom, and this really secures continuity. The present NetCom is very strong in supporting the network, it is inspiring! I am curious to see what comes out of the Antenna Criteria reform.

Why, if impactful, do you think these changes were necessary?

Andrea: I believe that if we want to have an impact as an entire association using the strengths of our network, then we also need to handle the network as a whole. I think the changes in the administration and coordination of our work helped us in monitoring this common impact, and understanding the needs across our entire network. In my opinion, society demands of us to keep up in handling such a large amount of members across so many countries, while still embracing diversity.

Lia: I believe that those changes have been impactful, because NetCommies have enough time for knowledge transfer to the new generation now, and more and more locals are organising LTCs and RTCs implementing the Strategy of Learning and Training. Also, the NetCommies do not struggle to find a local to host their NWMs anymore. Overall, the quality of the Network has been improved.

Mario: The changes we made were necessary, because only with a unified Network Commission, one can ultimately aim at a more unified network. Without a solid common vision, in line with the vision of AEGEE-Europe, the NetCom cannot effectively be that bridge that ties locals together.

What did you like the most about being a NetCommie?

Andrea: Lots of hugging happening during the NetCom trips and events.

 Written by Willem Laurentzen, AEGEE-Nijmegen

A lot of term limits for the NetCom have ended on the first of December this year. So, this seemed to be the perfect occasion to reach out to some of the leaving NetCommies and ask them about their experiences of the past year. Here to answer some questions are Loes Rutten of AEGEE-Aachen  and Lavinia Tole of AEGEE-București, two exiting NetCommies after a year of hard work and dedication.

The AEGEEan: Could you tell us something about yourself?

Loes: My name is Loes, I am 23 years old and I currently live in Innsbruck, where I am taking part in an Erasmus Mundus Master’s programme for Astrophysics.

Lavinia: Hello, I am Lavinia and I am the future “former Netcom” of Central European Dragons. I became an AEGEE member four years ago, but I am still learning and discovering new things. I currently work in digital marketing, I am taking acting classes, I teach French during weekends and I am a yoga and travel enthusiast.

 What made you want to become a Member of the Network Commission?

Loes: More than one year ago I decided to apply for the Network Commission for several reasons. I had just come back from my Erasmus in Bologna. During my months there, I worked together with the super motivated board of a relatively new antenna. I enjoyed brainstorming with them about new ideas for activities and putting them into practice. This is also when I became a SubCom for Boudewijn. Some of his locals offer so many activities on a local level, that members are often unaware of the amazing opportunities on what they perceive as the ‘European level’.

Lavinia: I was talking to a CEO of a Belgian start-up and I was telling him about AEGEE and about the opportunity to apply for being a NetCom. I have to admit I hesitated a lot in the beginning, but he told me that he could see I was genuinely enthusiastic when talking about it and that I should accept the challenge and make the most out of my student years. Now I am happy I followed his advice.

Which of the plans that you had when you ran for NetCommie did you manage to execute?

Lavinia: I think that now locals know they have someone to count on that will help them solve their issues and answer their question, and that is important, knowing you are not alone in the struggle of saving your local or making it stronger.

Loes: Bringing the European part of AEGEE closer to the locals was one of my big ambitions when I started, as well visiting all my locals and founding a local in Wageningen.

I exchanged ideas with the locals and saw many efforts by the boards to promote events and open calls among their members. I managed to visit all my locals within the first three months of my term, except for Bologna. I had a contact with the university of Wageningen and flyered at the university, but I realised that the initiative should come from an insider in order to make it work.

Maybe unpredictedly, I ended up pushing Dutch locals for the Think before you Vink campaign, providing neutral information about the referendum on the ratification of the EU-Ukraine association agreement. A team consisting of members of many different locals organised a lecture, debate and flyers were spread all around the country. Unfortunately many youngsters eligible to vote still stayed at home during the referendum day, but hopefully the people we reached were not among them.

What did you learn from your time as a NetCommie?

Lavinia: I learned to accept different opinions from mine, I learned that it is rewarding helping others grow, and most of all I learned there is still a lot to learn about AEGEE, about having a real impact on European policies, about project and team management and so on.

Loes: I developed a lot this year. First of all, I had the chance to meet all kinds of different people. I learned how to feel motivated to work in a virtual team, and realised how difficult it can be to feel social bonding through a computer screen. I gradually became less chaotic, more stress-resistant and more confident to give workshops to groups.

What was your best experience as a NetCommie?

Loes: My best experience was getting to know so many people that care about AEGEE. I had many interesting discussions about both the organisational structure of AEGEE as well as thematic topics that matter to our association. This is what I joined AEGEE for!

Lavinia: The feedback I got from locals when I helped them overcome the obstacles they were facing. Their attitude and growth made it all worth it.

How did your life change while you were a part of the Network Commission?

Lavinia: It positively influenced my career, because in job interviews people were pretty impressed about what and how we do in our NGO. Also, as a Netcom you have to be more active and in this way you meet a lot of smart and enthusiastic people with awesome ideas and that helped me grow as a human too.

Loes: I feel like I got old! I was young and fresh when I started and now when I look around me at events I feel like a grandma. Also in my life many things changed. I graduated from my second Bachelor’s degree, almost finished one Master’s degree and moved to Innsbruck to start another two-year Master’s degree.

What are your future plans?

Loes: I tend to postpone the decision making on future plans. I stretched my student years a bit by starting another Master and I am also stretching my NetCom term with six more months. Besides being a NetCommie, I would like to save some time to be a participant in events again, instead of organising them. Next event coming up is ‘My Big Fat Greek Summer University’ and I also applied for EPM Zagreb. I would also like to help collect signatures for the European Citizens Initiative.

Lavinia: AEGEE was an awesome experience and my student years would have been so much boring without it, but now I want to focus on my career, explore more of the world outside Europe and the surroundings. Of course, as an alumni, I will try to keep in touch and help with knowledge, contacts of the right people in the companies I interact with, and so on.

Want to continue reading? Click here for part 1 and here for part 2.

Written by Willem Laurentzen, AEGEE-Nijmegen

A lot of term limits for the NetCom have ended on the first of December this year. So, this seemed to be the perfect occasion to reach out to some of the leaving NetCommies and ask them about their experiences of the past year. Here to answer some questions are Mareike Wegener of AEGEE-Aachen and Melissa Carreres of AEGEE-Alicante, two exiting NetCommies after a year of hard work and dedication.

The AEGEEan: Could you tell us something about yourself?

Mareike: Hey, my name is Mareike, current Speaker of the Network Commission (until the 1st of December), member of AEGEE-Aachen since 3.5 years and now living in Cologne. If I am not doing something with AEGEE, I am working for my PhD (rocket sience and material engineering). I love travelling and meeting new people.

Melissa: I am a nurse and I finished my Master’s degree on Nursing research last year. I am currently working as a Clinic and Study Nurse in an Infectious Disease department. Besides, I am a sports lover and a globetrotter.

What made you want to become a Member of the Network Commission?

Melissa: To be honest, applying for NetCom it was not in my plans. Actually, after my term as president in my local I was thinking about having a “little break of AEGEE life”, but then, one member and beloved friend, who has been supporting me since my beginning in AEGEE, suggested it to me and motivated me to do it. He believed in me, even when I thought I was not capable of doing it, and now I am very grateful that he did that because I could not have imaged all the unforgettable experiences that I had this year, and I do not regret but I am glad that Pablo influenced me with the decision of running for this position.

Mareike: I was Organiser of NWM Aachen 2014, at that time I felt in love with this kind of event. I joined Andrea Schmelz’s SubCom team afterwards and then the Network Commission got me. I attended more and more NWMs, I met and worked with a lot of locals as SubCommie and I really started  to like the work and the cooperation with the people, so running for NetCom was the next step [she smiles, ed.].

Which of the plans that you had when you ran for NetCommie did you manage to execute?

Mareike: Related to the work with my locals, I wanted to promote the Twin Antenna project and make all of my locals aware of LTCs. If I look back know, I think this worked well. I had four locals signing a Twin Antenna Contract during my term and many LTCs, and even 2 RTCs. But I am also happy that we, as a NetCommie team, developed a lot: we started some good reforms about NWMs, RTCs and now Antenna Criteria, and the team atmosphere was really good. Beside this, I also enjoyed more and more cooperation with the CD and other European bodies.

Melissa: One of my strongest aims was having further contact and fluent communication between Locals and the NetCom. I have managed to contact locals actively, being helped by my SubCommie team, and I made sure that the information flowed better. Besides I managed to know most of the boards’ members personally, which was really meaningful because they could easily contact with me anytime they needed to.

Last but not least, I did my best in the events that I have organised. I made sure that both NWMs and Renove were kind of different than previous events by having more meaningful content and guaranteeing that sessions were really useful for locals. Feedback from their side was good, so I am happy with it!

What did you learn from your time as a NetCommie?

Melissa: First, I have learned how to be super efficient with time. NetCom work takes you a lot of  effort, so I have learned how to handle my time properly and I kind of managed to combine my term with my personal and professional life.

Mareike: I learned a lot about time management, disciplin and multitasking, but also about myself and my limits. I improved a lot of skills like facilitating of meetings or public speaking and I really enjoyed to organise my NWMs.

What was your best experience as a NetCommie?

Melissa: I had many good moments within this year. I really enjoyed the two live NetCom meetings that we had in Brussels, being at the CD house is an amazing experience because you have the chance to meet your team personally, which is crucial and improves a lot your daily job. Besides, during Agorae, I also had a good experience and it made my motivation grew even more.

Mareike: NWMs! I love these events, their atmosphere and also the positive energy you feel when you leave. In my opinion, it is a perfect mixture of fun and socialising, but also thematic work and improvement of our Network.

But I also spent many nice moments with my team. Of course during live meetings in Brussels or at the Agora, but also the internal work via podio or skype was really good. I am happy that I had the oppertunity to work with all of them.

How did your life change while you were a part of the Network Commission?

Melissa: I think it has changed somehow. When you are having Skype meetings twice or even more times per week, you have to adapt your personal life to your work and try to handle it in the better possible way without going crazy.

Mareike: Of course, I learned a lot about AEGEE, its structure, cooperation with people and some hidden group dynamics, but more than this I think I learned a lot about myself. Things that no course at University can teach you, but you get well prepared for life and your career.

What are your future plans?

Mareike: Well, I will finish my Phd and see what is coming next. However, for AEGEE there are still some things I have in mind that could be improved, so maybe we will see each other again somewhere in Europe [she winks, ed.].

Melissa: I would like to focus more on my professional life, because I need to prepare an important exam to get the vacancy on a public stable job at the hospital, and I also have in mind to start a PhD next year.

Want to continue reading? Click here for part 1 and here for part 3.

Written by Willem Laurentzen, AEGEE-Nijmegen

A lot of term limits for the NetCom will end on the first of December this year. So, this seemed to be the perfect occasion to reach out to some of the leaving NetCommies and ask them about their experiences of the past year. Here to answer some questions are Lisa Gregis of AEGEE-Bergamo and Malwina Zielińska of AEGEE-Toruń, two exiting NetCommies after a year of hard work and dedication.

The AEGEEan: Could you tell us something about yourself?

Lisa: I am Lisa Gregis from AEGEE-Bergamo, I have been a member of AEGEE for 5 years and I am planning to slowly retire after my term as a NetCommie.

Malwina: My name is Malwina Zielińska and I am (till the 1st of December) a Network Commissioner, responsible for locals in Poland and Ukraine. I joined AEGEE three years ago, when I accidentally stepped on a brochure. It was the best decision of my life! I changed not only my behaviour in the group, but also discovered how much knowledge experience gives.

What made you want to become a Member of the Network Commission?

Malwina: I was the PR Responsible in my antenna, President of AEGEE-Toruń and now part of the NetCom.  I am constantly expanding. But in my opinion, the most important advantage of AEGEE is inspiring to meet new people that give you a chance. Once someone believed in me. Now I want to motivate others. And it was the main reason why I wanted to be a Network Commissioner. I wanted to help my locals and make them stronger. I hope I did it.

Lisa: Nothing more and nothing less than a visceral love for the locals.

Which of the plans that you had when you ran for NetCommie did you manage to execute?

Lisa: Creating a safe space for locals to express themselves, saving some of them, connecting with all the people who are working in their locals in a healthy way, inspiring new generations of AEGEEans and fighting for what I believe was right.

Malwina: I wanted everyone to feel needed. I joined the Network Commission for this purpose: to help and motivate members.

What did you learn from your time as a NetCommie?

Malwina: I learned most of all to be patient. When someone asks you all the time about the same issue, it is easy to get irritated. But I knew that I could not do that. Many also carried on the work of the NWM, the organisation of the event for 120 people is not easy. I am very glad that everything worked out. The tasks while being Netcom were many. I do not know how many [she smiles, ed.]. I tried to do my best.

Lisa: I learned the magic art of compromising and negotiating. I also learned that I am a good and easy person and that without a team you cannot go anywhere.

What was your best experience as a NetCommie?

Lisa: Agora Bergamo and Agora Chisinau were the moments I liked the most. Meeting all my locals in one place, talking with them, actively participating in our democratic process, not because I wanted my own agenda to be put forward, but because we are there to give a voice to the Network. It was important for us to be there.

Malwina: Certainly the best experience that I will remember for a long time, was my trip to Vinnytsia, where my job was to attract new members for AEGEE and to share the AEGEE spirit. It was not only a difficult task, also the trip was not easy, as Vinnytsia is more than a thousand kilometers from my home. But I met fantastic people with whom I have established a very good contact and a fountain in Vinnytsia is a very nice memory [she winks, ed.].

How did your life change while you were a part of the Network Commission?

Malwina: Our lives are changing, regardless of the function: they simply mature. So our perception is also changing. I cannot answer what exactly has changed.

Lisa: An infinite number of Skype Meetings, notifications, emails and phone calls. Around three to four hours per day of work and an even bigger number of people who trusted me and supported me. I felt loved and useful. My life changed because my locals were my biggest concern and commitment each day of the past year.

What are your future plans?

Lisa: I am thinking about retiring from AEGEE, even if I would like to set up an IG, but we will see. Right now, I have started a new job which is consuming too much time and I do not know if I will have time for AEGEE. Thanks to everyone for this fantastic year!

Malwina: I need to focus on my health, so I will not be that much of an active member, but I hope we will certainly meet again somewhere in Europe during an AEGEE event [she smiles, ed.].

Want to continue reading? Click here for part 2 and here for part 3.

Written by Willem Laurentzen, AEGEE-Nijmegen

AEGEE is filled with fun activities with loads of, at first, seemingly incomprehensible abbreviations. The one you need to remember to help you set up the best Summer Universities is the Summer University Project School, or SUPS. There are a number of them hosted by various antennae all over Europe. Read all about it in this article, sponsored by our friends at SUCT.

Preparations for Summer Universities 2017 are already starting and many organisers all over Europe are about to be part of creating a memorable summer for thousands of students. For some it is the first time organising it, others have experience but did not manage to reach their full potential in previous years.

The SU Project that we all know and love is made by you – the people who give their time and effort to make it happen and to make it better. So, in order for everyone to experience AEGEE’s oldest project in its best light, we believe we have to give you the opportunity to get prepared for everything that comes with the role of SU organiser.

This is why this year you will be able to choose from five different Summer University Project Schools -five four-day training events that will give you the foundations for a successful organisation and train you for tackling any obstacle on the way. They will take place from the end of January until the end of March, so you will be able to find at least one that fits your schedule. If you have the motivation but lack the experience, spending a long weekend in Berlin, Voronezh, Tartu, Las Palmas or Skopje could be just what you need.

Our local organisers are working hard to provide the best conditions for your intense, but rewarding stay. Trainers with extensive experience in event coordination will teach you everything you need to know before, during and after your event. Are you new to visa invitations? Never made a budget before? Have no idea what to do in conflict situations? Let’s learn it together!

You can apply until Sunday the fourth of December and, meanwhile, do not hesitate to spread the word: tiny.cc/sups17

And remember, life is like a Summer University – it’s a lot more fun if you go to SUPS!

Written by Claudio, Lucia, Philipp and Rali, SUCT

It was a hot, sunny mid-July day, when I received an unexpected e-mail from AEGEE-Europe. In fact, during the last year, as an Erasmus student, I’ve taken part in several surveys concerning the Lifestyle in Mobility project. That day, I saw myself rewarded for the effort, with a prize I never ever even hoped to receive. They were indeed awarding me with an Interrail Global Pass. No need to say this, but I gladly took this opportunity. [Article sponsored by Interrail, ed.]

My first instinct was finding a mate, with whom to travel. I’ve always travelled along with friends so far, and I wasn’t so eager to consider other options. Unsuccessful, I decided to gather all my courage and depart on my own. It would have been such a waste not to take this marvelous prize. By the way, travelling alone can be tough, so I decided to set my route in order to pay a visit to my friends in France, Belgium and Germany, and to test my luck, again, by looking for good company along the way. Thanks to the Erasmus project I had the chance to become friends with many students all over Europe, and it turned out to be useful in this kind of occasion. Due to my university and work commitments, I decided to start my adventure in October. Yes, I know, October can be pretty cold in middle/northern Europe. But as they say, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”.

Once my backpack was done with all my equipment, I was ready to reach Milan. The city is close to the Italian northern border. That, along with the presence of a friend of mine willing to have me to be his guest, made it a perfect base for my departure on the next day. My first stop was in Strasbourg: a long journey passing through Switzerland, where I had to switch trains in Basel. The Swiss public service is very efficient, and my train was comfortable enough to rest on the way. This last feature is literally fundamental during an Interrail trip. Travelling between different countries takes time, and the nature of the Interrail itself requires you to be always mentally and physically ready. Some change might occur in the timetable due to a delay or yu might have to walk for some miles to reach your hostel from the train station. Generally speaking, you always need to be ready to adapt to the situation, this is why it is so important to have the chance to rest and recharge your batteries during train time.

In Strasbourg I was welcomed by a grey sky, covered by menacing clouds. Good news was that at least, once I left Italy, I always found dry weather, which makes it easier to cope with the increasing cold. My friend Emma was there to pick me up. She’s was my host and guide for two days in “the French land”. The city is a delightful mash up between French and German architecture. It is placed in Alsace, a region that has been contended by the two countries for several centuries. I enjoyed wandering through the alleys, walking along the colourful riverside and taste the local food, especially the saucisson. Yes, I must admit the food was particular and enjoyable. Strasbourg is a university city, full of life and active young people. We took part in a pub crawl at night, and I reunited with my Erasmus friends Claire, Lucille and Sarah.

Interrail is a frenetic adventure, and just a few hours later I was about to depart for Brussels. They say “it’s all about the journey, not the destination”, and with Interrail it is definitely true. I love travelling by train: the inner side of the country you are visiting shows itself, allowing you to have a better idea of the landscape and real life outside cities. Even more important is that it grants you the possibility to visit places you’d otherwise never consider to journey to. A clear example would be: on the way to Brussels, I paid a stop in Luxembourg. Now, with all due respect, how likely are you to plan your next holidays in Luxembourg? Not much. Luxembourg is a pretty small nation, and it takes just a few hours to visit Luxembourg’s main city. Home of European institutions, the city is also home of an ancient fortress dug in stone, the Bock Casemates. I was happy I took some time to discover this unexpectedly wonderful place. Interrail has the advantage to make you discover places not usually on the list of main touristic attractions, but that are definitely worth a visit.

A few hours later I safely arrived in Brussels, the Belgian capital and home of, as well as Strasbourg and Luxembourg, the main European institutions. The basic structure of my travel plan was to arrive in a main city late in the evening, reach a previously booked hostel room, decide what to visit on the next day and then get some well-deserved rest. A meticulous daily preparation was fundamental for me. When I started this adventure I decided to visit as many places as possible, in a limited time. Assuming this, it is easy to guess that I was often rushing in order to see every present attraction and monument. In this context, a good organisation turned out to be essential. At the same time, it is also important to enjoy life, relax and make exceptions to the plan. And, I must say, for Belgian beer I really had to divert from my plan.

My next main stop was in Amsterdam. It took me a couple of days to get there, because on the way I spent some time visiting Antwerp, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Three cities for three different kind of allure. An old busy port city, a super modern harbour and an ancient inner town crossed by canals and well-guarded by the famous Dom Tower. Besides, still drawing from this segment of the route, a special mention goes to Zaanse Schans, a little community of forty houses and few windmills. The place survives in old fashion way, fueled by artisan activities and tourism. It is possible to enter the windmills, attend the preparation of the local cheese, Gouda, and taste a freshly ground hot chocolate sitting on the riverside. A small, lovely, corner of old Holland where I left a piece of my heart.

I loved the Netherlands, and after an intense visit of the country I was ready to face the longest test of this journey: a 12 hours race to Copenhagen. Not an exciting prospect, but if I learned something in this period is that no trip is too long when you have your books and your music. Despite my excellent timetable, I lost the connection in Hamburg and started panicking. It was a moment of chaos because in Germany signs and announcements are only in German and I managed to solve the problem only with the help of the information desk. Copenhagen was still far away and at the moment it was hard to set a new route. Fortunately they were so kind to allow me to catch a direct train that wasn’t provided by my pass (and I didn’t have to spend a sent more). They omitted to say that this particular train was going to follow a different track, heading toward Fehmarn to board on a ferry directed to Denmark. Just for a moment I thought we were going to head down in a tunnel I never heard about. Didn’t I mention it at the beginning? Be ready to adapt!

The city of Copenhagen was unbelievable. Worth a visit, efficient under every aspect, and with a Nordic charm. During my staying in a hostel I had the opportunity to interact with local and foreign people, sharing stories about our journeys and learning tips about underground party places.

During the visit of a city, I never waste the occasion to get to the local market. I consider it a good display of traditions and an opportunity to talk with local people.

Eventually, I stepped into the last part of my journey on the way home. A brief visit to Sweden and then down toward Germany. Once crossed the Øresund bridge and after climbing the fortress of Helsingborg, I reached Malmö. Malmö is a port city, with not much to offer to a visitor. To avoid the struggle of passing by Denmark again by train, I decided to take a ferry at night towards Lübeck. Guiltily, I didn’t consider that the port was 6 miles away from the train station, not the walk you would gladly make. Not at night, not with a 15 kilos backpack. Just another day at the office. Interrail teaches you that Google Maps can really be your best friend.

Once arrived in Germany, not without struggling, getting home to Italy was a matter of a few days. But yet I had the opportunity to visit Lübeck, Dresden and Leipzig, three astonishing cities. Passing by Switzerland once again, hands down my favourite landscapes, after about two weeks I was again in Milan, tired but extremely happy. It’s been an adventure that tested and changed me in ways I didn’t expect. An intense experience that I’d strongly recommend to anyone who wants to see Europe.

Written by David Govi