An amazing group of 23 participants arrived in Prague at the beginning of August to spend the 12 most amazing days of their summer in the Heart of Europe during the Summer University „Check the Czechs vol. 12° REVIVAL“. Heart attack in the heart of Europe from all that adventures they lived through? Let’s see! Here we go for the ride through Czech culture without a moment to breath.

Prague is famous for its historical buildings, beautiful parks and romantic spots. Awesome places to breath in the spirit of „Mother Prague“ all around, but it’s not only that. Prague is full of beauties that push you „try me, try me“ without stopping even if you don’t know about them. And then it is there… BOOOM! A nuclear bunker with communist artifacts from the Cold War. Everybody playing with old uniforms and guess what the girls loved most. Of course – the old guns.

The reputation of Prague’s night life is simply undisputed and just imagine that: 30 crazy guys… dressed like in the Great Gatsby movie. Oh yeah! That was our suit up party that made the club even shinier and impossible to close with so many crazy people spreading their enthusiasm everywhere they stepped. What next… I know! Fred Flintstone, clown, cow, horse, boxer and others coming into the club with charm and grace, making the dance floor crack. The karaoke night revealed a lot. Great talents and girls changing into rock stars and screaming into the microphone – oh yeeeeah, babe! Hearts of participants were slowly, but surely changing the Czech way, the highlight of the program was coming – the canoeing trip!

What to do to be the real Czech?

Rule No. 1: Whenever there is a boat passing, shout AHOOOOOJ!

Rule No. 2: Have enough alcoholic liquids to share with your captains or other boats.

Rule No. 3: Turn upside down with the boat. Why? Just for the fun of it.

The Czech spirit was on. The biggest challenge during the canoeing trip might have been the bad weather the first day, but AEGEE spirit heated our hearts and everybody was paddling like an experienced pirate…. AHOOOOJ!

Czech, Check, Czech. So what? So let’s Czech the Czechs! The Czech night unveiled not only typical Czech food and drinks, but mostly the desire of Czechs to put things on fire. Don’t worry, it was only absinth shining around before being drank. No injuries or hallucination: just VERY happy faces. Czech wave continues – wanna go for a ride in an old-school Škoda car? Ooops, the ones in the museum didn’t work, but the new models were being made in front of our eyes on the assembly line in Mladá Boleslav – just the last piece and we were ready to jump in.

How many gold is there in the Czech Republic? They say a lot. Beer, the liquid treasure, accompanied us literally EVERYWHERE so what is the best way to face it? Learn how to craft a beer. Mission was accomplished in the city of THE beer Plzeň, where the chief brewer of Pilsner Urquell uncovered the best secret – how to craft a perfect beer.

Czech way or another, after all those beers, polka dances, brutal Easter traditions or overturns in a canoe, all participants found at least a small piece of Czech inside them.

Written by Lucie Zágorová and Milena Jurigová (AEGEE-Praha)

When collecting information from the Network about sportive activities across Europe The AEGEEan journalist Patricia Anthony was overwhelmed. Many antennae wrote back providing not only pictures but also lots of interesting stories on how they use physical activity for teambulding and more in their antennae. 

Sport in Kyiv

“Sports is one of the best ways to working on your health and body. In AEGEE where most of things are about communication, sports is the way to find common things between people and improve yourselves together,” says Anna Smailikova from AEGEE-Kyiv about the use of sports in AEGEE. Since last year the antenna has had an amazing project called AEGEE Sport Activities (ASA) started by Sergii Lakhtadyr. At least once a month a sport event is organised that could be related to snowboarding, skiing, roller skating, climbing and more. It is a great tool for not only team building but also involving new members to take an active part in AEGEE-Kyiv’s life. A challenge for yourself and a manner to find new friends. AEGEE-Kyiv encourages other antennae to try to organise this kind of project as it is the mix of everything needed for old and new members – you can choose any type of sport that is utmost popular in the specific country and it will gather people who are ready to change their life and be active.

Sport in Yerevan

In last month’s Local of the Month, AEGEE-Las Palmas also uses sports and President Carmen Martin informs The AEGEEan about the reasoning behind it: “I think that sports really fit in our association, since we’re students/young people, and the practice of sports is a really healthy activity that helps us to have a longer life. Moreover, we can practise sports with other people and become friends thanks to this. Also the fact that we play matches in favour or against things we want to improve/change is really symbolic (like the match right before Spring Agora in Mannheim against racism by the Sports Working Group).” During the Academic year, every Monday night AEGEE-Las Palmas meet in the same spot of one beach which is in the city with exchange and local students and organise the regular Sports Night; in which they play football and volleyball. All the materials are provided by AEGEE-Las Palmas and one of the active members always take care of the participants. During European events, AEGEE-Las Palmas always tries to have a day for visiting one of the highest points of the island (Roque Nublo), which is the symbol of Gran Canaria, and the trip is usually by bus but afterwards there is a 45 minute walk that leads to a breath taking view and they hope to organise more walks and days in the nature in the mountains in the future. Carmen agrees with Anna that it is a good way to meet new people and making the antenna more visible in the city and increasing the member’s list in a healthy and fun way.

Running team in Zaragoza

This month’s Local of the Month AEGEE-Zaragoza also uses sports and one of the coordinators Irene Arregui talked with The AEGEEan. “One of the fundamental missions of our association is to empower young people in Europe to take an active role in society. Physical activity is an essential aspect in the life of millions of European citizens and also another way of participating as an active citizen. Furthermore, sports help people to develop personally and socially, improving their skills in areas like cooperation, responsibility and going the extra mile, an important objective which AEGEE as an association follows,” are the inspiring words she comes with when listing why sports are relevant to our organisation. This September a group of new members from AEGEE-Zaragoza came up with the idea of a running team, wanting to create a new activity for Erasmus coming to study in Zaragoza: “We thought many of them, being new to the city, would like to meet other people in the same boat. People who didn’t want to stop doing sports just because they’re on Erasmus in another country.” Together with Irene, three other new members: Sara Roche, Carlos Embid, Adrián Martín and Cristina Ortega organise this activity every Tuesday every time trying to create fun moments as well with different active games and that way hopefully more and more people will be bold enough to go out in Zaragoza on a cold and windy day late in the evening. Once the weather improves the group has even more ideas in mind to promote a healthy lifestyle which Irene considers very important “As an association of young people, we think it’s fundamental to promote healthy lifestyles such as sport. We believe sport can not only bring benefits on a personal level but also help strengthen the team spirit, which is very important for an antennae. Sports have numerous advantages and absolutely no disadvantages. It can help promote team work and foster important values such as cooperation, tolerance and social integration. It also helps building self-esteem and self-confidence.”

In AEGEE-A Coruña they even have a sports activities responsible, Jose Manuel Suaréz, and he finds sports relating to AEGEE as it is a way to cooperate and work together with the same aim and it doesn’t matter where you are from, it is a tool to communicate for AEGEE objectives. And this they do in Coruña through different tournaments in a long list of sports: judo, ultimate, beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, basketball, table tennis, tennis. It is cheap to organise as well as easy, fun and healthy at the same time Jose says when asked why they use it in his antenna.

In AEGEE-Cagliari they also use sports for three reasons. First of all it is an occasion to stay together and have fun, at local level it can help create a stronger relationship among other associations and partners and the President of the antenna Stefano Corsini calls it the best occasion to promote AEGEE. In their antenna they organise events like a football tournament and will also focus on basketball as well as a beach volleyball tournament for the next year. 

For AEGEE-Praha it is also about the team spirit “The great thing about AEGEE is that it’s mainly about people that make it work! In order to have a functioning team to develop common projects, the team spirit is crucial and so it is in sports! It helps people get together and see how they can cooperate, get to know each other better and what is of great benefit as well – having fun,” Lucie Zágorová explains why the use sports in the Czech capital. The activities here also differ from month to month and are related to the seasons of the year. They have had a badminton tournament, they have been canoeing on the river for two days, gone to the climbing center where there were different obstacles like ropes in height of around five to ten metres to overcome and even a Laser Tag match made the members get sweaty. However, this is a recent project started by the former board member Barbora Hantonová and it has received great feedback! A lot of people are interested in the activities which help the antennae meeting in a nice, relaxed environment and attracting new members. “AEGEE connects people and sports in AEGEE connects people even more! It’s a great tool to make the spirit of your antenna even warmer and stronger,” Lucie answers to why should other antennae take up the same challenge to use sports in their antenna.

In AEGEE-Kraków it is about crossing your own boarders – they are specialized in running marathons. It is a form of testing themselves, how much they are able to reach together, because they always do it as a group. Every year more and more people decide to run with AEGEE-Kraków, and it’s for them an enormous satisfaction if they did it! It proves that everybody together easily can reach really great things. Earlier this year, it was a bigger action, where almost 60 people joined to gather money for a student from Kraków, who had lost her leg during an accident. The big group managed to collect almost 40 thousands polish zloty, (about 10.000 euro). It was a really big success, especially because for most of them it was their first marathon. ”We encourage other antennae to do the same, because together we can do more good things, spend a great time together, improve ourselves and what is more – help somebody by doing these things. Many people from other polish antennae started to train for the next marathon, being “infected” by our enthusiasm and involvement, and we are really motivating them,” President Magdalena Stettner says.

In terms of a potential collaboration with the Sports Working Group there are several antennae interested in using sports not only at the local level. Antennae like AEGEE-Kyiv and AEGEE-Las Palmas agreed that it sounds like a great opportunity and only future will tell if they will organise European Events with the Sports Working Group. AEGEE-Praha people are in general really into sports and are keen on being outdoors and enjoying nature. During this past year’s SU they went canoeing for two days which is the most typical Czech sport and it became the highlight of the event. Participants enjoyed that a lot even though they were all wet either because of the weirs or turning over in the boat, and AEGEE-Praha lets The AEGEEan know that even though it is not in their plans yet to organise anything with the SWG they know who to contact to make their SU even sportier next year. Hopefully that counts for many more antennae knowing the joy it brings to participants and how it can create a great environment in antennae as well as participants in different events.

Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-København

The date of the Czechoslovakian AEGEE weekend coincided with the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and it had a rich program focused on PR and closer cooperation between the antennae. Situated in the middle of the Czech Republic, in the Morava region, it resembled the scenery from the old Czech comedies and also reminded of the Czech hospitality.

The whole Czechoslovakian Weekend ended on the 17th of November which is important for both countries twofold. In November 1939, Nazis in Prague killed nine students who participated in the demonstrations against the German occupation. On this very day in November 1989, students joined the protests that resulted in the Velvet Revolution. That’s why I started from the end, to point out the historical background of the Czechoslovakian weekend for students.

Indeed, students do not hesitate to join any gathering in order to avoid school. Sometimes, such events can make history. Participating in organised and meaningful extracurricular activities develops the skills school would never provide. AEGEE events are aware of this learning and try to focus on the soft skills and social networking.

The program of the Czechoslovakian Weekend was aimed at the working of AEGEE antennae in terms of fundraising, effective recruitment and inter-antennae cooperation. It was organized by AEGEE-Brno and held in the small village of Sklené. The participants from Prague, Plzeň and the only Slovak antenna, Bratislava, arrived on Friday afternoon; it was already dark when our car with Bratislava mark parked at the tourist sleepover at the end of the village.

The first evening was full of sharing impressions and adventures from the recent events, stories that are sometimes hard to believe, like who missed his plane or what kind of accommodation did the Spanish provide. AEGEE-Brno provided a dinner, hot tea and home baked ginger cake. Later at night, we played some ice-breaking games.

Next morning, after the breakfast and a short energizer, when we had to follow dance moves of a hypo and a dog on the screen, we got down to some more serious business. Each antenna presented their agenda, focusing on what they achieved and what they plan for the future. Presentations preceded brainstorming about the future plans, possible cooperation and sharing ideas. The beer festival in Plzeň – home of the Pilsner beer, sounds good. Some proposals on fundraising were also made; we will try to address particular organisations, hope that DANONE would not put us off with yogurts.

During the lunch break, most of the people decided to visit nearby Zelená Hora. There is a baroque church with unique, star-shaped architectonic design. It is included in the UNESCO heritage list. About four, we gathered again for a lecture on social media and their effectiveness for AEGEE. It addressed advertising options on the social platform, mailing boxes and advice on what to avoid on the social media. Did you know that your status is put into attention of only 16% of your Facebook friends due to the system settings? Lecture was followed by discussion and ideas, once again about fundraising and promotion.

After the dinner, the antennae participated in a quiz about our countries. We found out that an average Czech drinks about 160 liters of beer a year and there are 3 international airports in Slovakia. Karaoke followed, the winner was a mix team from AEGEE-Praha and AEGEE-Plzeň with their performance of the “Duck tales” theme song. After karaoke, someone brought in the lemons and we enjoyed a few drinks and friendly debates, for example on what is the difference between a debate and a discussion. Music played all night and some people kept dancing until 6 a.m.

On Sunday morning, the organizers, summed up the whole event and reminded us to leave our rooms empty and tidy. Full of new experience, friends and with a shortage of sleep, the participants set out on their way home. Big THANK YOU to the organizers and participants and hope to see you all (and even more) at the next year’s Czechoslovakian Weekend.

Written by Erik Redli (AEGEE-Bratislava)

Live. Travel. Learn.

Life is to live the way you want it. Time is to take the way you need it. Imagination is to explore the way it expands. Czech Republic is the place to be.

My summer did not go the way I expected, not even close to what I had imagined. It was just perfect! I blame it on the Czechs. You probably wonder why?! The answer could not be more obvious, they had the best Summer University (SU)! I do not over exaggerate at all. The purpose of a SU is to have a cultural exchange – a broad understanding and exploring of the country you are in.

That’s what I explored during my summer this year. I can say that I met the true AEGEEan person- motivated to the bones, cheerful like the sun and eager to show the best of the best.  I wanted to go in to a different part of Europe where I haven’t been before, so I chose the Czech Republic. What I expected was not what I experienced, but mcuh better I had the best 12 days that a SU can offer!

But let the story begin! The cultural activities started before even going to the SU. The organizers had prepared every week quiz for one month before the beginning. They made my passion for Prague grow. I could not wait to answer and see what the result will be. I read, learned, answered and hoped that I might be right at the end! And then the time had passed and suddenly I ended up … in Prague. The city I read so much about… It was just the way I imagined: beautiful, old and welcoming.

My first meeting with Prague was with the eyes of the tourist, and was later completed thanks to the program our organizers had prepared.

On my first day I was tired, but really excited to meet all the skvělý (wonderful) people from Czech Republic and other European countries. And what is the best way to meet new people and to get to know them? Over a Pilsner of course!  A great welcoming ceremony was held, but the beer games bonded us and made us a true group.

After trying the first thing Czech Republic is most famous for (beer), we went to see the next great thing – Skoda. We had our trip to Mladá Boleslav on the second day. I am not a car fan, but there were some great cars in the Skoda museum!  After seeing some vintage and modern cars, we continued with the Skoda experience. A great workshop presented by an employee from Skoda Auto. Her story inspired me to think about what incredible opportunities one can have in life.

But that was not everything. In the afternoon we actually could see how the real Skoda cars were made on the assembly line. That was quite interesting.  After that, we had get-to-know-each-other games and a Czech language cours.  I am not a polyglot but I can proudly say I am a master of the Czech language – Dobrý den! Těší mě!  Na zdraví!

After the great day in Mladá Boleslav, our attention was focused on a very important matter – a First aid course. For me it was so interesting because I have never been to one, so everything we learned was of a great importance. After the lecture, we had some practical exercises, which were the best part. In the afternoon we had an AEGEE workshop and a discussion about the European Parliament Elections.

Knowledge, experience, travel and no sleep. This was basically the first two days of the SU! My expectations got higher and higher and by now I had wanted to see even more of Czech Republic and traditions. Guess what? I did…

After having spent some time sight-seeing in Prague, it was time to hit the road… or rather, hit the canoe! That was an experience for a life time. We went to the beautiful country side of the Czech Republic. We camped, canoed on Sázava river, had a Western party and after that had fun during the European night.

On the last day of our stay out of Prague, we learned about the Czech traditions and had an Easter workshop.

After getting back to Prague we had even more things lined up for us. Language courses, sightseeing and city rallies were among some of the great activities we had. But I was waiting patiently for another great experience – the Pilsner Urquell brewery tour, another great day in our program.

And there it was, the end of the SU.  My Czech adventure came to its end, but left so many memories of wonderful, exciting and unforgettable days, spent with a group of amazing participants and great organizers.  If there was a time machine, I would go back and spend it the way it was with without changing a thing!

Na shledanou!

Written by Lena  Evstatieva, AEGEE-Sofia

The AEGEEan is proud to present our new Member of the Month from AEGEE-Berlin, Hans-Peter Bretz. You may know him by his nickname Hape. Elected for the Summer University Coordination Team (SUCT) at Agora-Budapest, he has been trying something new this year and dedicated most of his summer to it. Travelling between summer universities, meeting new people and observing how all of the work SUCT went the year before turned out in practice. The AEGEEan just could not resist from learning more.

To start off, why is your nickname Hape?

In German people sometimes have double names, which is different from just having two names: they are supposed to be used together. Instead of always saying the full name, they are often abbreviated, e.g. Karl-Heinz to Kalle, or, in my case Hans-Peter to Ha-pe or simply Hape. My name is also completely out of fashion, I have never met someone with the same name who was younger than fifty. Even though Hans sounds like the most German name, most Germans do not really get “Hape” either. But there is a famous comedian called Hape Kerkeling, so they usually ask something like “You mean like Hape Kerkeling? Wait, is he also called Hans-Peter??”

What have you been doing this summer for AEGEE? We heard you were traveling quite a bit

That is true, the SUCT got some Interrail tickets to visit Summer Universities, so I took a three week long trip from Berlin on to the East and visited eight Summer Universities (SU).

Which summer universities did you visit?

I was at the SUs of AEGEE-Praha, AEGEE-Wroclaw/Opole/Lviv, AEGEE-Poznan/Gdansk/Torun, AEGEE-Warszawa/Riga, AEGEE-Krakow/Berlin, AEGEE-Katowice/Bratislava, AEGEE-Debrecen/Sibiu and finally AEGEE-Cluj Napoca.

What were you looking for in the SUs and what were you checking?

The main idea was to look at the programmes and how they realised them, and also to get some feedback by the organisers on our work and communication. Of course it is hard to tell if 100% of a programme is done when you are there for only a few days. But you can get a good impression of how the organisers work and also some feedback from the participants. By the way, it was quite funny how my presence was perceived by the participants at different SUs. At the beginning of my trip, I was at an SU where the group had already had some time to form and bond. When I sat down with some of them between programme points to enjoy a beer and some small talk and asked a general question about the SU to break the ice, they just smiled and made jokes how they would not let me spy on the organisers. At other times, some participants would see me as some sort of complaint box for every little thing they did not like about their SU. For me, it was also very interesting to see how the organisers prepared their SU, what different approaches they took, how they interacted with their group and how the general experience was influenced by the team of organisers, but also by the participants. Often, SUs are said to have their own atmosphere, and I wanted to see where that comes from.

Any favorite SU among the ones you visited?

Before my trip, I was afraid that 2-3 days at each SU would not be long enough to get a good impression. Later I was a bit surprised how much more you get out of a few days if you try to have an open and active mind and pay attention to details instead of just being part of the masses at an event. Still, the impression of a particular SU also depended on the parts of the programme I could take part in. In Prague, I arrived just in time for the city rally, whereas my day in Poznan was the relaxing day in between other days filled with programme (both were very nice, by the way). On a more personal level, the last SU of my trip, in Cluj Napoca, was great. My first SU and AEGEE event was the same SU, 3 years earlier, and it was still done by the same core team. I met some of the old organisers and even a participant again, and also I saw some participants from AEGEE-Berlin there. You could see how having so much experience in a team helps with all the little things in a Summer University. But I also want to thank all the other organizers who hosted me, managed to squeeze me in their planning and put so much effort in their event.

Did you end up going to any SU just for fun? That means, not as a representative of the SUCT but as participant?

I did not have enough vacation to go as participant, so I did not even think about at which one I could apply for.

We have heard you did your part for the Key 2 Europe (K2E) as well. What exactly did you do for it?

As in the last two years, I was part of the research and  statistics team. But other than last year, I did not have time to join the Concept Development Meeting, so my work was mostly to scan through the lists of events and to look for anything particularly interesting or fitting the themes of the K2E.

What are your plans for the Agora? Are you coming and what are your goals for it?

I will be there, and if there happen to be any discussions where I can participate, I will.

How is the SUCT in general feeling about this year’s SU season? Satisfied?

For all of us except Costas Deltouzos, it was the first time that we got this much insight into the project. We tried some new things like the SU maps, which I think, on average, were received positively, the thematic sessions, and the learning objectives, for which we have to wait for the evaluation. We also got the highest number of applicants in the last few years, so I think all in all we can be satisfied with the SU season.

What do you do in AEGEE apart from SUCT?

For the last year, the work with SUCT consumed most of my AEGEE work time and sadly I could not go to more events than the two Agorae. I do not have any position in my Antenna in Berlin, but we are a small local and if there’s anything to do, I help and participate as much as possible.

Planning to stay in SUCT next year as well or some other big plans ahead?

At several points in the last year, I was thinking about running for a second term, but my PhD study will only get more demanding during the next two years and I would like to focus on that.

Written by Olga Volovyk, AEGEE-Kyiv

If you have not heard about the Member of The Month articles that The AEGEEan publishes every month, then it is about time you get to know it better, and what could be a better way for that than looking back at the 12 members who stood out from the crowd in 2012.

Jana Pokorna – Member of the Month in January

Being very active on the European Level in projects such as the Visa Freedom Working Group, Jana Pokorna, from AEGEE-Praha and AEGEE-Istanbul, was the first Member of the Month last year, in January. In a close interview with Jana, The AEGEEan got to know and had the chance to share with you her passion for Turkey,  her mentality as being German and her AEGEE experience of course.

Moving on to February, three members became Members of the Month for their great contribution to the EBM reform. So, if you are heading to Valletta next month, or you are just curious to get to know some more information about the EBM, then look into the interview here.

In March, it was time to go to Spain where Sandra Tena from AEGEE-Castelló was chosen as Member of the Month because of her involvement in the organisation of  European School 2. Similarly, Didi Jaskólska from AEGEE-Turun became Member of the Month in April due to her work, organising the much-talked about NWM Turun, which seemed like a mini EBM with its 200 participants.

 

Sylwia Ksiazek Member of the Month in May

And we stay in Poland to find the Member of the Month of May Sylwia Ksiazek who informed us about her experience with organising another important event, namely the Training4Trainers. In the neighbouring Ukraine, we find the Member of the Month of June – Former AEGEEan Magazine proofreader and, more importantly, former Network Commission speaker, Olga Iatsyna. In the interview Olga tells The AEGEEan with joy: “While reading my nomination I could not get rid of the feeling that it is about somebody else, but not me. I simply cannot be so nice! Many times proofreading interviews of former Members of the Month I read that they never expected this nomination…”

And the surprises continued in July when one of those AEGEE members who always has many participants in his Agora workshops, Fabian Brüggemann became Member of the Month. When asked whether or not he was expecting the nomination, he said: “No, I seriously did not expect it. It was a nice surprise, having been approached by Ada and being told I had been nominated for this month. “

Maurits Korse Member of the Month in August

Summer equals Summer Universities in AEGEE and that was of course the focus of the nominations when finding the Member of the Month in August, who finally became Maurits Korse. In his interview, he gave the magazine a deeper insight into the work of the Summer University Coordination Team.

The next person’s antenna was the first antenna to be honoured by being Local of the Month back in 2011, but it was also without any doubt that Armenak Minasyants deserved to become Member of the Month in September. After Armenak, the focus was again on Summer Universities when choosing the Member of the Month in October. It was awarded to Hara Kogkou who has been part of SUCT for two years, and who is editor-in-chief of the SU 25 years anniversary booklet these days.

 

Then, in November Amandine Scocard from AEGEE-Paris became the honorary Member of the Month. At Agora Budapest, she provided The AEGEEan journalist, Olga Volovyk with the opportunity to video interview her about the work she does for AEGEE.

 

Sygrit Andringa Member of the Month in December

Last but definitely not least, Sygrit Andringa received the well-deserved title of being Member of the Month of December. In her interview, she gives a close insight into the life of the chair team and she talks about what goes on behind the scenes of the organisation of a statutory event.

 

Congratulations Jana, Thomas, Katja, Patrick, Sandra, Didi, Sylwia, Olga, Fabian, Maurits, Armenak, Hara, Amandine and Sygrit and thank you for contributing with so much hard work in 2012 to AEGEE. We hope that it will continue many more years.

 

The team behind The AEGEEan listens to your sugggestions every month, and every team member votes to your nominees so as to find the Member of the Month. Your ideas are important to the success of this process, and it is always a joy to hear stories from active AEGEEans and their achievements within the Network. We cannot stress enough how much your nominations are appreciated, so keep sending us your suggestions, active AEGEE members, for Member of the Month right here.

 

Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-København

 

 

 

 

Is there anybody who likes playing games?  If so, check this out!

Recently the biggest game of the summer took place in Hungary and Czech Republic. Twenty five players from Europe and beyond were guided by the best game masters from AEGEE-Budapest and AEGEE-Praha following one single rule: take all the AEGEE spirit you can to make this Summer University unforgettable.

With the name “Everybody on Board!” this Travel Summer University did not only gather European people, but also visitors from Iran, Pakistan and China. It is an amazing experience to see how different cultures meet in a common place, but we should keep in mind that travelling is not that easy for everyone. On behalf of Visa Freedom Working Group, Jana Pokorná from AEGEE-Praha prepared some enjoyable workshops and creative games in order to teach the participants the actual situation in Europe due to visa issues. It is interesting to see how little we know about Europe and how much can be done to improve a traveller’s conditions outside the Schengen zone.

The first stage of the game began in the divided city of Budapest. It is true that the Hungarian capital has incredible landscapes and views, but the parties were also incredible. Crowding a party boat on the Danube or watching the city from a rooftop bar is just priceless.
When the heat was about to melt the group down, we took the train to the Hungarian sea:  Lake Balaton. Beach, water games, sunbathing, goulash… Is there a better way to relax and recharge the batteries for the next step?

Everybody was on board for the second and last stage: Praha. Surrounding the river Vltava, the city simply oozes charm. Since the first day, participants were in tune with the city.  The music on top of the Castle called some of them to dance without fear, and actually this was one of the most acclaimed shows around there. The John Lennon Wall did not escape the AEGEEans’ touch either, nobody wanted to leave without painting a piece of… let’s call it art.

Czech people say that beer is like bread for them, and after staying there for a week it is easy to understand why. If you like beer, you will fall in love with Prague, and if you stay in Praha you will end up loving beer! The best day for beer lovers came with the trip to Plzen and the visit to the biggest brewery.

On the last day, a very special meeting took place. The participants from the SU organized by AEGEE-Plzen and AEGEE-Brno completed their “Czech Mission” in Prague partying with us. It was the last party, the last night, the night of goodbyes…

The name of this game? Call it summer, culture, friendship, love… call it AEGEE. The fact is that after all everyone was a winner, leaving with some new international friends in our hearts, the memories of the two amazing weeks in our minds and the taste of Czech beer and Hungarian pálinka on our tongues!

Written by Ander Fernández, AEGEE-Bilbao

Photos by Ander Fernández, AEGEE-Bilbao