As the time passes, we are getting closer and closer to Autumn Agora Catania. The candidates are getting ready and of course we would like to know more about them and the reason why they want to represent us. Lorenzo Ligas is one of the candidates for SUCT, this being his second time to candidate, but he says that “the decision to candidate again was quite natural”, so below you can find out more about his plans.

The AEGEEan: Lorenzo, describe yourself in four words, using the SUCT initials.

Lorenzo: Supportive – I am always willing to support and help team mates.

Unique – Can you find another #PRbear in the Network?

Creative – Writing, designing, managing social media is my daily bread. I can’t imagine my life without it.

Tenacious – Being a candidate for the second time, after the result of Autumn Agora Chișinău, and after a very active year in the association, it’s the proof that no matter how hard it could be, no matter the failures, I run for my goals.

What does Summer University Project mean to you?

Lorenzo: Summer University is love and passion for me. Being an organiser twice in Cagliari as PR Responsible and Content Manager gave me countless emotions, thanks both to my amazing antenna and to the incredible participants we had. I really think that through the Summer University Project young people can experience freedom. Especially for youngsters, it’s a playground where you have fun, get to know people in a very friendly and respectful environment.

You are no stranger to the Summer University Project, but tell us, why do you want to continue in this field and what gives you motivation?

Lorenzo: When I decided in 2016 to candidate at Autumn Agora Chișinău, I knew chances to be elected were low. At that time I had been in AEGEE for about eight months. Current SUCTies were really supporting, and I decided, even before the voting rounds, that in case of ‘’negative’’ results I would become a SUpporter. During this year thanks to Claudio, Lucia, Philipp and Ralitsa I had the chance to be involved in the project with graphics, PR tasks and being trainer in SUPS Skopje 2017. The decision to candidate again was quite natural I would say!

You mentioned in your programme that you would create viral contents. How do you see that helping in increasing the participation of members to the SU?

Lorenzo: As for any brand or company, the Summer University project needs to be more active into social networks. This could be done by both increasing the amount of contents in Summer University social networks and encouraging antennae and bodies to share and create their own contents. The more people you reach, the higher is the possibility to attract new members and to increase the participation to the events.

Tell us more about how would you motivate antennae to promote the SU Project.

Lorenzo: By increasing the understanding that thanks to the Summer University antennae could recruit a higher number of new members, as well as activate more members that are mostly active locally. I would like to share my experience as PR Responsible of two Summer Universities, create specific guidelines on how to promote the project during the different stages of the event: preparation, application period, during the event, after the event. Having an active promotion during the whole stage leads to visible results.

How do you foresee your cooperation with CD to promote SU as a project to possible interested companies (like Small Medium Enterprises or Start-Ups eager to have a large European project to promote their products/services)?

Lorenzo: As I also wrote in my programme, I would collaborate with CIRC for global fundraising and with the Netcom for local fundraising. My goal is to create a network of partners which could provide materials and goods to the antennae, as well as discount codes and services, depending on the partner. Agorae as well could be a good opportunity for partners of the project to distribute their sponsored goods.

Questions from the Network

In your programme you refer to a new format about the collaboration with SUpporters. How can they support you? In our opinion, why SUpporters are not so active right now? Can you explain to us how your new system will resemble the one of the subcommies?

Lorenzo: I think that it’s difficult to be active for the SUpporters because the current system doesn’t include higher responsibilities, or somehow an official position. My idea is to have a subcommies-like task force, with SUpporters divided into expertise (Project Management – PR – FR – Content) supervised by the SUCTies. In my opinion, giving tasks, deadlines, and higher responsibilities such as “mandatory” participation to the SUpporters work could lead to higher results as well as empowering possible future SUCTies.

You can read his candidature here.

Written by Raluca Radu – AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca

Giulia Caberlotto (AEGEE-Udine) wrote her thesis, in order to complete her studies in Public Relations, about AEGEE. She has been an AEGEE member for two years now and is currently the President of her local, an experience which gives her the sufficient knowledge in order to complete this task.

The AEGEEan: Hey, Giulia! How was the idea born to write a thesis about AEGEE? 

Giulia: The idea was born because I had to find an argument for my thesis, obviously! And since I was running out of time, I thought that I had to find an argument that could inspire me and keep my motivation up… The choice was pretty easy, indeed, because AEGEE is a source of motivation itself. The difficult part was to adapt it to my field of studies [she smiles, ed.], therefore I have changed millions of focuses before finding the perfect one!

Which AEGEE event did you decide to use for your study?

This was the hardest part, to choose just one of the aspects of AEGEE… In the end, after consulting with my professor, I came up with the idea of writing about the Agora, specifically the one organised by AEGEE-Cagliari since I participated as a helper. I wanted to implement the follow-up of the event so I decided to create a survey and sent it to the people who participated. I decided to analyse it through the tools of internal communication, public relations and marketing since I studied Public Relations.

 Can you tell us more about the structure of the thesis?

I divided the thesis into five chapters: the first three are theoretical, while the fourth is about AEGEE and the fifth is about the case history of Agora Cagliari.

In general, the first chapter is about the non-profit sector, the associations, the contribution of volunteers and the role of motivation in human resources strategies; the second one is about communication in this sector, primarily internal communication tools, while the third one is focused on PR and marketing tools for NGOs, with reference to events as a tool of internal PR/communication.

Regarding the survey, which categories did you use for the questions?

The questions were divided into macro-categories: evaluation of the communication tools (website and social network), evaluation of welcome pack and merchandising, questions about the event overall and the influence of promotion. I am so thankful to all the people that helped me out by filling in the survey.

 What did the majority of the AEGEEans answer to these questions?

This is a secret I will never tell  [she smile, ed.]

The answers were pretty positive, actually. I won’t get into details, but the evaluations of website and Facebook were very positive, as well as the ones of the event itself (more than 87% of people gave an evaluation between 4/5 and 5/5). The rest of my analysis was a combination of variables, so it’s difficult for me to explain it without having to show charts and diagrams.

Would your thesis be of any benefit for AEGEE as well, on the European or Local level?

It depends on what you’re expecting from it. Many people told me they wanted to read my thesis expecting it to be an AEGEE manual, but it’s actually focused on one specific topic. It could be useful, indeed, but you have to consider the general overview of the topic, the “AEGEE part” covers two chapters out of five as it is the practical case that fits the theoretical analysis.

You graduated in April! How did the professors see your thesis?

I graduated on the 13^th of April! And that is the exact day in which, two years ago, I joined AEGEE, so it was a double lucky day for me [she smile, ed.]. During the final evaluation, when I had the chance to present my work, the commission seemed very interested and asked me many questions. In the end I got the maximum result, so I am extra satisfied with my research.

How are things going in AEGEE-Udine?

The antenna is growing a lot at the moment, we have a lot of fresh members because we really worked on promotion in March and April. Now it’s time to motivate and integrate the newbies.

Written by Gabriela Cioată, AEGEE-București

During Autumn Agora Cagliari six new members of the NetCom were elected, namely: Andrea Schmelz (AEGEE-Passau), Boudewijn Steenhof (AEGEE-Leiden), Mario Galea (AEGEE-Valletta), Marta Wnuk (AEGEE-Warszawa), Olga Rivero (AEGEE-Oviedo) and Tekla Hajdu (AEGEE-Budapest). The AEGEEan spoke to them to find out more about these new members and their plans for the upcoming months.

Andrea Schmelz (AEGEE-Passau)

Why did you apply to be NetCom?

I have been already thinking about it since I organized Network Meeting (NWM) Passau. I saw how much a Netcom can help locals by simply listening and talking to them. I love to see the effects of connecting people and the Netcom is the perfect place to facilitate this. In my position it is not about me making an impact, but about supporting the locals to do that. And that is a very rewarding job.

 What was your first reaction when you heard you got elected as NetCom?

My face was completely red, because of the excitement in the plenary, the hours to wait for the election results and the lack of air in the plenary room. So when the results were out, I was just happy to be elected, sign the contract and get some fresh air and food.

What are your plans for the locals in your area?

First, I would like to help those who need support to flourish again and encourage those who do well to organize more thematic European events. Next to that I very much encourage the Netcom Projects such as Twin Antenna and Mentoring Antenna. It is so great to have a second home base in AEGEE. It would be also nice to see some new contacts, maybe we can fill in some blanks on the map?

What are your plans for the NetCom team?

After the Netcom Meeting in Brussels, I feel like I have thousands of plans and ideas! I mainly want to work on revising the way we work with new contacts. I learned a lot about this last year and it is not only about giving the contacts an idea of how to become part of AEGEE, but also about supporting the respective Netcom in his or her work with the contacts.

What are the nicknames for your area and team?

We don’t have any nicknames, but with Maastricht on board I try to infiltrate slowly the name AEGezelligkeit (geselligkeit/gezelligheid are the German and Dutch word for cosiness, a good atmosphere with other people ed.), a concept well-known to Germans and Dutchies. I’ll see how persuasive I am; I know I have skeptics around me (she laughs).

What is something that most AEGEEans wouldn’t know about you?

I hate orange juice with pulp. When I discovered pulp as a 4-year-old kid in kindergarten, I thought they look like grubs and I stopped drinking orange juice for 12 years. I started to drink it again, but I am always quite happy when I see the cheap, pulp-free juice packages at AEGEE events.

Boudewijn Steenhof (AEGEE-Leiden)

Marta Wnuk (AEGEE-Warszawa)

Why did you apply to be NetCom?

I was driven by a huge sense of responsibility towards my network and great care for the people that are part of it. I was a SubCommie the previous year, so I gota  very valuable perspective that allowed me to get to know the functioning of the locals quite well and provided me with a good starting-point experience. I knew Polish-speaking locals needed a good NetCommie and since I was approached by many asking me if I would run for the post, I decided to take up the challenge.

What was your first reaction when you heard you got elected as NetCom?

It was a combination of relieve and happiness. Relieve because the closing ceremony was considerably delayed and I was waiting for the results quite intensively. Happiness because I achieved my dream goal and didn’t let down the trust of many who supported my candidature.

What are your plans for the locals in your area?

One of my priorities are Local Training Courses (LTC). Among Polish-speaking locals these are already well-established and bringing good results using the common format of LTC: a whole-weekend training based on workshops, case-study system and integration of new members. I would like to make sure that its implementation in every local is right and raise its quality even more as successful LTCs are one of the key elements of running a local. My next priority is setting up good communication within my area that is aimed at knowledge transfer, exchange of experiences and good practices. Ideally, weaker locals should learn from stronger ones and SubCommies, who are my team of experts in specific fields, are there to help them. Thirdly, the organization of NWM Warszawa is very important and a lot of work will be focused to create the best content for the event.

What are your plans for the NetCom team?

It’s very important for the NetCom to fulfill its work plan for the current term. I want to contribute to developing the set of common topics of NWMs and finishing the Toolkit for Boards. I would also like to be involved in the process of creating a Non-Disclosure Agreement  for SubCommies and support the CD with their initiative regarding LTCs.

What are the nicknames for your area and team?

This would be a quite boring answer as there is not any official name of my area. There is only a name that works as a bit sarcastic inside joke that is not specially worth of translating here. As for my SubCom team I simply call them what they are – the best team ever!

What is something that most AEGEEans wouldn’t know about you?

It’s pretty known that I live in Warsaw and before that I lived in Poznań. However, I don’t think that any one knows that I actually grew up in a very little village in North-West Poland. I’m really proud of this fact and I would never change it for a childhood in a big city. It gave me wonderful memories and shaped my character positively I think.

Olga Rivero (AEGEE-Oviedo)

Why did you apply to be NetCom?

Ever since I became interested in the thematic bodies of AEGEE and started going to statutory events, I knew that the role of a Network Commissioner was the most inspiring and suitable for me. That’s why I decided to take the first step by becoming SubCommissioner of Pauline Létard, and later of NetCom Assistant Carmen María López. As I could prove during all those months, I wasn’t wrong about my perception of a NetCommie, and since my motivation kept growing and growing and I felt more confident and prepared everyday, I asked myself: why not run for such a position?

What was your first reaction when you heard you got elected as NetCom?

As there was another member candidating for my same area, I remember feeling a burst of motivation and gratefulness at the same time, while I thought I was in a dream. 2014 was the year in which I reached the goals I had had for some time in AEGEE, no doubt about it!

What are your plans for the locals in your area?

My team and I are working a lot on getting closer to each local. We want to gain their trust and make them feel that we are present in their daily life, so if there’s something going wrong they don’t hesitate to share it with us. We want to be a proactive team towards the locals we are in charge of because we think that is the basic step to take before implementing new ideas or developing new strategies. We are also working hard on creating common strategies for locals that have the same weaknesses, such us FR, HR… And, of course, offering our help for the organization of the next two statutory events, EPM Burgos and AgorAsturias!

What are your plans for the NetCom team?

My NetCom colleagues and I are working in close cooperation on developing some new ideas we had at the start of this new term, which in some cases involves improving some of the things that already exist.

What are the nicknames for your area and team?

The nickname for my area is La Nave, and my team is informally called La Tripulación. From what I know, the name of La Nave was born some years ago (I wasn’t a member yet), when the mailing list we use for communicating in the area was called subealanave (which would be translated as “get on board in our spaceship”). The name was a joke that was raised from the fact that all of the non-AEGEE people saw us a bit like a sect, like there were some aliens that were going to come to look for us to get on board on their spaceship. It eventually developed to calling our Facebook group and our area La Nave (“the spaceship”) in an informal way, and the NetCom team of the area got to be known as La Tripulación (“the crew”), as if they were the ones that drove the spaceship. There’s even a kind of structure in Santander that looks like a spaceship where every AEGEEan from the area takes pictures with.

What is something that most AEGEEans wouldn’t know about you?

I’m a biotechnologist specialized in Microbiology that was born in Oviedo (north of Spain) 23 years ago. I lived there until one year ago, when I moved to Madrid to finish my studies and where I will start my PhD soon. I love music (I have played the piano for almost my whole life), traveling (big news, I guess!), TV series (I’m a big fan of Breaking Bad, Friends and Modern Family) and movies (thumbs up if you have watched all Woody Allen movies like me).

Tekla Hajdu (AEGEE-Budapest)

Why did you apply to be NetCom?

I applied as a NetCom, because I was in close contact with Brigitta Puskas (AEGEE-Budapest), the previous NetCom Assistant, and I got inspiration from seeing her work with her antennae. I was always the kind of person who is not afraid of bigger tasks, so I decided why not go for it? Also, I got a lot of support from Brigitta, from my board and from older members from Budapest as well, and when I met with the previous NetCom team in person, I was sure that I wanted to belong to the Network Commission too.

What was your first reaction when you heard you got elected as NetCom?

I was very delighted, because I was the last one to apply amongst the candidates (the “dark horse”), and I was afraid that I wouldn’t get elected. It was definitely amongst my remarkable happy moments in AEGEE [she smiles, ed.].

What are your plans for the locals in your area?

First of all, I want to strengthen the area, because in the previous years, it has been very fragmented, and now it is the time to have someone to whom they can turn to. I want to strengthen the cooperation between them, and to help them out as much as possible. In the long run, I want to promote the Twin Antenna project to my locals, and I would also like to implement the Mentorship System in the area. So far I have been welcomed with open arms, so I have high hopes for my long-term plans.

What are your plans for the NetCom team?

In the NetCom team, I would like to be an active and useful member. I wish to concentrate on the content of Network Meetings, the tasks of SubCommissioners, and the process of accepting Contacts.

What are the nicknames for your area and team?

I did not really hear of a nickname for my region so far. Usually, I call it Middle European Area or Central European Area, because I have antennae from five different countries from Central –Eastern Europe – but I’ll ask my SubCommies if they have any ideas!

What is something that most AEGEEans wouldn’t know about you?

I am actually a “horsey girl” – I have been riding for more than 6 years, and when I was in high school, I used to go to competitions as well. Since I started university, I only occasionally have the chance to ride, but my love for horses will never change.

You can find Network Commission Working Plan for the current term (Agora Cagliari-Agora Oviedo) here.

Written by Svenja van der Tol, AEGEE-Nijmegen

Passion is the key of event management according to Simone Ruscica, honorary member of AEGEE-Cagliari and the main organizer of the General Assembly hosted in Cagliari in Autumn 2014. His experience as event organizer (within and beyond AEGEE) was fundamental for the success of the last Agora. Do you want to know what’s behind his dark hair and see why he’s got brains? Check this out!

The AEGEEan: Hi, Simone, could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Simone: Hello, I’m Simone, 25 year old student of business administration, event organizer and current honorary member of AEGEE-Cagliari.

When did you join AEGEE and why?

I joined AEGEE in March 2012, so I’m not such an old member. Why did I join AEGEE? I think for the same reason as 90% of the others AEGEE members: to have the possibility to travel around Europe with really cheap prices, meet new friends around Europe and take part in a Summer University (SU).

What made you stay in our network?

Spirit, passion and enthusiasm are all aspects that make somebody an AEGEE member. I found this out during my very first SU and I was really surprised about that. Maybe I was just lucky because I met a great group of people during the SU, but when I came back to Cagliari, I immediately decided to become an active member.

What is your experience in AEGEE, both at the local and at the European level?

Actually I took part in almost all kinds of events, both at the European and at the local level. I took part in a Travel Summer University in 2012, a Winter University in Naples in 2013, I attended the Autumn Agora in Zaragoza in 2013 and the Spring Agora Patra 2014. At the local level I have been an organizer in several events (it is impossible to count all of them): starting from Local Agorae up to Agora Cagliari.

You faced an important challenge with your antenna when Cagliari hosted our General Assembly. As main organizer of the Agora could, you tell us which are the main obstacles/difficulties you had in terms of event management? What about the highlights?

The main obstacle? Finding the right mood for it, in other words to be brave and calm. Actually we had several difficulties (but I think it is something you always face while organizing an event). The biggest problem was to find the right location to host over 800 people and to gather enough money to feed all of them. In other terms fundraising is fundamental: if you have enough money, everything is a lot easier. The main organizer needs also to be stubborn and “crazy” enough in order not to give up. The highlights? For sure the opening ceremony (it was really exciting) and the closing one. I have seen twelve months passing in front of my eyes in a few minutes and almost all the members of my team started to cry. I really love them all.

Did you have any experience in this field beyond AEGEE?

Yes, I had other experiences in this field [event organization]. I used to be a marketing assistant at Mondo Ichnusa 2011 (the biggest concert on my island with over 100.000 participants), location manager at Leggendo Metropolitano 2012 – 2013 (the most important literary festival in Sardinia), co-coordinator of several Loud Open Air Festivals (free music festivals we’ve organized in Sardinia with over 15.000 participants per event. You can find out more about it at the following link: http://vimeo.com/100932563).

According to you, what makes somebody a good organizer in AEGEE?

Oh, good question. To be a good organizer in AEGEE, first of all you should love what you are doing and you should have a lot of passion for it! Secondly, you should be really determined and motivated but also to be able to motivate your own team. The most important thing is that you shouldn’t forget that you are not the boss and that you need to approach your team as friends and try to build a real “family”. Everything will run easier in this way.

Are you still active in your local?

Well, right now I’m trying to be more active in my university. Right mum? (he smiles)

You are an honorary member of your local. How do you feel about it? 

I feel great and really honored, like on the day in which the previous AEGEE-Cagliari board asked me to be the coordinator of Autumn Agora Cagliari 2014. It was totally unexpected and one of the best surprises I got this year from my local. I want to dedicate this “prize” to all the members of my team and the people who supported me in this great 2014. Everyone of you put a big brick in that big wall and you made my dream come true!

What about your future plans?

I have only one more goal to reach right now: complete my Bachelor studies in business administration and after that I will think of some new big event to organize.

Written by Larisa Smajlagic, AEGEE-Verona

During the Autumn Agora in Cagliari, Jorge Sánchez Hernández took the stage to present AEGEE-Dresden, which was at that moment still a contact. After his speech however, he signed the Convention d’Adhesion, transforming his contact into a contact antenna. Looking at the endless amounts of time, work and motivation he put into re-founding a local in Dresden, The AEGEEan thought it was about time to find out more about him! 

The AEGEEan: First of all, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Who are you, and when and why did you join AEGEE?

Jorge: I’m Jorge, a 21 years old Spaniard living in Dresden. I love traveling, meeting people from different countries and cultures, food, beer, and AEGEEans. I joined AEGEE-Alicante on the day of the deadline to apply for a Summer University in 2013. I wanted to go to the SU in Helsinki, but it was the one with the most applications that year, so I decided to go to the Dutch-Deutsch Adventure organised by Enschede, Utrecht and Köln. The experience was so good that I became active right away. AEGEE has been very important in my life since then.

You are the re-founder of AEGEE-Dresden. What made you decide to start up a contact?

Made by Marco Müser, AEGEE-Köln

Since I moved to Dresden being a fresh member, I wanted to experience more in AEGEE, I had some experience with the European level, but no local level experience. AEGEE was such a good platform for me to develop my skills and meet awesome and inspiring people, that I just had to found a contact in Dresden to be able to share this opportunity with other students. It was quite hard to found a contact in a different country, without a network in the city, without proficiency in the language (I moved to Germany in November with no knowledge of German and founded the contact in March), and being alone at first. A month later however, Ingo from AEGEE-Aachen (who is now my flatmate) came, and we got Nora from another program, and everything started to grow. With four to five people, we were managing a buddy program for almost 400 students, as well as organizing a Regional Training Course, an exchange, building a web page and a long list of stuff. It has been a lot of work, and it still is, but we do it with passion!

Do you have any tips for other contacts who want to become a contact antenna too?

First of all, we would love to help any contacts who need help, so they can contact us and we will try to understand their situation and try to give our best advice. My tip would be to start organizing events. Even if you feel like you don’t have enough people (even if you’re just one), things will eventually work out and if you put passion into it, people will join you. Find something that is missing in your city, what other associations are not doing, and link it to AEGEE to attract new members. A good relation with the university is a must to grow fast. We get a lot of support since we became part of an official body of the university. We have an office and some financial support, and they also promote some of our projects. What is most important for me to grow, is that there is a good atmosphere in the team. Without being real friends and doing things together, I don’t think it would work so well.

What are your plans with AEGEE-Dresden in the upcoming months?

We just organised a Regional Training Course called “Develop Yourself!”, taking place from 11th – 14th December. In January we will host thirty AEGEEans from AEGEE-Krakow, who come from the 8^th until the 11^th to spend an awesome weekend with us in Dresden. Some days later we will also have an important meeting with the international department of the city hall to present our projects, and we will have our local Agora. After that, plans are still being discussed, but we have two other exchanges, a Travel Summer University, as well as some Local Training Courses coming up!

What have you done in AEGEE so far, besides setting up a contact in Dresden?

I was a helper at ZarAgora, taking pictures of all of you sleeping in plenaries. They will come to life when you expect them the least… I also was the Secretary of the Environmental Working Group (EnWG) last term, and I am still active in AEGEE-Alicante. But since February, AEGEE-Dresden has taken all my AEGEE time and I don’t have time this year for any European Projects, maybe next year again, but I like the local level as well.

Is there something you still want to do with AEGEE?

Of course I have dreams in AEGEE, but maybe I will keep them for now. If they become true, you will know! I would love to get some time and people to work on the CIA and change the situation of the contacts and contact antennae, since it’s not so convenient right now. It’s a lot harder to be a contact or a contact antenna since you don’t have many members, funds or experience, but the antenna criteria make it even more difficult.

What is the most fond memory you have of AEGEE?

I don’t think I could choose one, so I will choose three even though it’s still hard. One was being a helper at ZarAgora. It was really amazing to see so many people from so many countries, meeting people with unpronounceable names (yeah, it’s like the pot calling the kettle black) and it was an incredible surge of inspiration and motivation. The second was the Cantus I had with AEGEE-Enschede in my first SU with Paul Smits as Senior. It was really such a good experience I will never forget in my life. They were super creative and original. I recommend everyone to go for SU to Enschede, they are very professional. The third one, and maybe the one I will remember the most, was signing the CdA at Agora Cagliari. Lots of things accomplished with my team to reach that point. But, I can’t finish this without saying that the most valuable thing that AEGEE has given me is all the amazing people I have met on the way. All these people inspire me to keep going forward in all the projects and also outside of AEGEE, even when things don’t look so bright.

Written by Svenja van der Tol, AEGEE-Nijmegen

Szabina Hellinger, Hungarian but from AEGEE-Brescia, is the last candidate to have applied for a spot in the Mediation Commission. The AEGEEan had a talk with her to discover more about her, her motivation and her plans.

The AEGEEan: Please, introduce yourself.

Szabina: I met AEGEE in 2009 through my first Summer University and got immediately the wave of it. I started my carreer as member of AEGEE-Budapest but in 2012 I moved to Italy for a year with my Erasmus where with Roberto Molica (AEGEE-Bologna), we initiated the restablishment the antenna there, meanwhile after the NWM-Padova I became member of AEGEE-Brescia to keep me updated of the Region’s happenings plus I became also member of the ESN-Bologna to build connections and possible cooperation. In 2013 I moved back to Hungary where I started to work where I could practise the mediation skills since I had to find every possible solution according to the fewest informations or neither anything provided. I like to mediate and resolve problems in the same time facing more and more challenges.

Why did you decide to run for Mediation Commission? 

In 2012 on the Agora Rhein-Neckar I was a candidate for general Comité Directeur member but I was not elected, after the path my life took made me impossible any further candidature, since I would not be able to move to Brusseles neither in a possible election. After the CD I feel the Mediation Commission the nearest to me. I find it a new challenge and I would like to serve the Network, contribuite it with my experiences.

What do you think it’s the main job of the Medcom?

Through the mediation and provide immediate assist to the whole network, I find important to mention also the data privacy control, a contribution in the privacy policy management.

You won’t be in Cagliari to present your candidature, do you think it will penalize you?

I will not be able to attend due a health issue which makes me unable to take flights, for this reason I did not even apply, I did not want to steal any place of any participants for an event where my attendance is not 100%. I don’t think this would penalize me, because the Agora will have the chance to decide if they find me a competent candidate or not. I have asked a friend to present my candidature who knows me perfectly with strengths and weaknesses enough to answer any possible questions plus I will be constantly available on skype through his tablet where even me will be able to answer any possible doubt.

According to you, what do you think is the most important quality to be in the Medcom and why do you have it? 

Objectivity and indipendence, in any possible conflict only these two qualities can help to assist any possible case, focusing onto the members and data rights.

Were you in touch with the current Medcom or the former one?

I highly appreciate the currents commission’s work, I had to contact them once in a questionable incident and they reacted prompty providing immediate advice and official interruption upon my request. Afterwards luckaly it was not needed but they gave me an enormous push to turn my intrest to their work.

In your program you say you want to make the work of Mediation Commission more visible to the network. How is your idea to do so?

The MedCom’s work is not only about the intervention in any possible conflict even though their representation is most visible there. The commission is continuously available for every member for consultation and I would like to make it more acknowledged.

What is your idea of strenghtening the communication and the cooperation within bodies?

According to my experiences in these years on the European level, I saw that the bodies prefer to work immediately and not collaborate(which is my strong desire to change for years now). I would like to encourage the bodies, locals, projects, working groups to cooperate more. I would encourage them to organise more common events, and start future collaborations, because throught these initiatives we can make the network to go further.

 Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Venezia

Active member of the Culture Working Group, Agora responsible for the Election Observation project, Editor for the AEGEEan and co-Editor-in-Chief of the Key to Europe 2013-2014, but also terrified by clowns and mangos, Erika (AEGEE-Venezia) is one of the candidates for the position of Chairperson for the next term. The AEGEEan met her to ask her few questions to know more about her and her plans.

The AEGEEan: Tell us about Erika in few words. What we don’t know about you?

Erika: Well, let’s see. I grew up in the Venetian countryside walking barefoot half of the year. I’m a Gemini, which is a cool zodiac sign, but, since it’s a double sign, the horoscope is particularly bipolar. I’m often referring to myself in third person using my surname instead of my name. I am absolutely terrified by clowns and I strongly believe mango is an evil fruit.

What brings you to run for the position of Chairperson?

The belief I can do the job. The Agora is the ultimate AEGEE experience, it is something we look forward to for six months and we are already speaking about the next one when the current is not yet finished. What could be better than being part of its organisation? Speaking with former Chairpersons, reading minutes from past
Agorae and reading the Corpus Iuridicum Aegeense (CIA) were a boost for me to run. During the Chair Meeting in Brussels, any doubt I may have had disappeared. I trust my feelings and during those three days I was feeling at the right place at the right time.

What do you think are Chair responsibilities for the Agora?

Chairing the Agora, of course. But what the participants see during three days is just the top of the iceberg because the preparation for an Agora already starts months before. Open Calls have to be issued, participants have to be carefully selected and all mails answered. The team is important because you have to work not only with the Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and IT assistant, but also with the Local Organisers, Secretary General of the Comité Directeur and Juridical Commission. Therefore a good communication and good cooperation is the key to deliver a good job. Last but not least: drafting the agenda. It’s a compelling process where you have to take into account several variables like requests from the Network, but at the same time you also have to make sure you allocate enough time for presentations and discussions. It’s like a puzzle where all the pieces have to fit perfectly together with enough room for changes.

What’s the role you expect the Chair to have during EPMs?

The Chair presides over the EPM and s/he has to make sure everything goes smoothly according to the agenda. The content of an EPM is decided by the Comité Directeur and the Content Manager and the role of the Chair is marginal, but we  can still give our contribution to the organisational part of the event, for example by  issuing Open Calls for participants and setting a good timeline.

Did you already have similar experiences in chairing? And in team leading?

I chaired and presented several events, especially thanks to my works as journalist and radio host, and discussions, including some Agora simulation in NWMs. As for leading a team, I was in charge of several teams in and outside AEGEE. The past half year I was the Editor-in-Chief for Key to Europe 2013-2014. Along with Svenja van der Tol (AEGEE-Nijmegen), I was in charge of a team of 15 people, while we also coordinated all the externals who contributed to our annual publication. I was also the team leader of a group of six people reporting live from Venice International Film Festival.

Chairing the Agora means a lot of work before the Agora, with a long term planning and a lot of last minute changes. How much time do you think you will be able to dedicate to your position if you will be elected?

All the time it requires. I put Chair Team on the top of my priorities list. Moreover, I
have a very flexible schedule at work and I can organize my time as I prefer (as long as I deliver my job properly), so there are no obstacles in terms of overlapping. Plus, I spend most probably 18 hours a day in front of my laptop and when I don’t, I have internet on my phone which means I’m available 24/7, and who works with me knows that I can answer mail at any hours.

In your program you wrote you would like to introduce the concept of Agora Debate. What is it about?

This idea came to my mind in Patra while discussing Agora reform in one of the Progress Meetings. We often say there is not enough time for people to present themselves and for delegate to ask questions, so I was thinking: what if we introduce Agora Debate? As I imagine it, it would be similar to Oxford debate, with a given motion and two teams (one in favour and one against) discussing it. Each candidate is running by him/herself, but after all s/he will have to work in a team too, so it could be interesting to see how they interact with each other on a common topic. I think it could be more engaging for delegates and participants to see candidates in another environment expressing their ideas in a more developed way.

How would you like to help participants to be more prepared for statutory events (besides the Agora for dummies?)

Agora for dummies is important, because it introduces delegates to the Agora. The fact that it is translated in several languages helps those people that have trouble with English, but it’s of course not enough. Hangouts with the Chair team would be another good tool to explain what an Agora is and to answer questions. However, the biggest amount of work needed to prepare participants has to be done by locals, although I think the Chair Team should be there to help them whenever possible. Reaching out to almost 200 locals is very complicated, so I think that a good cooperation with the Network Commission is indispensable since NetCommies have a good overview of locals. Several NWMs already have a session to prepare participants for Agorae and, even if it’s not mandatory, it is a precious tool for discussions.

You already have different positions in AEGEE (People Editor for the AEGEEan, Agora Responsible for the Election Observation Project); in case you will be elected how will you manage to carry on so many different activities?

In The AEGEEan we will have elections after the Agora and in case I’m elected I won’t take any board position, but I will stay on as a regular journalist. The Election Observation Project is very dear to my heart because we put a lot of efforts into it in the past year and in Cagliari we will finally sign the contract. Agora Responsible is an appointed task and I do not think I will be appointed again if I’m elected as Chair Team, but having me in the Chair Team will definitely help in terms of communication and future observation missions during the Agora. In both cases I am sure that with a good knowledge transfer and motivation, we will find someone to take over my tasks. I am lucky to be in those teams because they are composed by phenomenal people willing to work and do their best. I will stay active in both projects, and in the Culture Working Group as well, because I firmly believe that projects and working groups need active members, not only board members, so I will keep on giving my contribution to the cause, whenever it’s possible.

What will you do in case you won’t be elected?

First of all I will take some time to recollect myself, then I will let myself have the best European Night ever. Once the Agora is over I will start again. As you said before, I’m involved in some other projects and it is my intention to work in them for the next year or so. Definitely I won’t finish my life in AEGEE abruptly after Agora Cagliari. We always say that our organization is the land of opportunities and you never know what the future holds for you.

Sometimes Agorae are long and discussions may distract (not to say bore) a part of the audience. When this happens, usually people in the plenary room start talking or, even worse, sleeping. What would you do if this happens during the plenary you are chairing?

If people are talking it could be for two reasons. The first one is because participants are discussing the topic with each other. If this is the case, I would invite those people to take the stage to share their thoughts because it may be an additional point of view in the discussion. The second reason is because they are bored or sleeping, in which case I would suggest an energiser! Sometimes destressing for a little bit can help to get focus back; moreover, it happens that we are so overwhelmed by the fact we can reunite with old friends that we want to party and talk all night long, not thinking about the morning after when we have plenaries again. If nothing else works, I can always start singing and that attempt is going to be successful since I’m probably the worst singer in the world. The audience will pray for me to stop [she laughs].

And now a question that came from the Network:

It is not the first time you candidate for this position. What has changed since you have ran for the first time? Why should people vote for you this time?

What changed in one year? I changed. A lot. One of the main points of AEGEE is self
development and I guess that with me it worked [she laughs]. This year I focused on what I love, taking my goals into consideration. I reflected a lot on my skills and the possibility of running one more time. It was a slow process that made me aware of some mistakes I’ve done in the past and the development of my strenghts. Why should people vote for me in Cagliari? Because all the experiences I’ve had so far made me acquire a deep knowledge of the Network and being a Chair Team Job Shadower gave me valuable insights into the work a Chairperson should perform.

Which are the characteristics (personal and professional) the Chairperson should have? Do you honestly see yourself in this role?

I am very fair, objective and partial. This is one of the things that I like to bring from my professional life into AEGEE, no matter of the project. I think these are the core qualities of a good Chairperson too. According to my vision, the Chair Team has, among others, the goal to serve the Network and let the Network decide by itself without influencing their decision. Moreover, I think a Chairperson should have excellent crisis management skills because last minute decisions and problems are always around the corner. So, coming back to your question: yes, I see myself in this role!

Written by Alfredo Sellitti, AEGEE-Salerno

The AEGEEan is currently meeting all the candidates for the different positions that will be elected at Autumn Agora Cagliari 2014. One of these motivated members is Rubén Puras, president of AEGEE-Burgos and coordinator of the upcoming European Planning Meeting in the Spanish city, who is now running also to become Network Commissioner! The AEGEEan asked him some questions in order to get to know him better.

The AEGEEan: Please, first of all, introduce yourself! Who is Rubén Puras?

Rubén: I am Rubén Puras, from AEGEE-Burgos, I am 26 and I studied Building Engineering, and I have a Master’s in Restoration and Rehabilitation, and besides, I spent one year studying in Catania with the Erasmus program, where I discovered what AEGEE is!

Inside AEGEE world, I am the president of my local and I organized many events. Summer University 2013 (where I was Main organiser), Summer University 2014 (treasurer), Autumn Agora Zaragoza 2013, Local Training Courses, local activities… In addition, I will be Coordinator in the next statutory event, the European Planning MeetingBurgos 2015. I even have experience in European Level out of AEGEE, attending a Leadership Trainning Course.

Furthermore, I am very experienced at organizing international events. For instance, International Tour of Burgos (2006-2014), International Cross of Atapuerca (2006-2014) and also I work as Building engineer.

How and why did you join AEGEE?

As I said before, during my Erasmus year, I discovered AEGEE Catania, and all the amazing activities they did. I was really surprised when they talked about events, activities, Summer Universities… So, when I came back home, I checked if AEGEE was represented in Burgos.

A few of our readers asked that you are the only candidate to Netcom who hasn’t followed the normal step of working as subcommissioner before. Do you see this as a disadvantage for you?

I think it isn’t a big disadvantage for me, for example, when I was chosen president of my antenna people “thought” I didn’t have enough experience and looking back one year later, what has happened in Burgos? Well, in one year we have increased the active members of Burgos, we will host the next EPM 2015, Burgos is getting bigger and our events (in my opinion) are amazing. So, why?!? Because there is a secret ingredient, MOTIVATION. Motivation can move the world, motivation can change everything! The experience is important, I know, but I really have a lot of experience coordinating teams.

So I can say, I’m completely ready for this challenge!

Another reader is asking that “you are running for becoming the network commissioner of La Nave, therefore of French speaking antennae and Portuguese speaking antennae. These antennae are not stable yet they are still oscillating between surviving, getting better and getting worse. What is their worst weakness? What is preventing them from growing and how are you planning to help them?”

In my opinion, the biggest problem is the continuation of the boards in small antennae. Many times, antennae have the same boards for many years, or quite similar, so what is happening when the board leaves? There are no people to manage it, or there are not enough motivated people, or the new members don’t know how to manage it. So, solutions? There are many, but I want to talk about one example I know perfectly: AEGEE-Burgos. In AEGEE-Burgos, it doesn’t matter if you are a new member, we always involve newbies in our projects, so that at the same time they are breathing AEGEE spirit and they are improving their skills. This is really important, because in the future this “newbies” will manage the antenna. Is this the only way to do it? Absolutely NOT , but it is one. So how to put it into practice? I think is really important to share the problems like in the Network Meetings, but also teach this things to members in Regional or Local Training Courses.

In short, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Which vision do you have of the work of the NetCom?

My vision… the Network Commission supports the locals and the CD with their tasks, linking the locals with the European Level. In my opinion, the Network Commission has an important role in helping antennae and collaborating with them solving their problems.

And what is going to be your top priority as Network Commissioner?

I have two top priorities. One of them, as I said before, is helping small antennae that are close to disappear and those which have problems to accomplish the Antennae Criteria. Also, to encourage consolidated antennae to continue their job in the right way. The second one is to strengthen LTCs and RTCs to show members how big AEGEE world is, and all the possibilities it offers, and also to teach how antennae work. Besides, I would like to give more formal content to RENOVE (event created to motivate newbies after Summer Universities period).

There is also another candidate for NetCom coming from the same region, Olga Rivero (AEGEE-Oviedo). Would you be willing to take another region if both of you are elected and La Nave preferred her?

AEGEE is a democratic association, and like a democratic association WE choose our representatives in the Agora, so, I respect and I will respect all the decisions taken there.

In fact, the possibility of having “primaries” or some mechanism to have just a candidate for the region was raised in La Nave. What is your personal opinion of it?

During Spring Agora Rhein Neckar 2013, there was a proposal about fixing regions, and the decision of the Agora was to refuse it, so if AEGEE doesn’t have fixed regions, one region by its own is not allowed to decide.

Another question from a reader: You never attended any NWM until now. Do you think it will be ok to organize the content of something you never been to?

First of all, I couldn’t attend last NWM due to personal issues, but I will attend next Autumn NWM. Also, not attending a NWM doesn’t mean I wasn’t interested in the topics that were discussed. In addition, my local always makes a meeting to share all the information which has been discussed before and after NWMs.

Which other relevant experience in AEGEE do you have, and how well do you know the European level bodies?

I attended Eastern Partnership Project’s conferences, I coordinated in my city the Y Vote Bus Tour Spain, I attended to Agorae, RTCs, Organized SUs, and also I have prepared and managed some LTCs in my city. So, I can say I know quite well the European Level.

There’s always the saying about the “gap between the local and European level”, what is your opinion on that?

I know many people say it, but I think that if everybody collaborates, we can help get this gap smaller.

What about the time you will be able to dedicate? Your antenna will be organizing the European Planning Meeting. How much time will it take that from your NetCom tasks, if elected?

I have enough free time to manage all the tasks associated to be NetCom, it only requires plannification. In addition, the EPM is almost done, and we have a big group of organizers working hard on it. It will be an awesome event. Of course, all of you are invited to come. We will be waiting for all of you in February.

Written by Anna Gumbau, AEGEE-Barcelona

The Comité Directeur still has one available place: Financial Director. Ioana Duca applied for this possition, currently being the interim Financial Director. She is a proud member of AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca and always willing to discover more of the AEGEE mystery. Read the answers she gave to The AEGEEan to find out more about her!

The AEGEEan: Ioana, you started in AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca as secretary, then president, and now you are running for the position of Financial Director of AEGEE-Europe. Do you think your experiences in your local helped you?

Ioana: I started in 2010 and I was Secretary, President and Summer University (SU) Coordinator, and now I’m Board Advisor. All the experience and work in the board of AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca helped me a lot to grow and to understand a lot of things. Even if I was never Treasurer in my board, I worked very close with all the treasurers, I helped them and supported them since I was Secretary. Moreover I was in contact with our accounter all the time, working with her and helping her, dealing with our finances. And of course all the experience with all the budgets for all our local events (SU, European Days of Languages, etc) and being Treasurer in several SUs helped me a lot.

How did the experience you gathered while being a CD assistant influence you?

Being CD assistant influenced me a lot. First, I was assistant for the archives in 2012 for two months. During this period I had the chance to be in Brussels, to understand how life as CD is and also to understand the history of AEGEE and all the processes better, as I was working with the archives. Since then I was thinking that if I will ever want to run for CD, I will probably choose the position of Financial Director, but it was to early for me, I needed to grow. My second experience as CD assistant was this year as Financial Intern, which is more close to finances. It helped me a lot to get more experience and to understand even better the work of Financial Director, dealing with budgets for several projects, reimbursements, reports, preparation for Agora etc. I was very lucky to have the experience of working with two CD teams and to see different people, different teams and different dynamics. Understanding the people and your team is as important as having enough experience for the position.

You are the interim Financial Director of AEGEE-Europe since August, so the position for the Financial Director was free before and during Agora Patra. Why didn’t you run back then?

As you can read in my candidature it was a problem of principles. After I started my term as Financial Intern, I got an internship. One of the most important things for me is to respect my commitments and promises, so I couldn’t run without solving this problem first. But I can say that during Agora Patra I was very sad because of the situation (people around me can confirm) and moreover I was sad that nobody ran for the position of Financial Director. After Agora Patra and during the open call for interim Financial Director, the situation with my internship was resolved so I was finally free to apply. I was very relieved!

Sometimes it is hard to find a candidate for the Financial Director position. Have you thought about any strategy or plan to find candidates for the next term?

It is true that it is hard to find a candidate for the Financial Director (FD) position, but I’m not planning to hunt people down to apply for this position. I don’t have any strategy as I don’t think this is the way, but I’m not saying that I don’t care if somebody is applying or not for this position. I care a lot and I will give all the necessary support to the people who will be interested to become FD. Maybe these people can come in Brussels for a few weeks before Agora Oviedo so they can see and understand the work of FD better, but I will not force people to run. One of the most important things is to be aware of the tasks and to want to do all these tasks and then you can learn a lot.

Do you still keep in touch with your local? Do they support you?

Of course I still keep in touch with my local. I’m very proud of my local and the people from my local. They are the reason that I am here, without them nothing of these would have  happened. In this moment I’m in the Advisory Board of my local, I’m still following everything that is happening and giving all the necessary support for all the events, recruitments or bureaucratic staff. Sometimes it is difficult to find time for this, but they know that I’m there for them anytime they need my help or my support. They support me a lot! And I want to make them proud of me as I’m proud of them!

How do you get along with the new CD and living in the same house with them?

The new CD is actually my 3^rd CD, so this is not a new experience for me. It is interesting and it is good that I had all these experiences with previous teams, it helped me a lot in some situations. The difference is that this is my CD and I’m not only an assistant anymore. I love my CD and I feel we are like a family, sharing all good and bad moments and not only those related with work and AEGEE, so like a true family. We are not perfect (as there is no perfection, no perfect family in this world and who is saying this, usually is hiding something or has no clue about real life), but we are growing together. And yes we are a family (it’s not just for the eyes of the world) as we are working together, we are sharing our thoughts, we are eating together, cleaning the house and supporting each other in good or bad moments (when we have some good news or results, or when we have stressful days before some deadlines). The most important thing is that we are together!

Written by Raluca Radu, AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca

Georgia Grolliou joined AEGEE about two years ago during her Erasmus in Aachen. She is the current president of AEGEE-Thessaloniki and she is running for Project Manager of Summer University Coordination Team (SUCT). Let’s find out more about her and her plans for SUCT!

The AEGEEan: Who are you? How did you find out about AEGEE?
Hello to everyone!! I am Georgia Grolliou from AEGEE-Thessaloniki! Just two years ago I was curious to experience something different, something to rock my world, and then Erasmus came in my life! That was the first time I met AEGEE-Aachen and became a member of this European party! After going back home, life became boring again.. Untill I discovered that there was an antenna in my city!! And here I am, proudly the president of AEGEE-Thessaloniki!

What have you learned while being President of your antenna?
I have learned so many thing while being part of AEGEE, not only by being president but also by being a member. Firstly, you learn how to work as a team, how to manage a team with so different personalities, motivate people and get great inspiration from them at the same time. For sure, you will come across team and risk management as well, but as a great inspirer once said: every big achievement needs just one step per time. Last but not least, you learn so much about yourself, how you react in extreme situations and how you behave out of your comfort zone with people you maybe didn’t know before.

What is Summer University (SU) to you? Why would you like to work on this project?
Summer University for me? Hmmm difficult to define! Summer University is like a happening where everything flows so normally, like we are 35 fellows fitting totally with each other, going on holidays all together! A SU, where there will be no one complaining all the time, because the shape of the pizza is not triangular, or want to go to bed instead of party hard! All participants would be cool, energetic and enthusiastic, willing to participate in all the activities, even if they have slept only a couple of hours, ready to dance and party till the dawn of day and make real friends despite of borders, languages and countries. I think it’s the most successful project of AEGEE throughout these years and of course it’s not random. It offers young people a unique experience to visit a country from the view of the locals, get to know its culture, make new friends and share great moments with them through awesome activities, motivating workshops and inspiring talks with other young people from all over Europe.

Why did you decide to run for the Summer University Coordination Team and the particular position?
Summer University was since the beginning the body of AEGEE that attracted me. As I am about to graduate, I have more free time than in the past years, so I want to finally contribute to the European level and how else if it’s not in my favourite body, SUCT? I decided to to run for Project Manager, because I think it needs a lot of passion and time to coordinate a team like SUCT and it’s definitely challenging.

What is your relevant experience in AEGEE?
The main experience I got was during the Summer University Project School (SUPS), where we didn’t just learn the rules and deadlines for submitting an SU, descriptions and so on, but we also dealt with more substantial aspects of an SU, like risk management, how to be a good leader of your team, Plan B, time management and motivating people, organisers and participants! The most valuable experience is always the one you get by being an organiser. As Lodging/Accommodation Responsible, Incoming Responsible and Visa Responsible during PreAgora event, I gained a lot of experience by facing a lot of crisis and following Plan B or C! Some would say that I am missing experience because I wasn’t a coordinator or organiser of an SU but I learned from the best and I think what makes an event unique and unforgettable is not just the great timing or exact budget but the good mood and the team spirit and I am full of it!

What do you do apart from AEGEE?
I am studying mechanical engineering in the Aristotle Polytechnic of Thessaloniki! I know it sounds strange to be a woman around hundreds of men but at the same time it’s really challenging! Apart from this, I am working part time! How else could I sponsor all these trips within AEGEE?

What would you like to focus on during your term?
Participant’s selection for sure. It should be based on more variables in order to avoid “misselection” and “ghost-participants”. Except motivation letter, comments from the Outgoing Responsible of the antenna, the SU organisers should take into account the evaluation of the participant too. And somehow, we could enter in the algorithm the recommendations about this person from people that might know him/her, because it’s a common secret within AEGEE:  people asking recommendations for other people. Also, preparation of the new members, who are going on SU for the first time, with a “local training” maybe. Doing this, you could avoid questions like “Can I apply to this SU with my friends/girlfriend/boyfriend?”, “Could I apply to the same SU with you? I am afraid to travel alone” (yeap, some members asked me this indeed)! Of course, it’s a unique surprise but shouldn’t we prepare them before arriving in the other country? Content of the SU too. It’s important to keep it! Parties and beach time are fun but activities, workshopss etc are the things that make it interesting, unique and different from the usual type of holidays. There are many ideas and I suppose much more will appear, while SUCT will be working as a team.

What was your best SU experience? What was your worst SU experience?
It’s difficult to find a bad SU experience, not because nothing bad happens but after days are passing, facing the after SU depression, you totally forget the bad moments and you are full of this nostalgic feeling. Both SUs that I joined were great experiences, maybe I would give one more point to TSU Barcelona-Las Palmas, just because it had the magic of being the first. Anyway, I could mention a story that was an unforgettable moment for being the first time participant of a SU: after the traditional EN, that was held at the second night, everybody was totally drunk, except me and a couple more people. Drunk and sick participants around, complaining, wanting to go back to the gym, police coming to warn us but in another language, organisers crying without reason, no sense at all! Finally, the few sober people found a solution and took care of everyone, making this night another great memory.

Will you be able to come to Agora Cagliari to represent your candidature?
Yeap, I will be there! You will see me around!

Do you already know the tasks of the position you applied for?
Theoretically, I know all the tasks of each position in SUCT. But you know that there are always extra tasks which maybe you will be asked, so you should always be prepared and love what you do!

Is there something you would like to change/improve working on SUCT?
Although I already love SUCT as it is, there is always considerable room for further improvement. The method of selection of participants for example is the most debated topic within SUCT.

Anything else you would like to tell our readers?
In life, you should never hesitate to deal with things that you love! Don’t be afraid to candidate in any position in local or European level, because if it’s not you that loves to work for this amazing organisation, then who would do it?

Written by Lia Tuska, AEGEE-Sofia