When AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg wanted to organise a Network Meeting (NWM) several people doubted it could become a success due to being far away and because of expectations of visa issues. However, Mayri Tiido from the Comite Directeur, Monika Duda from ACT and Maria Arends from the Network Commission helped the antenna with the preparations and sessions and the NWM was organised in such a great way by the antenna that it lead AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg to become Local of the Month. The AEGEEan interviewed NetCom Maria Arends to hear about why the antenna was nominated and the organisation of the event.

The AEGEEan: Why did you choose AEGEE Sankt Peterburg as NWM host?

Maria Arends: First of all, AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg submitted a very good and detailed application. Really everything was included, strong motivation (they wanted the NWM to take place in Russia to prove that it is not impossible to apply for visa and that there is nothing ‘scary’ about Russia), a good budget, explanation about the visa support they were going to provide… So first of all, there was no reason to not choose them based on formal aspects. Then, me being an idealist as well, such great and intrinsic motivation really touched me. Even though some people told me that it might not work out very well, I decided to pair up with AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg and prove everyone wrong!

How did the event go?

Very well! There were many fresh and motivated AEGEEans who, I think, learnt a lot about our wonderful organisation. The sessions went smoothly, we walked a lot with -10 degrees (but we had fun doing it) we had a very nice three-hour-long city tour through the main sites of the inner city of Saint Petersburg, though it is such a big city that you can never see all sites, and we had an amazing pubcrawl with shots of vodka and other kinds of spirits, which was interesting. Apart from that,the organisers have provided us with good food and an amazing accommodation in a hostel, which we had all to ourselves, it was so good to actually sleep in beds!

You work with AEGEE-Sankt Peterburg on a day to day basis, what is good about the antenna? How do they work? 

Firstly, they have meetings on a frequent basis, which definitely helps them. Also, they organise a lot of events, and a lot of members of their antenna go to other events in the Network. For the upcoming Network Meeting in Hamburg, I have seen a few applications. This definitely helps them to stay motivated. Furthermore, they have a newly elected board, which is great! Of course they are also organising the Transsiberian Dream together with AEGEE-Moskva this year, and they do not get stuck in thinking about their problems, but rather take up a challenge (during the NWM they have proven that for example with fundraising). All in all, I think that AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg is a really great and active antenna, which organised a really great event! (and I think all of the participants would agree with me.

The AEGEEan interviewed  Dina Sharonova the initiator of NWM and ex-President of the local, Anastasia Kachesova the current President and Anna Smirnova the  responsible for visa section on NWM.AEGEE-Sankt Petersburg to hear more about the antenna and the event. 

The AEGEEan: How did the organisation of the event go?

AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg: Organising an event always requires a lot of great team work. Just a week before the NWM, we had some difficulties with a place where sessions were held, but we successfully passed all challenges.

Why did you apply to host the NWM?

One of the main reasons was the willingness to prove that it’s possible to organise an official AEGEE event in Russia, despite all difficulties as visa procedures or absence of university support. It was also important to us to show our participants and local members that a Network Meeting can be as fascinating as informal events or parties. We suppose both tasks were completed successfully.

What do you think of the participants that took part in the event? Were they active?

The program of the NWM was very intensive. We had doubts that it would be difficult for participants, many of whom were newbies in their locals. Fortunately, the participants were brilliant! They were active, easy-going, interested in topics and discussions. They filled the NWM with an awesome energy.

What are the best memories you have from the event?

There was a section about Russia&Europe on the threshold of EPM Burgos’ agenda. Due to the current political situation and mixed attitude in mass media we anticipated a lot of problems about this topic. But participants of this discussion were respectful and open-minded. We were pleased to find out that the common point of view was that the division between Europe and Russia is artificial and brings nothing positive for both parties.

How many members do you have in your antenna? How many of your members are active? 

There are 70 members in AEGEE Sankt-Peterburg and 20-25 of them are active.

What do you organise in your antenna?

Every year we organize Summer University, at least one winter event and an exchange with other antenna. This year AEGEE Sankt-Peterburg and AEGEE Moskva present SU “Transsiberian Dream vol. 7 Far East Movement”, which goes backs to the roots, because it was originally made by our two cities. Transsiberian Dream is always legendary, but this year it is going to be something special!

What is special about AEGEE Sankt Peterburg?

AEGEE Sankt-Peterburg is the most northern-located one, that’s why the NWM was called winter NORDIC magic. Also we’re active despite a few number of members and quite distant location. We live in the most beautiful city in Russia and we are open to all new ideas.

How did you collaborate with NetCom Maria Arends to prepare for the NWM?

It was a perfect collaboration! Maria assisted us in filling Quality Assurance Committee (EQAQ’s) form, creating the thematic section of the program, kindly answered all our questions and was one of the trainers during NWM. She was the person on the European level who believed in the success of a NWM in Saint-Petersburg. AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg would like to express Maria our appreciate for her help! We’re a nice team.

We have been told you gave a nice workshop on visas, what was it about? 

We understand that there are probably few locals which can raise awareness about visas and spread information. Usually, AEGEEans only have common idea about visas. The key to success was that all participants had their own experience with visa applications for the NWM. They figured out how different this procedure can be with the same rules of law and the same conditions and how important is to keep attention on this topic.

What do you think about the Visa Freedom Working Group having been closed?

It’s a reflection of a tendency of lack of interest for this topic. Usually Europeans think that the visa topic doesn’t concern them, as they mostly didn’t face it. However, this question does exist and we tried to show the importance of this problem to our participants during workshop.  Also as we discovered during the NWM, laws and procedures are completely different in all countries even though it is not supposed to be, so it would be nice to have a Working Group in AEGEE, which will inform and support members, as well as stand for our rights.

What experience do you have with visas?

Usually AEGEE Sankt-Peterburg provides free visas and special support for all participants. We are glad to open up countries and places, which AEGEEans probably would never visit without AEGEE and youth cooperation. On the other hand, all members of AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg gather official papers and visit embassies or consulates at least once a year and fill the application forms for their own travels.

Have you done anything in your antenna after the NWM?

First we had the local board elections. Now we are in the active process of organising Transsiberian Dream vol. 7 in cooperation with AEGEE-Moskva to make this SU unforgettable.

What are your upcoming plans for the antenna?

We’re going to participate in the Restaurant Day in February, have an exchange with AEGEE-Minsk and fire on our Summer University. Soon we will visit AEGEE-Moskva in the capital of our country to make the organisation even better.

Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-Zaragoza

During Agora Rhein-Neckar, the Visa Freedom Working Group (VFWG) organized quite a successful workshop! The main leader and speaker of the workshop was an American citizen living in Germany and the Czech Republic, Mrs. Kimberli Jo Lewis, who has a certificate from the London Coaching Academy.

Kimberli Lewis, International CEO, executive coach, and mentor, talked about transitioning and being culturally transitioned both in the private and work life. Kimberli has over 22 years CEO experience in 10 countries and has a lighthearted view on how to manage transition. She is an executive coach of cultural transition and expatriate all over the world. Kimberli is the CEO of globalbusinesstherapy.com and ponytaletalk.com.

We had around 60 members at the workshop, which was quite a surprise considering the fact that it was already the third day of the Agora and right after lunch.

The first part of the workshop was an introduction of Kimberli, her short life story. How she moved from the USA to Europe. How different it was to see and live with the people here. She went to Germany, where she met her current husband and settled down. She explained how Germans are able to walk around the town with no specific aim, while in the US people usually go for shopping at weekends. She told us that after some time living in Germany, she was able to accept the traditional morning beer. The biggest problem for Kimberli was to learn the time perception in Germany, when suddenly she had to be everywhere on time and keep the deadlines. 

That changed a bit after going to the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic was a bit more relaxed. But on the other hand, life was harder there. People were not that helpful anymore and you have to deal with a lot of problems alone. The rusty system of the Czech Republic’s bureaucracy requires a lot of paperwork and patience, because the Czechs are: 1) not keeping the deadlines, only if it is for money; 2) usually are tired and bored from their jobs, so they just do not care about your problems. On the other hand, Czechs know how to sell you the beauty of their country.

Kimberli gave a short presentation about the effects of travelling into different countries, cultures and environments. You should be careful not to start being all sad and depressed when you are coming from your “honeymoon phase”. You miss those beautiful places and the great people, just like our Post-Agora-Syndrome. All the small differences and details that you can recognize after coming back home are actually pushing you to think more about going abroad again and try to explore other places more often. The voice in your head is telling you that what makes you excited makes you happy too. And that you should use your chance. The weather is so bad all the time anyways and the job is boring. That is the point when you decide that you need a change – so you start travelling. And one day you find yourself not living your “old” life anymore.

What comes next, Kimberli said, is the cultural shock and basically “waking up” from your beautiful pink dream. You have to deal with everyday stuff. How to ask for bread, when you actually do not know the name of it in the other language? Where can you exchange money? Is it possible to drive a car here or do I need a special license? Why the flat rent is so high and why is it hard to find a good restaurant? Why are people so closed and always in a hurry? Why can’t I understand the joke?

But after some time, you adapt. You are not scared by the really bad traffic in the morning, as you got a book to read while sitting on the bus. You learn the language well enough to understand the jokes and order in a restaurant. You can feel proud that you have seen more sights than the domestic people. You make friends and plan a trip to a city nearby. You go to a really good party. You do things that locals do too and you do not find it weird anymore. Everything seems to be easier and more enjoyable again. You get a job and you feel really happy because you walked so far and survived!

In the second part of the workshop, we got a small homework. We were supposed to define the word “culture” and its meaning. Culture is not only related to the country or people’s behavior – culture is also your neighborhood, your school, free time activity, an event spent abroad with a mix of foreigners and more. We split into groups and we were defining our own culture. The strongest features and what we find weird about ourselves and our cultures. What is the contradiction to our cultures and how we should deal with it. Then representatives from Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and Greece presented results of their culture description. Germans and Greeks – like two different worlds! Are Spanish lazy? Are Turkish always on time? What about the driving skills of Polish people? You could have heard that and much more  during our workshop. If you missed it, do not be sad, because the Visa Freedom Working Group is organizing a workshop for Agora Zaragoza again!

Written by Visa Freedom Working Group

+ Do you know what the Working Groups did in September?

+ Are you aware of what kind of tasks they develop and which topics they are tackling?

You can check the document on the Issu down here, or download from here http://goo.gl/KfQ0g

[issuu width=420 height=297 embedBackground=%23000000 backgroundColor=%23222222 documentId=121015235317-53854a9ecbd84ee18e4f38ccb45d6c3c name=wg_newsletter_sept2012 username=aegee-europe tag=aegee unit=px v=2]

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

The Summer University period may be over, but the Summer University Coordination Team (SUCT) is already getting ready for the next hot season. First step – forming a team. Here is where Anna Kotovych from AEGEE-Kyiv comes in. She is this year’s candidate for the position of Project Manager of SUCT and here is what she has to say.

AEGEEan: Tell me a little bit about your experience in AEGEE.

Anna: I joined about three years ago and since that time I have become a true AEGEEan. I started out as a helper in an SU and in a year I was able to experience what it is like to be a participant of one. For almost a year now, I have been the Events Responsible for AEGEE-Kyiv and in this short time I have organized and taken part in numerous events. The biggest for me was this year’s Human Resource European School (HRES) and this year’s SU –”Shoot the moment”.

You have already moved on to the European level as the Public Relations (PR) responsible for the Visa Freedom Working Group (VFWG). What’s next?

I decided that I want to do something more, not only on the local level. As I really like the SU project, I have decided to do more than just to be an organiser of one. I want to give something back to it on the European level.

How do you want to contribute to the SUCT? What are the goals you set if you are elected?

I want to keep the content of the SU project thematic, as it also needs to teach something. Of course, SUs are a great place to party and relax but it is also important to learn something new and improve oneself. This is really a great medium for cultural exchange and we should not forget about it.

What about you? What makes you who you are?

For the biggest part of my life, I have danced. Since I was six years old, to be exact. I have done many types of dances. It all started with ballroom dancing and then, after a small break, I switched to hip-hop and contemporary dance. Unfortunately, I received a trauma and that is actually why I switched to AEGEE. It is true when they say “everything happens for the better.” The disappointment of having to quit dancing was balanced by the excitement of my new AEGEE life.

Is there anything you always have with you, even if you forget your wallet, phone or keys?

Previously, I always had my camera with me. However, as my hobby is developing, I am getting more and more gadgets for my camera, like different lenses. Naturally, it is becoming heavier and heavier to carry. But I am into photography and I take my camera to each of my trips. Apart from that, I always like to travel and to try some new dishes. I am open to trying something new and I like all kinds of different food.

Do you have a motto that you try to follow in life?

I do not have an exact phrase, but I believe that one needs to enjoy life, to do what you want now and never
regret what you have done in the past.

Are you also planning to join the board of AEGEE-Kyiv in the upcoming term? If so, what position? Are you sure you will be able to find time for everything?

I will of course be running for the board of AEGEE-Kyiv. I am not sure if I will still take the position of Events Responsible, but I am keeping it a secret for now. I am also sure that I will be able to combine the responsibilities of a board member and those of SUCT. If anything will need to be sacrificed, it will not be either my AEGEE-Kyiv or my SUCT responsibilities.

With a mountain of experience behind her, Anna is ready to implement it in improving the work of SUCT and making the already great and beloved SU project even better. Let us wish her the best of luck at the upcoming elections. 

Written by Olga Volovyk, AEGEE-Kyiv

AEGEE- Utrecht has its very own local event committee: MestadCie (which translates to something like ‘my own little city’), which regularly organises local events that are not only fun, but also often have a deeper meaning behind them.

Maartje Natrop, President of the Mestadcie: “In this way, we keep members of our antenna entertained but also inform them about recent matters in Europe. We also pay attention to important themes of AEGEE-Europe, like social inclusion. Last week, we had a Visual Handicapped Night where we had blind food tastings and young, visually impaired speakers.”

In April the MestadCie organised a Smugglers game: an outdoor game that informed members about the work of the Visa Freedom Working Group (VFWG) in a fun way. On a warm spring evening, some members of AEGEE-Utrecht gathered in a big park in Utrecht and played a game that goes as follows: there is one ‘king’ who sits on his ‘throne’ – or in this case: spot in the grass – waiting for his subjects to bring him as much money as possible. These subjects have to pick up the money at check-points where the ‘writers’ are writing euro bills for them and deliver them to the king without getting caught. In the meanwhile, ‘customer service employees,’ or ‘boarder guardians’ if you will, have to try to stop them from getting to the king. If you get caught by a boarder guardian, you loose all your money.

The fun part of the game was of course running around in the park and feeling the excitement and the tension: ‘can we safely cross the boarder without being caught?’ Major doses of adrenaline, heart pumping and red cheeks where the physical product of this game.
In the end, all participants received flyers with information about the work of the VFWG and their contact information. The lesson that was remembered by all: it is not so easy to cross boarders for everybody, especially for people from Eastern European AEGEE locals.
In short, a night to remember: a lot of fun with a serious conclusion, typically AEGEE!

Written by Maartje Natrop, AEGEE-Utrecht

Remark by The AEGEEan: This article is republished in The AEGEEan with approval of the Eastern Partnership Project. 

Let’s face it. Borders do exist, otherwise we would not be fighting so hard to bring them down. It is nice to know that some people continue fighting this battle even on their vacation. This year’s Parisian Summer University took place in cooperation with the Visa Freedom Working Group and broadened the horizons of all of their participants.

The charm of the city of love was combined with a bit of knowledge and a lot of fun. Three seminars on the visa topic were not only informative, but also very enjoyable. The official statistics showed that more than 60% of the participants learned a lot and, moreover, had fun doing it. Lena Shvab, from AEGEE-Kyiv, took the responsibility of holding three workshops on visa-related topics. As she knew far too well that this was an AEGEE SU, she was sure to add a game to each of the parts. Moreover, the second workshop was held even with cooperation of the OECD. The participants didn’t only get to know Lena’s passport and the visas she has in it, but also obtained general knowledge about types of visas, application process and denial.

This is the event in which the participants from non-schengen countries got to switch places with the EU members. For many Europeans travelling comes as something easy and completely enjoyable. But the visa process often puts a sour start to a dream vacation, even if you receive it without any big problems. After all the time and efforts dedicated to obtaining their visas for the SU, the participants got to take revenge and become some of the strictest visa officers ever seen. Regardless, the role-play was a total success with lots of laughter and celebration.

With true AEGEE spirit, the participants partied hard but didn’t lose the chance to learn something new. With their newly obtained knowledge they are all heading back home and bringing with them the memories and experiences they now share.

Written by Olga Volovyk, AEGEE-Kyiv

Thank you for the photos to Lea Charlette, AEGEE-Paris

Why vote for the Visa Freedom Working Group (VFWG) to win the AEGEEan Choice Award 2012 rewarding the most efficient Working Group of 2011? When the VFWG was taking what seemed to be its last breath last year, Jana Pokorna (AEGEE-Istanbul/AEGEE-Praha) and the rest of the motivated VFWG members picked it up and put it back on its wheels.

The VFWG had to face the rough facts last year that they were, at the time of Agora Alicante, only fulfilling two out of the ten Working Group criteria. However, Projects Director Thomas Leszke believed in the fresh new board, elected just a week prior to the Agora, and the working group kept going, proving that they still had someone rooting for them.

Spreading information about the VFWG to the Network

Even though not being as visible as other Working Groups last year this does not mean that the VFWG was not working very hard. They were picking themselves up and improving the Working Group from the inside, creating a clear structure of the team and the group. The board that had been elected just before Agora Alicante had done a great job but despite this the Working Group had re-election just before Agora Skopje. They continued improving the PR of the Working Group, working hard on the design and especially on the content of their website. Furthermore, they launched a campaign providing as much as possible visa information for all locals, organising events or having representatives in events.

VFWG collaboration with the rest of the Network

Even though they still had to find their way and place in AEGEE the VFWG did make many things happen in 2011. Many projects started; some of them already finished, some of them are still ongoing and some were postponed. The list is long, but some of the activities include a workshop in the Agora Skopje about visa obstacles of young volunteers and “send a postcard to your embassy” project in cooperation with the Network Commission and Russian and Ukrainian antennae. The idea was for the SU participants to send a postcard from the country that they visited to the embassy in their country, a nice initiative but in the end unfortunately no postcards were sent.  However, they were also working on the info campaign, they attended events such as Agorae striving to be as visible as possible while offering plenty of info and help. As for the second part of the year the VFWG focused on providing information for the the Summer Universities booklet, and developed new projects. Since the Agora Skopje they have also been developing the internal structure in all aspects (IT, PR, HR, KT, task distribution, mailing lists etc.) with Guillermo García Tabarés, Human Resource Responsible in the Comite Directeur, and other Working Groups boards.

Hardworking Head Captain in Charge

So in the end what made the VFWG so special last year? Well, first of all they have one motivated and dedicated speaker in Jana Pokorna who is one of the active AEGEE members. She was the Agora Fair Manager at the Agora Skopje, she was content coordinator of the EBM Izmir and she has been the Speaker of the VFWG for almost a year. She describes it as her baby and says “The whole VFWG is special and will be forever, the more I am here, the more I wanna do” about it. However, Jana was not the only one improving the VFWG last year. Together the whole team went back on track faster than one could have wished for ending the year with fulfilling nine of ten WG criteria at the Agora Skopje. They revived the WG and they also helped getting the WG reform approved by the Agora Skopje which improved the system of WGs in AEGEE and which is something that the VFWG keeps working on in 2012.

Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-København