eXpress Magazine #16: The People of ESN

the magazine of the erasmus student network

express #16 AUTUMN 2013

INTERVIEW:

JUAN COLINO

LIFE AFTER ESN

THE PEOPLE OF ESN special interviews: INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENTS / NATIONAL PRESIDENTS

The core of ESN The people of ESN

Y

ou have the last edition of the eXpress magazine of this Board in your hands and it is my honour and pleasure to address you personally in this editorial. “Unity in diversity and diversity in unity.” This is what makes our network special and interesting.

This edition puts the most important part of our network into the spotlight: You. People that manage the sections, people that dedicate their time to improve not only our network, but also give something back to the community. You will read about people that are so multifaceted and yet share one common mission – the mission of our network. Throughout the year, we meet different people on different occasions. We might all have different ideas, different priorities and different backgrounds. Like our fingerprints, there is none like the other and this is the quintessence of our work. We work on different levels, in different fields, and yet, we all work together, with and for each other.

In this edition, we present you the actors of our network on the local, national and international levels. We introduce the hot topic of entrepreneurship in ESN and present you the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. You will read about Erasmus students (and maybe ESNers) falling in love. From the newest sections in ESN to the precious Alumni that ensure us a great life after ESN. You see, there is a broad range of topics, diverse and unique like the year we had: full of memories, adventures, places and faces.

Thank you and enjoy reading, Katharina KATHARINA MA Vice-President of Erasmus Student Network AISBL, 2012/2013

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EXPRESS #16 EDITORS Juan Colino Robert Klimacki ART DIRECTOR Robert Klimacki EDITORIAL DESIGNERS Juan Colino Robert Klimacki Jirka Matousek Cristina Gavrilă Apolinary Szuter CONTRIBUTORS Tania Berman Simona Falanga Quentin Gallet Kenny Ho Vasiliki Meletaki Wilmer Mostacciuolo Gaffar Rampage Carmen Cuesta Roca Alicia Sanchez Prokop Teper Maxence Viallon PROOFREADERS Alicia Macanás Amber Rousse Carmen Cuesta Roca Gaffar Rampage Marisol O’Connor Nives Tomas COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Dejan Žagar www.fb.com/dejanzagarphotography

ERASMUS STUDENT NETWORK AISBL Rue Hydraulique 15 B-1210 Brussels Belgium +32 22 567 427 express-coordinator@esn.org www.esn.org Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in parts without the written permission of the publisher.

The publisher cannot be held responsible for the views and opinions expressed in this magazine by contributors. The publisher is neither responsible for nor endorses the content of published advertisements, nor can the magazine be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies in the same.

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The Core of ESN Contributors Erasmus Love Stories (Part I)

Comeet by its Participants The Person Behind the IB: Juan Colino New Sections in the ESN Family • ESN Trnava• ESN Boras • ESN Split NBM InsiDijon 2013 Sections in the Spotlight • ESN Pavia • ESN VSB-Tuo • ESN Parma • ISC MU Brno Interviw with Martin Schulz Life after ESN Interview with National Presidents Teambuilding and Knowledge Transfer on the Local Level in Spain 3 Questions to 3 Vice-Presidents Erasmus as Photographer

Non -Formal Education and European Youth Work express magazine | 03

Erasmus love Mariane (Estonia) <3 Etienne (France) ~~~~~ by Wilmer Mostacciuolo and Gaffar Rampage ~~~~~

For some of us, a relationship while on exchange in another country is but a distant memory. For others, it is a turning point in their lives! These are the stories of the young men and women who met on Erasmus, and have never looked back since.

In Part 1 of Erasmus Love Stories, we talk to Marianne from ESN Tallinn, proud parent of an ‘ESN baby’.

H

i Mariane, thanks for being our guest on the current release of eXpress! We would like to talk to you about your story in ESN.

WHEN AND HOW DID YOU START TO BE AN ESN VOLUNTEER? Thank you for the interview. This is something new for me. I started as a tutor for international students in September 2007 at my university, Tallinn University of Technology, right after my Erasmus studies in Barcelona. Besides being an active tutor, I also joined ESN Tallinn in January 2008.

WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? When I joined ESN, I did not expect anything but to spend my free time with great people – both the amazing local ESN

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members and international students from all over the world. After my Erasmus studies I felt a lot more international. As I was really active, I was also elected to be a board member in ESN Tallinn. All that followed has exceeded any of my expectations – my life has changed 100%.

COULD YOU IMAGINE MEETING YOUR LOVE IN THIS WAY? During my Erasmus studies I saw how easily people from different countries fell in love but I did not expect it to happen to me.

Especially not at all like this, how my life has actually gone :) It happened five years ago. I was actively organising ESN events and he was actively participating at the events. We started to spend more and more time together and finally he came to live in Estonia.

stories (part I) WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT FRANCE BEFORE MEETING HIM?

HOW DO YOU INTEGRATE YOUR WORK NOW WITH THE LIFE OF A MOTHER?

I cannot say that now I know a lot more about France, but I have now visited France a lot more than before. I am also learning French. I can already understand it a bit and if I try hard it does not seem impossible to learn.

We have (at least so far) a super-good baby girl. She sleeps a lot and gives us time to continue our life almost the same way as before. When she is awake, I give all my attention to her. When she sleeps, I mostly organize the trips. It has worked very well so far. We will see how old she will be when attending her first ESN meeting or going to Lapland or St. Petersburg for the first time.

She was 8 days old when she was in the port with me to send a group of students to Lapland in February. I guess it depends a lot on the lifestyle – for me it would seem impossible not to do other things besides being a mother, I enjoy being active.

HOW DID YOUR LIFE PLANS CHANGE AFTER THIS ‘THUNDER STRIKE’?

I have never made big plans, for life or for the future. Things just happen, and I have followed them. I have been satisfied with what has been. Also with Etienne we did not make big plans for the future, we just see what will happen, and enjoy the moment.

When Etienne went back to France after his exchange studies we thought: we will see how our relationship goes. We had a one year test-period when he was finishing his studies in France and did an internship in Canada. We thought that after his graduation it would be a good time for him to come to Estonia to be together and to try life here.

IS IT DIFFICULT FOR A FRENCH GUY TO LIVE IN ESTONIA? If I think back, then Etienne was very lucky with finding a job the next day after arriving to Estonia. So this made the adaptation process a lot easier. He also easily became friends with my family and friends. He found his place here without difficulties. The only limitation was perhaps that I was ESN Tallinn’s president at that time and I was very involved with all the ESN things, so he did not get too much attention from me.

WHAT ABOUT THE AMAZING WORK YOU AND ETIENNE HAVE DONE? For several semesters we have helped to organise trips for ESN Tallinn. Trips to Lapland and St. Petersburg take place every semester and each time we have several groups of students visiting these amazing places. Together with Etienne we are the ones preparing everything – from the first information or email, to being the group leaders, communicating with partners and students and saying thank you to the students after the end of the trip. So far everybody has been happy – the international students, ESNers and us. Feedback to what we do is very positive.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF YOU AND YOUR ESN FAMILY? In Estonia we have a great support system for families – mothers can stay home until the baby is three years old and half of this time is fully paid – the same salary as when working. So for a while I will stay away from my work in the university to enjoy being “at home” with the baby but for sure I will stay active with Etienne to continue helping ESN Tallinn to show our international students the wonders in Lapland and St. Petersburg.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Erasmus Love Stories in the next issue of eXpress!

HOW DID YOU WELCOME THE 1ST ESTONIAN ‘ESN BABY’?

Almost two months ago our family grew bigger, yes. We are very happy and proud parents of a little baby girl. She was also warmly welcomed by ESN Tallinn as the members gave her the very first t-shirt with ‘little ESNer ’ written on it.

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comeet by its participants

Comeet

by its participants

As you are sitting and reading this article, it’s likely that you’re snuggled up in bed, nursing a sore head from your section’s awesome event last night. Perhaps you’re a very active ESN-er and involved on the international level, but maybe you have found comfort in your own local section.

Although you may have heard about the international committees, you might be confused as to what we actually do. You may even think that as a local section member you aren’t even able to get involved on the international level!

In an attempt to encourage transparency through all levels of ESN, here is a little insight into an awesome international event that is little known to most local section members: CoMeet! But instead of boring you with a one-dimensional account of the event, we bring you a few voices from different committees with varying perspectives on CoMeet and the Committees!

CoMeet occurs twice a year: typically in February and September. The five international committees gather to meet in order to work within their respective committees on internal projects but also to collaborate amongst each other. The latest CoMeet took place in Utrecht, The Netherlands this February.

Salih Odabasi, IT Committee CoMeets have always been very important to me and are quite productive meetings considering the participant profiles, as the committee members maintain many projects and responsibilities in ESN. I have been an IT Committee member since November 2011 and the first time I attended a CoMeet was in March 2012 in Gdansk, Poland. After the meeting, I was so impressed with the content of the event that I encouraged Turkish ESN sections to apply for organising it. When Istanbul was elected, I was proud that my hometown

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would host another cool ESN event, the CoMeet of September 2012. I must say that it would have been much cooler with more participants, but unfortunately flights were extremely expensive since it was still high season. The last CoMeet where fellow committee members gathered together was in the beautiful city of Utrecht and the Internet was working very well, surprisingly.

One of the projects that the IT Committee handles is server virtualisation, and the committee names different servers with different planet names. We didn’t know in how many ways the planet Uranus is pronounced around the world until we saw the video on Youtube during CoMeet Utrecht. The meeting is a wonderful combination of work and play!

To sum up, I strongly recommend every ESNer to join and take an active role in the committees. That’s how you can feel more involved in the network while developing it at the same time.

Ania Burtan, NEC and ComCom Committees are a great tool for developing our skills and helping ESN grow. The mix of many cultures and nationalities in each committee creates something unique.

Nevertheless, we communicate mainly online and most of the people with whom we communicate are often hidden behind their e-mail address. That is why CoMeet is a perfect opportunity to get to know each other in person. It’s way easier to cooperate with someone that you know personally.

I’m a member of 2 committees – ComCom and NEC, and in Utrecht I had the opportunity to integrate with both teams.

I was really surprised with the energy and motivation of our new committee members – especially Katka who is working with me on the Teambuilding Guide. I think there are not many people with such power

by Carmen Cuesta Roca

and commitment. Each NEC member had new and fresh ideas and I spent unforgettable moments with them, ones that I will never forget. It was a pleasure to meet new friends (hello Jiri) and to see old ones (yes Jurek, I’m talking to you now!).

I’ve also learnt some practical information about each of the NECers such as Thomas’ passion for snow baths and Kathi’s passion for using THE articles!

Gaffar RAMPAGE, ComCom As Utrecht was my very first CoMeet after joining the committee last year, I was doubtlessly excited to attend the meeting, especially after last winter’s amazing ComCom meeting in Berlin. What made it extra special was the fact that the event was held in my home country of the Netherlands, making me a host, in a way!

Utrecht is one of Holland’s prettiest cities, so it was a pleasure walking around its little streets with fellow ESNers.

Being a meeting of the executive bodies of ESN, it was inevitable that the event had a slightly serious undertone to it. After all, the committees only meet officially twice a year, and with the diverse work that each committee does, we had to make full use of the opportunity to work together and collaborate! Besides having a personal touch to our work, simply being together in the same room meant that we could be much more productive, and have fun at the same time. It was definitely nice to be working in each other’s presence, instead of through the computer.

Unfortunately, I was not able to fully take part in the programme. However, I had the opportunity to meet and talk to some wonderful people from the various committees as well as the organising section of ESN Utrecht. I am definitely looking forward to the next big reunion!.

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JUAN COLINO Kenny Ho interviews the Communication Manager of Erasmus Student Network AISBL 2012/2013

J

uan Colino was the Communication Manager of ESN for 2012/2013. Let's see what he has to say. He was the former NR of ESN Spain for a year before starting his adventure at the International Board of ESN In Brussels.

HOW DID YOU FIRST COME INTO CONTACT WITH ESN? I got to know ESN when I was doing my Erasmus in Duisburg, Germany. There was no section in Duisburg and we were a very small group of Erasmus students. We used to hang out a lot with other Erasmus students from Essen, as the University was Universität Duisburg-Essen. We also used to go out in Düsseldorf where there was an ESN section. We never attended any of their events as we never knew that much about their activities. Once I saw this flyer with some trips that they were organizing, I tried to join one to Berlin. It was fully booked and also it was towards the

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last part of my exchange so I never got to meet them. Then when I came back to Valladolid I signed up as a buddy and realized that there was a freshly born ESN section. I met the president at that time (my good friend now Eliseo Parra who was Vice-NR and Secretary of ESN Spain some years ago) and told him that I would like to join. He signed me up in the local section mailing list and I was in. We were so few (the second year of ESN Valladolid) that I made it almost straight to the Vice-presidency of the section!

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED AS A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT? I guess that the most important lesson was that there was a big world out there. I did my Erasmus when I was 23 years old and I had not traveled that much until then. Meeting people from other countries with other cultures and customs just fascinated me. I also become an adult on the way as well. =)

The person behind the ib WHAT WERE YOUR REASONS FOR APPLYING FOR AN IB POSITION? Well after a few years involved at local and National level I really wanted to contribute to ESN from the top. I wanted to be surrounded by people that were as passionate as me about ESN. Living in Brussels and working full time for ESN was just too appealing to me not to try. And lucky me I got it!

YOU’VE BEEN LIVING IN BRUSSELS FOR ALMOST 8 MONTHS NOW, COULD YOU DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY OF AN IB MEMBER AT THE ESN HOUSE AND OFFICE? This is a very good question. Normally I would wake up around 0815. Then I “suit up” for my morning running session if it is not raining or snowing… If I am not lucky I would work out in my room with some weights that I got from Leo, the previous ESN Board Secretary. Then shower time and slow breakfast. It’s my favorite part of the day. Me alone in the dining room having breakfast looking out at our backyard. Then I would go to the ESN Office and get there around 1030 to 1100. Then working time until 2200 or 2300 with some time for lunch and dinner. Then back to the ESN House to sleep and get ready for the next day. Oh yes, and sometimes we play ping-pong in the big dining table at the office. Mr. President is almost a pro and he is training me now so Mario and Angel are not rivals for me anymore!

Well the whole network makes me really proud. Just seeing the kind of things that a group of organised students can accomplish amazes me. Some people could not imagine how far we have got and the big steps that the organisation has taken in the last 10 years.

WHAT ACCENT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST ATTRACTIVE? AND WHY? For girls Argentinian and Russian. The first one is just sweet and the second one rough and sexy!

WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE? “Knowing when to shut up (at least sometimes), I fully trust in Juan and the people who understand something of design.”Emanuel Alfranseder.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TRADITION FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO PASS ON IF YOU WERE TO EVER HAVE CHILDREN? During Xmas time in Spain when I was little I would always ask the “Three Wise Kings” (no Santa Claus in Spain, too hot for him) for a big Lego set. I would spend that whole morning constructing the model. If my kid doesn’t like to play Lego I will just sell him and make a new one.

“

some people could not imagine how far we have got

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT SO FAR ON BEING PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD? I guess that for me the feeling of not being able to cope with the workload has been the most difficult challenge to face. It does not matter how much you work, how many hours you spent in the office, there is always stuff to do. There are always emails that you miss, people that you cannot meet and things left in your global to-do list… Also being in the spotlight for the entire network is not an easy thing but you get used to it and not to do that many stupid things (at least in public). =)

”

WORKING IN THE IB MUST HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO TRAVEL TO SOME EXOTIC AND EXCITING PLACES AROUND EUROPE, WAS THERE ANY EVENT THAT REALLY LEFT A GREAT IMPRESSION ON YOU? (PEOPLE WISE, LOCATION, FOOD AND CITY? It is hard to choose. I would say that SWEP Madrid was quite nice. Well organized and also I had to chance to come back to Spain and meet some of my ESN Spain mates. There was even a party with midgets! AWESOME! CNR Zagreb was also pretty nice but I had been in the city before so it was not that surprising for me. I also had the chance to spend 2 days in Stockholm in December. Impressive to see covered by snow but pretty cold for a Spaniard, even for one of the north.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE? This is a good question. The 80’s were pretty cool.

Maybe to the 80’s in California so I could either learn to skate or join the personal computers revolution.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE? Outrageous. Used quite often at the ESN Office. =) IF SOMEONE WROTE A BIOGRAPHY ABOUT YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TITLE SHOULD BE? AND WHY? Juan Colino, back and forth. It just sounds good.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PICK UP LINE TO USE ON GIRLS? “Je vais t’emmener au septième ciel mon amour”. Works better on French girls.

DID YOU EVER IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD BE IN THE POSITION THAT YOU ARE NOW? (FROM BEING A FORMER ERASMUS STUDENT TO A IB MEMBER) I started to imagine it around January 2012 so I guess not a long time before I had to present my candidacy. I guess nobody really plans to candidate to the IB more than one year in advance. It just looks too far away when you are just a fresh ESNer… IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE PART OF ESN?

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new esn sections

××× NEW SECTIONS IN THE ESN FAMILY ××× CARMEN CUESTA ROCA Since this issue of eXpress focuses on the people of ESN, is there any better way than hearing directly from them? As follows from the last issue, we’ll present an insight of some new sections that

joined ESN after AGM Granada 2012. A very warm welcome to ESN Trnava (Slovakia), ESN Boras (Sweden) and ESN Split (Croatia)!

××× ESN TRNAVA (SLOVAKIA)

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The idea first came to me when I was on Erasmus in Finland, where I met ESN in Joensuu. It was a truly amazing experience.

When I came back to Trnava, I realised how much our incoming students would benefit from this organisation - Students helping students! This along with healing post-Erasmus syndrome was the main reason why I decided to create the section.

The process was really quick and easy. The university was very supportive, especially our vice-rector D. Martin Klus who helped me a lot in the beginning. Besides, I was in touch with the President of ESN Slovakia, Miroslav Hajnoš, and the National Representative, Prokop Teper. Having people like these around you, there is no problem to make your visions become a reality.

If I can give a little advice to a new section, it is to make a really strong team of people from the beginning. Otherwise it´s really hard to achieve everything you want. Team building is the best way to get through and to make your team real. Another NAME: ESN TRNAVA CITY: TRNAVA COUNTRY: SLOVAKIA MEMBERS: 9

tip - create a good relationship with your university. Talk to them and write frequesnt reports about your activities.

We have so many plans I can´t even write them all - International day for all Erasmus students from Slovakia, Majáles (Festival in May), Tour de Slovakia, Erasmus games, EiS, Language Exchange, etc. ESN Trnava has already done an International Day, Language Exchanges where international students teach Slovak students their native language, a Welcome Week, trips to Bojnice, Bratislava and Nitra, and various presentations during the Open Day of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

××× ESN BORÅS (SWEDEN)

E

Even before the foundation of ESN Borås and under the direction of the International Coordinator at the University of Borås, it existed a student group called International Students Committee (ISC) to welcome and facilitate new incoming Erasmus and international students. The group consisted of more than 15 active members who engaged students mainly in the Introduction week activities organized by the Student Union in Borås, in order to make them feel welcome and at home. As most of the activities by the Student Union revolved around the new batch of Swedish students, international students often felt unfulfilled and left out.

After an inspirational presentation by a representative named Oscar, we realised the idea of becoming an independent group.

Then, our current President Ubaid Eusufzai attended the NP Örebro and presented the idea of creating a new ESN section at the University of Borås. With the help

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of the International Office, ESN Borås was officially founded as an independent organisation in May 2012.

The transition from ISC to ESN wasn’t difficult, as we already had quite a few NAME: ESN BORAS CITY: BORAS COUNTRY: SWEDEN BIRTH DATE: MAY 2012 ERASMUS STUDENTS: 300 MEMBERS: 15

members. Around 15 active members including 7 board members wanted to fully involve themselves in arranging new events by getting ideas from other ESN

sections. We received great support from the Board members of ESN Sweden, who were always there to lend a hand and give us all the needed information. Activities such as ESN Sea Battle provided with funds to improve our own local activities.

Since the start of ESN Borås, we have organised popular and successful activities, e.g. a visit to the Christmas market in Gothenburg (amusement park Liseberg), a much appreciated tour to IKEA, several speaker’s coffee corners, movie nights and other events. Note the Salsa Night, which was very much appreciated by both international and local student, as well as Swedish people of all age and gender.

During this semester, we have increased our efforts and improved the services of the ongoing activities. We are considering a NP in Borås in the near future, as well as smaller workshops to bring experienced ESNers to motivate new and active members.

new esn sections We would like to advice new members or sections not to hesitate to ask for help from other sections as well as their National Board members. They are always there to answer any queries and help out in every possible way. Smaller sections with a lower number of exchange and international students should try to involve more local students and people in their activities, as it creates a cosy environment for all students, attracts more attention and even gets more sponsors.

textile design, since manufacturing has moved abroad. Summer in Borås has a lot to offer, e.g. the famous zoo, free concerts in the city known as ‘Summer Thursdays’, not to forget the beautiful landscape around that invites for hiking, barbecuing and swimming.

The University of Borås has approximately 300 exchange students a year and around 200 international free mover students.

Borås is a medium city in terms of Swedish standards with a population of around 100 000 inhabitants. The university is located in the centre of the city with walking distance to shops, cafés and restaurants while still being close to the Swedish countryside.

Often referred to as the textile capital of Sweden, Borås is currently known for

××× ESN Split (Croatia)

S

Split is famous for its sun and sea, so it is no wonder why many students want to come to the Adriatic coast. We are glad to present you our town as the city of future Erasmus experience. Established as a section in May, ESN Split needed status in order to get support from the University, but the process itself wasn't difficult at all.

Since the University of Split is a relatively new participant of the Erasmus programme and receives around 30 students per semester. Since the International Relations Office provides only with administrative support, we decided to start an association to help incoming students. That's the reason why some of the incoming students (Free Mover, Cepus) have joined us too.

We have 10 active members and we cooperate in harmony. Since some of us have been on Erasmus, we know just how hard it can be to deal with challenges in a foreign country. We help with the necessary paperwork, we take care of their needs, rights and interests and we socialize with them. Through the ‘Buddy System’ every foreign student is awarded with a friend to help adapting to the new environment and everyday life. We don’t have any advice for potential sections except ‘be original and well organised’.

We also take care of our outgoing students and inform them about opportunities and exchange programmes. We strive NAME: ESN SPLIT CITY: SPLIT COUNTRY: CROATIA BIRTH DATE: MAY 2012 ERASMUS STUDENTS: 30 MEMBERS: 10

to achieve a network of contacts among students by sharing experiences with each other. Our goal is to build a familiar environment so that students feel free to ask questions and help each other with advice about accommodation and other useful information.

Last semester we organised a trip to Zagreb and Krapina for the 25th anniversary of Erasmus. At the beginning of the spring semester, we held a ‘Welcome Week’ including a guided city tour.

We spent the entire Saturday together visiting Trogir first, then left to enjoy

the sun and the acquaintance with the cultural heritage of this small town under UNESCO protection. In the evening we had a traditional Croatian dinner and the Erasmus Student Welcome Party & Salsa party, where students enjoyed popular music hits and showed their dancing skills. On Sunday, according to tradition in Split, we had coffee at Bačvice, and in the evening we enjoyed ourselves at the bowling. Every single Wednesday we organise a “Social Drink”. Besides, we plan to have International dinners every month. All in all, there are Erasmus parties almost every day, scheduled in our closed Facebook group. Further actions are related to the organization of a trip to Sarajevo. In May, together with other sections of ESN Croatia we’ll organise a National Event at the beautiful island of Brač.

We hope that all incoming students will keep their stay at our University as a pleasant memory. At this time, some of the students who came in the winter semester have requested an extension of their stay for the summer semester. Split has earned a reputation as hospitable and friendly hosts.

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The person behind the ib

NBM InsiDijon 2013

by Quentin Gallet

T

he thrill was at fever pitch here!

The ESN InsiDijon team had just learned that its candidacy as the city host of the 2013 first National Board Meeting had been approved against Krakow and Prague.

Everyone was delighted to be carrying altogether such a highly valorizing project.

And by then, the determination to meet this challenge was palpable. Preparations for the National Board Meeting (NBM) lasted more than three months, with almost full-time work for the board, to ensure that everything would be ready in time before Thursday 21 March 2013. One of the most serious parts of the preparations was to know about the venues and the contacts with local partners. However, our team is very united and everyone came to help and provide hands-on, whether for organizing the welcome of the participants or for the activities that would brighten up the NBM.

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Finally the big day arrived! We decided to first show the participants some of the highlights of our charming city of Dijon, the capital of mustard and Burgundy wines.

To encourage team-building, this visit took place through an international rally with tricky questions and photo challenges.

Our three teams competed happily and afterwards, a mustard tasting break was well appreciated! After a dinner in the city, our participants continued the night at the Laser Tag and in a popular student bar, the VLV, under the yoke of Responsible Party!

The next afternoon, we were very pleased to host a Conference on Mobility, Territories and European Citizenship, with the much appreciated presence of M. Godbert, Director of the 2e2f Agency and of M. Bonnin, the President of the University of Burgundy. It was certainly a very active and stimulating day, during which all participants could share their

views and work together for the future of the Erasmus Program and the Erasmus Student Network. After that, all the NBM participants were greeted by the Town Hall in of the most beautiful ceremonial rooms, the Apollo Palace, with of course, a Kir, the most celebrated Burgundy cocktail.

By then, everyone was longing to enjoy the traditional Eurodinner in our partner pub, the Kilkenny. Everyone brought and presented their country’s best specialties.

You could see an amazing diversity of dishes and enjoy Europe at its very best!

Finally, we danced the night away on the dance-floor of a trendy gay bar in downtown!

The very next day, fatigue was beginning to be felt but our team was still very excited to carry on the NBM and to please all participants! To straighten everyone’s motivation, we prepared a traditional French crepes’ breakfast. A pleasure leaving

NBM INSIDIJON 2013

•

Waking up early can be sometimes difficult: a human alarm clock is always the best ;)

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Plan some break times so that participants can sit down and relax a bit between two activities.

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To know how to hide the unforeseen surprises and troubles to participants.

•

Organising such an event is certainly the best way to encourage team-building; and for the newbies, to better discover the Erasmus Student Network.

•

It can sometimes be difficult to manage both the organization of such an event and every day’s activities for Erasmus students.

STORY OF A NEWBIE M

y name is Quentin and I joined ESN InsiDijon in January 2013. I knew the Erasmus students very well, but I wanted to be more involved for them. Our NBM was my first contact with the national and international network.

I threw myself into the project and I was very enthusiastic about it. During these four days, I was taking part in all the activities and I believe that my wake up was very appreciated by all participants day after day ;)! I am the youngest in the association, and in the future, I would like to be more involved in setting up new and great projects for ESN. This is why I wish to become the coordinator here of Social Erasmus next year!

you wanting more! Besides, an NBM in Dijon would not have been complete without a tasting of great wines from Burgundy. We all went to Beaune for a visit of wine cellars and later on, for a chic French dinner. Some will not forget the experience of tasting snails and singing the ban bourguignon. And, after a crazy challenge, this night saw the birth of the cute Mini Max, the baby of Amorix from ESN InsiDijon and the new mascot of ESN Portugal Board!

On Sunday, it was already the end of this great NBM. Our team was there to conclude the working sessions and workshops and thank all the participants.

And for those who remained in the afternoon, it was not time yet to bid a final farewell! We held some fun and exciting Olympics with the presence of our Erasmus students. We were truly delighted to hear the compliments on our warm welcoming and our organization. These four days have been exceptional! Our team is more united than ever; and this spirit will be definitely valuable for other major future local, national and international ESN events!

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esn pavia With winter starting taking its toll on most of Europe this December, we turn our heads to warmer climates as this month's Section in the Spotlight goes to ESN Pavia. As a small section in a small Italian city, don't be fooled. ESN Pavia shows us all that contrary to popular belief, size doesn't always matter.

ESN Pavia offers a great example of the fusion between “Grannies” and “Newbies”, which provides the perfect combination of experience and innovation to the section.

Consisting of 30 members, 5 nationalities (not all European), the majority of members are ex-Erasmus students. Their limited numbers contribute greatly to the efficiency of their communication: it means they can meet frequently, make progress

DECEMBER 2012 SECTION IN THE SPOTLIGHT double opportunity to celebrate formally with conferences and a gala dinner which all the founders and local institutions attended. Double the occasion, double the fun!

However, Erasmus life in Pavia is not all about partying, and the section organizes many cultural activities too! Many sections offer a Tandem project but ESN Pavia takes it to a new level by organizing many exchanges, with fun and games too, to ensure that everybody can find the right partner for them! Not only is there a specific Facebook group to support the

important intercultural “communities” of the University (Erasmus, ESN, Camerun, Israel...) and special guests, such as Michel Erlandsen, the international coordinator of the Social Erasmus project, to share an important message against racism and discrimination.

With support from the University of Pavia through the promotion of certain events, ESN Pavia receives a great level of involvement from local students, which allows them to have optimal integration within the home community, exactly what the Erasmus programme is all about! But ESN Pavia is not just a section that is deeply immersed in its local community.

It is also very active nationally and internationally, with its participation in NPs and AGMs and the fact that two of their members are coordinators of national committees.

Despite the recognition of their efforts, ESN Pavia remains humble yet ambitious, admitting they still have a lot to learn, but showing great willingness to keep on improving as a section. This coupled with the relationship of mutual respect and open-mindedness that is fostered amongst the section members is what really makes ESN Pavia special, and utterly deserving of their Section in the Spotlight title.

CARMEN CUESTA ROCA everyday and stay in touch easily (they even have a WhatsApp group!). Combining work with pleasure, ESN Pavia members have found the perfect balance between being colleagues and great friends!

Founded in 1992, ESN Pavia has maintained its goals: to make sure that every Pavia's Erasmus spent the best and most complete experience of his or her life. This year has been particularly special for the section with the celebration of its 20th birthday, which coincides alongside the 25th anniversary of the Erasmus programme. The section creatively used this

14 | express magazine • #16 AUTUMN 2013

project, but there is also a database of every language search and offer. Other activities include art and photography competitions, Eurodinners, bike tours and 6 trips a year (woah!) to discover the Bella Italia. Talk about keeping busy!

ESN Pavia also made sure to get involved in SocialErasmus, ESN's flagship project, by participating twice! In 2011, with the “Ambientati”, they created a little ERASMUS FOREST (the first one in Italy), while this year they organized the “ESN PAVIA 4 INCLUSION”, a football tournament with all the most

ESC VŠB-TUO

New Year is here, all of us survived the apocalypse and most of us are already recovered from NYE celebrations. Now the time has come to introduce you the first Section in the Spotlight for year 2013, section ESC VŠB-TUO. Located in northeast of Czech Republic, this section is the younger one of the 2 in the city of Ostrava, the 3rd biggest city in CZ and the home of notoriously famous Stodolni Street, biggest party Avenue in Central Europe.

Established in 2010 after sections first ever future President returned from Erasmus in Finland and realized that local students speak almost NO English!!! To change that, he came up with an idea of FILLUPFree& Fun International Language Lesson Unity Program and started running it together with 5 other people that later all together established the section which joined ESN in 2011.

ESC VSB-TUO has 15 active members.

In order for everyone to be involved from the very beginning in section work, they developed a „Two-Way Motivation“system.

This allows newbies to have enough space for creativity, take part in National Events so they get an instant feeling of being part of the section. In return they provide lots of new creative ideas, different points of view and generally optimism about anything that’s happening. Supporting that, a new structure where all the Board members have a group of newbies assigned to transmit their knowledge directly to them

JANUARY 2013 SECTION IN THE SPOTLIGHT & possibly find a successor amongst them as Board mandate is strictly 1 year.

FILLUP remains the most popular of section activities since the very beginning. Each week, one nation prepares presentation of its culture, they often bring traditional food and drinks, they make fun of stereotypes, prepare games, just whatever they find interesting. This is really intense cooperation with section. Erasmus students take it really seriously and always celebrate whole-heartedly if they win “The best FILLUP of the semester”. But it goes further that that! The idea of FILLUP is about to be introduced to high schools. It has 3 stages: · In 1st stage a similar to FILLUP activity is introduced to the high school throughout the semester · In 2nd stage those who enjoyed 1st stage attend a summer camp where they get trained to become FILLUP coordinators on their high schools · In 3rd stage is similar 1st but this time with a coordinator in charge from specific high school The idea is to show young students that learning language can be fun & what opportunities it opens for them. Eventually it might grow to national ESN Project as well.

All the section events fit in the “Recovery

Plan for Campus” which basically means making at least 1 live event per week aimed at exchanges promotion, integration & language practice of both local and Erasmus students. The scope of events is very broad- from FILLUP through Free Hugs Days or Hot Wine selling in front of dormitory to Dog Walks, Café Lingea and various SE events, Responsible Parties (very popular in CZ) or City Race. The section took part in Movember, too. But the most notable was the 25th Erasmus Anniversary Celebration, when ESC VSB-TUO broke the Czech national record in non-stop trampoline-jumping…

INCREDIBLE 25 hours and more than 400 people participated!!! Many of these events were done in co-operation with other student organizations in Ostrava, too.

ESC VSB-TUO also regularly appears on University Radio & recently got space in private local TV to do whatever they want with it.

As from 2013 a separate training program together with University will start, aimed on developing soft skills of section members. Until now there has been plenty of Teambuilding events, workshops & other member-oriented events. Even though ESC VSB-TUO is a young section, they already managed to host big National Platform and did not skip a single national or International ESN event since they joined. Recently their former President (who is also EduK8 Trainer) got elected President of ESN CZ. All in all ESC VSB-TUO is a young, dynamic section full of enthusiastic people with great deal of experience who always aim higher than they currently are and this is what makes them move forward so fast…

THINKING BIG!!!

PROKOP TEPER

express magazine | 15

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esn Assi Parma This month’s Section in the Spotlight is awarded to ESN Parma (ESN Assi Parma), a mature section that contributed to the founding of ESN Italy in 1992. Rich in history, ESN Parma is still very actively involved in the network and is a perfect example of how an ESN section can grow with the passion of its members.

The ESN Parma team consists of 30 members, most of whom are ex-Erasmus students. Despite the varying backgrounds of members, everyone shares the same principles: to welcome the exchange students and instil in them the values of the local culture while trying to understand theirs. ESN Parma has always committed itself to promoting integration and intercultural exchange among international and local students.

The members also have varying levels of experience in the section. Those who have been in the association for many years contribute with their experiences and knowledge while new members get stuck into section activities with their enthusiasm. Despite these varying degrees of experience, members of ESN Parma are well connected to communicate with one another with their personal Facebook group. The members work well together

FEBRUARY 2013 SECTION IN THE SPOTLIGHT to make a great team but are also good friends.

There are special team building activities organised for the ESN team members of the section in order to sustain such a good team of people. Every 2 weeks the team meets up to discuss programmes and also to organise the upcoming events. But members of ESN Parma are not limited to the section. They have always worked on both the national and international levels. Parma has seen numerous national platforms (2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009, and the last in April 2012) and some of our members have been part of the national board: there has been one president, one vice-president one treasurer, and three members of our national advisory council.

Typical activities by ESN Parma include Welcome Weekends (including Welcome Days in September/October- February/ March) and Welcome Back meetings throughout the year. The section also organises trips around Parma and all around Italy! There is a certain consistency to events organised by ESN Parma with monthly themed parties and weekly

national parties organised by the Erasmus students. They even put together a “Eurodinner” culinary competition!

While ESN Parma likes to party, they also organise events to offer assistance to Erasmus students and promote social activities. The Tandem project is an excellent example of this, where native speakers from different countries are matched up to converse. Not only does ESN Parma offer assistance to Erasmus students, but they engage in helping the local community and undertook five Social Erasmus projects in 2012 including collecting clothes for the poor, cleaning the river of Parma (a project entitled Green Wave that received the international grant during International Social Erasmus Week), promoting recycling and spending the day at a local orphanage, where Erasmus students played with the children and brightened their day! ESN Parma was one of the first 7 sections that joined the Social Erasmus project in Italy and they took part in the first National Social Erasmus Week. This year, they promoted very strongly their national project "A Scholarship for Congo", collecting money that would help an African student carry on with his studies. All these projects cost the section a grand total of €0!!! This was due to partnerships with local sponsors.

The section also has collaborations on the cultural front.

Last but not least, Parma has just qualified as the section hosting the next South West Regional Platform (SWEP). Their promotional video was judged as the best presentation at the 2012 SWEP. The aim is to involve Portuguese, Spanish, French, Maltese and, of course, Italian influences into the atmosphere of our small but vibrant city and vice versa - to give Parma a European look.

CARMEN CUESTA ROCA

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ISC MU Brno March has arrived, spring is slowly taking over and ESN has a new Section in the Spotlight. For the second time this year, the winner comes from ESN Czech Republic- ISC MU Brno. As a former Starlight section from AGM Istanbul 2010, there is no doubt that ISC MU Brno is more than capable & worthy of being elected for Section in the Spotlight. After all, the member base already offers some impressive numbers: around 250 local tutors, 50 regular active ESN members and on top of that 9 members on the Board.

Together they make sure not a day goes by without at least one ESN event. Literally!!!

Section history dates back to 2003 when a legendary group of four, inspired by a section in Prague, created the International Students Club. The club joined ESN a year later, in 2004. In 2009 all three Brno

MARCH 2013 SECTION IN THE SPOTLIGHT ISC MU Brno is to have at least one ESN event per day. And all section members make sure it’s happening! It can be a Theme party, Pub Quiz, Language courses taught by Erasmus students, various trips around Czech Republic to discover its cultural heritage, all kinds of sport events, going to the Opera or wine tasking. There is always something going on in Brno!

There are, however, two events that stand out. First one is the Youth for You(th) Festival which aims to promote & give space to any sort of talent that young people possess. This event is very popular among Erasmus students and many of them decide to join as participants, or

is of course a long term, ongoing project that can be summed up as “introducing Erasmus to the perks of being a student at Masaryk University in Brno”. This directly applies to the section’s philosophy of voluntary efforts and active participation of local students since without local students there can be no buddy system.

It is also a way in which many of the ISC MU Brno members become further involved in section activities & thus, ESN. They start as tutors and later join a team to work on various projects and work their way up the section structure. To encourage and motivate potential & actual section members, ISC MU runs regular teambuilding activities & workshops or events for buddies & active members.

Needless to mention is their great cooperation with Masaryk University and Brno City Municipality.

Since 2006 there has not been an ESN CZ National Board that would not have at least 1 member coming from ISC MU Brno.

ISC MU was also part of the OC for CEP 2009 and organised Section Meetings.

Besides that, members of ISC MU Brno are active in ComCom and EduK8.

sections together organized CEP Brno.

For the 25th Erasmus anniversary, ISC MU Brno prepared series of arguably the biggest events from all ESN CZ sections.

The opinion of Erasmus students plays the biggest role when organising any event in ISC MU Brno. Not only do they have a say in what/how events should look like, but also they often get involved in the organisation of them. This ensures the maximum positive outcome, as the events are perceived not as “ESN events for Erasmus” but rather as “Events of ESN & ERASMUS”. A few examples include the collection of furniture for dormitory social rooms or cleaning the nearby area of dormitories from trash. Needless to say, the section hosts regular SE events, Erasmus in Schools and even Free Hugs Days.

As mentioned above, the key principle of

offer a helping hand to the OC. The other event is currently a Flagship Project for the spring semester of 2013, the International Student Ball. This event aims to bring together all Exchange students of Brno Universities, thus the OC is built on Brno United platform (ISC MU, ISC VUT, ISC MENDELU). Since spring time is traditionally a Ball season in central Europe, this event offers Erasmus students a unique cultural experience. The event could be described as a fancy soirée full of ladies in beautiful robes & gents in tuxedos, full of dancing, artistic performances & networking. The OC even arranges ESN Card discount on suit/dress rental for those who may not have brought any formal clothes from home.

Despite all the events & activities, the core activity still remains the buddy system. This

Running so many activities/events obviously costs money. In order to cover all expenses, the ISC MU does not only use regular ways of fundraising such as selling ESN Cards, advertising or applying for grants, but they put extra emphasis on regular communication with sponsors & partners. Every two months ISC MU prepares an awesome looking newsletter containing all the important information about what happened since the last issue, what the plans are for upcoming two months and how partners can get involved.

So have you ever dreamed about making as many events as there are days in the year but thought it could not be done? Just ask ISC MU Brno, Section in the Spotlight March 2013!

PROKOP TEPER

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Interview with martin schulz

INTERVIEW WITH

MARTIN SCHULZ

by Tania Berman, former President of the Erasmus Student Network (2011-2012)

1. Why is it important nowadays for young people in Europe to feel like Europeans?

Young people do not need to feel European, they are European, they are not only the future, but the present. The European Union has been built to ensure that young people do not have to suffer the wars of the past, and that young people can live fully and prosperously. Young people across the EU can benefit from programmes such as Erasmus. The EU has saved the banks, but is running the risk of losing a generation; one of the biggest threats to the European Union is that people entirely lose their confidence in the capacity of the EU to solve their problems. And if the younger generation is losing trust, then in my eyes the European Union is in real danger. Nowadays, it is for the EU to show what it can do for young people, from the Youth Guarantee financed by 6 billion euros to Erasmus and other educational programmes.

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2. How can we convince young people to believe in Europe and take active part in the further development of the European Union?

We need to give incentives to young people, the private and public sectors. Direct links between the European Union and regional and local authorities are needed more than ever. The alternative is a system that puts the social fabric of Europe under ever greater strain, resulting in the dire youth unemployment statistics now prevalent in Greece. That is a threat for social cohesion, and if the social cohesion in such countries fails, the country implodes. This is the threat for the European Union as a whole. Education remains the most important element, learning about the construction of the European Union, and by easing travel between nations, this will incentivise young people.

3. What do you think student organisations can do to foster trust in Europe and the willingness of European citizens to build their future together?

Students, young people are our future. It is them who will have to take the torch of European integration if it is to continue to burn for generations to come. This will not be easy. Our European project emerged from the ashes of the World War II. It was meant to ensure that such monstrosities never happen again on our continent.

But young generations do not remember the war and take peace for granted. So a new narrative should be found for the European Union so as to renew its relevance for the young. In my eyes, efforts to strengthen Europe's position on the world's stage can partly play this role. Only together can we be strong to withstand global

interview with martin schulz rivalry with the United States, China or the BRIC countries.

But in general my first advice is to travel as much as possible, make contacts, meet new friends and learn foreign languages.

Student groups play a pivotal role here. My second, perhaps more important advice is simply to study hard, to learn about history, culture, economy and society. Egoism, nationalism, intolerance and xenophobia, these main enemies of the EU often are a result of ignorance.

4. What do you think European student mobility will look like in 20 years? Will our children also experience Erasmus, and if yes, how will it be different from today?

I remember how Erasmus began more than 25 years ago. Europe was still divided by the Iron Curtain and our Community had only 11 member states. Just over 3,000 students took part in the programme in its first years. Look how much has been achieved and what a big change has taken place. The EU now has 27 members while more than three million students have benefited from Erasmus so far. The programme's role will be growing.

Young people have been hit especially hard by the economic crisis.

One in five young Europeans is without a job and unemployment among the young exceeds 50 percent in some countries. We risk having a lost generation.

Erasmus will play a crucial role in fighting this trend. Investment in education and training should be a key element of our response to the crisis.

The European Commission, the Parliament and Council are giving finishing touches to the new Erasmus for All programme. I hope a final agreement can be reached during the Irish presidency in the first half of the year. I also believe Erasmus could play an active role in finding job placements in companies abroad. I hope that the EU will one day reach its target of 20 percent mobility among students.

In most countries this mobility is just about five percent.

5. Are you familiar with the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and if yes, what should ESN be fighting for in the upcoming year?

Your organisation has two great assets: it is an organisation of young people, which means you represent the future, and thanks to you, we can look forward. This is an important contribution, and Europe should not only offer more to the young generations, but also listen and learn more from you. Second great asset: you are a European organisation. Your mission, your values, your horizons go beyond national borders. This allows you to stimulate an open, transparent debate about Europe. This is very important because one of the problems of the EU is that media are national, education is national, so it is very difficult to have a cross-border culture, where people from different countries, speaking different languages, can discuss with each other and understand the point of view of the other. This is one of my tasks as President of the Parliament: I want my institution to be the place where public, democratic, even controversial discussion about our common future takes place. I also think that organisations like yours have a great potential in promoting the European debate, via social media, that allow an exchange beyond national borders, but also facilitating meetings in person from people from different countries, to win prejudices, stereotypes, mistrust, and come to a mutual understanding. There is nothing better you can do for Europe.

6. Have you been a volunteer yourself, and if yes, what was your motivation?

One of my first volunteering experiences was a turning point in my life. I was a member of the Socialist Youth in Germany, and we organised a group to help cleaning the Brittany coast hit by the black tide in 1978. This was for me not only the opportunity to help in a tragic situation, but also to discover France, a country that had suffered the consequences of the war and of the barbaric German dictatorship. This meant for me, even if I didn't know at the time, my commitment to Europe and to our wonderful project of reconciliation and peace.

Even if, afterward, politics took most of my time, I still try to contribute helping those who are in need. I'm a member of the "Arbeiterwohlfahrt" an organisation close to my party, and committed to help the less wealthy families, old people, and others in need.

In the eighties my region (Aachen) had a lot of jobless young people, because of the closing down of the mines. With some other politicians, we created an organisation to help those people to get training and qualifications for a job, to get a second chance. This association is still alive and it's called "Verein f端r allgemeine und berufliche Weiterbildung e.V." (http://www.vabw.de/index.php) Later on, we created another association to give adults who had dropped out of school an opportunity to achieve their "BAC" diploma. The school is called "Euregio-Kolleg". There are many other associations I'm involved in as a politician, like "Amnesty International", but I tried to do my best to help young people to develop their education and their chances because the future is yours and we must offer you the best we can, in order for you to have the possibility to build a better world.

7. If you would have one recommendation for young European students, what would it be?

I have two recommendations: a practical and a more theoretical one. Firstly, I would advise them to try to make the most of what Europe has to offer to them: from the Erasmus programme to funds for R&D, from policies such as the free movement of workers as to the youth guarantee. The EU is an inextinguishable source of opportunities for those who actively look for them.

My other recommendation is to live passionately for their ideas and ideals, to never be satisfied with the status quo and to keep trying to improve Europe, and the world we live in. The crisis has forced us to live looking at our narrow horizon: we need their capacities, their fervour and their vision to really turn the page and construct a viable and sustainable future.

express magazine | 21

Life after ESN

by Gaffar Rampage

Y

ou’ve heard of the Post-Erasmus Depression, but what about Post-ESN? For many of us, ESN represents a momentous period of our lives. From the meetings to the parties and the countless hours dedicated to the organisation, our members’ involvement in the network makes up a large part of their student lives. Like all good things, however, the student life has to end, along with the life in ESN. Or does it?

Our alumni are here to prove this saying wrong!

Since February 2008, ESN’s alumni have been organising meetings to continue their involvement in the network. These gatherings aim to tap on the knowledge and experience of our alumni, so that they may keep on contributing to the organisation.

At the same time, the alumni network represents an opportunity for professional networking. Needless to say, the question on everyone’s minds at these meetings is: “So... what do you do these days?”

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Rania Chantzopoulou Home section: ESN NTUA Athens / ESN Kapa Athens Former roles within ESN: Webmaster of ESN Kapa Athens,

President of ESN NTUA Athens, Member of IT Committee, Web Project Administrator of ESN International So… what do you do these days?

I am working in Amsterdam as an IT Consultant for banking software and living together with another ESN Alumnus :) How was your transition to the post-ESN life?

My year in the International Board (2010-2011) was a very exciting yet demanding one, so towards the end of my mandate I started feeling the well-known ESN-tiredness and I knew I needed a change; first some good holidays and then a new job in a new country. The first months of my “afterlife” were very calm and enjoyable, my email inbox was not exploding anymore and finally I had some free time! Sooner or later though, I started missing my ESN friends again, but fortunately ESN Alumni solved my problem!

How has ESN helped you in your professional life?

ESN has had an enormous impact on my professional life. Besides the hands-on experience with certain IT platforms and technologies, ESN taught me a lot about collaboration in an international and diverse team. I learnt something practical for my current job, but also about project management and time management. Apart from that, as an IT person, I got the chance to work on my weak points too, such as my communication, presentation and social skills.

What was your most memorable ESN moment?

There are countless incredible moments in my ESN life, but I will never forget when our IB presented the Board Report during AGM Budapest in 2011. After the presentation, all the IB members stood together on stage, happy about what we had achieved during the year and proud of our team. That moment I felt that all the time and effort I had spent and all the dedication in ESN was worth it till the last bit.

What do you miss most about ESN? I miss being surrounded by the ESN spirit in my everyday life. The openness and tolerance, the unity in diversity, the fun and respect in friendship, as already described nicely in the values of our network.

life after esn

Markus Lutter Home section: ESN Bochum Roles within ESN: Former President of ESN Bochum, Member

of ESN Alumni Germany and ESN International Communication Committee

Active from: 2000 - Present

So… what do you do these days?

I’m a photo archivist at the city administration of Bochum. ESN was and has always been a hobby for me. I have never been on an Erasmus exchange, I learnt about ESN from good friends of mine.

That is maybe one reason why I’m still active, there is not a great difference between myself and a person who wants to keep her / his Erasmus experience a little bit longer.

How was your transition to the post-ESN life?

If you find a way out of this trap, tell me ... no transition way found until now ;-) And to be a little bit connected to ESN in the post-ESN life, we built a German Alumni Association in which we have a summer meeting for the National Alumni and also meetings at the national events of ESN Germany.

By the way, when we say Alumni, we are not only referring to former ESNers, but also those who are old-stagers.

What was your most memorable ESN moment?

There were so many, it is very difficult to say. For me, the AGMs in Poland were really great ESNevents, and also the holidays after that in Cracow. It wasn’t only that event but also the people and all the experiences gained, like for example the Cultural Medley Antalya and AGM Istanbul; those were such big experiences. I think that to be stuck in Istanbul for five more days after AG, because of volcano ash, and to have had the time to walk around the city and travel back by bus to Germany was a very memorable experience.

Do you still often come in contact with ESNers?

Of course, every week with my local section and our exchange students :-) It is good that we are in Brussels, having more structure. But first, we are there for the exchangers, and the section.

Of course, there I’m the old guy, we’re not on the same eye level, but it is nice to see other points of view, to have some (night) life... and also maybe to be helpful. I think that even if I quit at some time, I will be still there for my section if they want, because I have a lot of knowledge about our city and I usually make the guided city tours :-) How has ESN helped you in your professional life?

Directly in my professional life? Not at all. In my life in general, I have become much more open-minded and after all these ESN Events I act much cooler towards problems... there will be a solution :-) Is there anything else about your ESN life you would like to share?

Firstly, you can neither be too old or too young. It is in your mind.

I’m the oldest in our section, and also the youngest in our city history association. Both can be helpful, to have experience or to be able to learn something new from it. If your life circumstances give you the opportunity to be active in ESN, do it. If not in your section, come to the committees or build a National Alumni Organisation.

Secondly, if you need to go to work the next day and have lots of private paperwork at home, it is 9 p.m. and you are at the students’ pub and want to go home –that’s reasonable! If three hours later you are still there, because you’ve been talking for a long time to a nice girl, then sitting with people from places like Turkey, Greece, Germany and Sweden - all laughing, drinking and getting to know each other, and at some point getting to know that you are a small part of the organisation of ESN, being people who do more for the communication and connection of Europe than many others who are actually paid for it – that’s priceless !

Hendrik Schraa Home section: ESN Leeuwaarden Former role within ESN: Chair of ESN International IT Committee

Active from: 2006-2011 So… what do you do these days?

I'm a solutions architect/consultant in the area of video conferencing at VisionsConnected.

How was your transition to the post-ESN life?

Fairly smooth, I am still in touch with quite a few of the ESN people I was engaged with, still enjoying the fact that we can meet and see each other every once in a while and enjoy what is now, reminisce about what has been, and look forward to what it will be.

How has ESN helped you in your professional life?

The experience of ESN benefits my job within an international environment every day when working with large(r) international organisations. It allows me to relate easier to customers, colleagues, and people from a different cultural background by means of an open attitude, allowing me to form bonds and mutual trust more easily.

What is your most valuable ESN experience?

The accumulation of both, professional and personal experience, that was gained during my years of being active, specifically with ESN International. The continuous cooperation with great and culturally diverse people has honestly made a better person. If I could turn back time I would change my approach towards ESN as a concept during my local section time significantly. We were insufficiently aware of the enrichment that further involvement in both national and international level has to offer.

Do you still often come in contact with ESNers?

Although mostly former ESN'ers, as an active member of the ESN Alumni network, yes, I'm in touch with quite a few people. With my Greek girlfriend being with me every day as the best example of that :-)

express magazine | 23

Interviews with

l a n o i t Na

by Tania Berman, former President of the Erasmus Student Network (2011-2012)

During my mandate as President of ESN International (2011-2012), I have met many inspiring and incredibly motivated people.

Among them are leaders that impressed me by their determination, by their vision, and by their courage. They inspired my respect and admiration. I felt proud to have them in my network.

I gained a lot from them. You might have met them at some ESN meeting, or at your own National Platform. I’m speaking of some of the National Presidents of the network.

Currently, ESN has 36 countries and 22 National Boards.

Having a National Board means having a group of people all working together for the benefit of the sections of their country and the whole network. We have at the moment 22 presidents of a National Board. Most of them have a mandate of one year, together with their Board.

I’ve seen several presidents full of energy, motivation, and ideas for their network and for the ESN network in general. I wanted to know a little bit more so I put together some questions for them. I also wondered who would be the successors of such great presidents; something lets me believe that it must also be extraordinary people that carry in themselves the same sense of belief in ESN, the same understanding of our core values, and the same capacity for seeing in what direction the network should go.

I asked my questions to 6 current and former National Presidents of the network in order to see what motivations and beliefs a National President holds.

The countries I chose are the following: • Finland ( Joonas Niemi, former President; Salha Hanna, current President since January 2013) • Italy (Emanuele Scamardella, former President; Carlo Bitteto, current President since December 2012) • Poland (Artur Koziński, former President; Mateusz Hilgner, current President since May 2012) • Slovakia (Miroslav Hajnos, former President; Júlia Marcinčinová, current President since November 2012) • Sweden ( Jonathan Jelves, current President till AGM 2013; Safi Sabuni, elected President[A1] ) • The Netherlands ( Joep Van Agteren, former President Robert Broers; current President since June 2012) For the purpose of this article I chose these countries. It might seem unfair, however it is linked to fortuitous encounters, as there are many National Presidents I did not get to meet or to talk to

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very much. May they forgive me for not having picked them for this interview and run to me at the AGM to present themselves!

For all countries chosen, I asked the current and former President to answer five questions. For this article, I kept their best answers. I started by asking our Presidents: Being a National President is a big responsibility. It requires motivation and vision. But what does it mean to be a National President?

“It's not just an ordinary role”, says Carlo Bitetto, current President of ESN Italy. “It's a role that can lead to something extraordinary with the support of the Board and of our sections. It is, as well, a great chance. The chance that I have to transform our ideas in projects. It's something that you feel, in your mind and on your skin, everyday.”“Being a President means leading a network, and leading teams of volunteers”, says Miroslav Hajnos, former President of ESN Slovakia: “As the president, I had in my hands a great responsibility to lead ESN Slovakia in the right direction.

I had to find a way to motivate my members, because, especially in a non-profit sector where people are volunteers, we have to appreciate each one of us.” Leading people means motivating them and also participating in their development: for Mateusz Hilgner, current President of ESN Poland, “Being the President of ESN Poland is like running a medium size business, where you try to help in developing its members' skills and facilitate their start in future professional life.”

Being a national President is also a great personal experience.

Salha, current President of ESN Finland, emphasizes this: “For me personally it's a personal challenge as well - a chance to show myself, what I'm capable of and where I need to develop. It's a learning experience, where I can gain skills in team management, coordinating projects, negotiating and understanding group dynamics.” Jonathan, current President of ESN Sweden[A2] , even says: “I am not the same person I was one year ago. After all the challenges and responsibility I feel I have come through it as a better person. It’s amazing to see all the work and imagination you put into ESN Sweden bear fruit.” For Artur, former President of ESN Poland, “it was an absolutely unforgettable time during which I learned a lot.” Furthermore, it is an experience that is beneficial in your personal and future professional life: “Gaining personal experience in leadership proved to be valuable in all aspects of my personal life” says Joep, former President of ESN the Netherlands To lead a team, to lead a national network, the President needs to address the challenges the national network is currently facing.

In such a big organization as ESN, the challenges might be a bit different depending on the country. Which are those challenges? I asked our Presidents:

S t n e d i s Pre

nS for ESN io t a iv t o m r ei h t , r beliefs Their visionS, thei

As Presidents, which were or are the main challenges for your national network that you have had to face?

Several challenges were mentioned as an answer to this question.

Let me select the most mentioned. The biggest challenge on the national level is the internal communication between sections. In Slovakia, there is a need to “create a good communication platform for Slovak sections and support cooperation among the sections.

Last year we, as ESN Slovakia, have focused our attention on building strong relationships with partners and stakeholders, and generally to be accepted as a partner for quality education. We have achieved this and now we need to focus on internal relations within sections in the country.” In Finland as well, one of the main challenges is “to increase cooperation between sections. It’s a big country with long distances, still we have to create a feeling of being one network.”

Also, shrinking the gap between the sections and the national level and/or the National Board is seen as an important challenge to address; there is a need to “get locally active members involved on the national level” (Salha). Same in Sweden, where one of the main challenges is to “integrate our national network. Our sections and even the national board have been living quite independently from each other which is something we have started to move away from. Our NPs have improved considerably and we now have a much more section oriented way of doing things. The lessons learned in Sweden is something we have tried to implement at the international level as well, especially within the NEP region, and it looks very promising” says Jonathan. Same also in ESN the Netherlands where one main challenge is to “maintain the good participatory rate of local sections in the national network and improve our participation towards ESN AISBL” In Italy things are similar and the national board wishes to “grow enthusiasm and trust in sections for what the National Board does.”

The other big challenge mentioned for the national level is the recognition by stakeholders. Safi underlines the need to “increase ESN Sweden’s visibility among stakeholders.” The same goes for Poland where there is a need to “increase the recognition of ESN Poland among other Polish organizations both in the education and business field. We have to open ESN Poland to businesses and professionals and offer professional trainings, internships, etc. to our members.” underlines Mateusz.

The last challenges I’ll mention here are the need for more human resources and financial support. In Finland, “registered

organizations in Finland need a significant amount of paper work and it fell on the President’s feet. We would definitely need a paid employee.” In the Netherlands as well, the challenge is “to improve the financial position of ESN the Netherlands”. Italy claims the same: “Without any doubts, our main challenge is to find commercial partners that trust ESN not only in words, but also guaranteeing financial support to our projects in one of the countries suffering most from the current recession. Without money, ideas are just ideas.”

The link between the local and the national level has been mentioned as one of the main challenges for the national level.

One level up there is the international level. What does it mean for Presidents of an ESN country to be part of ESN International?

In a structure where the National Representative is the link between the national and the international level, what do National Presidents think of the international network? Are they only focused on their own country or do they care for the international ESN network? I asked our Presidents: What does it mean for your country to be part of ESN International?”

For Carlo, “being part of ESN is like being part of a big family.

ESN Italy wouldn't make any sense if it didn't belong to a network. The flag parade during the AGM is one of the most explicit symbols that clarifies that young people, such as ESNers, believe in Europe. We have to be active in participating in Europe's development and we can be like this just belonging to a bigger organisation, such as ESN International.” For Salha as well, being part of ESN or “being part of a European network is an everyday reminder that yes - we are Europeans as well.” And for Julia, “to be part of ESN International means for ESN Slovakia an indivisible part of being who we are.” Her predecessor Mirko even says: “I can say that without ESN International, there would be no ESN Slovakia, because more than 60 per cent of experiences and knowledge comes from ESN International. All the countries share their experiences on this platform.”

Indeed, the international level gives ESN countries a sense of identity, a sense of belonging, and it is also the place where they can get ideas and learn from what others experienced. For Robert, being part of ESN “gives us the opportunity to share our best practices, and, moreover, learning from ideas that have been implemented in other countries/sections. Emanuele doesn’t say anything different: “I consider this opportunity as a great resource

JUAN USES ESNCARD.ORG TO FIND HIS DISCOUNTS EVERY TIME HE TRAVELS AROUND EUROPE! WHAT ABOUT YOU?

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that helps in creating synergies between the different ways of thinking and work systems.” The network is a great source of resources and is also a great help whenever needed: for Mateusz, “it is good to know that more people in Europe have to deal with the same problems and in case of 'emergency' you can always call or write to somebody from other country and ask for help.”

After asking about the challenges the national networks are facing or have been facing, I wondered what Presidents would think of the international level of ESN. Can we speak of the same challenges on the national and on the international level? Are these completely different? Do National Presidents have a clear view of the challenges the network as a whole will face in the upcoming years? I asked our Presidents: What are, in your opinion, the main challenges for the ESN network in the upcoming years?

According to them, the challenges ESN is facing are quite numerous. Indeed, each one of the respondents picked a different challenge. I choose to list them one by one.

•

•

Network growth: for Joonas, the main challenge is that “ESN is growing all the time and still we are living with the attitude that nothing needs to be changed. We have to be brave to make the change to keep the network professional and democratic.”

Quality of sections are at the center of Mirko’s attention: “ESN has to build strong and stable sections. Many sections are really professional and structurally based. Some sections are based on a small group of people concentrated only on parties. Therefore, I see a great challenge to create a so-called section framework in order to have standard quality sections.

I also see great challenges in terms of professionalisation of a network on a national level into paid positions. I personally believe that one day it will come, and we will have people working for ESN on a full-time basis.

•

“Making the learning experience the core of what ESN is” is what is most important according to Jonathan. “When we succeed in creating a good learning environment the feedback from the members is overwhelmingly positive.”

•

Information overflow is for Salha the main challenge.

“Good ideas might get lost in the jungle of emails. We need organized and better tools to control all information we actually have in this network and make it accessible and usable for the right people at the right time.”

•

•

Financial independence is for Robert the main challenge, together with the professionalisation of the network and “a network-wide improved image”. Same for Joep that speaks of “improving professionalisation and working on gaining a more stable financial position. On top of this it is of vital importance to invest time and effort into innovating the Erasmus experience on all topics ranging from IT to Social Erasmus.

Linking ESN and the business world is for Mateusz the future challenge: “the whole network should open more for businesses and invite professional companies to join common projects that will be profitable for the network and bring some benefits like guaranteed or dedicated internships, work offers or professional trainings that prepare the network's members to jump into professional life - it is extremely important when the EU is facing a huge youth unemployment rate.

•

More internal cooperation between countries is the next challenge for Safi: “I believe we should focus on the following years as being even more visible in communities, in media, and on educational platforms. We have great potential!”

All these challenges and motivations make it very clear that our Presidents like what they do and work a lot. But inside, deep down, what is it that motivates them so much for the network? What are their personal motivations, what are the rewards that they receive as a National President? I asked our Presidents: As a leader, what is it that keeps you awake at night and makes you get up in the morning?

The very first element mentioned is the trust received by the members. The feeling that they have been entrusted to do a job and that they should therefore do it and do it well is very present in their answers. Mateusz says that “what motivates me to work for ESN is a sense of responsibility for the association and obligation given by the members of ESN Poland who have trusted in me and elected me for the President of ESN Poland.” Same for Salha: “the feeling that other people trust me and I want to be worthy of that trust” or for Jonathan: “It’s that sense of trust that others place in you.”

Another main motivation is the feeling of satisfaction and pride one receives when getting good feedback. For Carlo, ”there is nothing more satisfying than going to a National Platform and seeing a volunteer that you don't know of a section of ESN Italy that looks at you and gives you a pat on the back saying "Grande Presi!". Same answer by Jonathan: “My favorite moments are when people approach you, shake your hand and tell you that you did a good job.”

The team and people in the network are also a main motivator.

Artur says that “my National Board and members of ESN Poland gave me the power to work hard. Every morning I had that feeling that I can develop ESN Poland and also myself which motivates me to work hard.” Robert underlines the same idea: “working with a great team and the challenges we face as a team make me stand up in the morning.” Same for Julia, who quotes one of her main motivations as being to “see my people motivated and into the thing” or for Mirko, that underlines that “it is not about the goals we achieve but about the journey we go through and the direction we go. And it all is about having a good time!”

Our Presidents also identify a lot with the network’s vision and mission. And this is at the very heart of their motivation for the network, and of their vision for the network’s future.

I’ll conclude this article with two answers to the previous question made by Emanuele and Joep. These answers match my own feelings and understanding of our common passion for the ESN network. They will probably also match yours, dear reader of this article: “Erasmus has been an outstanding achievement for Europe and I really feel myself part of it.” “It’s not very difficult to invest in something that represents your passion and your way of life.”

express magazine | 27

TEAMBUILDING AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Teambuilding and Knowledge Transfer on the local level in Spain

by Alicia Sanchez

ESN Spain has grown so much in the recent years on the national level, and their National Platforms are events with approximately 120 participants, so there are usually many energisers and team-building activities prepared by the OC in order to get people together and create synergy between sections.

But on a local level, ESN as a network has also experienced a huge growth in the number of applicants and members because the ESN sections are gaining importance in their home universities as a reference to international volunteering. It is obvious that a 5 person team is easier to manage than a 20 people one, and also

create a closer relation, clear up their doubts, and learn through experiences and real examples. The buddy must help them in their first activities, and also encourage and motivate them in order to become active members. Their new members are so motivated right now!

It does not matter if it lasts only for a day, or a whole weekend, doing a Local Platform is an amazing idea for teambuilding between new and experienced members, and also a great opportunity to share knowledge about how ESN works. At the beginning of each semester, ESN Granada, ESN Jaen, ESN Carlos III and ESN Malaga organise a Local Platform for members and collaborators. Some of them are more focused on team building and motivation, some of them are more focused on knowledge transfer and teaching about ESN, but all of them have the same purpose: improve team work and raise awareness about ESN.

LOCAL PLATFORMS

ESN Granada, for example, recruited 20 new members in September, so there are currently 42 members, and they find it quite difficult to communicate within such a huge group, and in their LP they spent 3 days in a country house. During those 3 days they prepared food together and made funny games to break the ice with the newbies. But their LP was also a formal meeting with an agenda, timing, a moderator and coffee breaks! Local Board wanted to introduce their members to the National Platform System, and they succeeded.

ESN as a network has some particular rules which should be learnt and applied by each member.

Facing that new reality, some ESN Spain sections have developed different systems of recruiting, and also improved their knowledge transfer processes trying to be as professional and effective as possible, never forgetting about fun and friendship. They are aware of the importance of the first step of collaboration, in order to become a great ESNer, involved in ESN values and engaged on time with the local section and the Erasmus. Some Spanish sections told us their experiences, and they are so happy to share it with the entire network.

BUDDY SYSTEM AMONG ESNERS

Experience is valuable among ESNers, but so is companionship, and ESN Carlos III knows that.

In order to involve new members in the team, they designate an experienced buddy to each one for two months, so they can

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ESN Jaen spent only one day on their LP, but it was a very intense one: the "Christmas Local Platform" in December with workshops in the morning and evening, but also team-building activities at night, like the "Secret Santa" game. "Events management", "ESN for newbies", and "Office work and Erasmus customer service" were some of the workshops that were held by the most experienced members, but everybody was able to participate, ask

TEAMBUILDING AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER and comment. Due to the great results of those experiences, shared on National Platforms, many ESN Spain sections are preparing more Local Platforms for the future.

ESN AS VOLUNTEER TRAINING

Our colleagues from ESN Almeria went further in their aim to professionalise their work. For two years, they have made an agreement with the ORI of their University, and have planned an official course about "International Volunteering" together. During the course, participants attend different seminars: "Introduction to volunteering", "Youth on the move", "International Student Service", "Student Association: ESN" etc. It is a compulsory course

for those who want to join ESN Almeria, and the participants obtain a certified diploma and 1 ECTS credit. With those courses they get formal, but they also train their members since the very beginning. It is a 3-day seminar, with theory and practice in ESN Almeria office and activities, and the most experienced members are in charge of the workshops and lectures.

These are some ideas to improve ESN on the local level, but as our network is growing so fast, surely we will find some others which may help us in our daily life as ESN local members, the heart of our network, the first approach to the Erasmus.

Let's keep on improving!

express magazine | 29

3 Questions to 3 vice-presidents

{

Veeli Oeselg, VP 2009-2010 Joachim Wyssling, VP 2010-2011 Katja Krohn, VP 2011-2012

}

by Tania Berman, former President of the Erasmus Student Network (2011-2012)

1/ Why are you still active in ESN? I think once you’re part of a network like ESN it is almost impossible to leave it behind again. This is especially valid when you are involved on the international level and get involved in all the projects and meetings and put your heart into it. After that, you also want to see how everything develops and keep on supporting the newer generations. ESN is like a big family somehow and you want to see the children grow up.

Katja

After 5 years of commitment on the local, national and finally international level of ESN, I decided to follow the cycle of a volunteer: joining and engaging in the ESN Alumni network.

Since the start of ESN, thousands and thousands of volunteers have committed a part of their lives to the values of ESN and international students, therefore the potential of networking in the ESN Alumni network is huge.

Joachim

There are two main reasons why I am still active in ESN. One reason is all the creative people with whom I have the opportunity to work together. ESN is what it is thanks to all its members and without these diverse and interesting people it would not be so addictive! The second reason is the simple fact that I believe that with my contribution I can create value and make a difference. If my effort wouldn't be valuable in any way, I wouldn’t see the point in dedicating my time to it.

Veeli

2/ What has ESN given you so far and what does ESN give you now?

ESN gave me a lot so far and I definitely would not be the same person without it. It helped me grow up somehow, but at the same time to stay young and active. ESN made me believe that it doesn’t matter where you come from, as long as you share the same beliefs, visions and dreams, you can work together and overcome intercultural differences. ESN also made me realise how small Europe actually is and I got to know some amazing people and places all over the continent.

Katja

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The experience of having been an active member of ESN Besançon, co-organising the AGM 2008, building the French network back in 2008 and contributing to the international level as NR and Vice-President has been great in terms of non-formal learning experiences, meeting new colleagues and friends.

Joachim

ESN has had a major role in my personal and professional development.

Without having been involved in ESN at such a level, I wouldn't be the person I am today. It has given me experience, knowledge, skills, adventures, challenges, travels, good (and bad) memories, and of course, friends. Nowadays, I hope that I am giving something more to ESN, than it gives to me. Now it is my turn to give something back, as I have already received so much.

Veeli

Interview

3/ How do you combine ESN with your professional life?

Well, thanks to ESN (not only, but it played a big part ;-)) I have not arrived at my professional life yet. I am currently finishing my studies and writing my thesis, but I hope to find a job through the contacts I have thanks to ESN. ESN helped me to develop myself further and thanks to my work on the international level I can add a lot of international experience to my CV, which is important for finding a job in an international organisation or company.

Katja

As I am working in the field of Education and Training, for a network of Universities called “Campus Europae”, my professional life brings me from time to time to work together with ESN on several projects linked to quality student mobility and the internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions.

Joachim

I have a flexible working environment so time-wise it's not often a problem.

However, the ESN experience helps me in my professional life and vice versa.

Joachim: As I am working in the field of Education and Training, for a network of Universities called “Campus Europae”, my professional life brings me from time to time to work together with ESN on several projects linked to quality student mobility and the internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions.

Veeli

4/ What are the three main challenges that you see for ESN in the 3 upcoming years?

The network’s growth is obviously one of its biggest challenges. We are growing every year and therefore at some point we will need to adjust the structure and organisation/administration of the network. It is a slow process, but most countries already see the challenge and are working on it, including the international level of ESN. The second biggest challenge is the financial part of the network, its countries and its sections. The discrepancy of available financial resources in the network is immense. Some sections can hardly pay the membership towards ESN and struggle to support their members when joining ESN events, others make big profits and can easily support their members to go to ESN meetings. With a growing network, more financial resources are needed and with the changing European grant situation, we will have to secure proper funding in a different way. Last but not least, I think the issue of human resources and knowledge transfer will also always be an important topic in ESN

Katja

The challenges ESN is going to face in the next three years are going to be numerous, especially when you look at the way ESN has developed in the last 10 years. However, according to my experience, the most important are:

Joachim

• Setting the place of ESN in the upcoming generation of the Lifelong Learning Programme 2014 – 2020, especially in terms of branding in case the programme is called “Erasmus for All”.

• Preparing the qualitative growth of the ESN network. So far, the expansion has been focused on the quantitative aspect.

In 2006, the network had ca. 250

sections but this figure has significantly increased in the past years. Also, the National Boards must be prepared in this regard.

• Making sure the mission, vision and values of ESN remain at the core of its members’ commitment and avoiding a drift towards a bureaucratic organisation, where the creativity and interaction between individual members could be lowered.

Living up to its vision, mission, aims and principles.

Moving three steps forward without taking two steps back. Unity, cohesion and solidarity.

Veeli

express magazine | 31

ERASMUS STUDENT AS A PHOTOGRAPHER

Praça do comercio

The world changes its shapes and colours according to your vision; your sensitivity is unique and you often want to share it with others. This can be quite a difficult task, as others need to picture your words. Fortunately, photo cameras can help you solve this issue.

BY MAXENCE VIALLON

erasmus STUDENT as a photographer

H

owever, your pictures will always be only one part of the reality and it is your point of view as a photographer that will be transmitted through your pictures. It is about seeing things differently and expressing them in a frame at a certain moment; others might do it through music or words. Thus, imagine how different the vision of an Erasmus student can differ from another.

In order to present you a famous European capital in an innovative way, this article will guide you through the city of Lisbon following five photos made by a photographer, Manuel Cassetti, who was at that time on Erasmus in Portugal. It has recently become a popular destination especially for young persons. Many things could be said, but let's follow only a specific string across different neighbourhoods in Lisbon.

Everything starts with the Praça do comercio, or also called Terreiro do paço, the city's main square representing various events the country has been through: the heavy earthquake in 1755 where the population could partly take refuge, the assassination of Carlos I in 1908, and the clove revolution in 1974. Nowadays, cultural events are organised on this square, but it is also a meeting space for socialising and a place to seek for a profound look-out towards the large delta of the Tejo.

Going towards the castle will lead you to Alfama (in Arabic Alhamma means baths or fountains), the most ancient part of the city with a truly popular and Portuguese spirit. It is full of little cobblestones and sloping streets trying to prevent you from leaving this neighbourhood. Fortunately, as soon as you can hear the famous bell of the elétrico, you can find the way back and hop-on on one of these trams. If you want to travel for free, look at how children grab the outside pole and stand on the outside step.

Within a few seconds, you will realise that Lisbon is built on hills; some people call it the city of seven hills (like Rome). The advantage is that the city has various miradouros situated at the top of these hills, which often offer a magnificent view over the city. Stairs are a common way to get to these belvederes, but can

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ERASMUS STUDENT AS A PHOTOGRAPHER often be tight and hidden. Exploring them is the best way to understand the complex structure of the city.

If you walk slowly enough through the popular neighbourhoods of Lisbon you will notice quite a few older people living in apartments having a direct view to the street and ready to interact with persons going by, often friends and members of their family.

Windows are an important channel of communication; the street is a place of constant social exchange and vividness. You will notice the must-have: a narrow little pillow for putting the elbows on the window bench. It is far more comfortable this way if you need to hold this position for a few hours. Do not hesitate to ask for insider information, it is worth it.

You might want to explore further than the city centre: it is time to go to Alcantra, a district famous for its cultural creativity. This is true during the day but also during the night: the beautiful book shop Ler Devagar is known for its artistic decoration. But this is only a small part of the cultural conglomerate, the LX Factory.

It is unique in its spatial organisation and also for its innovative rehabilitation of buildings. Dare to visit and enter the buildings, you will find various types of places: offices, artistic studios, restaurants and much more.

As the vision of a photographer cannot always show only one side of life, the underbelly of Lisbon unfortunately also exists.

However, it remains a great European capital, which is still relatively unknown and definitely worth a visit! Go there, try to remember the pictures and compare your impressions; it will broaden your view.

ALCANTRA

EE MORE? WANT TO S A LOOK AT RES, HAVE U T IC P E R O ACCOUNT: FOR M TI'S FLICKR ET S S A C EL CASSETTI MANU PLE/MANUEL EO /P M O .C R FLICK ALFAMA

express magazine | 33

Non-formal Education AND EUROPEAN YOUTH WORK

by International Committee for Education (ICE) Education Journalists: Vasiliki Meletaki and Simona Falanga

N

on-formal education (hereafter NFE) is back on the agenda on a world-wide scale, in both Western and developing societies. But what is NFE exactly? Well, Jarvis (2001:21) defines it as ‘any form of systematic learning conducted outside of a formal organisation’. In other words, NFE is a flexible yet systematic organisation of educational activities which focuses on the acquisition of skills and knowledge and serves the specific needs of the person. NFE must not be confused with informal education, which is based on the acquisition of experience through daily practices as opposed to organised activities.

Moreover, NFE also entails youth work (as in the community support activity aimed at older children and adolescents).

training programmes (vocational or not), volunteering, workshops, seminars, conferences, youth exchanges, and mobility programmes etc., all realized, run, and promoted by European Youth Organisations and the European Commission’s decision-making structures: the Programming Committee of Youth, the Joint Council of Youth, the Advisory Council of Youth (in which, as you know, ESN is a member!), and the European Steering Committee of Youth.

NFE first emerged in 1968 as a method to address the needs of disadvantaged groups that had no access to education.

Over the years though, NFE has started to be implemented into the portfolios of Western policy-makers and it gained more and more recognition as the solution for all the flaws present in the educational systems worldwide. In recent years, courses on NFE have been introduced in several universities in both western and developing countries, and the World Bank has even run an international distance learning seminar on NFE in 2001.

As far as the “Youth on the Move” initiative is concerned, it includes policies about education and youth employment and especially measures about studying, training (such as “Leonardo Da Vinci”, Erasmus Mundus and Erasmus programme), learning (“Youth In Action program”) and working (apart from general job opportunities, there are measures such as “Youth@Work” and “Your first EURES job”.

Nowadays, NFE and youth constitute Europe’s priorities. More specifically, the European Commission has created diverse programmes, agencies, and institutions concerning youth support including

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The most important initiatives right now are: The “Youth on the Move” which is included in Europe’s 2020 strategy and the “Youth in Action programmes” that forms part of the EU policy concerning young people.

What is “Youth in Action” and its relation with youth work? This programme “promotes mobility within and beyond the EU borders, non-formal learning and intercultural dialogue, and encourages the inclusion of all young people, regardless of their educational, social and cultural background”. It is comprised of five actions:

1. Youth for Europe (youth exchanges, youth initiatives and youth democracy projects) 2.

European Voluntary Service (unpaid and full-time voluntary activities in a foreign country within or outside of Europe) 3. Youth in the World (partnerships among youth organisations and youth exchanges around the world) 4. Youth Support Systems (it is addressed mostly to young workers and others involved in youth work promoting activities specialized in NFE such as job shadowing, seminars and training courses) 5. Support for Policy Co-operation in the youth field (enhances the dialogue between policy makers and young people) It is evident that the current ongoing programmes are varied and diversified, but much more needs to be done and dusted.

Having seen the effectiveness of NFE programmes and the genuine benefits they brought to young people worldwide, we hope that NFE will gain more and more recognition. An increased awareness of NFE followed by the development of further programmes will in fact contribute to the fostering of future generations and ensure that all those who are in a disadvantaged position (or simply all those who are eager to learn) will have access to education.

V Eduk8 V SocialErasmus V EUCIS-LLL

WE V WANT YOU!

Read about:

25th anniversary of Erasmus Ride for your Rights The history of ESN Organising AGM Granada

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SocialErasmus ESNcard Stereotypes

Social & Green ESN COUNTRIES

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