EMYP - All different - all equal.
(Picture: Simon McKeagney)
Off to Europe!
It's now already over a month ago that I left Finland. First I flew to Berlin, spent a night there at my friends place, then we flew to Stuttgart, headed for the European Forum of EYP in Bad Urach, flew back to Berlin, I stayed at another friend again, attended the first Euro-Mediterranean Youth Parliament in Berlin and then finally found my way to Brussels. This week I have been to Strasbourg, however.
But why all this, and why did I start writing a blog? Well first of all I couldn't resist the trend anymore - every sophisticated EU citizen has an own blog, don't they? Secondly I have to admit, that it is nice to write down the new experiences and thoughts I am experiencing here and save them as a memory. The third reason is very selfish: I need a friend to talk to. I mean, I am not really lonely here at the moment, but it feels good to write down and to share, in hope that someone of my friends or somebody completely random might read it. I also think it is interesting to analyse the current issues in EU politics and try to understand them better.
I could give a short briefing on what basically happened to me in the month that passed, and why I am at the stage I am at the moment.
Bad Urach babbles
My trip started in Berlin as I said already. I flew there and stayed at my friend Johannes, the Head Organiser of the 4th European Forum in Bad Urach, a tiny and very idyllic little Swabian village where I've been already three years ago as a delegate. Now I went back as a Vice-President. The session was simply amazing. First of all because of the officials' team: the Germans are incredible when it comes to EYP organising (well in everything, to be honest). The chairs' team of President Eric, Karolina, Kathrin and Bea was the best one I have ever had. We got so close and "Eric's Angels" is a well known phenomenon these days.
My committee was also amazing. I chaired AFET (Committee on Foreign Affairs) and our topic was Ukraine and EU's relations to it in the post-Orange-Revolution-era. I can tell you I learned a lot myself as well. EYP people are amazingly smart. Above all I enjoyed our team spirit. Not surprisingly we were named the kinky committee. Why does that always happen to me? The combination of the officials, chairs, committee, other people, the spirit, games, songs and the beautiful surroundings made the session nothing less than perfect. I don't have to think twice if I'm still invited to Bad Urach one day.
Mr. President and Mrs. Vice-President on the balcony of Tübingen's mayor
Berlin and the EMYP
After Bad Urach I had to go to Berlin to wait for the next session to come. Like Krista once very well stated ("EYP is having beds in every country of Europe."), I took advantage of my EYP connections and stayed at my friend Gloria. We had a hilarious time together, and I really got the chance to see the famous stuff, but also the underground quarters of Berlin. We also went to a very good classical concert together.
Then it was time for the Euro-Mediterranean Youth Parliament (EMYP). This session for something absolutely different from what I had experienced before. It gathered people together from all the Mediterranean countries (including both Israel and Palestine, which was highly interesting) and the EU Member States. I met many old friends and made friends with people from countries that I had never met people from (like Mauritania) and sang a duet in the Euro-Med concert with a Lebanese guy. This session was very demanding, because one had to adopt new ways of communication with new cultures, debate and draft a resolution together. But it all went perfectly fine. I was above all impressed by the effort and enthusiasm of the MEDA people, and how active they were and are now with their follow-up projects. This session had apparently gathered together all the young intellectuals of the MEDA region.
Brussels and life now
Right after the EMYP it was time for me to head off to Brussels for my internship at the European Parliament for MEP Alexander Stubb (EPP-ED, Kokoomus, FI). Now I have been here for an amazing two and half weeks and I really regret that there is not much time left. I am staying at a very friendly Finnish diplomate family and Alex proved to be the coolest guy on earth - intelligent, funny, hardworking and relaxed (not that I expected anything else). My colleagues are amazing as well, and the team spirit in the office is tremendous. I have also met many now people from all the Member States and all political groups, and seen a lot of political discussion in all kinds of meetings. I have definitely found my dream job, and there is no doubt of me heading for Brussels later on as well. I am probably the youngest creature this Parliament has ever seen, but everybody is kind of ok with it. Today I came back from Strasbourg, and tomorrow "normal" working days will start again (even though the Finns and Swedes might celebrate Midsummer together).
Alex and I at the office
Next Friday I will go to Berlin again for the I-don't-know-how-manieth time this year for a chair's content training for the International Session of EYP in Bialystok, Poland. Well, I'll explain later more about that one, because now I really need to travel to my bed. In the next days something more political follows, I promise. For now I've had enough of the so called Vodka War and issues alike.
Place Luxembourg. I am going to miss this rainy, but cosy place.
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