Young people are among the most affected by social inequality. Following various crises, the last decade has seen high rates of youth unemployment and increasing tuition fees. So, although travelling is an important part of education and despite cheap flights and youth hostels, lots of young people are deprived of this enriching experience.
Some youth organisations have mobilised to create more accessible opportunities to explore other countries and cultures. AEGEE-Europe is an example of this, for young people over 18.
This organisation was established in 1985. Back then its main purpose was not related to travel or cultural exchanges, instead its aim was to bring European politics closer to youth. With time, the organisation built its identity upon intercultural exchanges and “supporting mobility, to encourage young people to cross borders and make new friends”, in addition to other aspects like non-formal education opportunities and advocacy for young people’s rights.
Today, AEGEE has over 13,000 members scattered across 40 countries all around Europe. The organisation is present in 161 cities, most of which are represented by local branches, called “Antennae”.
AEGEE is also organised on a European level, whence it carries out very diverse projects. Among other things, AEGEE organises over a hundred so-called “Summer Universities” every year, within a territory ranging from The Canary Islands to Vladivostok.
These events are all organised by young local people and last two weeks on average. They combine travel with educational and cultural activities. Anyone can join these “Summer Universities”, as long as they apply through their local antenna.
AEGEE’s aim is to make these opportunities accessible to everyone.
That is why the price to participate is very low, not exceeding 14 € per day for accommodation, food, transport and activities. The organisers also facilitate visa procedures, if needed. A Spanish citizen, for instance, would not need to pay the almost 100 € for a Russian visa when attending an AEGEE event there. Moreover, it is ensured that the events are a safe space for everyone, as the organisers are very mindful about all types of discrimination.
Now, with the pandemic, almost all activities have gone virtual. Nevertheless, thousands of projects are being prepared for once the sanitary situation has improved. In principle, if conditions allow, several “Summer Universities” will take place this summer. Moldavia, Serbia, Turkey, or Greece are some of this year’s possible destinations.
Several members who have travelled frequently with AEGEE share their experiences.
David is currently finishing a PhD in Mathematics at an English University. He was born in Madrid (Spain) and has always been passionate about travel. He joined AEGEE in 2015. Since then, he has been to places such as Abkhazia, Transnistria, or rural Belarus.
“In 2018, I had the chance to attend one of the most popular AEGEE events, the Transiberian Summer University. We travelled more than 8000 km by train, from Moscow to lake Baikal, in three weeks. We were a group of around 40 people from all around Europe. The organisers planned everything for us, including accommodation, food and social activities. It was an unforgettable experience, as I got to explore Russia hand in hand with locals and made countless new friends.
During those three weeks, we spent many hours in the train. We would stop on the way at each major city, but my favourite part was the unbelievable scenery of the steppe and the Russian countryside. A few days after we left Moscow, our perception of time changed drastically, as we were no longer able to distinguish between mornings and evenings: At 10am some people were having breakfast, while others were preparing their first drinks to party.
One moment I will never forget happened towards the end of the event, as we were approaching Irkutsk, a city near lake Baikal. We were meant to arrive at our destination before dusk, however, it was about 1am by the time the train finally arrived. It was absolutely dark and, on top of that, we soon realised that the train had stopped 2km away from Irkutsk, as the driver said it was too dangerous to do the last bit of the track without any lights. Hence, we had to walk to our destination. We crossed a Siberian forest in the middle of the night, in constant fear of coming across wild animals. Luckily, we made it to our accommodation after two hours. This experience was a mix of fear, uncertainty and good fun as well since everyone supported each other and turned a scary adventure into a chance to play games and speak to others members of the group.”
Veronika is a postgraduate student in Cognitive Science, for her, travel is a state of mind. She was born in Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria), and joined AEGEE in 2018. She has been to the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy with the organisation.
“I did not travel much when I was young. From a bulgarian perspective, travelling is often too expensive. I was accustomed to hosting tourists rather than being a tourist myself. This changed in 2018, when I was 20 years old and joined AEGEE. My first experiences with the organisation were on a local level, which gave me a hint of what was to come.
In 2019, I went to a Summer University in Germany. Preparing the trip was so easy because even before my arrival, the event organisers were available at all times to solve any doubts and concerns I had. It was the first time I took a plane so that support was essential. Besides, I paid around 140€ only for 13 days full of activities, nice food and great people.
As part of the event we visited four cities: Frankfurt, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Heilderberg.
In total, we were around 35 people, 15 of which were local organisers. As for participants, we all came on our own so people barely knew each other. Indeed, AEGEE does not let participants apply to these events as part of a group. The aim is to ensure as much diversity as possible and that everyone will be open to make new friends. In my opinion, this is a wise decision. The experience ended up being very intense as we all quickly made deep bonds with each other. Two years later, I still keep several friendships I made during those days.”
Gregorio is an activist in Diem25, the first pan european party running for the European Parliament elections. He was born in Spain but he has lived most of his life in Munich (Germany). He joined AEGEE in 2017. As a member, he has been to Armenia, Croatia, Georgia and Turkey.
“Before I joined AEGEE, I was already travelling. I took several great trips when I was young. I had the chance to visit the US twice, I camped in Swedish forests and skydived in Dubai. I used to travel like a standard tourist, as I would stay for two or three days in each city I visited, and had barely any contact with local people.
In 2019, I went to a Summer University in Croatia. It was the first time I joined an AEGEE event, and it not only radically changed my way of travelling, but I also had the best time in my life. The event lasted for around two weeks. Everything was taken care of by the local organisers, who offered us a look into their country that you will not find in travel guides. Each day they would unveil hidden gems to us. Besides, I want to highlight the passion with which organisers took care of every detail of the event and of all the participants.
One of the highlights of that Summer University was when we were taken to the so-called Silent Bay, nearby Korcula. The landscape was breathtaking and the water was at a perfect temperature. In small groups, we got into dinghies and sailed around the bay for several hours. At one point, I spotted a big boat with party lights not too far from where we were. We approached it, and it turned out to be a yacht where a Croatian family was celebrating the birthday of one of the sons. As soon as they saw us getting closer, they invited everyone to join the party. The yacht was immense, and they offered us traditional food and spirits. It was one of the best parties I ever had, all the participants joined us and we danced and sang along to folkloric music for the whole night”.
If you are interested in the organisation, get in touch with your local antenna and be ready for new adventures!
https://www.aegee.org/ - https://www.facebook.com/aegee (to find your antenna, just type AEGEE + the name of your city on Facebook)