After a Two Week Hiatus: Brussels!

I apologize for the two week hiatus. Paying for internet access is not my thing. Now that I am in lovely Istanbul (not Constantinople) I can recount some of my experiences to you...

So you all know that I was co-Chair of the Ivy Council Europe Middle East Summit in Brussels, Geneva, and Istanbul. The Ivy Council is basically the organization that networks all of the other Ivy League universities together. With 14 other Ivy League Students in tow, we went out on our diplomatic and philanthropic mission around Europe, making connections with the European Students Forum, EU, UN, and the Grand Turkish National Assembly. After squatting in random offices, apartments and rooms in NYC and New Haven for several days, we left for Brussels. SO: 

FIRST LEG, Brussels: Home of Waffles, EU offices, and... perhaps more importantly in a lot of ways... AEGEE or the European Students Forum. There are Four points I would like to make about my experience in Brussels: 1) AEGEE 2) Organizing Summits  3) The EU 4) Nights in Brussels

AEGEE

AEGEE or Association des États Généraux des Étudiants de l'Europe, is one helluva concept. 15,000 strong around EU member states and non-EU member states (like Turkey), this Youth Council makes other Young Organizations in the States seem small. Basically in 1985, found Franck Biancheri put this together. A new book on the organization talks about how AEGEE is a prototype of the EU and is 15 years of so ahead of what European Politics will look like. Not bad. So we were on this conference with AEGEE members from around Europe called "Sparks of Future" meeting with EU members, US Mission to the EU members, the Consulate from Jordan, and so much more. Aside from that, we were mingling in "Delirium" by night with the future leaders of Europe. I have great respect for AEGEE, with Dragan and Robin--their fearless leaders--helping us every step of the way. The story goes on.... 

(Sue, AEGEE member, me at EU Parliament building) 

Organizing Youth Summits

Upon arriving in Brussels, we were whisked away by Robin, the lovely VP of the European Students Forum (or rather, AEGEE). We went to the HQ of this organization, kind of like a frat house in the US, only like a hostel for all of the Europeans that drop in. Aside from me not sleeping for 72 hours or so, I discovered a glitch in my inbox that informed me we did not have housing in Geneva. After an AEGEE party in the back yard where the Dutch were camping out in tents, all of the other Ivy delegates went to sleep. During this time, I (with the help of Robin and Dragan) organized our housing situation. Who knew you could save a conference while the Dutch delegation was drinking away the next room over? 

The Sparks of Future summit was fabulous. We met and toured the best of Brussels. Now, putting together the speakers for these summits is fun, but also intense. The networking potential is great (the diplomat at the US mission to the EU put us in contact with diplomats in Geneva and Istanbul for instance). We had a chill evening with a Yale Alum who is an actor and who also works at NATO --i.e. my dream life. 

Sadly, Taimur--my cochair, was unable to make it. Schengan visas are a real problem for Pakistani citizens and I was so sad that these member states couldn't get it together to get him to Brussels. So we dealt with that crisis situation with grace as well. 

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THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT ORGANIZING THESE SUMMITS: 

1) Move on over politics and get things done. Don't let petty organizational quips get you down. 

2) Breathe. Have a beer. Then work on crisis situations. 

3) Networking is key. 

4) You can't force anyone to do anything. You can finesse them into it. 

5) I CAN survive on 3 hours each night... but only for so long. 

6) Patience is a virtue. 

THE EU

So we were at the EU Commission building during the weeks leading up to the Elections. Fascinating really. But only 25% voter turn out or something. In the States we have this perception that the EU is an all  powerful organization. Mmm... its good for border measures and money, soft power business too, but really it is so intensely democratic with the popular vote that it is rather stagnant sometimes. Sadly, many people don't bother voting in EU elections. While AEGEE really worked for "Y Vote" and promoting youth measures, sometimes the EU just doesn't provide enough incentive or reason for people to vote. It prides itself on the "messiness that is democracy" (as one member told me). Props I suppose. My impression is this: European Democracy is kind of crazy. Progressive. Useful. Yet gridlocked. Even so. I think the EU is a fascinating concept, which I did not know much about before in my Middle Eastern, Latin American Centricity. 

(Me at EU Commission) 

NIGHTS IN BRUSSELS

Call me Mama D. Yea. Thats right. 14 other Ivy Leaguers--all but one older than me--called me Mom. That means that I took responsibility in making sure everyone was up at the right time, dressed, fed, and transported to where we needed to be. That means not drinking while others are all over Brussels and maybe in Brugge (movie pun intended). Lets just say I really appreciate the fact that in "Delirium"--the world famous bar with 2004 different types of beer--they have Wi-Fi. So while I am sipping on the world's best beer while my "Children" are all over creation, I am also working on the internet and setting up meetings with UN, US, and EU (add more acronyms) officials. Poor me. (Actually I love this)

Okay, that was a long post. You wait till Geneva.... 

Now I am sitting at a Starbucks on the Bosporus, apparently the most beautiful Starbucks in the world. And Yes. Starbucks exists in Istanbul. Its very cosmopolitan here. Very European.

Well, off to get some delicious Iskender and think the next 3 blog posts. Oh the stories I have to tell....