SHOW YOUR COUNTRY
ESN BARCELONA
A new way of cooperation
by: Alicia Macanás
I was cleaning the office the other day when I suddenly opened a dusty folder. It was a humongous surprise to find a university document of 1997 about ESN UAB – autonomous university, then named “ESN Barcelona”, and it’s way of working, when Facebook wasn’t even in existence. The Trip Questionnaires, that we usually distribute to fill in the bus after the trips, already contained stereotypically hilarious answers. So much time has passed since the establishment of ESN in the greater Gaudi city, and nothing could compare the good old times of our grandpas... Until a couple of years ago. In that time, there was only one section within 1 university moving the thousands students from all over the world in the 8 universities of Barcelona… and, of course that wasn’t an easy task! So, when we first heard of the new sections coming, we opened up our arms and we integrated them into our ESN lifestyle, receiving the best feedback from them. We brought them into our legendary trips, into our bingo activities in the bus, our megaphone’s curse nightmare (all ESNers know it will always get stolen by a crazy student!), our legendary monthly parties in BeCool, our close relations with the students, so we could make them live the best year of their lives… with us! Some pupils get better than their teachers, but it wasn’t any of the previous cases. We created a new way: the ‘ESN Barcelona’ way. UAB was not alone anymore, and a good team of 30 people was taking steps, creating the revolution. After a year working like a big, big family, we, the 4 sections: UAB, UB, UPC and UPF, are proud to say, and so can do all the rest of sections in Spain after having attended our National Event, which took place last November, that ESN Barcelona is real, and has established a model of cooperation that is unique and worthwhile. Our big, big family got to be Godfathers for a weekend during that NE, providing maps, performing funny city tours, having sunny picnics in the park (yes, we made the anti-rain dance for weeks!!), warming the sea temperature so they could have a swim, speaking a different accent in Spanish so we could delight their students and enrich their vocabulary (not any rude words, we promise), and so, to make them experience the real loving spirit. Enthusiasm for friendship, respect for the diversity... briefly, all the good ingredients for our 4 coloured cocktail. But, how do we exactly work? First of all, we have an extremely frequent mailing contact, so we can always propose activities or supervise the usual ones. We have activities together where we see each other very often, such as: the trips, the biggest parties, the weekly meeting point, briefly, whatever means big crowds. On the other hand, as every section, we work with our “own” students with activities on campus and small meeting points such as costume parties, tandem evenings, dance classes, etc. Nevertheless, there will always be someone from the other sections supporting or participating in the activities. Now, reader, imagine that the members of our team come and tell me while writing... “well, well, well, but what about us?” And to answer to the question about the big, big team, I just can say that we love each other not just much, but a lot. Everyone has found the best friends among the members: the spirit surrounding when we are all together sharing a experience like being in Formentera distressed is just unique and unforgettable. They are. To conclude this article, I will just remind you that Pallomeri spirit doesn’t belong only to the International level… but to the local too! Geographically close sections can work together on behalf of their students... and for themselves in a great friendship too!
23