In the EFIL office in Brussels we have, for a long time, been lucky to have absolutely wonderful interns and volunteers working with us. Since the last EFILife came out we have said a sad goodbye and a happy hello to five great women. Read their hellos and goodbyes here.
Goodbye Lynn
September arrives and you notice you start doing the same tasks in the office as you did a year ago, then you finally get it, a full year has passed. So many events and projects flow from one into another and you don’t really stop and think back to all the nice memories.
I’ve got to see a lot of different aspects of EFIL this year and had the opportunity to work with every member of the office. I’ve worked on the Training for Trainers, the ECTP Badge project, the ICL-seminar and several EPOR events. I wrote a few reports, got quite good in designing buttons and even learned a bit more about Brussels, which means a lot for a Flemish girl! 
I’ve been part of the ECTP programme for a couple of years already but this year was quite different as I worked on the European Badge Alliance project. Together with our other intern Anica Rimac, we handed out over 600 badges to ECTP students! It’s been interesting to read their stories and see what they have learned during their exchange.
My biggest project was the Intercultural Learning For All – seminar in Budapest. I was a trainer and part of the prep team. I got the chance to work on one of my most passionate topics – Inclusion. I’m proud of the outcomes of this seminar and the ideas and projects our participants came up with. A big thanks to my fellow trainers, who I worked very close with and learned so much from.
During this internship I became a member of the EPOR and got to learn the world of Advocacy which for me as a youth worker was pretty exciting. I got to know different European institutions and met young people from many different organisations. It was great to see that we share similar values and ideas and we got the possibility to speak up for other young people. I will definitely keep representing EFIL and AFS at these events!
I shared many beautiful moments in the EFIL office from veggie lunches, interesting discussions, hysterical funny times, to comfy warm hugs. I’m amazed by the hard work and dedication of these people and I’m so thankful to have been part of their team.
A big hug to everyone I had the pleasure of meeting this year! See you soon at the next event!
Lynn
Goodbye Ingvild
And again – as the rain and fog is slowly taking summer away from Brussels, I am once again finishing at the EFIL office. As a summer staff, I have been mainly working on the seminar “Chapter Development: quality youth work on local level” that took place in Finland in June. In addition, I have been helping out with the AFS Peace Program – an exciting program that hopefully will have a bright future in the AFS/EFIL network.
Thanks for now EFIL – it has been great learning from you and spending time in this unique office!
Hope to see you all again very soon!
Hello Kat
Sveiciens visiem! Hello everyone!
My name is Katrīna, though I go simply by Kat in international environments. I’m a 19-year-old, born and raised in Riga, Latvia, and brought to the EFIL office in July 2017.
My AFS story isn’t the typical one with an exchange program and/or hosting, in fact, this year in Belgium is my first proper exchange experience. I joined AFS Latvia back in 2015 when I became friends with a volunteer there and got fascinated by the idea of being able to work with people from all over the world. I fell in love with the process, mission and atmosphere of AFS, which eventually lead to me becoming very involved, even taking on role of the Chairman of the Riga chapter. When that journey ended, I was about to embark on the next one – the internship at the EFIL office, where I’ve already been working on ECTP 2017, and will be working on European Youth Event 2018. My first three months here have been absolutely lovely (except for the part when I couldn’t figure out how to make friends with the coffee machine for the first two weeks), so I am very much looking forward to seeing how this experience evolves further!
Hugs from Brussels,
Kat
Hello Alma
Hello everyone! My name is Alma Dóra and I am so happy to be joining the EFIL office as an EVS intern. I have been on 23 trips around the sun and quite a few around the world. The most impactful one I have made in both categories was definitely my AFS exchange year in Italy in 2011-2012. This experience followed by my volunteer work completely turned my life upside down. On my volunteer journey I have worn many different hats, had countless amazing experiences and met so many extraordinary people. My tasks within AFS have varied from making coffee and hosting meetings to being the chairperson of the Reykjavik chapter, from representing AFS on international events to supporting home sick exchange students. From delivering trainings about how to use Excel in volunteer work to reconstructing orientations to representing the grass root volunteers in the board of AFS Iceland.
But my all-time favourite tasks are those connected with my favourite event: the EFIL Volunteer Summer Summit! I have been fortunate to get to follow the VSS for the last 5 editions, first as participant in Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany and then as prep team member in Italy and Iceland. This will therefore be my third time as a prep team member and I am excited to try on my new VSS hat of the EFIL intern.
Outside of AFS I like many things, such as; running, writing, public speaking, feminism, poetry, stories, good food, good mood, being with friends and family and visiting new places. I also have 4 siblings, I did an Erasmus+ exchange year in Greece, I can touch my nose with my tongue and my toothbrush is pink.
That is me! – And I hope I will to get to know as many of you as possible at the VSS in Norway next summer.
Hello Hanan
Hello!
I am Hanan from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. My AFS journey began in 2010 when I embarked on my exchange to the United States under the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. Born and raised in the capital of Malaysia, I am a city-girl at heart and enjoy exploring cities while capturing moments with amateur photography. I am a graduate of political science with a minor in English Literature. Upon graduating in 2016, I have worked in capacity building for international public officials focused on issues pertaining to public policy.
I have been involved with AFS Malaysia at chapter and national levels as well as with the YES Alumni. Although I have been an active volunteer with AFS Malaysia upon returning from my exchange, I have taken a step back in the last year. Therefore, I am ecstatic to be kicking it up again by joining the EFIL office to assist in the pilot for the PEACE Project. I am looking forward to continue my journey of cultural exchange at EFIL in bridging the gap between people from different corners of the world!
