The Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (BJCEM – http://bjcem.org/) began its journey through the cities of this region in 1984 in Barcelona. Its main purpose consisted in promoting the creativity of young artists, both enabling and encouraging international exchange beyond the political and geographical boundaries, as well as creating a place for dialogue between the different cultures around the Mediterranean.

For many students, summer is the time when they can finally enjoy some weeks out of university campuses, without student duties, piles of books, reading materials, studying and writing papers. For many students, this is finally the time when they can wake up whenever they want, enjoy hot summer parties till the sunrise, travel all around and meet new people. However, there are people who devote some of these precious summer weeks to take part in summer university. Yes, university, which means again seminars, final papers and presentations.

In fact, my first experience as a volunteer dates back to 2004 when I participated in the preparation and organization of the national Special Olympics Games in Bulgaria. I was taking care of children with intellectual and physical disabilities. I supported and helped them in their attempts to show their best in the sports games. This was really a life-transforming experience to me.

Everyone has a dream. No one knows if it’s going to be realized or not, but the one motivates and inspires himself/herself with hopes and wills that every dream comes true sometime. I am a dreamer. Several years ago I started to learn about Australia since the very first time I saw its symbols such as kangaroos and koala bears on television. I realized at once that Australia had become a big part of my dream.

To live in Bratislava, you need approximately 300 Euros per month, including accommodation and living costs as well. But only if you are a student and if you have good money management, no shopping issues and you are ready to live in almost lousy conditions. In order to manage to live on this amount you will have to live in a dorm and eat at “collective cooking sessions” or in the dorm buffet.

The story about me studying here is closely connected with Mladiinfo. I applied for Sweden, but I didn’t get the full scholarship so I was kind of disappointed because my best friend and my best colleague got the scholarship and they were about to leave and study abroad. My best friend was encouraging me to apply to other open calls but I was not interested because I already started to develop different projects in Macedonia.

It’s impossible to explore Mostar without marveling the damage caused by war. Everyday I observe the façades of the buildings I pass—many rendered into Swiss cheese after taking a beating of bullets. One building in particular is but a shell of what was once a chic restaurant.

I spent my first year in Moscow learning Russian, because I hadn’t spoken it for the last four years at home, and getting familiar with Russian culture and Russian people (who came out to be far more difficult and unpleasant).
In Russia, 2 of 10 people know English, 1 of 10 people would stop if you ask them for some directions and only half of them will listen to you and try to help you.

I have recently returned from an incredible month in India, where I learnt a few lessons in Indian culture. Just in case you ever find yourself in India or thinking of going to India, I feel it is my duty to pass on these lessons to you, so you can avoid making the same faux pas I did.

Just at the time of huge confusion, a great friend – my room-mate in the dorm – came back from Oxford where she had studied English for about 3 months. What a flow of refreshing ideas that was! We stayed up till late talking with eyes filled of excitement, having the right feeling about our future, finally! She initiated me into the process of applications, funding, loans, expenses, deadlines and everything else that is easily found on ucas.com! We could see something big coming.