Author: Marija Hristova

An interview with Ilija Prokopiev, artist from Macedonia, participant at the Biennial of the Mediterranean. What is this event all about? What’s special about it? What does it mean for the young artists? Let’s find out!

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. And all this – through the art of young authors, which at the time (but isn’t it still!?), put at the margins of the artistic and cultural life.

This year, The 15^th Biennial of the Mediterranean launches a new format.  It will not be just one event in one city, but a long journey across the Mediterranean area; with activities in two main cities, Thessaloniki and Rome, and many other events in the surrounding area. Thessaloniki, from October 7 till November 6, 2011, is the host city of visual and applied arts exhibitions, live shows and performances, seminars and conferences, and a food festival. Rome, on the other hand, on November 18 and 19, 2011, will host the young literates, film makers and musicians. At the end of the journey, more than 400 artists aged between 18 -30, from over 30 countries, will have taken part in the activities of this traditional event.

Among them, 26 year-old Ilija Prokopiev, an artist from Macedonia, is promoting his drawings in Thessaloniki. Through our conversation you will find out more about this interesting event, its purpose, concept and the opportunities it gives for young artists.

Ilija has graduated Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Skopje, he is now a postgraduate student on the interdisciplinary culture studies at the Institute of Macedonian Literature. Three solo exhibitions (installation, photographs and drawings) and several group exhibitions in Macedonia and abroad, as well as published essays on art topics are all part of his professional CV. Just recently he received the Award for Best Macedonian Young Artist “Denes”, which brings him a six-week residence in New York. He is one of the five Macedonian artists taking part in this Biennial (only one in Thessaloniki while the other four are representing their works in Rome).

The main theme of this Biennial is “Symbiosis?”  How are your works fitting into this concept?

Ilija: The concept of “Symbiosis?” was reflected in my drawings made in the period between 2010 and 2011. I selected the drawings on the bases of associative reading of the drawn forms. The connection has nothing to do with logical justification; on the contrary, I tried to find the symbiosis through gathering together drawings that don’t have any thematic link, but are formally connected. The portfolio of my works was exhibited by the name Selective Comparison.

What are your impressions of the opening days of the Biennial in Thessaloniki?

Ilija: My experience at the Biennial was very nice because it is a Biennial of young artists from the Mediterranean. This meant establishing connections with colleagues, exchanging experiences, conversations, comparisons… The impressions were various. First of all, the space itself is very interesting. The Biennial was organized in the warehouses of the Port. Those are huge halls with a purpose different than a gallery. Four to five warehouses cleaned and re-defined into cultural spots; that seemed very attractive.

The main activities were mostly in these halls at the Port, but different events were parallelly ongoing across the entire city of Thessaloniki. Furthermore, at the same period, the Thessaloniki Biennial was also held at several locations in the city.

The past few Biennials managed to create specific relation with the host city. So, how was the case with Thessaloniki, with reference to the protests caused by the economic crisis in Greece?

Ilija: Thessaloniki has always been an animated and extremely busy commercial city, so one could not really see the difference that something special is going on in the city. With regards to the economic crisis, probably it was felt. For instance, at the ceremonial opening in front of the City Hall, there were protests of the dustmen. This was a small incident that occurred because of the presence of politicians taking part in the opening ceremony.

What can a young artist really gain from this gathering of artists from different countries and what other opportunities are now open for him/her?

Ilija: The basis of this Biennial is the symbiosis, because it gathers in one spot the various cultures of the Mediterranean basin, but also includes countries from other parts of Europe. With this, the Biennial enriches the meetings, the exchange of experience and the contacts, so the gain is big. Colleagues and audience from different countries have seen my works. You never know who those people might be, and here lies the opportunity: presentation abroad, new exhibitions, and simply the things are starting to happen.

Is it difficult for the young artist to be mobile today, in other words, when we have the feeling that the people and the ideas in today’s world are on the move all the time?

Ilija: We get this feeling probably because of the global internet connection, but, of course, there are obstacles in the actual moving as well. The reasons are, most probably, in the cultural organizations, institutions and, of course, in the money that has to be spent for every good presentation. However, the financing shouldn’t be difficult since foreign galleries and funds are easily accessible today. In any case, the Biennial is very positive solution in this aspect, it opens those opportunities

What other plans and upcoming journeys are listed on your agenda?

Ilija: Next is my participation in the Deadpan Exchange Project (http://www.deadpanexchange.com/).   The project consists of a chain of exchanges that happen in different cities: 7 artists from one country are making an exhibition on which a group of 7 artists from another country are invited to come. They create works as a reaction of the ones seen and are preparing an exhibition in yet another city… and the chain continues. We saw an exhibition of our colleagues from Turkey in the Cultural Center CK in Skopje (which is the organizer of this event from Macedonia) and our works-reactions of that exhibition will be presented on a group exhibition in Vilnius, Lithuania.

After that, I am really looking forward to my stay in New York next spring. I am very happy that I will have the opportunity to live there, to visit the museums, the opera, to speak English, to meet new people, to buy books, maybe exhibit some of my works, and most importantly, to work on new sketches and works. I hope that New York will be inspirational for me.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

 Author: Katarina Karcolova

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. Many of you might ask what it is good for. How can somebody sacrifice some of the desired summer weeks to university again? Believe me, whoever has experienced it once, he wants to do it again. Why? Here is my experience.

I participated in summer university for the first time three years ago. It was not only the first summer university but the first studying experience abroad I had always dreamed about. After receiving DAAD scholarship I went to Berlin for four weeks I will never forget. I still remember how I felt when I got off the train at the “Hauptbahnof” in Berlin, the biggest train station in Europe. Alone, with large suitcase, trying to get to the metro (I had never used before), firmly holding the address of the student dorm in my hand. I did not feel confident speaking German to native speakers and my travelling experiences were very little at the time.

However, the four weeks in Berlin was an unforgettable experience. For the first time, I was able to experience being a student at a foreign university and being part of a diverse group of students coming from different countries and cultural backgrounds. It was the first time I had the chance to discuss various issues with people with completely different attitudes and experiences. I loved the diversity. Free University Berlin, where the summer university took place, belongs to one of the best ones in Germany. The professor was excellent and the participants were really interested in the issue, which made it perfect for critical discussions. Of course, it was very challenging and difficult for me in comparison with native speakers and students from better universities, but I gained a great knowledge, had a brand new experience and opened my mind.

The second summer university I took part in was in the other end of Europe, in Kosovo. The city, the participants, the circumstances and the region itself, contributed to a whole different experience comparing to Berlin, nevertheless a unique one. From the first moment I heard about Prishtina International Summer University I was interested to take part in. After being in the Balkan region for some couple of months this summer university was a “must” for me.

Comparing to the one in Berlin, the summer university in Kosovo was more of a regional event, most of the participants coming from the Western Balkan countries with the bigger majority of local students; however, there were few participants from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The course I took allowed me to get to know better the current situation in Kosovo and the presence of all international organizations there. It was not as demanding as in Berlin, which allowed me to get to know more people and the situation surrounding them through informal and interactive discussions, which was indeed the main objective of the participation. There was more time to enjoy the place, the summer weather and the extra student activities. J The experience I had completely opposed all the stereotypes and prejudice most of the people have regarding Kosovo. I explored the beautiful nature, tried new food, learned some Albanian phrases and met very nice people

In the end, I gained a worthy knowledge, experience and improved language skills. Moreover, I enjoyed loads of sunny days (meaning trips, parties, crazy stuff), met a lot of interesting people and made friendships which will last forever, however cliché it might sound. I realised how well I feel in international community and that is the place I want to be. I understood that in spite of the cultural differences, there are many similarities we, the young people, share.

Those are the reasons why sacrificing some weeks for summer university does pay off. Go for it!

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Author: Reni Hristova

Have you ever heard of a world where the sun never sets even at nights? Is there a place where everyone shares knowledge, unforgettable experiences, efforts and energy without expecting any rewards?  Do you know of a place where people can easily bring love and happiness, make friendships which last for their entire lives and where people change the world into a better place just with one honest gesture done by heart?

Yes, this world does exist and its name is the world of volunteering.

My name is Reni Hristova and I am a twenty-four-year old Law student at the New Bulgarian University in Sofia, Bulgaria.

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.

Every year since then, I have dedicated a month of my life and have spent many sleepless nights doing voluntary work. Now I am a part of the team organizing various Special Olympic sports events in my home country – Bulgaria. I am in charge of trainings and campaigns which aim at attracting more people to voluntary work.

My biggest success managing such campaigns was at the 2009 National Summer Games in Bulgaria when I was to take care of 90 volunteers. In fact, I did extremely well with this challenge.

Being a volunteer and helping disabled children brings me a lot of useful experiences. I can meet amazing children who are talented; children who are dreamers, who never give up, no matter how difficult it is for them to reach the final line of the playground. They believe that if you keep your hope alive and try your best, you are already a winner even if you finish last. This is actually the meaning of the Special Olympics spirit: “Let me win. But if I can’t, let me be brave at the attempt”.

By being a volunteer I have taught a lot. As a result, now I pay more attention than before to people’s thoughts and feelings; I show great respect for them despite their physical differences. I have also learned how to speak in public and how to communicate with different media which promote our campaigns.

Being one of the leaders of the Bulgarian Special Olympics team in the World Forum part of the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho, USA 2009 I met a lot of volunteers, celebrities and internationally-recognized sportspeople. I remember that several hours before our flight to the United States I had been playing basketball with one of the children in our team, but unfortunately, I broke my leg badly. Immediately I was taken to hospital where I had my broken leg plastered. The doctors advised me that I should spend the following two weeks lying in bed. However, I could not do that! I had already taken the responsibility to lead the Bulgarian Special Olympic team and no matter how strong my pain was I was not willing to give up.

During one of the sports events I was participating in, I saw a child staying aside and watching the other children play and laugh. At that moment I asked myself why he had not joined them and then I realized that he was deaf. I felt great responsibility because of the fact that he was not playing with the other children. Yet, neither did “I” know “his” sign language, nor could he speak “our” language. At that moment I wished I knew how to communicate with deaf people so that I could “talk” to such a person. Gradually my desire to learn the sign language turned into reality. I put a great deal of efforts into learning it and as a result, I know now how to use the sign language. Since then I have had the chance to meet many people with hearing problems and with some of them we have become friends.

As I had a lot of experience as a volunteer and my goal was to help deaf people, an idea came to my mind – to make the first online TV channel in Bulgaria addressed at people with hearing disabilities. Moreover, there would be video-clips with subtitles in English so that a lot of people would be able to understand them. With the means of such a TV channel I believe that deaf people could be integrated in Bulgarian society. The project is currently being developed only on a voluntary base until we find funding to realize it.

Recalling all my experience as a volunteer I could say that volunteering has become an important part of my life. Sometimes it is difficult for me to find time to prepare for tests at university but I always find some to help society in a way.

In Bulgaria there is not a single law promoting voluntary activities. Neither has a volunteer some privileges when applying for a job or school. Let me ask what Bulgarian volunteers win. What stimulates Bulgarian volunteers to participate in different charitable activities sacrificing their time and energy despite the fact they will not receive any reward?

Despite these difficulties volunteering to me and many friends of mine who volunteer is a question of honour and good will. I believe that we can be open to other people and ready to work in a team together helping each other. We should know that we can make a change and we can prove it with our actions.

I am glad that I have had the opportunity to be a volunteer. I sincerely believe that the more people will try to volunteer and see how charitable activities can change their lives the better.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Down under sunset by Jirrupin@flickr.com

By Javkhlan Bold-Erdene

I have a dream…
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. As I learned it’s the only country that is a continent itself, ranks first in the world with its sheep, and speaks English. I realized at once that Australia had become a big part of my dream.

“Seeing is believing,” is what we say in Mongolia. Visiting Australia and meeting those wonders was a far dream until I saw a little ad in the school at an upcoming English Olympiad to be held in Ulaanbaatar in November 2006. Its prize was quite a big one. The first three winners would be awarded the permission to select from the chosen countries to spend the summer holidays (at a with the host families and at a camp) in. Since there was Australia among the countries, I made my decision to take part in the contest. I practiced English and prepared for the big. I ranked as third with the total score from the first round and the speaking part. It’s for sure other contestants were of same grade, 11th.

No doubt, I selected Australia and began preparing all the necessary materials for applications, but only then I learned that all the expenses and bills had to be paid by the participant. It was a huge barrier for me because airfare, camp fee and other expenses were so high that I could not afford them. It seemed hopeless, but my uncle took a loan and found the expenses, saying I should go. Formerly, Australia was not listed in the selection of countries for previous winners of the contest organized by the International Lions Club. I was lucky, though.

I was surprised and inspired to go to such a big country, representing Mongolia. Since there is no Embassy of Australia in Mongolia, I had to go to Beijing to apply for Australian visa. That was the first time I left my home to far away and alone. Also, I took the train for the first time in my life. The organizer of the Lions Club accompanied me but it took 14 days to wait for visa permission in Beijing where I missed my home and family. Fortunately, I obtained Australian visa, so the waiting was worth it.

I learned a lot of things while I was in Beijing, getting acquainted with different culture, socializing with different groups, and learning to be independent and confident. Though the climate and food were different, I got used to the climate and the food without much effort. I boasted about my visit to McDonald’s to my friends and family members because we don’t have any McDonald’s in Mongolia. Arriving from Beijing, I stayed in Ulaanbaatar for three days and left for Australia.

Opera House by DragonWoman@flickr.com

Everything was so different and amazing since it was my first time on a plane. The Organizer of the Program along with his spouse picked me up from the Airport in Australia and gave me the opportunity to take some shots of Opera House on the way to my host family. All went like a dream until cold wind blew and reminded me of reality.
On the way to Newcastle, the city of Sydney seemed so beautiful through the car window that I could not find words to describe my feelings of wonder when we were in Sydney Harbor. I was asking the organizer and his spouse about everything. My host family was brilliant; they were funny and outgoing people and I had a good time with them. They took me to the sea, showed me so many things that I had not seen before and gave me the chance to taste nice food I had never tasted before. I was shouting with wonder when they showed me Australian Reptile Park, a home for diverse birds, wild dogs, reptiles, kangaroos, koala bears, different species of fish and many other animals that I didn’t even know they had existed. They taught me Australian phrases, helped me to study English and also, I was very happy I could see the launch of Harry Potter 5. But after a week together, I had to leave for the camp Kookaboora.

I felt a little nervous hearing there were 38 kids from 19 countries around the world, but it was not difficult to become friends with them. I exchanged my views with them in English and even held a presentation about Mongolia. A week at the camp passed so quickly at the blink of an eye, however I’ve learnt a lot there: knowing about 18 countries, their culture and traditions. We all had different backgrounds, different religious beliefs and customs, though we were connected through the one channel-English. Time at the camp was full of exciting “firsts”: for the first time I tasted food of 19 different nations, cruised the sea in a boat, drove the boat, walked 9 km in the forest and sat at the beach overlooking the sea as long as I wish.

A week at the camp was over, and I had to go to a new host family. It was not easy but I didn’t give up. I voluntarily worked at the school for deaf children and learned much. I used to learn how to communicate with them and what signs to use. It was an unforgettable period in my life.

I spent my last week in Sydney, where I saw a bunch of exciting things. For the first time I stayed in a hotel there, visited the Sydney Aquarium, walked down the streets to see the city life, entered the Opera House and enjoyed the sightseeing. One of the brilliant moments was the tour via ferry through Darling Harbor, the famous part of the city.

Looking back to the times in Australia, it is an essential part and unforgettable moments of my life that opened my eyes to the world. What I learnt from this visit is limitless. Most importantly, I realized that it is vital to look and go forward without giving up.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Light Castle by Theodevil@flickr.com

Author: Joco Todorovski

The people – blue and beautiful eyes

All of them have it. And even if they don’t have them blue, still, their eyes are beautiful. The people are nice and very modest. They are all well dressed and have good manners. The older population is prone to alcohol, though, (you can sense it in the morning when you travel to lectures) but they are all nice. There are a lot of foreign students and workers here in Bratislava which, in my opinion, is becoming a big issue for the domestic population. Also, there are a lot of people from Africa, Asia, and the ex-Soviet Union etc. Slovaks are not so satisfied with so many foreigners in their society. Well, I must say that I haven’t heard it explicitly from anyone, but I can read their faces when they spot a foreigner in their surroundings. Also, as I’m aware, they are not so satisfied with the economy and politics in the country. To be honest, I don’t perceive them as the EU citizens. I’ve spoken with some of them about national issues and most of them don’t want to speak about that stuff and the history with the Czech Republic, ah – simply don’t go there.

Since I had issues with the visa acquirement and all the procedures I was exposed to I had a chance to meet all the nationalities that are residents in Slovakia. Before I went through all of that I thought they are just tourists but now I can clearly see that Bratislava is indeed multiethnic. There are a lot of scholarship programs that have origins in the communistic system in the past that allow a lot of students to come and study in Slovakia. I have one friend here – Sheeba. She is African and she is such a sweet person with very pure and traditional values which we, in this modern age of living, forgot about. She took me and my friends to a celebration/event of the African community in Slovakia. There was dancing to native African music, degustation of African food etc. The impression we got was that these nationalities are here for a long time and that they love Slovakia, also, they were speaking Slovak with each other. I think that the most interesting part of this multiethnic topic is that you can see a lot of foreigners in the city, but you don’t hear them speak their language, they speak Slovak.

Living in Bratislava

I’m going to make a quick guide about the main needs for living here. 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. If you live in a dorm, it will cost you around 60e. This is what I pay, living with 2 roommates. But, of course, it all depends how you are used to live. If you want to have better lifestyle, you can move to a shared rented apartment, which will cost you somewhere around 100-150e per month. I have a friend that lives alone in a small flat and pays 280e per month. So, add another 250-300e for other costs – I am sure that you can do the math.

Although living with people from different nationalities can be fun, it can also be frustrating. I’m living on the ninth floor and we are all international students with scholarships here. You can hear different languages in the hall and you learn the mentality of the people walking and shouting different things at each other. The Arabs are the loudest. I used to go outside my room to see if they are fighting because sometimes when they discuss it looks like there is gladiator fight. The people that speak Spanish are very charming, Kyrgyz people are very calm, Ukrainians are cool and outgoing and all the others are nice. Under the conditions of living with so many different mentalities it is a real character building, to be honest, as a lot of needs are met in one place, at the same time… sometimes it can be rough to manage it.

tomato soup by Romanlily@flickr.com

Food

It is freaking expensive. If you eat in a student buffet it will cost you minimum 1.5 Euros per meal and if you cook with your roommates or friends it will cost you around a half of that price. Two of my friends are responsible for the cooking because they have different taste and often they have pretty interesting discussions: do the onions or spices go first and such. Sometimes we end up hungry because they get mad at each other and none prepares lunch. The most interesting people here are Mongolians and Arabic students. Mongolians eat rice and meat all the time, day or night. Arabs eat chicken in big amounts with lot of onion and seasoning. If they are hungry at 3 o’clock in the morning they will start cooking. When they cook, the whole floor smells like Christmas food stands and they often leave the doors to their rooms open so that they can have active discussion while doing it. Sometimes it is interesting, but mostly frustrating. Most of the restaurants have “menus” during lunch time and they cost from 4 Euros up. We discovered the best pizza EVER – in Pizza Hut so when you come, it is a must to visit it! I don’t like Slovak food, to be honest. Their fruits or vegetables don’t have taste and they don’t have something which you would comment on with a loud “wow”. This is all true except one thing: you must try the tomato soup. I’ve tried it for the first time here and I love it. They call it “Paradaikova polievka” and it is very tasty.

Weather

When is good it is good, but when it’s bad it is really bad. It doesn’t rain – water sprays all over like cold water spray system in cafés in summer. In the morning you have the sun, at noon it is windy, and in the afternoon it rains and like my grandmother often says: “The earth and the sky are merged, son!” J

p.s. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve expected something and got something else. Bratislava is great…for a period of time. J

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Bratislava Panorama by jiri@flickr.com

Author: Joco Todorovski

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. So one morning, (it was Saturday) he woke me up and said to check my FB mail because he sent a message to me that there is an open call for studying in Slovakia. I opened my inbox and there was a Mladiinfo’s regular newsletter. I laughed and thought he was crazy when I saw the deadline – it was till Wednesday 5pm, which meant I had two and a half working days. I said that I had doubts that this was a “clean deal”, saying that it was announced late because there are probably admitted participants, and that this is just a public stunt. To cut the long story short, I activated my whole family to gather the necessary documents, because at that time I lived in Skopje, but coming from another city, and – in the end I got the scholarship.

The program

Currently I’m enrolled in a one-year preparation program of Slovak language and I also have some introductory courses such as Mathematics, Economy and English. After that I will pursue my Master’s degree at the Comenius University. The program is conducted in an institution called UJOP which stands for Institute of Language and Academic Preparation for Foreign Students, a division of the Comenius University. This program was created for foreign students to introduce them into Slovak language as such over the course of one year, but contains also other courses to learn Slovak terminology in their field of specialization. First we started with the Slovak language and then, as soon as we learned the basics of the language, based on our field of further academic education, we were divided into groups which took some additional courses. We study in groups of around 12 people, which is good because the professor is devoted to the students more directly. There are around 60 students from Macedonia, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, Armenia, Albania, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Serbia and Moldova. (huh, I think I got them all J). The classes are from 8:30am – 4:30pm and we have examinations almost every week which is a preparation for the first round of testing in January and the second one, which is in May. Studying there is not hard and at the beginning it was fun because there were different languages to be heard in one place. Every day seems like a cocktail party, since you can always hear a mix of English, Spanish, Slovak and Russian. In February, we will apply for the faculties and hopefully, until August we will have been admitted.

Comenius University by Mickey Champion@flickr

A sneak peek at discovering Bratislava

To be honest I was very enthusiastic about going to Bratislava. I mean, it is in the heart of Europe which can’t be bad. But I ended up little disappointed at the beginning. I have been here for 5 months, and I think that Bratislava is similar to Skopje, the city where I come from. It is just like they are few steps ahead in some things and with time you learn how to hold on only to that. I’m talking about better public transport, bigger malls, green areas, better cinemas, shopping centers but that is it. The first month was filled with bureaucratic “issues” which are the same as in my home country. So, we immediately unmask “the European personality” of Slovakia. But, with time you get used to it. And now we are learning how to love it.

The Arrival – Q: Do you speak English?  A: No, no!

I just arrived at Vienna’s airport and went to buy a bus ticket to Bratislava. I went to the bus terminal and because I was having a lot of luggage one stewardess helped me. She was from Bratislava and she was going home. She was speaking English very well and it was a blast, I thought: “it is ok, at least people here in Europe can speak some good English. This thought was gone, as soon as I arrived at the bus station in Bratislava. At the bus station nobody speaks English. Luckily, I knew the number of the bus that I needed, so that was quick, plus I met a lot of nice people during my journey to the dorm where I am living now. The first impression you get from Bratislava is that it is a city with history and nice people.

Three months later – most of the people don’t speak English and those who speak are under 24. Just the other day I was speaking with one of my professors why it is like that and the answer was that the main reason why the population can speak English is the Internet: all the movies are dubbed into Slovak. Even the movies in the cinemas are with Slovak voice synchronization. There is a funny story about it, because one of my friends here is a huge Harry Potter fan and he was expecting the premiere here in Bratislava. He went to cinema, bought some popcorn and waited for the beginning with a huge smile on his face. After few moments he was like shot in the knee – the movie was with Slovak voices! Luckily, he got his money back and found out that in another cinema there is an opportunity to watch the movie in English. But, the most painful experience with the language is that in the main institutions that are established to work with foreigners, there is staff that don’t speak English.

The city

The city is divided into two parts. The first part is the old city of Bratislava where the architecture and the history of the city are kept. The other part is an urbanized new area where everything is modern and up to date.

Another narrow street by symmetry_mind@flickr

The “old” part of Bratislava

This is the part where I feel the best. Lot of thin streets, monuments, architecture, tradition, passive lifestyle, lots of tourists, pubs, restaurants, stores and the fortress. If you like peace and emotions, this is your place to be. Everything is calm, easygoing and from Monday to Friday you can see only tourist on the streets. At weekends you see the same only you can see Slovak people, too. An interesting part is the clubs, as they are all underground. On the street level there is a café or pub and under that is the club from which you can’t hear the noise nor lines of people waiting to enter. [Update: Last night we were in a club called Rio, and not only it is underground, it si also a labyrinth. From the street you see a nice, small café and then you walk, and walk, and walk through different sections and finally get down to the club where you see lot of hands in the air. It is really fun.]

When it is sunny, you can have a good daily walk on the river bank or you can enjoy yourself grabbing a cup of coffee in some café. I have had a big problem with ordering coffee: I just can’t order proper coffee. We went to one place where I ordered Macchiato. The waitress brought me coffee in a glass for drinking tequila shot. I said ok, my bad. One sunny day we were sitting on the Danube river bank, with a great view by the way, I ordered Nescafe with milk and the waiter brought me half a litter glass. I just can’t make it right.

Here are some quick facts about coffee:

-          Follow the tourists, especially Greeks, they know where the best coffee is.

-          There are a lot of branded cafés which I think is influence from Austria.

There is one new place on the river: a green area with a lot of gym machines. So you can go and lay on the grass, exercise, make your daily routine there, jogging maybe, drinking coffee…I call it a youth area.

To be continued….

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The Bridge on the River Neretva by Lassi Kurkijarvi@flickr

Author: Eric Staples

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. The front wall of the building has been blown away by a mortar, and the painted words and arrow on an interior wall indicating where the restroom used to be now points toward a wholly missing section of the building, to the vast expanse of land to the south.

This destruction is a testament to how chaotic and violent a period this city and its people went through less than twenty years ago. It is as if these buildings – nay, the whole city – took a trip to hell and back.

The vestige of war carries itself to the souvenir shops. There, fifty-caliber bullets are repurposed and sold as pens, their gunpowder replaced by ink cartridges. They are sold next to gas masks and various other wartime keepsakes. It seems war is a part of Mostar’s identity that the city embraces. A friend of mine remarked about a rather ordinary chess board for sale at the souvenir shop: “I wonder which pieces are the Croats and which the Bosniaks.”

His attempt at satire was his way of dealing with a city’s identity so alien to us.

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jaime Silva@flickr

My witty friend and I both hail from Seattle, Washington. There is no “war tourism” where we come from. There are no tours of popular sniper locations, no bullet-textured walls, and no fifty-caliber souvenirs. Never in Seattle would directions to a pub include the curious phrase, “walk towards the Snipers Nest”—the colloquial name for the tallest building in Mostar, which served a self-explanatory purpose.

I have been in the Balkans for eight months. I came to the region with my university, the University of Washington, to participate in a summer seminar, but I decided to stay in Mostar for an additional three months and conduct an independent study on ethnic segregation in Bosnia’s secondary schools; specifically, I’m studying how division is reproduced among students in Mostar’s Prva Gimnazija. The school is another place where war still lingers and perpetuates divides, in Mostar as well as the rest of Bosnia.

This city and its war tourism offer a reality with which I am still trying to grapple. I have never lived in a city with a past as unnerving as Mostar’s, and for that reason I feel disoriented during the moments I see it reflected in the city’s identity today, through its tourism, shelled-out buildings, and the people I meet who talk of their experiences during the war. My first reaction is to distance myself from the unsavory past and simply enjoy the parts of Bosnia’s identity that are positively delicious to me – mainly, the burek, music and the partying – and ignore the rest, as I feel uncomfortable doing so. But I reject that definition of tourism.

I’ve come to terms with the idea that being a tourist – or, in my case, a temporary resident – is not always going to be a theme park ride. It is to challenge the assumptions about ourselves and about others that we take with us to a new place, assumptions such as those that led to my friend’s unsavory joke. It is to negotiate with a country’s history through both its charming or violent points in time. That can be a scary thing indeed.

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Matryoshka dolls, Moscow by neiljs@flickr

Author: Marija Arsovska

“What a cold, cloudy and unwelcoming country it is, and by that I’m also referring to the people living here” – was the sentence I used to tell my mother in first year of studies in Moscow, Russia.

Coming to spend my university years in Moscow was never my dream, but it all happened very spontaneously and now I’m so glad I didn’t miss my opportunity.

At my first year at high school I chose Russian as my second foreign language just because I knew I wouldn’t have to do anything to get great marks, “and not that I would ever need it in life” – I told myself. But life follows its strange paths and in no time I was already in my last year at high school and that was when I met my new Russian language teacher who gave me my ticket to see the world. Thanks to her and the support of my family, especially my mother, by the end of the year, after my graduation I got a scholarship and was treading on the Russian soil at the Sheremetyevo International Airport.

Red Square through a Fisheye by Adam Baker@flickr

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.

But that actually wasn’t the problem; after all, you are the one that needs help so you’ll ask a hundred people if you have to. The biggest problem I had was the dormitory and the staff working there. When I first walked in the corridor on my floor I thought I was visiting some ruins left after the war and the room was nothing better. I spent the first week pitying myself, but shortly after the courses were about to begin and things started to look better. With understanding teachers and classmates from all over the world in the same position as you, you can easily find your place under the sun.

Apart from going to classes, I spent my time visiting the Red Square, the Kremlin, churches, museums, shops, old architecture buildings, and just walking the streets of Moscow and trying to feel the spirit. Everything was so big, so beautiful, so loud, and I was part of it, – that was one of the things that kept me going. By the end of the spring semester I already spoke Russian fluently, as my mother tongue is Macedonian language, and had friends from all over the world except from Russia.

Before leaving Russia for going on my summer holidays I prepared my documents for the university that my dean recommended to me and with my suitcase full of presents and me full of new experiences flew back home.

Moscow Sunset by Igor Gusarov@flickr

Today after almost four years in Moscow and three at the university, most of my friends are still foreign students and I still spend most of my free time visiting galleries, museums and exhibitions and I love Moscow.

After all this time I just got so used to it, to the 24/5 traffic jam, to the rare sunny days from September to May, to winters reaching 30 degrees below zero, to babushkas buying their daily food supplies and a bottle of vodka early in the morning. Now, almost like home, I have my favorite places to go to like the Carycino park, Zurab Tsereteli’s Art Gallery, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and many many more.

I even got used to the food which I really couldn’t stand at first. Now I can’t imagine long time going without “pel’meni” (dumplings filled with meat, potatoes or mushrooms), or “borshch” (a thick soup), “syrniki” (sweet cheese pancakes), and sweet “tvorog” (quark).

Russians have great history and culture, and sometimes I imagine how such a great people like Peter I, Ekaterina II, were walking the ground where I am standing now and it feels so good.

One of the things I like the most, except for millions of bookshops all over the city, are the celebrations. Russian people love their vodka and they just love not to have to work, so we have a lot of holidays throughout the school year.

The important dates for the country are marked by amazing celebrations. There are concerts, speeches, parties, the whole city is colorfully decorated and in the evening thousand of fireworks paint the sky of Moscow.

Worker and Kolkhoznitsa by Adam Baker@flickr

Almost all of the people I have met so far are just the same, cold and unwelcoming, and I still find people who don’t like me just because I’m a foreigner, but I got used to it and know how to handle it alright, because you are here on your own and you have to stand up for yourself, as no one else will do it for you.

On the other hand, I love the university I am attending. Not only it is one of the best economic universities in Russia, but it has also contributed to the change of my view to Russian people. All of the staff in the dean’s cabinet has been very kind to me from the beginning, and the students accepted me and helped me in my first year, and today they come to me for help with some subjects and I’m glad to help them.

The new dormitories are great, although the furniture is pretty much the same, I have 2 roommates and we did our best in decorating our room, so it feels more like home. We live on the highest floor which is why we often refer to our room as The Penthouse.

Moscow is a very, very expensive city and it’s sometimes difficult to get some extra pocket money, foreigners are not allowed to work by law, considering the fact that the most of Middle Asia is trying to earn money on the black market in Russia.

However, just like every big city, it has so many opportunities, so much it can give, if only you are not afraid to take the chance.

This is one of the winning articles of the Mladiinfo Article Writing Contest. The content of the articles does not necessarily represent the view or the position of Mladiinfo.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

Road-side Pulse bu Meanest Indian@flickr

Author: Charlotte Buchanan

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.

I was in India as a result of being selected to take part in a “Study India Programme” sponsored by King’s College London. The programme, which is based for three weeks in Mumbai, allows undergraduate university students the opportunity to experience India first hand. This is done through a mix of language and culture classes, visits to cultural and historic sites and a week’s placement with an NGO. The programme is really insightful. However, in order to gain as much as possible from the opportunity I spent an extra week in Delhi and a weekend in Kerala, where my experience of India was a lot more ‘hands-on,’ as I had to actually live and breath Indian culture.

To explain further, in Delhi I stayed with a traditional Hindu family. And when I say family, I mean it! I lived with the immediate family of my host, the Grandparents, the Cousins, the Aunties and the Uncles! In total there were about twenty of us. So, as you can imagine I was never lonely. In fact, it was such a novelty for me to be visiting them that they followed me everywhere, to the extent that I never had a moment to myself – even if I went to the toilet they waited outside!  So, lesson number 1; be prepared to be followed. But don’t worry this is friendly following not the same sort of following as in CSI or other detective programmes. Your hosts will just want to ensure you are constantly having a good time.

On the first day of my stay with the family I was hesitant as to how to initially embrace them. I wondered whether it was like England where a hug or handshake would suffice or more European where a kiss on the cheek is more appropriate. I decided to opt for the safe – and traditionally British – option of a handshake. However, after being looked at funny when I first tried to shake hands with the Grandmother, I decided for my second introduction I would try a kiss. So when being introduced to one of the cousins I went in for ‘the kiss on the cheek’ embrace – big NO, NO. It was at this stage of introductions that I was informed of lesson number 2; do not embrace new acquaintances by kissing them on the cheek or hugging them. This will give completely the wrong impression. Instead it is more polite to touch their feet.

My third lesson arrived at dinnertime when I was taken to a local restaurant and allowed to choose anything I fancied for dinner. Being afraid of picking something too spicy for my first night, I decided to choose something I thought safe – an omelette. As how can you go wrong with a simple omelette? Well, turns out eggs are seen as meat to traditional Hindus. Consequently, my enjoyment and declaration that the omelette was delicious in front of the whole family of traditional ‘vegetarian’ Hindus did not go down too well. Thus, lesson number 3; do not eat an omelette (or any other egg-based dish) and declare it as delicious in front of a whole family of traditional ‘vegetarian’ Hindus. From that night forward, they cooked for me. And to try and ensure that I enjoyed the food they constantly told me that the food had been specially cooked so that it was not spicy – it always was. Lesson number 4; even if they say it is not spicy – it is!

Another lesson I learnt was the uniqueness of the Hindu religion. It is beautiful religion full of colour, animals and constant celebration. Thus, lesson number 5; be prepared for the uniqueness of the Hindu religion. To explain further, I never realised how precious a simple cow was to the Hindu religion until we drove around a twenty-mile long mountain called “Cow Dung” in complete seriousness, to ensure we got good luck.  Equally, we attended – again, in complete seriousness – a religious service where an elephant led the prayers!

My week’s stay with a traditional Hindu family was only matched in intrigue by my stay in Kerala where I was privileged enough to attend an Indian wedding. It was full of lots of colour and copious amounts of food, as you would expect. However, despite copious amounts of food, the pièce de résistance the wedding cake only had one layer of edible cake – the rest was cardboard! So lesson number 6; If you are attending a wedding and planning on trying the cake, make sure you get the tasty layer!

As you can tell I learnt a lot of lessons from my stay in India and if you are planning on travelling to India, I hope this has helped and I wish you lots of luck! But above all, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

This is one of the winning articles of the Mladiinfo Article Writing Contest. The content of the articles does not necessarily represent the view or the position of Mladiinfo.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.

London Bus by E01@flickr

Author: Zuzana Bujnakova

I know, that really is a general question that would be followed by dozens of supplementary questions. But what I meant in the first place was – what options do we really have after we finish high school? Well, normally we do our best to achieve excellent grades at leaving school examinations. Then, or even before, if we can say what the results will be, we choose our university accordingly. We do think a lot before applying. Is it too close or too far away from my home? How much money will I need to “survive”? Does the university provide the facilities what I am looking for? And what is its rating? Etc., etc…I guess, it really does depend on you guys, individually.

And what was I thinking? To be honest, I have read every single profile of universities throughout Slovakia and the Czech Republic. As I come from Slovakia, it came naturally to me to study in one of those countries (it is because Slovakia and the Czech Republic have some kind of mutual agreement that allows students from both countries to study at either of state universities for no fees, and that is going to be changed soon, unfortunately). But it didn’t really bring me any clear idea of what to do next. I focused more on what university to apply than to the actual study subject and soon, I found myself desperate, because, in the end, I wasn’t even sure what to study! My major high school subjects were English, Slovak, Social studies and History, so they made me think of careers related to them. But I didn’t want any of that!

And I was not the only one. More and more friends and classmates of mine found themselves not sure about what to study. Having looked at all the statistics that newspapers/internet/surveys fed us with, our country was stuffed with people studying humanities! And the worst part was that they could not find the proper job after graduating. That did not make any of us more sure what to do.

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.

A year later, five ambitious people from my class received their acceptance letters from English, Scottish and Welsh universities! They put all their effort to write their personal statements required for the entry. In these you basically explain why you are suitable for chosen course, what your qualities, experiences and, mainly, motivations are! Moreover, they had to pass IELTS exam at the certain level of English, so they could prove their language skills for future studies.

What I like about the UK application system is that it does not really matter if you, for example, studied science in the past and you would like to apply for literature, they always give you a chance to prove your motivation and that is often the main reason for accepting you. If they see you work hard, they do not decline your application just because you had B from English few years ago!

Another difference is that you don’t spend so much time in classes when you study at the UK university. Usually, you would have around 10-15 classes a week. It does not really mean, though, you don’t have to study so much! You do have to study a lot but most of the time, you will have to study by yourself, spending time at libraries.
The teacher will explain the main points at the presentation and if you still find it difficult to understand, you make an appointment with your tutor who will go over the topic with you once again. This system of classes allows you to have a part-time job as well. Many students work to cover the living expenses. And the positive site of being a student working less then 20 hours a week is that you get the benefit of not paying taxes.

Before applying to the UK universities, you will have to consider the fact that tuition fees at local universities are as much as £3,290 annually and they rise every year. But the good news is that you can ask for a loan from the British government which you will have to start paying back only after you have graduated and only in case you earn more than the level established. In fact, it means that many students don’t even have to pay the loan back, because they don’t earn more then. (Just remember that if you take out the student loans available for the full-time students, you don’t have to start paying them back until you’ve left your course and are earning over £15,000.- www.direct.gov.uk)

The friends of mine I mentioned earlier have just started the academic year working hard studying psychology, political science, film studies and geography in Aberdeen, Dundee, Aberswyth and Kingston Universities. I have to say that I am proud of them, but, at the same time, I am worried for myself, as I am preparing to overcome the same obstacles they did several months ago. I decided to take a gap year to come to the UK, to gain confidence in English, some experience and save some money as well, and I will start writing my own personal statement soon. So what subject did I chose to study? Well, I am still balancing somewhere between languages and art.

This is one of the winning articles of the Mladiinfo Article Writing Contest. The content of the articles does not necessarily represent the view or the position of Mladiinfo.

Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.