Distances don't Matter: Great AEGEE Love Stories of 2014

Who were the greatest new AEGEE couples in 2014? Who found love thanks to this amazing association? The Golden Times already presented the winner in our survey: Lucia from Bratislava and Philipp from Aachen. However, there are many more great stories. Here you can find some more memories, how AEGEE brought their members together in 2014.

Liliia Makoviichuk, AEGEE-Ivano-Frankivsk & Marius Mair, AEGEE-Karlsruhe

Ever year a lot of AEGEEans find someone special while participating in different events. Some people call it love on the first sight, otherwise how would it be possible to fall in love in 5 or 10 days? I have the answer! Team spirit is the main force. While you spend 24 hours per day with foreign people, you get to know them very fast, especially with the help of interesting activities. And then, in just a few days, you are able to recognize a person better than after just numerous rendezvous. But, unfortunately, most AEGEE couples are faced with one big problem: long-distanced relationships. Many of them give up even without trying to deal with it. But what if he or she was really the one?

I was the person who didn’t believe that it works. And I’ve got a lot of proofs, while being a member for three years. But never say never! On the last Summer University one guy has won my heart and changed my point of view. The organizers were professionals, with their main aim to show the romantic side of Germany, they even held a workshop called “How to be more romantic”, after which everything started. Two weeks were enough to find out that you have common interests and  similar views, you win the nomination “Best couple of the SU” and get the big willingness to continue your relations… After this marvelous TSU, organized by AEGEE-Karlsruhe, AEGEE-München and AEGEE-Berlin in August 2014 we celebrated the New Year’s Eve at the Oscar Party in Gdansk. We also try to visit each other as often as possible. And even if it is not easy to deal with the practical sides of an Ukrainian-German relationship, with the visa problems, time problems, transportation problems and so on, it’s still worth it!

So don’t be scared and enjoy your life because nothing is impossible.

P.S. make love, not war!

Liliia Makoviichuk

 

AEGEE-Aachen Bear and Wanda Panda from Warszawa

The love story between the AEGEE-Aachen Bear and Wanda Panda from Warszawa started in te Polish capital, where the pre-event “Never say no to Warsaw” for the EBM Lublin took place. As you might know, the Polar Bear is the mascot of AEGEE-Aachen, and the motto of the pre-event was based on the theme „Never say no to Panda“ and thus the Panda became the mascot of Warszawa.

Spring came! The season where the butterflies wake up! We discussed some formalities and we decided to formally propose to our friends from Warszawa – and they said yes! So much for proposing, but the Panda wanted to get to know Aachen. After all, she wanted to get to know the family of her husband-to-be. She came with some AEGEE-Warszawa members, and did not only meet the family of the Bear, but also the President of Germany.

The wedding was about to come, and the Bear wanted to visit the family of Panda before they would go to Italy to get married! The lovely Panda showed us her city and family, and convinced the Bear – with the help of a little Soplica – that Warszawa might indeed be a great city to have a second home. The family of Wanda Panda and the Bear were eager to make a great wedding with many guests, so at Agora Cagliari it happened! They found themselves a priest and had an amazing wedding in front of hundreds of AEGEEans!

PS: I heard the honeymoon was very… successful… ;)

Philipp Blum, AEGEE-Aachen

 

 

Irina and Bogdan from AEGEE-Bucuresti

I think the best couple of 2014 should be Irina and Bogdan from my local, AEGEE-București. I can already see them married and with children… sweet, chubby and red-coloured on their cheeks. You wanna know why? So, let us begin!

All three of us joined AEGEE at the same time, autumn 2011. Bogdan and me were actually in the same working team in the mentorship program, which consists of two weeks working as a team with at least two people. The program was fun and interesting, we all became friends and some of us remained and sticked around AEGEE – among them Irina and Bogdan.

We started going out together with other people from AEGEE and formed a group of our own. I could feel there was something interesting going on between them. The rest of the group always wondered why they weren’t together. They were always going out together and they were also getting along really well. Ok, they did have some arguments, but even then, you could see that spark in their eyes and expected them to kiss at any moment. They have literally been together everywhere! Starting with Agora Budapest, Agora Zaragoza, not to mention our local events and exchanges. They have been travelling together for so long that they got closer to one another by each day.

There were also some bad days too. There was a time when the two weren’t talking to each other and that lasted for almost six months. It was really excruciating for us, the rest of the group, not only for the simple fact, but also that we had to choose a side and choose wisely!

But when 2014 came, the love finally showed up! When? During the summer! We were all surprised and happy to see they finally got together – and a bit jealous we didn’t see the actual magical moment. We were all relieved that they finally got together as they should have from the start. It is amazing.

They are so great together and when they are apart it’s like the universe is upside down, nothing is going as it should be and I realised that this is how it should feel if I ever meet the one and stay apart from him for some reason.

This brings me to the reason why I am the person who wrote their story. Not only have I known them for a few years, but if I hadn’t met them, I would probably still not have a clue what real love is about and I wouldn’t be the same joyful person with hopes and dreams that I am today. They gave me a gleam of what real love should feel like!

Gabriela Geana, AEGEE-București