The distances are huge: from Yerevan to Grodno, from Adana to Moscow. Kristina Reshetova has to cover thousands of kilometres in her task as Network Commissioner. The Liguistics and Teaching student from Moscow doesn’t mind – she simply loves to take care of her part of the AEGEE network. Kristina is part of the new Netcom team and told the Golden Times why she applied – and why you cannot miss the Network Meeting in the Russian capital, which takes place from 1st till the 4th of December!
GT: Congratulations to your election as Network Commissioner! What motivated you to apply for this task?
Kristina Reshetova: I was thinking about it since winter, that’s why I became Tereza’s subcom. There were three more people in the team and I was sure that one of them will apply for this position, as they have more experience. But 30-40 minutes before the deadline it turned out that no one applied. So, in a rush, wish shaking hands I did it. It was one of the best decisions recently as I feel it’s time to move on and conquer new peaks.
GT: What are you doing in the NetCom exactly?
Kristina: I support and help my locals with everything. I want them to be bigger and stronger. Also I should provide them with all the information, coming from the CD and European bodies and try to motivate active members to continue working in AEGEE.
GT: The network is shrinking. Also in your area? And do you have plans to reverse it?
Kristina: Sometimes I think that my network is one of the most difficult to deal with. There are thousands of kilometers between the locals, different countries, different cultures, but still… same problems. I don’t have the goal to found a lot of new locals. Of course it doesn’t mean that I will not help those people, who want to establish it. I’ll be happy to hear about new locals, but my goal is to help already existing antennae.
GT: What can you personally do to make the network grow and be stronger?
Kristina: I think a priority should be not the growing, but strengthening. We have locals which are weak and they are on the verge of extinction. There can be a lot of new locals, but they will be weak. What’s the point in that? I think we should concentrate on already existing ones. Personally I will help my locals to solve all their problems, to help them with their events and also I will to try to spread the awareness about everything what is going on in European bodies.
GT: AEGEE locals have to fulfill a lot of criteria. There is also a lot of bureaucracy involved. Do you think it’s justified or would you change something if you could?
Kristina: Well, we need these criteria. It helps us to evaluate how active the locals are. This is quality, what is important, not quantity. It may seem difficult, full of bureaucracy, but in fact, it doesn’t pose any difficulty for active and not only active locals, because anyway they have to elect a new board, to plan their work for the upcoming year, to summarize everything from the past year and organize a lot of events and activities.
GT: You will organise a Network Meeting in autumn. Can you tell us more about it?
Kristina: This Network Meeting will be in Moscow! AEGEE-Moskva is a strong and very motivated antenna with quite a rich experience. I am sure they will do a great job to organize this NWM. I won’t reveal all the secrets, but you can be sure It will be amazing – and as it will take place from the 1st till the 4th of December you will have the chance to feel magical Christmas atmosphere!
GT: How did you join AEGEE? Is there an interesting story behind it?
Kristina: It happened by coincidence. I just found the AEGEE-Moskva page in one of the social networks. In the description there was written something like: “Travelling, new friends and foreign languages”. My first thought was: “That’s what I have been looking for”. I always wanted to study international relations or international journalism and I thought that AEGEE can help me to make my dream come true. And I was right: I am working in an international team, organizing international events without having a special diploma!
GT: What do you study – and why?
Kristina: I study Linguistics and Teaching. Why? Well, I love languages, but I haven’t enough time for those which I would like to learn. So for now it’s just English and French. I hope one day I will be able to hablar as fast as Spanish and parlare as emotionally as Italians!
GT: What have been your best moments and achievements in AEGEE before joining Netcom?
Kristina: The whole year was amazing and all the moments were unforgettable! I was happy when I knew that I was selected as a participant for one of the best Summer Universities – in Las Palmas. It was my first personal achievement. After that I became a Secretary of my antenna, still being a quite new member though. And the biggest achievement so far was the organization of the winter event Capital Cities #2, together with AEGEE-Kyiv. But I am sure the bigger achievements are about to come!
GT: Do you have time for hobbies besides studying and AEGEE?
Kristina: I used to take dance classes, read a lot and even write some poems, but now I am completely in to AEGEE and travelling. From September onwards I will also have to concentrate on my studies, as it will be my final year.
GT: How would you describe yourself with five keywords?
Kristina: Five words are too many! So, I’ll try to name at least three: hardworking, shy and a bit stubborn.
