The yellow spirit

Couple of days ago, I received one email from one friend in the European level, where she just commented that she wished AEGEE-Alicante (and all our external collaborators whose contribution has been the most valuable help we could ever think about) can keep the Yellow Spirit.

This words really touched me deep, as she had given name to something we all in the organizing team had already felt. The feeling we all shared once you had left, a mix of satisfaction for the well-done work and the bonds that were created before and during the Agora will remain there, as a reminder of the big project we carried out. This Yellow Spirit will continue, hopefully it can become a trademark of AEGEE-Alicante projects in the future.

As with many other things in this Agora, the Yellow Spirit is something that can be credited to all the team, but specially to our main coordinator Carol (and her predecessor Bego), because from the moment they started to lead the team, they focused in the TEAM. They invested lots of workin hours in our preparatory events (a series of weekend meetings that you may have read about before in the blog, THE TRAPs) where we updated each other on the work of the subteams, but we did also many team building activities like games, cooking together, filming videos... It has been this time spent together which worked as cement to transform a bunch of amazing people into one team.

Posted by Miguel

Means of transport

Ever since the beginning of time, humankind has looked for a way to move quickly from one place to another. We started using animals, then came the wheel, the ships, the steam engine, the gas engine, the kerosene, nuclear engines...

Kind of an obssesion, we tried to go faster and faster, following the premise of Machiavelli "The end justifies the means". Using fossil fuels with a high rate of contamination was not a problem... Until now.

There is a new generation worried about the consequences of this use to the enviroment. As a member of Enviromental Working Group, I'd like that all of you fill this survey, about the mean of transport that you have use to arrive to Alicante.

 http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FV2YQDN

To finish, I'll quote one really catchy advertisement of Greenpeace in 1990, after the tragedy of Exxon Valdez in Alaska:

It wasn't the Exxon Valdez captain's driving that caused the Alaskan oil spill. 

It was yours.

Posted by Juanola

Agora Achievements

During this Agora WE have achieved may things. I mean WE in broadest sense, AEGEE as an organization. We have managed to finish plenaries on time (thanks Chair ;) and we have achieved to elect very competent people for the commisions. We have approved the Interim Activity Report of our Comité Directeur and other bodies also presented their Activity Reports. We have chosen a Flagship Topic, that over the summer will be developed and become our Flagship Project for 2012-13.

We also have managed to plant the seed for new iniciatives that we will see grow in next future. This is what happens when we manage to gather together hundreds of motivated membersin the same spot. We therefore look forward to see the results of Agora Alicante on mid and long term, and when we see the results of this or that project in one year, we will proudly again say to ourselves, that we contributed somehow to it from our role as organizers.

One week after

One week since I posted here last time... Seems like it was a month, but has been just seven days, full of emotions and therefore, they are perceived as if they were much more.

It is just a warming up post, to state that we are here, we are alive and we have still many things to share with all you, dear Agora followers...

Lost and Found items
Some photos
Impressions from Organizers
And more...

We are open to receive your suggestions!! Use the FB wall down there!

Back in office, Miguel

Blogging from the agora

Hello dear Agora followers

Do you see us nice in the streaming? Say hi to the blog readers on the FB wall! Here is the link to streaming page.

Myself I am fine, exhausted but quite satisfied with the results of the first day. Team worked almost perfect, especially under pressure. New members have been acting like experienced, oldies were as nervous as if it was their first Agora. And the whole Opening Ceremony was dancing with the Flamenco show in the New Adda (Auditorio de la Diputación de Alicante).

Now it is time to go back to work... But I am loving it!

                Posted by Miguel

Agora is here!

I will try to have some time to update the blog from now on. Cannot promise!
But you can always have a look at the latest posts and write your best wishes in our FB wall!

Last minute threats

I had heard many times that there are always surprises in the last days before Agora, and one week ago I was thinking it was just a legend... and then, the party began!

Changes in the Open Ceremony program: cancellation of the reservation for the Santa Barbara Castle, solved after some runs with papers signed and stamped here and there...

Changes in the Open Ceremony program (part II): "Las Belleas del Foc" (The Fire Beauties) wanted to make their own party on the castle the same day and time we have the Open Ceremony. As they are the institutional representatives of the main festival in Alicante (Hogueras de San Juan, our own version of the Fallas), they had the right to kick us out of the castle. So just some more phone calls, and wait for a very long day... but we also dismantled this danger!

Rain: For three days we have had lots of rain, although to be honest, I cannot say this surprises me at all, since at any AEGEE-Alicante event I have organized we have had some rain. And it should not surprise you because I have told you many times in this same blog! I just wish there is no rain tomorrow during the Study Fair. It seems it will be ok: LINK

Late deliveries: Some of the stuff we need for tomorrow is not here yet... So tomorrow, before the opening ceremony, we will still need to care about deliveries and some more runs up and down.

Fumigation in our Pre-Agora Gym: this morning we had to "evacuate" the High School where we were staying because they had forgotten to tell us that they were going to spray everything with chemicals... so we had just some hours to find a place where we can stay tonight. We did it,we are not sleeping under the stars...

Time for pre-Agora surprises has come to an end. The rest of unexpected problems, will be already part of the Agora! And the team, we are ready to solve them!

              Posted by Miguel