Goobye message from the ESN Board... and Welcome to the New Board!

The end of an Era! 

It's 7.30 pm. Rotterdam seems today like a giant freezer! From my hotel room, I can see the city covered in snow. The ESN Council of National Representatives is about to start at this beautiful city, and in the agenda, a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Erasmus Program. It seems at least ironic that I have to write such a letter in such event and from the same city in which Mr Desiderious Erasmus Roterodasmus, the man who later gave name to the world's most famous mobility program, was born.

When in 2008 I was candidating for a period of studies abroad, I was far from imagining how that step would change my life dramatically for the next years! Coming back to my home country, I had the pleasure to first serve as an Erasmus Buddy along with other former Erasmus Students, and later on, to give birth to a project called Erasmus Student Network Aveiro, almost two years ago.

Unfortunately, most of the founding members already had to go, and now the two last standing, me and Ricardo, will have to go too. We have both graduated already and the truth is, we will no longer have conditions to keep volunteering to help the exchange students. Luis is also joining us on our goodbye, as he has as well harmed his academic life way to far, and deserves now to dedicate himslef to study.

This way we have called earlier elections, and the new board is:

President: Gonçalo Ribeiro, Student of Computer Science

Vice President: David Graça, Student of Mechanical Engineering

Treasurer: Tânia Pinho, Student of Languages

We want to let you know that during our mandate, we gave our best to take the right decisions, always aiming to better serve the Erasmus Students. Since two years ago, I have gone to bed and waken up everyday thinking of ways to improve our organization. I have put ESN ahead of my studies and my personal life, and I want to thank you on behalf of my team for making that worthy. Thank you for having joined our activities and events and for contributing for the birth and raise of our ESN baby .

I want to thank as well my fellow board members, Ricardo and Luis. It has been an honour to work with you guys! 

I want to thank of course my section members, for having trusted in me for leading this organization as President since June 2010. I want to mention particularly the outstanding contribution of Presunto, which is also leaving ESN. He as well was one of the most important people on this project, thanks to his team spirit and availability .

And finally, I want to thank the University of Aveiro, particularly the International Relations Office, for having embraced our project and supported it since the very beginning.

It has been a pleasure for me to be an ESN member. I have traveled from city to city, country to country, knowing amazing people and learning from them. We have created a social playground, with many many friends and those are big rewards for all our efforts!

But don't think for a second that ESN is going to get weacker! I know very well the next board members, and believe me, they are super motivated! This is in fact, the best time to renew our team, because we have very competent people to replace us. Tania Pinho is very dedicated and committed. David Graça is the man who has beaten procrastination! And Gonçalo Ribeiro ir super organized and patient to deal with all the problems!

This Friday 10th of February at 10 am, the new board is going to take over. I will not be there as I am in Rotterdam representing ESN Portugal, but we want to invite you all to be present at the Welcome Ceremony and to know the new ESN Team! Don't miss this event. Go support the new people who are going to make your life easier .

It is indeed hard to walk away from this , but these two years will for sure remain as very powerful memories us .

As for us, we will keep helping the new board as much as we can, and so I hope to see you all guys at the dinner on tuesday for, as usual, together, ROCK IT!

Many greetings from Rotterdam and Viva Erasmus!

On behalf of the Board 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 Autumn Semester,

Daniel Varela