EESTEC Magazine Vol 34 2014/1 | Page 6

Board’s Talk Maciej Witowski Vice Chairman for External Affairs LC Krakow If you are not afraid of exploring new areas, life will surprise you in ways you cannot imagine. A bit more than one year ago I was coming back from Trainers’ Meeting in Sarajevo with my two EESTEC friends. It happened that back then one of them was VC-EA of EESTEC and I remember looking at her calendar, full of events, meetings and all kind of arrangements. I told her I would have never been able to do this - my life was too organised - studies, job, LC Krakow’s Board. It still astonishes me why, straight after getting off from the bus I applied for the unofficial spot at Congress in Munich. And everything started to run more quickly - electrifying atmosphere of Congress, endless discussions about EESTEC sudden decision of applying for the Board and the emotional day of elections. When I was asked to write this article, I shrunk together with my inner voice telling me: “Really is it already over?” A little less than a year ago, I saw myself going to put some more focus on my studies after the work connected to the Congress in Munich had cooled down and just the regular Treasurer work would have been left. Four amazing workshops and organizing Congress as Treasurer would satisfy my desire to work for and with EESTEC. At least that was what I told myself back then. Well my future was meant to choose a different direction - to dive into the heart of EESTEC instead of closing this topic for me. My friends and also Board members of EESTEC approached me to apply for the Treasurer position. Some others tried to take my doubts away by ensuring me that I would be able to handle it and then there was somebody else, an experienced guy from Munich who took me aside and started talking to me. He repeated a couple of times that I won’t enjoy every moment in this position, that there will be some periods in which I hate him for encouraging me to take this responsibility but that these periods will fade away. Taking the responsibility and choosing to apply for a Board member position in EESTEC Then a few Board meetings, ECM and dozens of hours spent on learning how EESTEC works at the central level and figuring out both with successes and failures how to make it better. There were months I loved it, there were moments I hated it - but I never regretted the decision I made one year ago. Being an EESTECer is definitely just one of many things we can do during our studies. But if you are worried whether this is the right step to take, let me assure you - it definitely is! There are some years in life at which we will look back later with great sentiment - the ones we spent in EESTEC will be certainly among them! I evidently owe EESTEC what I am today and while this year is approaching to the end I want to thank you all who made it so priceless. Good luck with creating your own EESTEC story! leads to many different cons