ESN Vilnius University Newsletter

Opening Week Traditional Orientation Week of ESN Vilnius University started on the 2nd of September. During the first day exchange students got to

know the university and ESN members. On Tuesday exchange students had a possibility to show their singing talents in Karaoke night.

The third day started with Photo Rally game and the winners were rewarded in the fourth event - International Fair, were everybody were

welcome to present their countries. Friday started with the meeting with different countries' ambassadors and continued in the evening du-

ring the biggest Bling Bling Welcome Party. On Saturday students had the possibility to drink some tea with their mentors and recover

after a hard week. The OW ended with the biggest trip of the whole semester - trip to Trakai.

To find more:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.595423230516489.1073741844.185821441476672&type=3

2014 .02.11 Issue 1

CEP is an ESN conference where all sections from Central Europe (Austria, Croa-

tia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) are gathering

together in order to talk about issues that will be a matter of discussion at the

AGM, to exchange good practices about local activities and to start partnerships

with other sections. In October, 2013 CEP was organized in Košice, Slovakia.

Without any doubt ESN Vilnius University participated in this event and sent presi-

dent as a section delegate. We have gathered a lot of good ideas, gained much

experience and of course found very good friends.

More information: http://esn.org/content/regional-platforms

EESF Award

Central European Platform

On the 19th of November Education Exchanges Support Foundation organized the

7th Quality Awards for the period of 2007-2013. ESN Vilnius University was

awarded for active contribution in fostering cooperation with Lithuanian secondary

schools and gymnasiums, in involving Erasmus Lithuanian and abroad students, in

publicizing the initiative and presenting Erasmus programme to pupils and the

public.

You can find the publication about the Quality Awards here:http://www.smpf.lt/lt/

dokumentai/leidiniai_straipsniai/kokybes_apdovanojimai

2

ESN Vilnius University is actively participating in Youth in Action projects. We have

participated in four projects already and more are already coming! 08.20-09.04 ESN

VU delegates participated in the project called My Shopping List. For the first days

five girls travelled to Warsaw, Vienna and Bucharest and finally they came to beautiful

little mountain town Busteni, where the project was held. There were nine countries

who participated in the project: Croatia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Ro-

mania, Spain and Turkey. During the project participants had various workshops, were

working in groups, created a catalogue, flyers and even some videos.

More information: http://www.myshoppinglistbusteni.blogspot.com.es/

Youth in Action Projects

3

Board Election

During the last semester ESN VU elected its new board. Which includes a new

position: Project coordinator. In this semester the new board is expected to be as

strong as ever and it is ready to face the challenges ahead!

More info: http://vu.esnlithuania.org/?q=board

Mentors Training for 2014 Spring Semester

In the month of December 2013 a new mentors’ generation of the 2014

spring semester was introduced with ESN Vilnius University activities and

the most important information about being a mentor. We enjoyed team

building games, our delicious pizza lunch break and practical mentorship

tasks. Now our new mentors are excited to meet their first mentorees!

More here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?

set=a.627714830620662.1073741856.185821441476672&type=3

ESN’ers Training for 2014 Spring Semester

In the month of November ESN VU congratulated new and old ESN’ers of

ESN VU. During the meeting the speakers talked about what ESN is as an or-

ganization and what it takes to be a good ESNer. After the meeting new and old

members were full of motivation to do well while representing the good name

of ESN VU.

More here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?

set=a.613598328698979.1073741848.185821441476672&type=3

Section Partnership

ESN is getting more and more popular in Lithuania. At the moment there are 11

sections and every National Platform a new university wants to join the Network.

There is an unwritten rule among sections, that every new section-candidate gets a

buddy section, who is helping all the period of being section-candidate. After the

last NP ESN Lithuania has two section-candidates. One of them is ESN VDA

(Vilnius Academy of Arts). This new section candidate selected us, ESN Vilnius

University as their buddies. We have organized training for new members in Octo-

ber and now we are organizing training one more time. Moreover, we are organizing

meetings with new members and helping them with all arising questions.

ESN Vilnius University has been thinking of cooperation, of friendship with another

ESN section for half a year. However, it was very hard to choose a section that we

would like to have a parthership with. Luckily ESN organizes events where sections

are gathering together and there are a lot of possibilities to find the right sections for

cooperation. During one of CEP events the president of ESN-EYE Lodz (Poland) just

asked our section delegate what she thinks about sections partnership and a long con-

versation started... The conversation became a cooperation between two sections: ESN

Vilnius University and ESN-EYE Lodz. We are planning common projects, events and

even trips together. Let‘s hope this partnership will never end!

More information: http://esn.org/content/section-partnership

4

Multilingual

ESN Lithuania Buddy System

In autumn 2013 the project Multilingual Lithuania of Vilnius University gathe-

red ten amateur teachers from nine different countries! In this project Erasmus

students became teachers of their own language. The learning and instructing

experience is different, because there are no official courses. We had been run-

ning free Russian, Italian, Spanish, French, Turkish, Polish, Korean, Japanese

and Latvian lessons for the Lithuanian community. Some courses were popular

with Erasmus students as well! The Multilingual community of ESN VU is

growing quickly.

More information: http://vu.esnlithuania.org/?q=multilingual-lithuania

ESN Lithuania is organizing National Platforms every four months and inviting section

delegates for participation. We are lucky not only participate in the biggest event of

ESN Lithuania but also to organize it. On the 28th-29th of September we have organi-

zed the most important National Platform of the year. The autumn Platform is special

because ESN Lithuania is electing the new National Board. It was a huge challenge for

us! However, with the help of Vilnius University managed to do everything what was

needed.

On the 14th-15th of December the 17th National Platform was held. This time it was

not so tense for us, as it was organized by ESN KuK (Klaipėda).

More information: http://esnlithuania.org/article/national-platform-no16

http://esnlithuania.org/article/christmas-boat

SocialErasmus committee of ESN VU is meant for Erasmus students to be involved in

social activity focused on three fields: education, environmet and social help. During

the autumn semester a considerable number of events ranging from visits to animal

shelters, social centers , Lithuanian schools to collecting money for the people of Phi-

lippenes damaged from the natural disaster. During these events foreign students had a

chance to care the animals from animal shelters, organize various activities for children

from social centers, exchange experience with pupils while visiting schools, they sha-

red understanding and warmth with others that arose positive emotions.

More information: http://www.socialerasmus.esn.org/vilnius

5

National Platforms

SocialErasmus in ESN VU

During the Autumn semester there was a lot of leisure activities for Erasmus students to

do. In this article the most memorable will be mentioned. We organized a Bowling

tournament in which eight teams of exchange students enjoyed their free time compe-

ting who’s the best in bowling. There were lots of delicious prizes, which were eaten

after five minutes after the tournament! Not to forget we had a Board game night: mag-

nificent night spent in the bar “Būsi trečias”, with Erasmus students having fun playing

board games with one another. Not to forget we put together an event called Erasmus

on Ice: Erasmus students were invited to an ice rink to skate. Some of them did that for

a first time, but it was fun and unforgettable experience. To sum up there wa a lot of

events in which Exchange Students had time to relax from their studies.

Leisure Activities in ESN VU

In the Autumn semester the leisure committee organized three sports tourna-

ments in which Exchange students showed their skills and athleticism. At first

we threw a Football Tournament in which six teams of exchange students were

showing off their skills of controlling the ball with their legs. Best ones recei-

ved golden medals and invitations to play bowling for an hour for free. Later

that semester we organized a Basketball Tournament in which nine teams of

exchange students from all Vilnius universities battled for the name of being

the best in basketball – second religion of Lithuania. Finally, we ran a Volley-

ball Tournament in which nine teams competed for being the best in the sport,

called in Germany, “monkey tennis“."

Erasmus in Schools with ESN VU

Sport Activities in ESN VU

Every semester ESN VU organizes trips in Lithuania and abroad. Last

semester was not different. The travel committee organized a traditional

two - days trip to Lithuanian Seaside, the third largest city in Lithaunia -

Klaipeda and on the way students visited the Hill of Crosses. Like every

semester there was a trip to Kaunas to see a basketball match. The new

outing last semester was a trip to USSR bunker where all participants had

the possibility to feel like they are back in 20th century. Finally the biggest

two trips last semester were journeys to Russia and the annual Sea Battle

which took place in Sweden.

More: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?

set=a.604687252923420.1073741847.185821441476672&type=3

Travelling with ESN VU

'Erasmus in Schools', being run by ESN Social Committee, is a project of

sharing knowledge during which foreign students visit Lithuanian schools,

present their countries and cultures to pupils. Also, ESN VU members ac-

companying Erasmus students tell schoolers about the opportunities of the

Erasmus program. The aims of this project are sharing knowledge, commu-

nication, improving foreign languages and other skills. Last semester six

schools were visited in Vilnius, Alytus, Zarasai. People gained great

experience and had a wonderful time doing it.

We care, we help, we share!