“Everyone can be a hero for our environment”

“Earth needs SUperheroes”. Probably everyone agrees with this statement. AEGEE-Kraków and AEGEE-Wroclaw organised a Summer Course focused on the environment. It took place from 15 to 26 August 2019.

Golden Times: What was your Summer University about?
Natalia Nowak: The name of our Summer University was „The Earth needs SUperHeroes”. It’s mean that everyone can be a hero for our environment. We focused on ecology and together with the Civic Education Working Group we prepared a lot of workshops about it.

GT: How many participants and how many organisers did you have?
Natalia Nowak: We had 27 participants, ten people from the SU Core team and many helpers.

GT: What were the greatest thematic programme highlights of the SU?
Natalia Nowak: As the theme of our project was being a hero for our planet, we had a lot of activities connected to ecology: DIY eco cosmetics, an eco city game or a trash challenge during the mountain trip. For our heroes, as important as our planet is getting to know new cultures, we prepared sightseeing of Kraków, Wrocław and a trip to the Auschwitz Birkenau Museum. And for the bravest ones – a hitchhiking race and “pierogi workshops”.

GT: What were the funniest or most exciting moments?
Natalia Nowak: The best moments we spent in Poronin, where we organized a real wedding. All participants had their roles, like „jealous ex-girlfriend”, „mother and father of groom” and we even had a white wedding dress for our bride. It was all in traditional highlander style with a local band, wedding cake and church part. Our participants were very surprised about the ideas and fun.

GT: How was the group of participants? How did you manage to integrate them?
Natalia Nowak: All participants get to know each other very quick. We had a few integrations games for them to know them better and of course we are organized a lot parties and going out moments which helped us and participants to talk and integrate.

GT: How was the cooperation in the team? Any special moment you would mention here?
Natalia Nowak: The most important thing to say about our team is that despite the fact that we didn’t know each other very well before the Summer University, we created a really strong and fantastic team composed of ten amazing girls.

GT: How was the romance factor of the SU? And what were the highlights from the gossip box?
Natalia Nowak: What happens during the SU, stays in the gossip box! And maybe some secrets. Our participant really liked the idea with the gossip box and sometimes we had really hot ones!

GT: How successful was the SU overall?
Natalia Nowak: It was very successful event, we are satisfied with the overall project.