The legendary Erasmus events of AEGEE-Torino were the reason why Lila Quaile is an AEGEE member. After coming home from Italy she joined AEGEE-Paris and saved the local from a crisis. Now she wants to share her knowledge and skills to help other locals – by running for one of the six available places in the Network Commission at the upcoming Agora in Bucharest.
GT: What would you do if you hadn’t joined AEGEE?
Lila Quaile: I would probably do exactly what I am doing now, meaning my internship and be graduated – but my life would be way less fun!
GT: How did you join AEGEE exactly? How did you find out about it?
Lila: I joined AEGEE after my Erasmus in Torino. I found out about it because AEGEE-Torino was organising a lot of events for Erasmus people and they were promoting it at the university. The first event I joined was a city tour, during the first week of my Erasmus, and I attended all their events from that moment on! At the end I became friends with some of them and decided to join AEGEE.
GT: How long did it take you from the first moment until you signed the membership form and joined AEGEE?
Lila (laughing): Ten months!
GT: What’s the typical drink & food you bring to European Nights?
Lila: When I can I am bringing typical food from the south of France such as tapenade and red wine. For a special occasion I can even bring champagne!
GT: At an AEGEE party where will we find you? On the dancefloor? Talking at the bar?
Lila: A bit of both. I actually really like to dance, but I am also enjoying long discussions at the bar or outside, discussions that most of the time I don’t remember the next morning.
GT: What was your first position in the local board?
Lila: My first position was president.
GT: What was your favourite event as organiser – and why is it your favourite?
Lila: I have two favourite events: the first one is the New Year’s event in December 2017, because it’s my first one as main organiser and I was so new to AEGEE. The second one is the Network Meeting in cooperation with AEGEE-Angers because the team was amazing and I believe we did a great job all together!
GT: What was your first Agora and how did you feel there? Happy, excited, overwhelmed, lost?
Lila: My first Agora was in Catania. I was visitor of AEGEE-Leuven and it was really excited because it was also my first AEGEE event, but I didn’t have a clue about what was going on.
GT: Have you ever hichhiked to an AEGEE event?
Lila: Never. I wouldn’t feel safe at all.
GT: Do you like cooking and if yes- what’s your favourite dish you like to cook?
Lila: I love to cook! The one dish I like to do the most is some kind of vegetarian tajine.
GT: What’s never missing in your fridge?
Lila: Parmesan!
GT: What do your parents think about the idea that you are so active in AEGEE?
Lila: They are totally supporting me as long as it doesn’t affect my studies and I think they are also proud of me as it is rare in France to be involved in this type of student organisation.
GT: In a typology of members there are the three aspects fun member, career member and idealist – to which percentage are you which of these aspects?
Lila: 50% fun member, 50% career member and 0% idealist, I am too much realistic for that!
GT: What other hobbies do you have aside from AEGEE?
Lila (laughing): If shopping is a hobby, then it’s mine!
GT: Did you consider joining a political party or maybe want to do it later?
Lila: I am thinking about it but I don’t want to be labelled by a specific political party at the moment.
GT: What do you study – and why?
Lila: I am studying political sciences, currently finishing my master about Policies of international cooperation. I decided to go on this path because in France political sciences is a really general studies but also really prestigious. I always have been interested in politics, history, international relations and English. So studying Political Sciences was obvious for me.
GT: What’s the favourite city or place on this planet you ever visited?
Lila: Hard to say! I went to a lot of different places that I loved! My top three will be the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Norway.
GT: And where would you really like to go?
Lila: Many places! My number one at the moment is Bali.
GT: What’s your biggest frustration in AEGEE?
Lila: Bureaucracy… It is crazy to see all the procedures you have to follow to change one little thing.
GT: Please complete the sentence: “AEGEE is for me…”
Lila (laughing): AEGEE is for me a family! I know it sounds cheesy and everyone is saying the same but it’s actually how I am selling it to new recruits!
