Oksana Spolyak: “AEGEE is for me Spirit”

In autumn 2014 Oksana Spolyak visited her first Agora. Now, almost five years later, she will experience the plenary hall of the upcoming Agora in Bucharest from a different perspective – as candidate. The AEGEE-Lviv member is one of five people running for the four available positions of general CD member. Find out more about her in this interview.

Golden Times: Do you usually read candidate interviews in the Golden Times or AEGEEan Magazine?
Oksana Spolyak: Occasionally.

GT: How did you join AEGEE exactly? How did you find out about it?
Oksana: Quite ordinary as for an AEGEE member – via SU promotion at my uni department. Later I googled and realized that’s a project from an organization. Fun fact: my friend and I applied for an SU – plus two more girls from Lviv – and everybody was chosen but me. If you wonder why – quote of St. Augustine is the answer… [smiling]. Nevertheless, it didn’t discourage me and now I can boast of another fun fact: I have been SU organizer for five times but never a participant.

GT: How long did it take you from the first moment until you signed the membership form and joined AEGEE?
Oksana (smiling): Around one week – until the first social meeting of AEGEE-Lviv and SU deadline.

GT: What’s the typical drink & food you bring to European Nights?
Oksana: Ukrainian sweets or chocolate from Lviv and horilka with pepper or local coffee liquor.

GT: At an AEGEE party where will we find you? On the dancefloor? Talking at the bar?
Oksana: On the dance floor, for sure.

GT: What was your first position in the local board?
Oksana: I was Secretary of AEGEE-Lviv.

GT: What was your favourite event as organiser – and why is it your favourite?
Oksana: I think Summer University as main organiser. It was my first experience at the time of coordinating a big and quite long European event – including plenty of challenges and the nicest memories. I still have a postcard on my wall from our participants of the TSU “Tale of Slavic Twins” 2016!

GT: What was your first Agora and how did you feel there? Happy, excited, overwhelmed, lost?
Oksana: It was Agora Cagliari 2014. I remember I was expecting how it is to be among a thousand of people. Sounded a bit overcrowded. However, when I arrived, I didn’t feel it – on the contrary, quite comfortable but unknown what to expect next. Overall, I didn’t feel it fully, I would say, as in my opinion you can feel a true Agora only in the role of a delegate – yeap, I do mean it.

GT: Have you ever hitchhiked to an AEGEE event?
Oksana: No, somehow it never came to my mind or as an offer.

GT: What do your parents think about the idea that you are so active in AEGEE and even want to move to Brussels?
Oksana (smiling): I think they don’t realize to the full extent what I am doing in AEGEE and what keeps me attached for so long. Besides, they are used to the fact I am often out of town – due to work business trips, AEGEE events or personal travels. In any case, my parents are happy for my choices and achievements.

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?
Oksana: I would say: fun member 20%, career member 35%, idealist 45%.

GT: What other hobbies do you have aside from AEGEE?
Oksana: Travelling – unless it’s considered AEGEE-related, watching theatre or ballet and reading detective stories.

GT: Did you consider joining a political party or maybe want to do it later?
Oksana: No. Working in Lviv City Council and being active in an NGO provides me currently with sufficient opportunities of having my say and contribution to policy making.

GT: What do you study – and why?
Oksana: In Ukraine we usually finish school at quite a young age, 17 years old, which makes the choice of future career quite immature, in my opinion. Won’t call my choice fully mature, however, I am glad it was independent and genuine – following what I indeed wanted to learn further at that time – English. That’s why I entered the foreign languages department. Additionally, my mom is a linguist, so I guess languages and correcting people are in my veins [smiling].

GT: What’s the favourite city or place on this planet you ever visited?
Oksana: I will always feel attached to my native city of Lviv. When it comes to so far visited countries – Italy and Germany are among those I would like to continue exploring. If to answer with a specific place, I would call Monschau, which is a fairy-tale-like city in Germany – it impressed me and exceeded my expectations.