Matteo Scarpa: On the stage of Agora and on girls that run AEGEE!

Everybody has a different story and that’s also true for the ones who have been working in the same commission for a whole year. A couple weeks ago Marek Pezda from the Network Commission told The AEGEEan about how this year has been the best year of his life, and that made The AEGEEan curious to see how other Netcommies such as Matteo Scarpa have been experiencing their year in the same position.

Let’s go back one year, what made you candidate for Network Commission?

I would say that it was to challenge myself. Going all the way back to European School 1 in Las Palmas, in December 2010, there was a session where we had to put a body for or with which we would like to work in future. I remember that I put Network Commission (NetCom), not even knowing what exactly this body of AEGEE was practically doing. It was something that in September 2011 when I saw the call for candidature I remembered and having finished my experience at local level as President I decided to take this challenge and keep my word. In the meantime I explored a bit about the work of the NetCom and tried to understand its work. I have to admit that going to the NWM Catania in May 2011 also helped this process. Meeting a lot of Italians and hearing their problems, meeting the former NetCommie Pierre and talking to him about his work gave me strength to pose my candidature. Hidden, there was a deeper motivation instead, which was the will to face the Agora on a stage and present myself to 800 AEGEEans. I wrote my application, sent it and did my presentation. The rest is written in the results of Agora Skopje.

What were your expectations?

I really did not have any expectations. I just wanted to prove myself. The challenge to be on stage and talk to the Agora was enough at the moment and whatever the result was I was sure I would get off the stage happy. Moreover there was another Italian guy candidating and for sure he was more experienced, having been subcommie of Pierre in the previous year, so I was not expecting anything, totally certain that he was going to be the choice as next Netcommie. But the Agora surprised me and I had to define my expectations for the upcoming year, but more than just expecting, I just had to start work immediately on the first tasks, so there was no time for thinking, and that is what I loved from the first moment of NetCom work.

How has this year been? What were the highlights? What have you learned? 

It’s been a really intense AEGEE year! I had the chance to work for the most beautiful body of AEGEE, the most inspiring and full of brilliant people that give you motivation all the time. I’ve been traveling around a lot and that’s another great point about the NetCom job! But I have to admit that as highlight moment I have to choose the starting point.  Since the beginning after the election I had to think and manage the organisation of my first NWM in Pisa delayed from the previous term and then on my responsibility. It was my first challenge as Netcommie and a vis-a-vis presentation to my fellow locals. It has been a great moment, my initiation, and looking back I must say it was great! It went pretty well and I started to gain some trust from many board members of different locals. I appreciated their comments and their support for my work and I have to thank them all because in these months all the people that I spoke with, through mails, phone calls, Skype chat etc., they all gave me their consensus and help. It’s something we as Netcommies are lucky to have and I think it gives you strength and an inner force that makes you go further, overcome obstacles and think of solutions even if things get complicated. I’ve learned a lot from every single person I talked to, I’ve learned how to be mediator of some difficult situations (at least I tried my best), I’ve learned that Netcommies never stop, every single member of the team since the beginning had a hand there to help and as a team we achieved a lot. I’ve tested what learning by doing really means and without the help of people surrounding me I wouldn’t have  been able to learn anything. This is what I learned; that people matter.

In Agora Enschede only girls were elected for the Network Commission, has it been different in terms of your work in this term (Agora Enschede to Agora Budapest) in comparison to the previous (Agora Skopje to  Agora Enschede)?

Somebody says that girls run the world..and I must say that for sure they run AEGEE! In terms of the team I think nothing has changed, same dedication, preparation, commitment and straight thinking as during the previous term. Last NetCom Meeting in Katowice has proved that the “newbies” have a lot to give to the Network and to our team itself. I was positively impressed and except their beauty and the good-looking touch they gave to the Network Commission, they brought more in terms of knowledge of the AEGEE Network and ideas. I’m sure the next term will show the results of our job and their contribution to it.

You have been in a quite successful Network Commision, with Luis now president as well as Beata & Pavel being members of the CD, would you consider candidating for the CD? What lies in the future of your AEGEE life?

Yes, that is why I said I’m very lucky. I have been working with really great people and they deserve the position they got. First of all I would like to wish them good luck for their new term in the CD starting and I’m sure they will change our beloved association for the better. Concerning my future in AEGEE I still do not know. As for my candidature for the Network Commission, I will be deciding at the last moment on the spot, maybe following no reason but just instinct. At the moment I have nothing planned and also decision will come depending on my work life in the future months. Future will tell.

If you were to encourage AEGEE members to candidate for NetCom what would you say? Why is it worth it?

Experience, recognition, trust, hard work, motivation, growing, travel, meeting, discussing, future thinking, hugs, time, people, people, people… Do I need to explain whether it was worth it? Those words say everything and nothing at the same time. If you want to know what they will mean for you in the next year, just candidate for the NetCom and you will discover yourself. It seems like a quite good spot, doesn’t it?

Matteo ends the interview with wishing good luck to his successor and that is something that The AEGEEan would like to do as well as wishing Matteo good luck, hoping that he will use this experience to do even greater things for AEGEE than he has already.

 Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-København