English

Let's start to know some Board Members for 2023. Federica Tanzini and Marta Faruffini will get the ball rolling. They joined the team less than a month ago.

You certainly met Marta Faruffini personally, the new ESN Italy's Activities and Training Manager (ATM) for 2023. During her journey in ESN, she held different roles: between local OCs, Committees, and National Teams, she never stops!

Federica Tanzini, ESN Italy's Secretary for 2023, has already had the chance to get involved in different local and national roles, including the position of AskErasmus Coordinator.

Then, let's start learning more about them and get to know their expectations, projects for this mandate, and their first impressions.

Let's introduce yourself briefly to those who don't know you, and tell us what your role is as Board Member

Federica: I'm Federica Tanzini, and I was born in a little village known as Poggibonsi, in the province of Siena, on the 28th of February 1997. I graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Siena, and I'm currently attending the Master's Degree in Health Biology at the University of Bologna. I joined ESN Siena GES in September 2018, after being back from my first Erasmus in León. Then in 2021, I went on a second Erasmus in Madrid.

I really like art and I have done swimming at a competitive level for 15 years. Uh, to those who don't know, I'm the current Secretary of ESN Italy. I was elected at the beginning of March.

Marta: I'm Marta Faruffini, I'm 25, and I graduated in History of Art. I'm doing a year of research at the University of Genoa right in this field. I was born and raised in this city. I have been a member of ESN GEG Genova since 2019. I have been an LR of this Section for two years, which then supported me when I decided to present my candidacy as ATM.

National Board is usually elected in December to then take office in March. Instead, your case was different because you were elected during the NP of March, and you immediately took office. Although this lack of time, how was (or better, how is going) the handover?

Federica: Unlike those who were elected in December, I had little time. Indeed, I immediately took office after the election without a proper handover.

Nevertheless, I had the chance to do many calls with Ele [Eleonora Catozzi, ESN Italy's Secretary for 2022]. Honestly, the process was faster than expected, even because I was a local secretary. So, I was already quite used to managing emails, mailing lists, etc. I must admit that she is very willing to help. Sometimes, if I need some help, I text her.

 

Marta: Having had less time, it was very different compared to other Board Members. We had to focus on everything in the shortest time possible. During the week after the NP, we made five calls of two hours and a half each with Chiara [Chiara Ferrari, ESN Italy's Activities and Training Manager for 2022] so that she could explain everything to me. Furthermore, since Chiara works, I usually go over files into the Drive with a fine tooth comb to read everything in my power. What's more, Chiara and I have scheduled a deadline to end the handover in the middle of April.

Thus, although the experience started differently from my Board colleagues, and I was sorry for not being able to attend the Board meeting personally, I'm sure there will be many occasions to make up for the lost time.

What do you expect and not expect from this mandate?

Federica: it's still a mystery to me because, every day, there is something new to do, but we are a great group that works well together. So, I expect to spend a year with a long to-do list. In addition, I hope to improve a great deal, both personally and temperamentally: I consider myself a fairly introverted person. So, I expect this experience will help me in this sense, as my entry into ESN has already done.

I don't expect everything will go smoothly.

Marta: surely, I don't expect to end my mandate without crisis... I'm joking!

I actually haven't any expectations because I'm always anxious and for this reason, I decided to live day by day. However, I don't expect to end my mandate without learning something about myself. As I have already told several times in my question time and candidacy, I decided to get into this adventure to improve myself and as a personal growth experience.

A question that requires a little more thinking: Federica, how would you define your role without the words administration, communication, and minutes?

Federica: the role of the Secretary is a fundamental role within the Board, even if sometimes it's underestimated. Indeed, it's a role that often remains behind the scenes because they manage the mailing list part, database and contact upgrades, and the channels used to interact within the Board and with the Network (mail, slack…). In other words, it's a more administrative role and of organisation. Moreover, my role interacts with the Secretariat, which supports and manages the part regarding reports and documents that have to be sent to Sections to keep informed and up-to-date about what happens in ESN Italy or within the Board.

Same question for Marta, without using the words activities, causes, and training.

Marta: my role deals with coordinating all ESN Italy's Teams that, in turn, handle supporting Sections in the realisation of events that highlight the ESN values so that they can impact the society and community where Erasmus students live. That is, all the events that go beyond the recreational aspect. In addition, I'm responsible for assisting Sections and all their volunteers, especially those newer, by providing them with constant updates about what ESN and the Network are, and other topics, with the hope of helping them to be better ESN members.

Could you tell me one of your qualities and flaws?

Federica: I'll try to make things easier: I'm meticulous and organised, and I like that everything is neat and precise. If, on one side, this is a merit for the role I was elected for, sometimes, my control mania can be a bit excessive and turn into a flaw so that the risk is that others may not like it.

Marta: well, I'll start with my flaw: as I said before, I'm very anxious. I tend to want to have everything under control, becoming anxious as soon as something escapes me. Instead, as regards my quality, I consider myself an empathetic person. So I can empathise with others if something is not going well.

Last question: lemon or orange?

Federica: lemon.

Marta: Frankly, I directly go with lemon because orange is a fruit I only eat if I must eat fruit and there's nothing else to eat.

 

 

Translation by Desiré Merlo