2 April 2015 Euroscola - Anna Steen
Thu, Apr 2nd 2015 at 12:00 am - 2:00 am
Our Euroscola, Anna Steen from Dunblane High will tell us of her experiences at the European Parliament in Brussells.
Keith Dingley, Pauline Steen,Anna Steen, Davison Steen, President Peter Farr
Anna Steen, 17 years old, Head Girl at Dunblane High School, was guest speaker at the Club and she shared her experiences on the recent Rotary Euroscola congregation in Strasbourg 2-9 March 2015.
Anna started her presentation with a big thanks to Rotary for the opportunity to go to the European Parliament and take part in the event. Anna reflected on the 5.00 start at the airport on the first day, meeting for the first time the other 24 young Scottish people attending and beginning to make friends through some site seeing to being almost too tired to take dinner in the evening.
The five days were packed with activities from carrying out a survey in French, in Strasbourg square. Anna noted that she was impressed how her confidence in her French speaking improved when she was in a situation where French had to be used. The survey highlighted how narrow each country's knowledge of other countries in Europe actually is, with many being unable to name 3 towns / cities in Scotland, few knowing what a haggis is and also what's the Scottish musical instrument.
The main event was joining up with the other 550 Euroscola's from all over Europe to debate several topical subjects in the debating chamber of the European Parliament. Anna commented that she never felt out of her depth during the debate and noted that the youth of other countries have different priorities, youth unemployment in Spain, the economic crisis in Greece.
Given this opportunity to take part in Euroscola Anna commented 'your own abilities surprise you - it makes you feel part of something bigger - I look forward to a career involving debating and public speaking'.
President Peter commended Anna on her excellent presentation and asked Keith Dingley to propose a vote of thanks, in which Keith, just returned from the Far East, noted what Anna had learned on her Euroscola experience, he had found on his travels. Keith wished Anna well in her ongoing studies at Edinburgh university where she intends to study Law with French.
