IN A BLINKDELIVERED BY BLINK MEDIA TEAM

TABLE OF

CONTENTS1. bl inkitorial 2. heroes, sheroes or both?3. double- cheese pizza and difficult vocabulary4. developing economy and caring for the environment at the same time - is it possible?5. group photo6. visa free regime with European union - a golden dream or real ity?7. slavic magic or why we understand each other?8. what makes lutsk so special?9. what is post eyp depression?

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bl inkitorialmost of the decisions in l ife are made only after thorough consideration of al l the pros and cons of possible outcomes. though, some actions are taken spontaneously, without putting too much thought into them, in a spl it second. and, most definitely, these are the decisions that lead to drastic, fundamental changes in l ife. attending volyn regional session is not an exception as it extends beyond academic borders and creates a lovely mix of formal and informal ; the mix which later on wil l be turned into cherished memories. thus, enjoy and make the best use of your time here!

with love,the bl ink media team

editor: journal ists:tatul i dolbaia natal l ia valadzko ala papaj marcin skiba nadiia railko

HEROES,OR

Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Thor? We have all been fascinated by superheroes in comics, f ilms, games. We dress like them, we make up more stories, we ?be a superhero? people when they need to do the

right thing. But have you ever thought what else the ?S? on Superman?s chest may stand for? Maybe SUPERSHERO?

ONE. Imagine Kate, being a natural born speaker and having the vision to combat absolute poverty, cannot get into decision-making process because? she is a woman?

TWO. Imagine Mary, working late hours and coming up with extraordinary solutions, thus doubling company?s prof its, stil l earns 18% less than her male colleagues because? she is a woman?

THREE. Imagine Jane, being employed by a male boss, becomes victim of sexual harassment and rape because? she is a woman?

We may wait for magical Supersheroes to come and save us. However, gender equality is NOT ?Supershero Beats Superhero and Rescues Us All?. Gender equality is Supershero working alongside with Superhero, Supershero sharing the fame with Superhero, Supershero having the same responsibil it ies and rights as Superhero.

However, leaving f iction behind, what we are really left with is the following:

Girls as pink glittery dolls; young women as sexual objects; working women as men's assistants; older women as useless and dependent? Stereotypes do not give us accurate information about others and can have extremely damaging effects on girls and women throughout their entire life, leading to discrimination and socio-economic disadvantages in old age.

There is such notion as ?gender role theory? which entails the representation of women-appropriate professions as teachers and carers, their qualit ies ? as attractive and submissive. Yet, when we name women?s ?mission? cooking, then why the majority of world-famous chefs are male?

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SHEROESBOTH ?

Stereotypes suffocate personal expression, and thwart individual and professional development. The evidence indicates that children learn this kind of typecasting at home, at school, and through the media. In this way, they are passed on from one generation to the next.

Statistically speaking, the pay gap can be debunked as women tend to work more unpaid hours and choose less lucrative professions than men. However, we all are faced with a plain broad observation: there is a pay gap. Although, its size may dramatically vary from country to country, the lowest being in Poland, Slovenia and Italy, and the largest ? in Estonia, Germany, Greece.

Also, having children affects men and women dif ferently. While men tend to become only more successful, increasing their income, women may lose what they have achieved and be forced to climb career ladder from scratch.

Addressing gender-based violence, the aspect of the concept highlights the fact that violence against women is an expression of power inequalit ies between women and men.

In a survey conducted by United Nations, 1 in 4 men admitted to using violence against women, 1 in 10 to raping women. What other evidence do you need to see how crucial are the EU Directives that legally oblige Member States to take certain actions in response to violence against women? However, what stands behind it? There is this old opinion that ?a real man is a tough man?. In ancient t imes it may have been necessary to show your power to the enemy but in modern world manliness is not def ined by cruelty. Meanwhile, as men are afraid that women may laugh at them, women are afraid that men may kil l them.

Men and women? We are not from dif ferent planets. We are not superheroes or supersheroes, and in a gender-equal society we do not need to be. In such a society, the word ?gender? does not exist, everyone can be themselves. So, let?s leave the whole supershero thing to f iction while in real l ife together we break the glass ceiling, bridge pay gap, and make gender-based violence look totally absurd.

by natal l ia valadzko

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?Set of legal protections in the context of a legal system, where such system is itself based upon this same set of basic, fundamental, or inalienable rights.? You have just read a proper, academic, nicely sounding definit ion of fundamental rights. Dif f icult words obviously included. But have you understood the concept? Well, I have not.

A fundamental right is going to a shop, buying double-cheese pizza and safely coming back home. A fundamental right is trying not to get lost when visit ing London for the f irst t ime, that, for the record, is quite hard to accomplish. A fundamental right is not afraid to express its opinion about dif ferent topics or people. The list goes on and on, but it is hard not to notice the main point - doing all these things, even if we do not realise this, is our basic right. A right that continues to be violated more and more often.

?Je suis Paris, je suis Bruxelles, je suis Charlie?. People tend to unify almost completely once they face a threat. The latest terrorist attacks only confirm this assumption. ISIS is what Europeans are probably the most afraid of nowadays. Media roars about constantly changing numbers of kil led, injured and deceived as well as about increasingly expanding endangered areas. Undoubtedly, all of this information is important, maybe even crucial. But it is essential to pose one question, raise one more issue: what if we, Europeans, are so afraid of what may happen in a week, month, year that we cannot see how our lives change now without us even being a direct victim?

We live in a place and time where we cannot be completely sure if our words remain truly ours. 7 January 2015, off ice of French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. An effective attack, we may say. Effective, because people are afraid to speak out and loudly and proudly state who they are and what they think. Another Paris shooting in November. People are afraid to peacefully enjoy their free time with friends. Brussels Attack in March. People are afraid to travel. Finally, Pakistan attack in March. People are afraid to believe what they used to believe in.

We are being denied the fundamental rights that should be daily and basic. Yet, we stil l focus more on the future than on what we can do today. People need to wake up from what they call a 'nightmare'. It is happening right now and right here, in Europe. And if we stil l want to buy double-cheese pizza or try to act l ike we know where we are going in London without risking our lives, we need to undertake steps right now!

by ala papaj6

double- cheese pizza and difficult vocabulary

President Barack Obama, in his speech addressed to the Asia-Pacif ic Economic Co-operation (APEC), strongly emphasised the impact of development of renewable energy market on climate improvement. According to Obama, actions on climate change do not necessarily have to limit economic growth. The president of the US stated: "The old rules that said we could not grow our economies and protect our environment at the same time, those are outdated. We can make a transition to clean energy without squeezing businesses and consumers."

European Union, since the beginning of its activit ies, paid huge attention to issues of climate change. However, despite the efforts made, there is stil l a threat of ecological crisis upon the planet. Its effects can be devastating. The increase in temperature can, among other things, lead to a higher incidence of extreme weather events, as well as speed melting of glaciers which will cause the rise of global sea levels.

That is why continued efforts of EU are so important. Unfortunately, many polit icians are opposed to renewable energy due to economic reasons. This is understandable, as the investments are costly and there are countries that are largely relying on the non-renewable energy sources, while caring about competit iveness on international level. However, results of the report created by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) leave no il lusions. Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy will fuel economic growth, create new employment opportunities, enhance human welfare, and contribute to a climate-safe future. Doubling the share of renewables in the global energy mix will increase global GDP in 2030 by up to 1.1% , equivalent to USD 1.3 tril l ion. In addition, given the distributed and labour-intensive nature of renewable energy, direct and indirect employment in the renewable energy sector could reach 24.4 mill ion people.

In conclusion, there is only one question remaining - not whether to continue the transition to renewables or not, but how to do it. There are many polit ical directions to take and what the EU needs at this moment is a plan in order to contribute to a climate-safe future that is the future of every single one of us.

by marcin skiba7

developing economy and caring for the environment at the same time - is it possible?

For the past 10 years visa-free regime with European Union has become the ?Ukrainian dream?. Like the ?American dream?, this long-term goal has been promoted by all polit ical leaders since 2005. It became one of the reasons for Ukrainians to f ight at Euromaidan. It has turned into a topic that is permanently discussed in the society, from media broadcasts to conversations between friends in kitchens. Thus, it is not surprising that visa liberalisation for Ukrainians is something more than a mere document allowing them to travel without complications; it has become a symbol of the European future and credibil ity of European Union.

The dialogue regarding visa liberalisation started in 2005, when the former president of the country -Viktor Yushchenko f irst hinted European Union that after abolit ion of visas and visa fees for Europeans, Ukraine expected the same in response. Though, instead of allowing Ukrainians to travel without hindrance, European Commission provided an Action Plan for the country on Visa Liberalisation in 2008. The document consists of two parts. While the f irst part requires the creation of a legal framework that will put the laws of Ukraine in line with European standards, the second one deals with their implementation.

Since the moment the Action Plan was introduced, expectations of both the society and polit icians towards visa liberalisation have changed signif icantly. Ukraine had to leave the naive faith that its cit izens would be granted with free entrance to Schengen area without solving existing issues. Even though in 2011 ? 2013 most of the requirements set in the f irst part of the plan were carried out, national polit ical leaders tried to avoid the implementation of those laws that were unfavourable to them. For instance, in 2012 the country?s former president - Viktor Yanukovych expressed hope that taking into account the conduction of Euro-2012 in Ukraine, visa-free regime would be introduced earlier than planned and, most importantly, without completing the Action Plan.

VISA FREE REGIMEA GOLDEN DREAM

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WITH EUROPEAN UNIONOR REALITY?

Nevertheless, after numerous cases such as deputies blocking the amendment to Labour Code concerning anti-discrimination of LGBTI-community and strikes at the Parliament of Ukraine, loopholes in the laws concerning National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Service, Ukrainians are f inally getting closer to travelling to Europe without visas. One may wonder: Why has Ukraine done so much work and spent almost 10 years on this issue? The answer is pretty simple but stil l of an utmost importance.

There are two aspects. First of all, it would be a disclosure of support and faith in the European Future of Ukraine articulated by the European Union. The second reason is even more important: it will help Ukrainians feel equal with cit izens of Schengen area. No more hours spent in visa centres, no more queues for non-EU citizens, no more examinations at borders - only freedom of movement, ability to travel to cit ies with rich history without planning it months before the trip, and even more opportunities for Ukrainian students.

My Ukrainian friend has won the Erasmus+ grant for studying in one of the Member States of the European Union. It was one of her biggest dreams but, unfortunately, the price of a visa for non-EU citizens was too expensive for her to afford it. Thus, she had to turn down this opportunity. And that is the reason why visa-liberalisation is so important for Ukrainians - they strive for more in the sphere of education and want to explore the world. Hopefully, in the nearest future the artif icial borders between EU-citizens and Ukrainians will be erased and the ?Ukrainian dream? will become a reality.

by nadiia railko

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slavic magic oreach

Here are some tricky questions for you to ponder upon:

1. What happens when a Pole calls a Belarusian ?uroda?;

2. Where will a Ukrainian, Pole and Belarusian end up when they have been offered to sit on ?dywan/?? ???/??????;

3. Why on earth would Poles and Belarusians be f ighting for the right to call Adam Mickiewicz ?theirs??

Rumour has it that since the Slavic branch was one of the most recent branches to split apart from its parent language and has had less time to change, if you know a Slavic language you can understand all of the rest. Is it true?

Generally speaking, the Slavic languages together constitute more than twenty languages and are divided into three subgroups: East (Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian), West (Polish, Czech and Slovak), and South (Slovene, Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian and Bulgarian).

As a genuine Belarusian, allow me to put a focus on the interaction of the Belarusian language with the closest to it ones ? Polish and Ukrainian.

Firstly, it is necessary to recall the Belarusian-Polish bil ingualism in the 15-18th centuries. It especially intensif ied after signing the Lublin Treaty which marked the creation of Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów, with the result that all the paperwork was gradually translated into Polish. There was the cultural assimilation of the higher strata of society, which led to the spread of cultural combination that arose on the basis of the Polish language, but had numerous Belarusian elements (e.g. the language of the works of Adam Mickiewicz). The linguistic contact between the two languages was mutual at the time, with many Polish words? including both everyday items such as vjandlina (ham) and polit ical/military terminology such as zbroja (weapons)? entering Belarusian.

Secondly, starting with the 9-11th centuries, both Ukrainian and Belarusian languages were partially based on the joint dialect - in particular, the northern dialect group of the Ukrainian language took part in the formation of certain Belarusian dialects. Then, Ukrainian vocabulary began to enter Belarusian written language in the 15th century. What facil itated was the works of art based on Ukrainian sources, moving Grand Dutchy ofLithuania?s Orthodox center to Kiev, and some writers of the then territory of Belarus being from modern Ukraine.

Stil l do not believe me? See for yourself !

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why we understandother?

However, we cannot miss the notion that bears the name of ?interpreter?s false friends.? The Slavic languages are not an exception. Let?s have a look at just few examples out of many more in existence.

In the end, I have not forgotten to give you answers to the questions at hand. First, while in Polish ?uroda? means beauty, in Belarus it is translated as ?a person with exceptionally ugly appearance?. Secondly, it surely depends on who you are spending your time with. Options are: either on the sofa or on the carpet. Thirdly, Adam Mickiewicz is a Polish national hero who mostly wrote in Polish yet was born on the territory of modern Belarus and was hugely inf luenced by Belarusian customs and the local language which then was ref lected in his works.

Anyway, we may have borders marking a division between us, we may speak dif ferent languages, the States may implement distinct policies, but our past was closely intertwined and rich in shared loses and victories. Thus, from the perspective of each and every EYPer, we are certain to have common bright future.

by natal l ia valadzko13

In 2016 Ukrainians rated Lutsk to be among the 5 most comfortable towns to live in Ukraine (Social group ?Rating?, 2016). And it is not surprising - cosy narrow streets, the combination of historical buildings and modern street art works on walls of the buildings, a number of restaurants with tasty food, affordable prices and smiling faces. In order to f ind out why exactly people love Lutsk so much, I asked a couple of friends of mine from Lutsk to describe their favourite places as well as the atmosphere of the town.

Jul ia, 19 years old

For me, Lutsk is associated with comfort and cosiness. Every time I come here, I see how it is changing for the better and is becoming more European. I adore small streets in the old part of the town, the ancient castle and splendid view from the top of its towel. I l ike walking in parks on weekends when they are full of children?s laugh and joy, I l ike riding a bicycle on the new cycle line and having picnics in forests on the outskirts of the town. Although Lutsk is small, it is very calm and safe which is perfect for people who wish to live their l ives not in a hurry but in peace, enjoying every second of the day.

Viktoria, 20 years old

Have you ever been on the top of the Lubart Castle? When you go all the way up by the stairs to the Central Tower, you get the feeling of accomplishment as well as an excitement brought by the breathtaking view. After a long time being away from Lutsk, I visit the town once again and try to f ind even the tiniest changes in the landscape. It feels like home.

Sophia, 20 years old

As I have spent most of my lifetime in Lutsk, I know a lot of places here that may seem ordinary for a visitor but have special meaning for me. When I visit my hometown on weekends, I have several must-see places. Usually, I adore walking in the streets of the Old Town in the second half of the day and see the Lubart Castle when the sun goes down. This Castle is not only the symbol of our town but also a cultural centre, where dif ferent festivals are conducted. The one which is really worth seeing is called ?Night in the Castle? that is conducted annually. It is designed in the medieval style, with loads of food and drinks, f ire shows, concerts and dancing. I remember I have been to the jazz festival there and from my personal experience, l istening to the music in front of the Castle has its own uniqueness.

Yura, 18 years old

My favourite place in Lutsk is a stadium for students. I l ike it because there you can keep your body f it. You can also play dif ferent kinds of sports, be it volleyball, football or basketball. It is located on a quite large territory, so you can even take sunbathes there.

by nadiia railko14

what makes lutsk so special?

We are challenged every day. Every day we are given a chance to develop ourselves by leaving comfort zone. Generally, trying new things is quite daring. And, surely, attending an EYP session for the very f irst t ime is not an exception as such type of experience can be distinguished and unforgettable for many.

You go to a new place. You see your peers talking in English. You see so many strange faces. You are confused. You have no idea what to expect in the next few days.

Registration. You get your badge which means that the session has off icially started. And from this very moment, things begin to go really fast. Every minute gives you a litt le more knowledge about the unique world of EYP. You get to know new people. You f ind that some of them look pretty much like you. In this way, f irst friendships are born which may as well last a lifetime. The upcoming few days in Lutsk will look exactly l ike this. You will breathe, sleep and live EYP. And the session will be over before you even notice it.

That is what makes EYP so special. You come back home and you are broken. You cannot deal with the fact that the session is over. The combination of these syndromes is usually called the post EYP depression (PED). PED is when you miss people you had such a great t ime with. PED is when you do not want to get back to regular l ife. PED is contacting other participants immediately when you are at home. And PED is when you are will ing to apply for another session because you want to experience EYP once again.

Yes, it is always too early to end your EYP journey.

by marcin skiba

what is post eyp depression?

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"it is always too early to end your eyp journey"