Participant in Maribor - SCIM

Wet SCIM 2006

During those seven days of April we had quite a good time. SCIM conference had, like majority of similar events, educational and entertaining part. Parties were good, but the highlight of the whole event was the International party, the one where students represent their countries serving traditional food and drinks



By MILOŠ JOVANOVIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


Most of us, born in the beginning of the 1980s, have never visited Slovenia before even though it was part of our country when we were born. As a first ex-Yugoslavian state that became a part of EU, Slovenia asked our 5 members group to get visa in order to get to Maribor to attend Student Conference in Maribor (SCIM). Luckily enough, we managed to get them with shortened procedure while other Serbian participants came to Maribor on the second day of SCIM.

The most numerous groups of students were form Hungary and ex-Yugoslavian countries (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Macedonia),butparticipant came from Turkey, Cyprus, Romania, Finland, Germany... and even Australia and USA.

During those seven days of April we had quite a good time. SCIM conference had, like majority of similar events, educational and entertaining part. Educational part of SCIM was consisted of workshops and lectures dealing with the topic of Student life. There were two different workshops called Past and Present and their themes were globalization, Bologna process, NGOs and student associations, rights, possibilities and demands. It was very interesting to exchange opinions and discuss differences of student life issues in our countries.

Parties were good, but the highlight of the whole event was the International party, the one where students represent their countries serving traditional food and drinks. So many different tastes and liquors, salty and sweet specialties...

The biggest spoiler of the whole SCIM was bad weather. It was raining all the week. Weather almost ruined our sport activities on Pohorje skiing site. After six wet days, last day was all sunny, giving us opportunity to enjoy beautiful nature of Slovenian mountain. When there is no snow, during spring and summer, Pohorje becomes Adrenalin Park with all different kinds of extreme sports. We have experienced just a big swing located above great rocky depth and fast adrenalin down-the-hill rail slide.

Though SCIM is similar to other SOrCe network conferences, beauty and peaceful environment of Maribor, Drava River, natural green surroundings and Pohorje Adrenalin Park makes it unique, even if you need to carry umbrella all the time. I strongly suggest SCIM organizers to check weather forecast couple of times before they organize next SCIM.