Vox Pop: Julia from Poland

Age: 23
Country of origin: Poland
Country of residence: Belgium
Profession: European Studies Graduate and currently Trainee in European Affairs

Q: How does the EU influence your day-to-day life?
A: The EU allows me to work in a different country than my own, have friends from all over Europe, hear and learn many languages at once and easily eat cuisine originating from other countries.

Q: When you think about the EU, what is the first picture that comes to your mind?
A: The “EU and Schengen” signs at airports’ passport checks that allow me to easily travel across borders.

Q: End the sentence: “Twenty years from now the EU … “
A: …will continue to gain more competencies allowing it to influence even more policy areas.

Q: Choose three adjectives for the EU!
A: Responsive, ambitious, evolving.

Q: Explain the EU to an 8-year-old child (in elementary school) in one sentence.
A: The European Union is like your classroom, everyone in it is different, you don’t always get along or share the same ideas, but you know that you are a team and work best together.

Q: If the EU was an animal, what would it be and why?
A: A peacock. Because it attracts others by showing its best attributes.

Q: Is there a dish (in your country) that describes Europe best, and why?
A: Pierogi (dumplings)! Just like pierogi have different stuffing but ultimately all seem the same, we have different nationalities but are all ultimately Europeans.