Egle Kryzanauskaite

My Tandem journey started in 2019, when I was still studying in a cozy dutch student city – Groningen. One part of my study programme was a research internship, and the process of choosing (or getting chosen?) was a special one. I remember coming to a room, where I was told my internship interview would take place, and I suddenly found myself sitting in front of 5 to 10 (it was intense!) professors and academic staff looking at me. I shortly told about my research interests, which were somehow connected to grass-root level organizations and activism, and then the Harry-Potter-like process began – everyone started discussing, where I could fit. Katherine Watson, a Cultural Leader in Residence, asked me – would you like to go to Berlin? I think you could fit Tandem!

How little did I know back then! However, I decided to trust the process and in a few months I found myself in Berlin. I joined the Tandem team, had a very warm welcome, and immersed myself in both research and fieldwork. What a rewarding experience it was to mix and match academic and practical work! Months went fast forward – I finalized my research, Covid-19 pandemic started, I graduated, joined the Tandem 360° team… Many things happened, although I must admit that running an international exchange programme in times of the global pandemic is not a picnic. With things changing as fast as they do, with instability being the status quo, I still believe that doing the work we do at Tandem is of utmost importance and that doing it together is the only way. And a fun way! And I like fun.