Today is the day! The waiting is over and all the pieces of this XXII National Selection Session are on the move, slowly coming together and merging in the puzzle of a perfect session.

The four-hour trip went by unnoticed, as the delegations filled the bus with laughter and joyful conversations. There were also some motions running around, in an augury of what will surely be a wonderful General Assembly. As the rain cudgeled the windows of the bus and as the skies caught fire with an occasional bolt of lightning, nothing scared the delegations of the great north. Their iron will could not be undone: they’re ready to put up a fight and to make the most out of this session.

João Moreira

My name is Chloé Barton, I am 17 years old and I live in Oeiras. I was born in London but then came to Portugal when I was 3 years old. My EYP life began at last year’s national session in Porto, since then I have participated in an international session, I have been an organizer and I will be part of the press team at this national session, which I am very excited about.

There are quite a few things I can write about myself that will help you to get to know me better. First of all you should know that I am completely nuts about dance and every other thing related to the performing arts. I have been dancing for 13 years now and it is definitely my one true passion. I am into many kinds of dance such as ballet, contemporary dance, jazz, tap dance and modern dance. Besides dancing I also love singing (all the songs on my Ipod have the lyrics as an attachment so that I can sing along to them), eating (people never believe this but I actually eat quite a lot), watching films and series (my favourite is “How I Met Your Mother”) and reading. I can’t think of many things that I dislike, but the one thing that I absolutely hate and that would have to be at the top of the list is the fact that people constantly mispronounce my name.

As for my career prospects I am still slightly indecisive. In an ideal world I would definitely choose to study dance and become a performer, but in the real world I am still deciding between Journalism and Diplomacy which I am more inclined towards (I actually still think I can fulfil my childhood dream of changing the world single handedly).

As my colleagues mentioned, I too anxiously wait to meet you all and assist what I hope will be a thrilling and dynamic debate. Good luck!

Chloé Barton

We are about to witness a glorious moment: The XXII National Selection Session, in Sintra! A promising three-day session lies ahead of us, providing young people with an opportunity to discuss the most relevant problems our society faces nowadays. However, a huge amount of lyricism is required to believe that the worldwide known excitement of each EYP session is uniquely generated by debating. So, the press team that I am proudly part of is responsible for not letting the memory of these wonderful days, which includes each and every sign of gossiping, fall into oblivion.

Well, taking into account what my colleagues wrote so far, I think I should have started the other way around… Despite this, it´s never too late (and always enriching) to know my name: Tiago Martins. I´m seventeen years old and I´m from Porto.

Being a journalist urges in each one of us the need to be attentive to every detail even those ordinary people would consider meaningless. Having lived seventeen years with myself, I believe this task won´t be much of a problem, even though sometimes I may look alienated.

Time is ruthless! Three days to put together a memorable newspaper. And when I mention three days, I mean it literally. The comfort of smooth bed sheets will be an unattainable reality, something an EYPer has to get used to.

Besides this, I´m just an ordinary guy who likes reading, watching a good TV show, exchanging profound ideas with people (a mere chatter…), and so on. I almost forgot to say that my apparent emotional stability has earned me a quite interesting sort of nickname: “O sempre em pé”.

Just like every delegate, chair, journalist and organiser, I want this session to be a huge success, hoping to be a valuable help.

EYP love for everyone!

Tiago Martins

Let me introduce myself: my name is Ana Isabel, I’m twenty years old and I live in Porto. I am currently studying Applied Languages – Translation and I will be part of the press team in the XXII National Selection Session of the EYP, in Sintra.

It’s complicated to figure out what kind of things you should know about me. I’m most often described as “not a normal person” even though I don’t quite understand what this is supposed to mean. My, let’s say, “range” of behavior goes from easy-going and sociable to mean, stubborn and sarcastic. I’m a big fan of irony and some call me “mau feitio”. Now don’t be scared by that, all in all I tend to be a good person. =)

I love music, writing, pretending (in the “convincing people” sort of way), taking pictures and acting stupid. I also love random conversations, in which one talks about everything from music, architecture, religion and mysticism, mostly because I love learning new stuff.

During this session you can count on me to be your eyes and ears and write about anything and everything. So beware, even if you don’t see me it doesn’t mean I’m not there.

Looking forward to meeting you,

Ana Isabel Gonçalves

Let me welcome you… to me! My name is João Moreira, I’m seventeen and I’m from Matosinhos, Porto! I’m taking part in this wonderful session as one of the guys that will follow you around with a picture-thirsty camera and a gossip-starved notebook! That’s right: I belong to the proud press team of this XXII National Selection Session of the EYP, which will take place in the gorgeous village of Sintra.

As for myself, I’d like to warn you in advance that I am very curious which, I guess, makes me somewhat fit for this job! Therefore beware, for I will hunt down all of you gossipers and make you share your thoughts, from the most innocent to the wicked, through my persuasive diplomatic skills and the blinking of my big eyelashes!

If all of that doesn’t work, maybe a ballad from my violin or guitar will do the trick! I’m a musician for eleven years now and a passionate for music and live concerts! Wherever I go my earphones are sure to follow! I also have an unconditional love for nature and a certain aversion to some aspects of our society that threaten our beautiful planet Earth.

I love meeting new people, and I’m always ready to throw a smile at anyone who crosses my path, and in EYP I most certainly will! Having said that, I love laughing; it gives me a sense of enormous well being, so count me in for all kinds of fun. I’m always up for it! I also enjoy a nice piece of conversation, but I really dislike small talk. What I don’t dislike though is food, so you better keep an eye out for me in the Eurovillage or your table will not live long! ;D

All in all, I consider myself a friendly person whose solo will in this session is to make you comfortable and guarantee you will have a blast!

Yours truly,

João Moreira

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bernardo Castro, I’m eighteen and I’m from Porto. I study Law and I will be part of the journalists’ team in this XXII National Selection Session of the EYP, in Sintra.

There are several things that you really must know about me! For instance, I play the harmonica (which I named “Becas”), so don’t be surprised if, during the coffee breaks and the Eurovillage, you hear some known songs such as “love me do”, “yellow submarine”, the Dragonball GT theme song, “Big Fat Pony”, among many others.

Another curiosity that you will notice is that I have a crush for silly hats. For me, the sillier it is, the better it will look… I have a whole collection of hats, and I’m not talking about ordinary caps! I only collect the most exclusive pieces, from the typical French beret to the Portuguese bull fighters’ hat.

Are you superstitious? Because I’m one of the most superstitious people that you will find during this session! In spite of not showing it, there are many signs that I interpret as a premonition of bad luck. I never sit on the corner of a table, I never eat when there are thirteen people on a table, I never leave my shoes unbuckled and I simply cannot stand the idea of having a black cat in my way. You will also probably notice that every single time I step into any place, I always do it with my right foot.

During this session you can call me whenever you need me, using one of the many nicknames that I possess: Barney, Bernie Mac, Benny, and Gonzalez are some examples of nicknames that you will hear people call me and which you can also use.

Besides my musical skills and my superstitious ways, what you really have to know is that I am a friendly person who likes to get in touch with his friends and gives a huge value to a nice chat. Am I a silly person? Am I a friend? Am I an EYP lover? Am I a nice guy?

Believe me when I say that I’m a mixture of all that!

Yours truly,

Bernardo Castro

It’s with great honour that the Press Team of the XXII National Selection Conference of the EYP Portugal welcomes you to this blog.

Two weeks ahead from the Session you are invited to get to know who is taking part on it! However, this blog isn’t something static; the Press Team will try to make it a constantly updated newsfeed, not forgetting that our main goal is to introduce you to the spirit of an EYP session.

During the Session, this blog will be the place where information that couldn’t get into the newspaper is added. Video footage, pictures, silly or really serious texts, all those will find their place here to make this session last forever!

Talking about the newspaper, the key word of this session’s newspaper is innovation; that is to say we want the newspaper to be creative, funny, audacious and everlasting. Not that things are immortal, but we’re sure this Session will be of great importance to everyone that takes part in it. Giving that, we are willing to produce a session newspaper that not only entertains you during the Session, but reminds you, when back home, of the good moments you had.

Saying this, it’s time to wish you the best luck for this Session! We don’t know about you, but we are anxious to start blogging and writing the newspaper!

Your editor,

Diogo