International heart

When you look back into your life, what are the moments, the times, that make you smile?

Which experiences changed you? Which moments can you pinpoint that developed you as a human, and are the catalyst of a big part of your growth?

Happy memories after which you were never the same. They changed you so much that if you didn't have that, your life would be completely different and maybe you, as a person, would be as well.

For me, some of those formative, life-changing times, were spent at the International Astronomical Youth Camp, the IAYC.

The science was cool. I learned a lot about astronomy. But more than anything I learned to be fascinated by it. To look at the milky way, surrounded by other 50 people fascinated by the stars, and wonder what else was there but I couldn't see. Looking for long enough that more and more dots kept appearing. Seeing the night sky like I had never in my life seen it before.

And learning about the concepts of science, which I have always loved. Different kinds of stars, their birth and death... Mixed with some particle physics, understanding the theory of relativity, phycology... 

But what really changed my life was the diversity of people in there. I had barely left my country by the time I was planning the trip for my first camp. I took a plane for the first time to go to my first IAYC.

And there, at my fingertips, people from countries I had only heard of in the news. So many people with so many cultural differences, that it became difficult to separate in my mind, the personal traits of my friends, from the cultural characteristics of their homelands. Enriching, it was so incredibly, fascinatingly, enriching.

And at the end, what does it matter? We are all just individuals, just that. The camp ethos seemed to lean heavily into that. I don't remember, not even once, feeling that somebody's country of origin was an obstacle to approach them or befriend them. But this wasn't done through homogenization. On the contrary! Our differences were celebrated as something that made us more enriching to one another.

And I suppose nowhere were those celebrations more obvious than during the national evenings. In those, participants from each country showed something of their country's finest to the rest of us, be it food, festivities, history... Learning something that made them unique with respect to the rest of us made them seem more approachable. And differences between countries often became the perfect excuse for a conversation starter.

It was such a cool thing that each of us had different origins, and so, different stories and points of view, games to play or foods to eat, to share with the rest of us... That it was difficult for me to comprehend that, for somebody else, outside of the IAYC, coming from a different country could ever be a bad thing.

And it is for that same reason that, years later, when I heard the sentence "there's more that unites us than divides us", as an argument in favor of diversity and immigration, it made me turn my head in surprise. I agree with sentiment, don't get me wrong. It's just that it seems to imply celebrating our similarities rather than our differences and...  Aren't the traits that make us unique what can bring richness and beauty to the whole of us?

I suppose it just makes it obvious that the experiences lived inside the IAYC differ wildly to society's view regarding cultural diversity. I realized the IAYC provides a very special experience.

I understood at some point too that, because of that lived experience, mine was always going to be an international heart. The most comfortable when surrounded by people from different countries. The most comfortable when I am assumed to be from somewhere else, not from "here". Because no land that I am in, could be truly, fully, the land of my heart. Because my heart will always be an international heart.

And I don't think my experience is unique within those of us who experienced the IAYC. I think most of us felt it. That freedom within diversity. The joy of being surrounded by those that share with us the fact that we are different from one another.

But don't take my word for it. Trust the words of someone who has been an important piece of the intricate puzzle that is the inner heart of the IAYC. She spent four of her summers being part of the on-site organizing and leadership group of the IAYC, on top of her two previous summers as a participant. She is someone who I have the honour of calling my friend. And most definitely one of the culprits of opening my international heart.

Let's delight in the views and perspectives of Ana Klobučar (aka Anči).

Anči, you and I have touched on these topics already over the years. I obviously know of your life in aspects that relate to these questions. I want to ask you, please, (and make it clear to anyone reading), to not go in any depth that you don't feel comfortable sharing publicly. This can be about your general view with your years of experience in the camp, or your individual personal experiences, as much or as little as you want. So, without further ado:

How do you feel attending the IAYC initially changed your view on people from different cultural backgrounds?

This summer marks exactly 20 years since my first camp, IAYC2005, Zavadka nad Hromom, in Slovakia. I was 20 then, so it also means I have known IAYC and its people for half of my life. And that summer 20 years ago changed me on so many levels that it really felt like a new beginning, maybe the beginning of what I now see as my best youth days. 

It would take a novel to describe all the ways I was influenced by the internationality of the camp, but let me describe one aspect of it. I was born in Yugoslavia and the wars of the 90’s, the recession, the hatred and fear of the neighbouring countries marked my early childhood. There was no money to travel abroad, no ways to meet foreigners, and even though I was open minded and liberal, very much looking forward to the camp I just got accepted to, my first trip abroad - my stomach clenched a bit in anxiety when ahead of the camp I saw participants list and I saw 3 guys from Croatia will be there. Will they hate me? Avoid me? Be hurtful and shame me? Will it be at best awkward and at worst very unpleasant? 

It feels so silly now to remember this thoughts and feelings and I am close to feeling shame for admitting this, but also - I am 40 now and I learned along to way to cut myself a bit more slack and be more selfcompassionate and understanding. So all I wanna do now is go back in time and hug that young version of myself and tell her - all will be fine! That she and others from Serbia will bond with the boys from Croatia in the very first days of the camp, that beautiful close friendships will blossom and span for decades and that once she made friends with Mario, Mislav and Damir - her anxieties over our neighbours will forever melt. 

Do you feel the international influence of the IAYC has gone on to have an effect in your then-future? The path your life has followed, or particular aspects of the life you now live? How so?

I very much resonated with what you said about having an international heart - I believe every IAYCer suffers from the same lifetime condition and that it is not treatable - fortunately! Still some of my best friends are from the camp and abroad - my kids now have aunties and uncles from across Europe! As much as real life allows - we video call, we travel, we meet, we spend summer holidays or NY breaks together, we hold each others babies, we cook for each other, we come up with meaningful gifts and ways to mark important milestones, we are there for stressful “how do I deal with this lemon life gave me” calls, we think of the good old times of our youth… In a very real way - we witness each other. I feel like my international friends the camp gave me are the spice of my life. 

Would you say the international aspect of the IAYC has significantly influenced the person you are now? This could be related to your inner self, your behaviour in society, your view of the world, or anything else.

When trying to think of formative events in my life - apart from having children, nothing else as monumental comes to mind, nothing that shakes you up to the core and shifts your perspective so fundamentally. I feel that even now, 20 years later, when I switch to speaking English, our camp language - I become more extroverted and playful, more carefree and young in spirit, more social and constantly curious. I have no idea who I would be exactly without my lifelong IAYC family.  

And lastly, do you look back fondly on the multicultural aspect of the IAYC and the memories you may have related to that?

Oh yes… All it takes is to hear a few notes of some of the IAYC songs and I am right back in those mountains, under those stars, surrounded by peers from all over the world interested in science and discovery and exploration and adventure… What can beat that? 

Thank you so much for contributing to this, Anči. And to those reading her words, count yourself blessed. The person I am now is definitely more open, with a more curious mind, and more capable of putting myself in the shoes of others, thanks to all the moments shared together with Anči. So I hope you all gained something from reading her insights.

May your days be full of light, and cultural diversity.