Friday 21 February 2014

I'm back!

Yes... it's true! After 6 months away, I am back to Brussels and to its trainee life. As to sum up my time away, I can tell you that I have spent my summer in Portugal with my family and friends, I have been to Turin for the International Summer School on Regulation of Local Public Services (thanks to everyone who bought my cupcakes!), I have worked in the Embassy of Chile in Portugal and I have spent the new year's eve in Budapest. 

Now I am back to Brussels, again as a trainee, but this time in the European Parliament (in the cabinet of a MEP). So I am sure I'll have lots of new tips on the city+life to share here with you. With a plus: this time, although working in Brussels, I am living in Antwerp... so I'll have some info on this new city as well to share here :) stay tunned, once again!

8 comments:

  1. Is it possible to become a trainee at the EP after being a trainee at the EC?

    I thought it was totally forbidden,

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    1. Hello,

      It is possible because I am not a trainee of the EP, I am a trainee of a MEP. So, I did not apply to the general EP traineeship, that indeed forbids that you have a previous work experience in another institution. I belong to the staff of the cabinet of a MEP, so that rule does not apply :)

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  2. Welcome back! I'm looking forward to hearing all about your time at the EP

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  3. Que bom que estás de volta! Antes de eu vir viver para Bruxelas, li todos os Posts que escreveste aqui no teu blog! Bom saber que estás de volta ;)
    Antuérpia é uma cidade linda! Já lá fui algumas vezes, tem sítios muito bonitos e cafés adoráveis!

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  4. Good that you are to Brussels! Your blog is really useful.

    One practical information though as I'm curious about this. Do those traineeships in MEP cabinets follow any rules regarding salaries. Is is a fixed amount, or the MEP has liberty to determine how much he/she will pay to trainees.

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    1. Hello,

      It is not a fixed amount, each MEP has the liberty to determine how much they will pay to the trainees. Each MEP has a monthly allowance they can use for the administration costs of their cabinets, that includes the salaries to be paid to their assistants and trainees. From that amount they decide how much they want to pay to a trainee :)

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  5. Hey Mariana, I've been reading your blog a lot! I might need your help applying for EP traineeships, and I live in Antwerp as well, so if you want to have a coffee sometime, let me know!

    Cheer!

    Roxana

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    Replies
    1. Hello! I am not too familiar with the application to the EP traineeship (although it seems similar to the EC one), as I am indeed working in the EP, but in the cabinet of a MEP... so it´s a different kind of traineeship than the general one! But if I can help in something, I am available :)

      Regards,
      Mariana

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