Remember those dreams, where you and your friends go to a big city to experience different cultures, meet new people, and have the time of your life? No? Just me? Well, I have got to tell you, the International Motivational Weekend – IMW – in Munich, the so-called Bavarian Bonanza, was exactly, if not even better, like those dreams.
Where to begin the storytelling? Ah, let’s start at the beginning, as one usually starts a tale. Imagine a sunny Friday, you have just arrived in Munich after a few hours long drive with a bunch of your friends, and you chill at the beer garden. This time we picked at an amazing place called Augustiner-Keller, right next to the train and bus station, waiting for the departure to the IMW location. Don’t know what an IMW is? Well, let’s just say, it’s only a weekend long, but always super fun and non-forgettable. Roughly around 3 PM, we left the centre of Munich and drove to the suburbs, where we exited our train at the Assling station. We had about a 15-minute walk to our accommodation, called Jugendhaus Lechner. That is where the fun began.
After getting to know each other a bit better and meeting new members from other branches of EESTEC, we decided to relax a bit and enjoy the great weather. Some played volleyball, some played card games, and there were also a few people who rested a bit to gain strength for the upcoming evening activities and the party!
After the most amazing dinner ever – homemade pizza with various toppings – we dressed up and got ready for the campfire party! There was also a cocktail station where some of our EESTEC LC Zurich members proudly showed off their cocktail-mixing skills. With some chill music, we escorted the day into the night and started the first party night in the middle of Bavaria. Through dancing, singing, and enjoying each other’s company, we stayed up until early morning and even watched the sunrise with some new friends. But because sleep is (almost always) necessary, we headed to our beds and rested our eyes for a while – until breakfast!
Traditional Weisswurst sausages were served for breakfast along with the great freshly baked pretzels and multiple other options to choose from. Getting some energy into our systems after a long night was important, and so was the sunbathing afterward to produce some vitamin D. At around noon, we went for a walk around the neighbourhood, which offered us beautiful scenery. We saw never-ending fields full of blooming flowers, some horses, and lots of trees dancing in the light breeze of the wind.
Because the weather was super warm, we decided to spend our afternoon outside the house – playing volleyball, talking, listening to music, reading books, and enjoying a nice cold beer. It was then when you could catch up with old friends, who you haven’t seen in ages, or meet new friends, who you’ll miss after the event. It was also then when you could just enjoy the moment and not worry about a single thing.
After sunset, we had to prepare for yet another party: Tiki Island! Flowers, flowy dresses and shirts, parasols on pineapples and in our drinks, were all contributing to an atmosphere that we will remember for the rest of our lives. Feeling like you are on an exotic island, sipping cocktails and enjoying the smell of the ocean while laughing with your friends in the softness of the sunlight, while the sun is setting into the blue sea. Okay, there was no sea, we are in the middle of Europe, but still, every single thing fell into place and it was just awesome! Aha – and for the cherry on top, we also had Raclette! Because we wouldn’t be EESTEC LC Zurich without bringing cheese to the event and sharing it with others, because sharing is caring, right? During our cheese eating, we also managed to steal a flag (for those who don’t know, flag-stealing is one of the greatest traditions of EESTEC, where if stolen, the LC that lost the flag must do some sort of challenge to get the flag back) from EESTEC LC Istanbul!
On a Sunday morning, we cleaned up our rooms and went back to the centre of Munich, where each of us waited for their departure. Some went by train, some by bus and others by plane, but all of us with great new memories in our hearts. The last day is always the saddest and, at the same time, the most wonderful and hopeful. Because even though you are feeling down, the weekend is over and now all your (old and new) friends have to go home, you have a strong motivation to join other events in the future and see them all again!
