Who's Who in Europeia

Executive Clerk · Mar 16, 2015

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #2
Cordova

PhDre: What is your first memory of Europeia? Did you have any previous NS experience? if so what was it?

Cordova: My first memory of Europeia was how big it was...and how much it resembled what a real region looked like. I was first introduced to Europeia by way of a former citizen called Rotalsia. Lethen and HEM and other older members would know him. Rot was the founder of a region called Aurosia, a region that he recruited me to. I was the Speaker of the Council there. Later, I was introduced to HEM and to Europeia by Rot. I remembered that I was impressed by how large it was (I mean, there was even a section for every thread). Keep in mind that I had just come from a tiny little region that was just starting out. It had only a few threads and 4 active members.

Anyway, I was immediately hooked on Europeia, so I applied for citizenship. At that point, it had just transitioned from a monarchy to a republic and so I thought: here's my chance. I can be a pioneer and help shape the Republic of Europeia, an effect that could last for years. And so, I took on leadership roles in the government and I'd like to think I contributed to this great region.

Please see this for more details: http://s6.zetaboards.com/Europeia/topic/1270939/1/#new

PhDre: Who was the Europeian who helped you the most when you were starting out in the region? How did they help you?

Cordova: There were three actually, but the one that influenced me the most was definitely HEM. I understand he's a role model and mentor to a lot of citizens and this is no accident. His patience and friendly demeanor really won me over. He understood that when you're just starting out, you're gonna ask a lot of newbie questions, which I did. Instead of laughing at me or scolding me, he patiently guided me through minor government positions. I was our Ambassador to Hampshire and later the Junior Minister of Finance, back when we had an economy. A lot of newer members don't know this, but yes, we did have an economy back in the day.

Anyway, HEM's patience was what endeared me to him. He allowed me to flourish and for this, I'll always be grateful him.

Look at me. I'm gushing. I guess I just really really like HEM. lol

The second person who helped me out a lot was Lethen. He is technically my NS father and although we didn't always see eye to eye, I have immense respect for him, because he gave me much advice and guidance back when I was first starting out.

The third person is Pineapleboy. A lot of the newer members have never met him and some have never even heard of him, but Pine was the first person who believed in me enough to give me my first high-ranking position in the government: Foreign Secretary. He was one of the first Presidents in the early days of the Europeian Republic and he had this unique system where you could sign up to become a cabinet member. He would post cabinet sign-ups in the Cabinet Office and he would pick who he wanted to serve in which position.

He was the one who propelled me forward, allowing me to have a basis upon which to build my political career in Europeia.

PhDre: What is the first position that you remember holding in Europeia?

Cordova: My first positions I remember holding were Ambassador to Hampshire and Junior Minister of Finance (under HEM, who was the Minister of Finance).

PhDre: What would you consider your greatest contribution in Europeia? what is your legacy?

Cordova: Definitely Foreign Secretary. That position allowed me to make a mark on the region and launched my political career. When people saw how much I contributed to the region when I resigned from the position six months later, I was elected Speaker of the Senate.

When I was first appointed by former President Pineapleboy, I was only the second Foreign Secretary since the formation of the Republic of Europeia. Delvetia was my predecessor. The Department of Foreign Affairs was very new and didn't have much structure to it.

Perfect, I thought. This newness allowed me to shape it any way I wanted.

And so, my legacy is the pioneering of the Foreign Ministry.

Please see this for more details: http://s6.zetaboards.com/Europeia/topic/1270920/1/#new

PhDre: What is your greatest regret in Europeia?

Cordova: Not returning sooner after my absence.

PhDre: How do you see yourself contributing to Europeia moving forward?

Cordova: After failing in the last Senate election (which, by the way, was the first time I had ever lost an election in Europeia), I've decided to settle into a kind of semi-retired status in Europeia. I'll be an active participant in cultural and other events in the region, but my days of seeking elected office are over.

I'd like to be a kind of stalwart guardian of the region, someone who can offer advice for the benefit of the region based on his immense past experience. Just as in the past, I'd like to help steer a strong Europeia into the unknown future.

Executive Clerk · Mar 16, 2015

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #3
Malashaan

Sopo: Welcome to another edition of Who's Who in Europeia! I'm joined today by President Malashaan, who is completing his term in the Goldenblock. Thanks for joining me!

Malashaan: You're welcome, it's a pleasure to be here.

Sopo: Tell us a little about your background in the game. How did you get into NationStates, and how long have you been playing?

Malashaan: I can't remember exactly when I started playing, but I believe it was some time in 2005. I quickly ended up in Democrats - I'm not sure why as I was living in England at the time and had no interest in US politics - but as it turned out, it really wasn't a US politics themed region anyway. I worked on their first constitution and was heavily involved for many years. In 2011 I started to tire of some toxic politics there and started looking for another home. I co-founded a couple of regions, but they didn't come to much, and I eventually stumbled in Europeia.

Sopo: What about Europeia appealed to you?

Malashaan: I searched for regions with the "regional government" tag. After reviewing Europeia's laws, I was impressed with the quality and depth. I also remembered being told that Europeia had a great legal system a few months earlier, so it seemed like a good place to try

Sopo: Well, we're certainly glad you ended up here. What part of the region did you get involved with first after joining?

Malashaan: I briefly dabbled in the City Council (the predecessor of the Citizens' Assembly) and very quickly needed up in the Senate.

Sopo: Most Europeians are aware of your prodigeous Senate career. How many terms did you serve in the Senate?

Malashaan: I believe it was 8, in two chunks. Although one of them was cut short by a recall of the entire Senate.

Sopo: I remember that, though it's a bit blurry now. I think I may have been involved. What was your favorite part about being a Senator?

Malashaan: I enjoy the collaborative problem solving - working with a group of intelligent people to find the precise words that precisely define what we want the law to be is highly rewarding. It's still my favorite aspect of the game.

Sopo: Do you see yourself returning to the Senate when your time in the Executive is over?

Malashaan: Honestly, that was my originally my plan when I decided not to stand for a second term, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to be Mouse's running mate - I think she will make a great President, either next term or in future.

Sopo: Speaking of that, what drove you to run for President last term?

Malashaan: There were a number of factors. One of the significant ones was that I had been involved in early discussions about the possibilities of using mixlr, and I wanted to make sure that that happened. I also had been around Europeia a long time and never run for President. I had a lot of ideas that ran across the spectrum of Ministries, and it felt like being President would be the best way to implement them - it felt like the right time to take that step.

Sopo: Do you feel like you were able to accomplish everything you set out to do as president?

Malashaan: No, but I achieved most of it, and I achieved a whole bunch of stuff that wasn't in my initial plan but came up through the term. With the stuff that hasn't progressed as much as I had hoped, I am still relatively content - I feel I've set the stage for my successor to pick up the baton.

Sopo: What would you say your greatest accomplishment has been?

Malashaan: Right now I am most proud of the success of the Winter Ball. Right up until the launch I was concerned that no one would show up and it would be a flop. The fact that people came to Europeia from so many regions and really enjoyed themselves (and were impressed with the party we hosted) is really good for our reputation - I hope future Presidents will follow my suggestion and make it an annual event.

Sopo: It certainly did go well, and some of those diplomats have regularly poked about our forums since. If your ticket is elected, how do you see your role in government changing once you and Mouse are inaugurated again, but in reverse? or perhaps a better question, what about your role will stay the same?

Malashaan: I think a lot of the "invisible" stuff will remain the same - helping out with planning events and discussing strategy in cabinet meetings, etc. However, a lot less of my time will be spent making final executive decisions and dealing with crises, which will free me up to focus on more implementing projects. For example, I am hoping to spend a lot more time ensuring newcomers can find meaningful work within the government.

Sopo: Do you have any advice for the newcomer aspiring Europeian politician?

Malashaan: Don't be afraid to get involved early, and take the opportunity to learn from the more epxerienced members. We have an amazing number of talented people and you can really develop rapidly if you find one or more good mentors. In my case, I learned from Swakistek in my early days, and I will always be grateful for that.

Sopo: Thank you very much for joining me, and good luck with the last days of your term!

Malashaan: Thank you, I really appreciate the effort you put into these interviews.

Sopo: Of course. It's my pleasure.

Executive Clerk · Mar 16, 2015

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #4
Lethen

Sopo: Welcome back to Who's Who in Europeia! Today I am joined by Lethen, current Supreme Chancellor and former everything else. Thanks for joining me.

Lethen: Thank you for having me. Good thing too; I was getting tired of playing Skype tag. *shakes fist at the Sloth*

Sopo: How did you get started in NationStates, and how long have you been playing now?

Lethen: Hmm...well, it's a funny story. A friend of mine was showing another friend of mine NationStates while I was on a 4-H trip to Washington DC, and I happened to remember NS when I came home after that week. Set up my nation (Lethen) and joined Great Britain & Ireland in July 2006.

Sopo: What was your experience like as a newcomer in GB&I?

Lethen: Pretty stereotypical, I'd say. I really got involved with a few people in spamming and such (MGB - founder of Empires of Earth; and Fenchurch - the Kaiserin of TNI being two of those people on the self-titled "Spam Team"), and eventually decided to run for Minister of Parliament. I was an MP, and I had a paper I organized and ran too called the Free People's Gazette. I clashed a few times with a now-famous penguin, and did eventually make my way into GB&I's Cabinet. My timeline for "newcomer" is a bit skewed since it's so long ago, but I joined in July 2006 and got pretty involved with GB&I, TNI, and the LKE (and EoE, to a lesser extent) that same year. By the time I joined Europeia in 2007, I was still involved in those regions to varying degrees.

Tl; dr version - I think my newcomer experience was pretty typical

Oh, that's also where I met NES. I was extremely lucky in the sense that I had so many friends and role models to learn from that were experienced players like R3n, NES, etc.

Sopo: So, you mention joining Europeia in 2007, how did you end up here?

Lethen: Well, I met another person in my travels who I would quickly befriend by the name of HEM.

He had founded at least two other regions beforehand, but when he founded Europeia he pestered me to join. I kept saying no, but the arrows were pointing that way already. For one, things were winding down in the regions I was involved in. There was less intrigue once we managed to set limits on the Kaiserin's powers in TNI (i.e. no more dynamic between strict Monarchists arguing for absolute power and those that wanted to see limits on that power); the LKE closed their forums (I don't know exact dates, but Onder would know); EoE had been slowly dying; and GB&I was also beginning to die.

My point is that as I lost interest in these regions, I became more and more interested in becoming involved with HEM's latest project region. It was founded in March, and I believe I joined in April. That being said, I did disappear for a bit before returning to Europeia. Lord Alphanesia, an infamous fellow to those who have heard of him or worked with him or spent time near him, was somewhat involved in the region and staged an elaborate ceremony welcoming me back claiming that I had been on some sort of very important intelligence gathering mission for Europeia (complete load of shit that HEM and I were in on). The rest was history.

Sopo: So all of your participation in Europeia was built on a lie?

Lethen: Hah, yes. We can go with that.

Sopo: What was Europeia like in those early days?

Lethen: The Wild West?

Honestly, good question. We had a lot less in terms of legislation, and there was a lot more political intrigue. We didn't have much in terms of seasoned players, so it was pretty easy to imagine that Europeia wouldn't survive the year. I think the mean reason we did last was a combination of luck and hard work.

There was definitely a ruling elite back then. And we had our fair share of crazies, too: Paleomiz, PRA (People's Republic of Ashedo), etc. Hell, Allied Alliances was our Grand Admiral for a while (and a good one too). You could definitely get away with a whole lot more, that's for sure.

Sopo: I miss AA.

Lethen: I kind of do too

Sopo: What was your first job in Europeia? Elected office, or whatever the first thing is you remember.

Lethen: Oh, god...where's HEM when you need him? I don't remember my first job, but I can run off a list of all the jobs I've had. Will that work?

President, Vice President, Vice Chancellor, Supreme Chancellor, Speaker, Senator, City Councillor, Finance Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Grand Admiral, Minister of Culture, Minister of Foreign Cultivation, and I think Minister of Interior, Minister without Portfolio/Chief of Staff, and...that might be it. I don't think I was around to be Prime Minister or whatever government it was that we had in place before we settled on a Senate, President, etc.

Oh I think I was also Attorney General, briefly.

Sopo: Which was your favorite?

Lethen: Well, Supreme Chancellor of course. Who doesn't love ruling over you puny forumites?

I kid, I kid.

Serious answer! Well, I'd have to say it's a tie between Senator (depending on the term), President, and Minister of Culture. Senator was good because we actually had things to legislate and we had vigorous debates back in the early days of Europeia (good examples were the Senate and Grand Hall discussions on legislating the Parliamentary Procedures Act into existence). President was good because there was a lot going on domestically that kept things interesting (Euro was still fairly isolationist back then). And Minister of Culture was fantastic because of how successful of a run I had and how much fun I had running the Ministry (thanks in large part to my fantastic newcomer Assistant Ministers named Drexlore, Shadowlurker/Alexander, and Seven Deaths).

Sopo: Haven't seen much of those guys lately, with the exception of SD.

Running Culture is a lot of fun. I have the priviledge of having something like 14 AMs

Lethen: Lucky you! I had half that haha

Sopo: You mention that you were President of Europeia. What was that experience like for you, and how did you come to hold the office?

Lethen: I've been President a few times: July 2007 to August 2007; November 2007 to March 2008; and October 2009 to November 2009.

The first time I was elected (terms were only a month back then) and HEM didn't think it was a remarkable term since I was gone for the last week or so of said term

The second term was actually two consecutive terms, and I believe that was also a planned run. I don't remember much about the Presidency, since it was so long ago.

The third term was short and unplanned, and here's an interesting address on that topic: http://s6.zetaboards.com/Europeia/topic/1255486/1/

Sopo: Sure, sure. Plan on taking another stab at it?

Lethen: Oh god, never. I am nowhere near qualified to be a President in today's Europeia.

Sopo: Why's that?

Lethen: I don't have anything close to the foreign affairs experience that I feel the job requires, and I am not nearly active enough to handle all the issues that arise on a daily basis. It's a young man's game.

Proverbially speaking, of course. It's also a young woman's game.

Sopo: What advice do you have for the newcomers today?

Lethen: Be patient, be outgoing, and listen to the advice given to you. Don't be afraid to ask questions, too.

Also duck when Drecq is nearby.

Sopo: What do you think your greatest achievement in NS is?

Lethen: My greatest achievement in NS? Europeia.

Sopo: Oh! I nearly forgot. How did you become Supreme Chancellor?

Lethen: I was Vice Chancellor for a while, and HEM resigned as Supreme Chancellor due to regional turmoil where he felt partly to blame. I took over the role with the clear intent to hold the position until he came back, and after sometime the region wanted him back as Supreme Chancellor. I appointed him as a VC, then resigned, and things were right in the world.

Not long thereafter, in one of the most touching NS-related gestures I've ever seen, he went to the Senate and asked that they amend the proper laws to create a second Supreme Chancellor office so that we would be equals. HEM often says that I'm the reason Europeia was able to last as long as it has and blossom, and I've been so heavily involved that oftentimes I feel like a de facto co-founder myself. It was an amazing honor.

Sopo: The region is lucky to have you with us, Lethen. Thanks for agreeing to do this interview.

Lethen: Thank you for having me on the show, Sopo.

Executive Clerk · Sep 25, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #5
Aexnidaral

Snowball: When and how did you get started in NationStates?

Aexnidaral Seymour: Oh geeze, it's truly been so long that I can't recall the exact reason why I got into NS. Just a few days ago I happened to be looking at my Nation and realized it was my 9th year anniversary of it's creation. Of course, I didn't play for all of those 9 years, and the current stint I've had being active since 2015 is probably my longest term of being around.

I think I got into NS from The Devil's Game, or something, ironically enough. I must've been googling like "make your own country" or looking for some kind of political roleplay.

Snowball: What was your first region that you were active in?

Aexnidaral Seymour: That's a good question. If I can pull the name out of the back of my head, I think it was the Brotherhood of Blood where I had first come to NationStates and started to be active in. But, I would call Europeia my first, and true, home.

Snowball: So you lurked for a little from region to region?

Aexnidaral Seymour: Yeah, I think that's often common for new players. They often don't settle into the first Region they're in all the time. It's like dating, you've got to date different people to find out what you like, sometimes. I went through a handful of regions where I was moderately active, but Europeia's always been the place I wanted to be.

Snowball: Yeah thats what I did.
What drawed you to Europeia?

Aexnidaral Seymour: Hmmmm... back when I was first active through 09-12 Europeia seemed like the UCR to be in. It was growing, and vibrant, and loud. People we're willing to throw eachother under the bus to get a leg up. It was probably the truest representation of RL politics I've seen on an internet game, to some extent.

I think Europeia draws a lot of ambitious players in NationStates because it isn't easy to go places. You've got to work hard-- really hard to get somewhere. Things aren't handed to you, and they certainly aren't always forgiving of you, haha.

I was also drawn to Europeia because it was progressive. At the time back in 09, it was still pretty hard to be openly gay, even on the internet. I was a young kid coming to grips with puberty, and sexuality, and Europeia ultimately felt like a place where I could be myself, in my own skin, without having to be in the closet.

Snowball: Did Europeia have a particularly LGBTQ acceptive community compared to today?

Aexnidaral Seymour: Oh, definitely. Europeia's always been fairly progressive. I think lots of our really socially conservative members from back then have either left or evolved on the issue.

Snowball: And how has Europeia helped you grow as a person?

Aexnidaral Seymour: I think one of the most important lessons I've learned from being here is simply: don't give up.

If I gave up fighting when I was wrongly accused of pornspam, I wouldn't be here. If I gave up fighting I wouldn't have had my name cleared. If I gave up fighting I wouldn't have been elected to any of the Offices I've held.

Europeia really was the place that instilled the attitude of work hard, accept your failures, and work to better yourself.

Snowball: And how has that helped you in real life?(edited)

Aexnidaral Seymour: I'm a person who struggles with anxiety and depression in real life. It's easy for a little setback to turn into something that feels much larger. Europeia really taught me how to tune out some of the signal and noise and how to be able to cut through it to get something done.

Snowball: So where did you start out in europeia

Aexnidaral Seymour: Oh, gosh I'm not sure it's been so long. I think I started out being active in the City Council when I first came back. I'm not even sure what the big issues of the day were anymore, haha. That was shortly before my wrongful ban, when I came back I got my "restart" in the Senate where I ran relatively soon after being readmitted and beat a pretty popular member at the time, Peaceful Llamas, by the skin of my teeth.

Snowball: Why were you banned than reinstated?

Aexnidaral Seymour: At the time Anumia revealed misleading and inaccurate information that I had participated in porn-spamming a Region, and thus engaged in forum destruction. It took me awhile to clear my name, but eventually thanks in large part to NES, HEM, and Lethen I was able to do just that.

Snowball: Who was the Europeian(s) who helped you the most when you were starting out in the region?(edited)

Aexnidaral Seymour: Oh, gosh, that's an interesting question. Let me think...
Over the years through my coming and going I've forged a lot of relationships with lots of different people. NES, Lethen, HEM, CSP, Skizzy, McEntire, Rach, WL, Mouse, NK... Lots-- tons of people. I've been extraordinarily lucky to have been helped to find my feet by so many different people in Europeia, I can't even begin to name them all.

Snowball: Anyone in particular?

Aexnidaral Seymour: You know, I'm not sure. I can't point to one specific person and say "I would've just left without them" -- Europeia's a community effort, and I'm lucky to have gotten help from so many different people.

Snowball: Its a team effort
What positions have you held?

Aexnidaral Seymour: Oh gosh, let's see...

President
Vice President
Speaker of the Senate, I think I'm the fourth longest serving Speaker in our history?
World Assembly Delegate
Senator
Chief of Staff
Justice
Minister of Interior
Deputy Minister
City Councilor / Citizens' Assemblyman

I've done lots of things. :stuck_out_tongue: I'm everywhere!

Snowball: Pretty much everywhere
What was your favorite one to hold?

Aexnidaral Seymour: I wouldn't say I have had a favorite. Each time I've held an office it's been a different, unique learning experience. No two terms are the same. I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience I've had in all of my positions-- both my successes and failures have taught me a great deal about myself, and the world at large.

Regardless of the position, it's a great honor to be entrusted by your peers, with a responsibility to do all the good you can for the Region and our future.

Snowball: So each position taught you something important? Can you give an example?(edited)

Aexnidaral Seymour: Yeah, of course! I think some of the most impactful lessons come from our failures, and my largest failures occurred when I was Speaker and President.

My term as President will likely be lost in the pages of history as a term that wasn't great, nor awful. And that's OK. Usually, I'm fairly good at trusting my gut and acting pretty swiftly and decisively on things, but when I was President things seemed to move in both slow motion and at ten times the speed! I don't think anyone is truly prepared for their term in Office as President, but I learned to trust my gut and don't second guess yourself. Do what you know is right-- even if it isn't good politics.

When I was Speaker I think the largest lession I learned was that the road to hell can be paved with the best of intentions. I strongly believe our legislative language should be gender neutral and worked very hard to come up with legislation that I thought would work. I consulted closely with Malashaan. But, in the end there were sloppy holes that prevented it from being effective legislation.

Snowball: What is currently the most important issue for you?

Aexnidaral Seymour: Right now one of my biggest focus is a gameside one: trying to maximize our World Assembly membership, and our endorsement count on the Delegate. It's not a particularly sexy issue-- but it's an important one.

But, regionally and culturally? Being more honest and transparent. Too much of our politics happens in the backrooms. We snipe at each other passive aggressively on Discord rather than trying to engage in constructive conversations.

Snowball: What would you consider the highlight of your career?

Aexnidaral Seymour: I've never been a person who wanted to have one defining issue. I don't want people to point to one thing and go "Aex did that!"

The highlight of my career would be something I still am very passionate about to this day: engaging with new members and trying to make them feel comfortable in Europeia.

It's something I've always tried to do throughout my time here. I've always been someone who believes that the best way to get people engaged in Europeia isn't to have them read a book on some subforum, but to interact with them, get to know them, and form a friendship with them. The highlight of my career is seeing "new members" find their place, getting elected to Office, being appointed to Cabinet or Judicial positions-- or just plain finding that they like to recruit, or write articles.

Snowball: I have certainly seen that from you.
How long do you want to hold the WAD office and remain active?

Aexnidaral Seymour: I'm in it for the long haul. I plan on busting my ass to do a great job for as long as Europeia will have me.

Snowball: And I wish you the best of luck.
Anything else you want to say?

Aexnidaral Seymour: No, this has been a great interview-- you did a great job, Snowball. I look forward to seeing you forge your path in Europeia and hope I'll get to see your success in your future Offices.

Executive Clerk · Sep 29, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #6
Brunhilde

Festavo: Welcome to Who's Who in Europeia! I am joined here today by Vice Chancellor Brunhilde. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Brunhilde: It's my pleasure! After all, all I have to do is look presentable and answer questions. What's not to love?

Festavo: Haha true. This is an easy gig so let's dig in. How did you get started in NationStates?

Brunhilde: In the tail end of 2014, I was struggling to find interest in most parts of life during a difficult part of my life when my ex told me about the game. At first I didn't see the appeal. A text based political simulater with player constructed scandals didn't really seem like my cup of tea. Thankfully, I gave it a shot and got my start in Europeia and The Communist Bloc where I got my first taste of the game. Not all of it was great in the beginning, but it sparked a bit of competitiveness in me and lended itself well to creating friendships which has kept me going strong ever since then.

Festavo: What made you join Europeia at first?

Brunhilde: Europeia got the compliment of being "Interesting and competitive." That combination assured that my curiousity was peaked and the forums being pretty certainly didn't hurt things. Combine those two things with a comnunity that welcomed me and I was hooked.

Festavo: If you had to describe Europeia in a few words today, would you choose "interesting and competitive"?

That's probably the most cliche way to describe Europeia, but I don't know if I'd describe it quite like that. If I had to choose a sentence to describe Europeia I'd say "Europeia is the quintessential example of challenging regional politics." I think its this internal challenge that pushes us to seek success in Europeia.

Festavo: You mentioned Europeia being welcoming to you when you joined. Where did you get your start in Europeia? What was your first job or position?

Brunhilde: I joined Europeia in December of 2014 and was appointed Culture Minister in February of 2015, which was my first Executive Position. Before that, I was elected to serve in the Senate in the January 2015 General Election.

Festavo: Were you surprised to be welcomed into the fold of government so quickly?

Brunhilde: In the Month of December, I spent most of the month serving as a Senate Aide to RZM/Shin while I also read pretty much every speech, law, campaign, and debate that I could get my hands on. For my actual campaign, I spent a large chunk of time preparing and ensuring that I had a finger on the pulse of the region's current debates. By the time the results were in, I was just happy my work paid off.

Festavo: What positions have you held in Europeia in your time here?

Brunhilde: I've served Two Terms as Senator, Three Terms as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Culture, and Vice President. I've also served in various Deputy Minister positions.

Festavo: Out of all the positions you have held, which did you enjoy the most and which do you feel you did the best job at?

Brunhilde: My dream job since getting settled in Europeia had always been Minister of Foreign Affairs and once I got there, I was a nervous wreck. I was jittery, hoping to prove myself, and far too eager. Once I got over that anxiety and settled into the position, I quickly found myself enjoying the position more than any I had ever had before.

Festavo: Do you feel that, out of all the positions you held, your best performance was in that position?

Brunhilde: Yes, absolutely. I fell ill shortly after becoming the VP and was unable to help. As a Senator, I didn't have many fresh ideas and while I'm happy with my time there I don't believe I was particularly inspiring. Being a Culture Minister was a lot of fun, but I felt I let my festival, Singles Awareness Day, get out of hand and even though the festival was a success it went beyond what I had envisioned for it. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs I feel I was finally able to make things click. I brought in multiple new treatied partners, established a training system with the help of a great set of Training Deputies, and was finally able to see the Anti-Nazi effort I had always wanted come to light. The end of my third term as MoFA was the proudest I had ever been in myself as a Europeian.

Festavo: What would you say is your single biggest achievement?

Brunhilde: CAIN is undoubtedly my biggest achievement. It took more planning, time, and effort than any project I've undertaken for NationStates and the result was one that I will forever be proud of, regardless of what comes of the organization in the long run.

Festavo: What would you say is your single biggest failure?

Brunhilde: I view being unable to find someone to "take the reigns" from me in leading CAIN as my biggest failure. To lead CAIN you need to be capable of maintaining support within the signatory representatives in the hopes that they will advocate for CAIN within their home while also ensuring that the signatories work together. You also have to be a driving force of activity. I was able to do that, but I should have spent more effort finding someone else who could do it as well in case I was unable to. The fact that I didn't has been my biggest failure.

Festavo: If you could give a newcomer one piece of advice, what would it be?

Brunhilde: To read. Europeia has a wealth of information that you can access and there is no greater benefit that you can gain than the one you receive simply by applying yourself to absorbing the information around you. Debates, speeches, and campaigns of the past provide a direct insight into the kind of Culture Europeia posseses and allows you, even as a newcomer, to approach with information on your side.

Festavo: That's all. Thank you again for your time and your informative answers, Brunhilde.

Brunhilde: It's been my pleasure, as always, to work with the EBC.

Executive Clerk · Oct 2, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #7
Deepest House

Festavo: Welcome to Who's Who in Europeia! I am joined here today by Deepest House. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Deepest House: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I greatly appreciate it.

Festavo: No problem. Let's dive in, shall we? How did you get started in NationStates?

Deepest House: I learned about NationStates when someone in political Facebook group mentioned it to another member. I was intrigued, looked into it, and started my nation.

Festavo: At what point did Europeia enter the fold?

Deepest House: I began receiving recruitment telegrams, so I checked out the various regions.
Europeia immediately stood out from the rest based on the complexity, professionalism, and community that I saw.

Festavo: What was it like when you first joined Europeia? What was your newcomer experience?

Deepest House: Given my real-life background in government communications, then-President Sopo asked if I would serve as Minister of Communications, despite having only been in the region a couple of weeks.
The Senate confirmed me unanimously and I quickly got to work improving the quality of our products and increasing the professionalism of the ministry.
I was grateful to have the opportunity, and I was successful, as the next administration also asked me to serve as minister after the election.

Festavo: What other positions have you served in?

Deepest House: I've also served numerous terms as a deputy in the Ministry of Communications, mostly leading the dispatch program.
I served one term as Vice President as well, working with Writinglegend during his record-setting sixth term as president.

Festavo: In what position did you have the best experience?

Deepest House: I really had a lot of fun during my last term as minister of communications. We had a great team that term. Kuramia was on autopilot as dispatch deputy, knocking it out every week sending dispatches and managing the upvote squad. JayDee really blossomed that term, as the highest producing author on the staff. He went on to tackle the toughest deputy job in the region last term, and has now risen to minister.(edited)
The ministry set a record for production numbers, and generated more engagement and comments than any term in memory.
It was an overall great success, and was the most fun I've had in NationStates.

Festavo: Did you enjoy your time as Vice President?

Deepest House: It was an honor to serve as vice president of our republic. It was the only time I have run for elected office, and working with Writinglegend to make our community a better place is something I'll always remember.

Festavo: What would you say your biggest accomplishment has been?

Deepest House: I am most proud of my most recent term as Minister of Communications. We set records for content production and discussion generated. We raised the bar and established a new standard for ministry performance going forward. We engaged in real journalism, reporting the news as it happened with thought-provoking and dynamic stories of high journalistic quality.

Festavo: How do you feel about the current state of the Communications department?

Deepest House: JayDee is off to a great start creating content. That's what this ministry is all about: creating content to engage our readers. He has a huge job ahead of him to keep that up throughout the term, while also keeping tabs on the dispatch program under its own deputy.
I don't agree with some of his decisions, specifically splintering the EBC into two sections, but he is the minister and I respect the job he is doing.

Festavo: Would you ever be interested in taking the reins once more?

Deepest House: The Ministry of Communications is my home, and it is where I will always reside. If a future president asks me to serve in his or her cabinet, I will have a lot to consider. I do envision returning at some point, but it isn't all up to me, either.

Festavo: Would you go so far as to say you were the best Minister of Communications Europeia has ever had (not including JayDee because he is still mid-term)?

Deepest House: I could never make such a claim. I think we had the most successful single term in a long time, certainly as long as I've been in the region, but that's just one term and I certainly didn't do it all myself.

Festavo: Let's switch the tone up a bit. What has been your biggest failure?

Deepest House: During my second term as minister, I dismissed a staffer for being insubordinate, who then complained to the president about being fired. The president ultimately sided with the staffer, and I resigned the position.

Festavo: In hindsight, do you agree with your call in that situation?

Deepest House: With the dismissal?

Festavo: Yes.

Deepest House: I do stand by the decision to fire Notolecta. He had multiple instances of insubordination that necessitated his dismissal. First, he outright refused to relinquish control of EBC Radio to me as minister. He refused to give me the password to EBC Radio, and attempted to dictate who could and could not host a show. In his second instance of insubordination, he exploded into a fit of rage, unleashing a profanity laced tirade against me while conducting official business within the halls of the ministry.

Festavo: Do you regret anything else that you have done on NationStates?

Deepest House: I think we all have one or two things that we wish we would've done differently. I think the most important thing when that happens is to try to learn from the experience.

Festavo: Is there any wisdom you would like to give to everybody that you may have picked up along the way?

Deepest House: There are a lot of ways to contribute to the region. The little bit that we all do adds up to make Europeia what it is. Try to find a small place to contribute, and you'll have fun and feel good about yourself.

Festavo: How do you feel about the future of Europeia?

Deepest House: I feel good about the future of the republic. Our governmental institutions are strong, and we have talented and dedicated public servants leading the region into the future. We consistently seek to improve ourselves as a region, and that is a strength that will serve us well going forward.

Festavo: Thank you for your time, sir. That's a wrap.

Deepest House: You're welcome
I'd like to add one thing:
I am wishing JayDee lots of success this term. He has really grown a lot in the Ministry since my term as minister. He really has the potential to be a great Minister, and I hope he continues to focus on the job at hand, as it will be both personally and professionally rewarding for him.

Festavo: Thanks again for your time and good luck.

Executive Clerk · Oct 6, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

WHO'S WHO IN EUROPEIA #8
Calvin Coolidge

Monkey: So how did you get started in NationStates?

Calvin Coolidge: I searched for political simulation games, nation building games, etc, then found NationStates in late 2013. I stayed on the NS side answering issues until summer of 2014, when I joined the forum and applied for citizenship.

Monkey: How did you first find Europeia?

Calvin Coolidge: A telegram from r3n. His stood out because he was a penguin, and that stuck with me.

Monkey: How did you first start out in Europeia? What did you think was the most interesting thing in the region at first?

Calvin Coolidge: I got my start writing articles for The Panda's Pen. I wanted to undersand what was going on in the Senate, so I wrote articles dissecting the laws being discussed, and what they meant. People liked those, so I started proposing laws in the CA, and discussing things there. Within a month, President Kraketopia asked me to be his Minister of Communications, and I accepted, since writing was the most interesting thing I had found in the region. It's also at this point that I started doing the Wire, since nobody had been updating it, and I was in charge of the EBC, I just took it over, and have done it ever since.

Monkey: Out of all the positions you've held in Europeia, which one do you think was your favorite?

Calvin Coolidge: CA Chair, for sure. I love interacting with so many people in that position, and being able to direct the legislative conversation on the ground level. It's really exciting because you're always a part of something new and exciting, and you have to work within the system to achieve your agenda, which keeps the game interesting.

Monkey: What do you think is your greatest achievement of Europeia? What do you want to be remembered for?

Calvin Coolidge: My greatest achievement is probably achieving universal membership for the Citizens' Assembly. At that point in my NS career, I had just lost the Presidency to Trinnien, becoming the first incumbent President to lose reelection in years, and was at a political low before I ran for Chair, to go back to my roots. This was my 4th and 5th term as Chair, so I really understood the system, was able to work with the Senate, and motivate the legislative base to forge a good law, and get it passed, just as my term expired. It's something I'm very proud of.

Monkey: What do you think is your greatest regret in Europeia, or a low point in your career?

Calvin Coolidge: Well, I don't think I'm going to surprise anyone by admitting that my biggest regret is running for President in April 2017. In hindsight, I didn't have time for the position, and should have known that going in. By running I deprived the region of a capable President, and hurt the region when I wanted to help. It was even worse that it took me half a term to admit the problem and resign, when it was clear to me I would have to step down about three weeks in. The whole debacle with Trinn was an unfortunate side scandal that hurt my image, but I would have resigned either way, and I hope now that we are a few months removed, the region understands where I was coming from.

Monkey: Moving forward, what are some of your future goals for Europeia? What do you want to accomplish?

Calvin Coolidge: My current goal is to serve well as Grand Admiral, a position I've aspired to since the start of my Euro career. I have the greatest respect for the ERN, and to contribute to its success would be a true honor. Beyond that, I'll take the opportunities I'm given and do what I can with them. I've graduated university, and am at a point in my real life where I will likely have a full-time job sometime soon, so my activity will never be as high as it once was, but I will continue to serve as long as I can in whatever capacity I can, because I care about the welfare of this region. If nothing else, I will continue to run the Wire and Shrine of Swiftism until the day I die.

Monkey: If you could give a shoutout to someone who you really thought helped you out in your early NS days or someone you've always admired, who would it be?

Calvin Coolidge: Oh, well it's no secret that Writinglegend and I are very close. We entered the region at the same time, and have worked closely ever since, first as rivals, then as brothers, helping each other to higher heights than we could reach alone. His passion and drive has inspired me from the beginning, and continues to inspire me today. Kraken also gave me my start, and has been a great mentor in all things NS, and I really owe him a lot. There's a lot of people who have shaped my NS experience, but I know you just asked for one, and I'm already over the limit.

Monkey: Haha, that's fine. Do you have any tips for newcomers new to the region?

Calvin Coolidge: The tip I try to give everyone is to get involved early, particularly in the CA, or a Ministry. If you are active, and let people know that you want to contribute, you'll be given a lot of tools to help you out. In addition to that, a lot of players are very willing to answer your questions, because they want to see newcomers do well, too. When I was first starting out, I remember Drecq was assigned to be my mentor, and I asked a bunch of questions, and he dealt with them in detail, and was extremely helpful. So, don't be afraid, we're all playing this game together, and want to see others have fun.

Monkey: Alright, I think that's all the questions I have! Thank you for agreeing to do this interview, and good luck as GA!

Calvin Coolidge: Absolutely, this was great. Best of luck to you, too.

Executive Clerk · Oct 9, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

Who's who in Europeia #9
Drecq

Snowball
When and how did you get started in NationStates?

Drecq
Its been a while. This was 2008 or so? Pre-NationStates 2. I was in a different, tiny region. The founder of the region eventually gave up and handed over the keys to me. And soon afterwards I just faded away. This was highschool and I since my entire experience had been in a small and dying region, or more accurately one that never got off the ground, I got bored and left. A couple of years later, early 2011, I returned for a short while, looked at the top regions, decided on picking a random one, which turned out to be Europeia. Moved my nation, created a forum account, applied for Citizenship, got it, ... ... and promptly turned inactive again. It wasn't until early October 2012 that I decided to take another look. In true newb fashion I got confused and thought I had never gotten Citizenship to begin with instead of just losing and took a beat down from Lethen about accusing him of being really slow.

This time around I immediately got active. I joined the Ministry of the Interior and started recruiting. A couple of weeks later, in late November, Remsol Greyjoy resigned from the Senate and Noto, dude named Bryan von Richthofen (changed his name, but I don't remember what it is now), and I ran. I won. And that was my first time in the Senate. I got hooked and haven't been away from Europeia for any length of time since.

Snowball
What kept you in Europeia?

Drecq
Well, the Senate work was great. Working out problems. Figuring out how to make something work that wouldn't just impact me, but a fair amount of people, who had placed their trust in me to do it right. Arguing for my opinion and against someone elses. Or working with someone else to find middle ground. Like I said, I got hooked.

Snowball
You are considered one of the greatest debaters in Senate history. What would you attribute to your success?

Drecq
Well, first of all, thank you. And if anything I think it's the massive amount of talent I have.

But really, I didn't start out as "one of the best". I've always had good language skills thanks to my parents putting a lot of focus on that in my early childhood, followed by us moving to another country when I was young and having to learn a second language fluently. Added to that I have always been tenacious and have a bit of an ego. Both things that are necessary for a good debater. You need to believe that your side is the correct one and defend it. Add the two together and you got someone who sticks to their side and is capable at defending it. What I would prefer to be known for, and I hope I am at least in part, is that I can drop my side and give in if the opposing side is clearly right. Thats what makes the difference between a good debater and a good legislator. I hope I am both.

Snowball
So is it fair to say that Europeia has helped you become the debater you are?

Drecq
Certainly. To paraphrase the old Carnegie hall joke, how do you become a good debater? Practice, practice, practice. Without the constant opportunity to practice debating in Europeia, with people as intelligent, tenacious, and skilled as much of our Citizenry are, I certainly wouldn't be anywhere near as skilled as I am.

Snowball
Who in particular has helped you indirectly or directly through debating?

Drecq
Well, I have certainly had the most fun, and probably debated the most total, with Malashaan.(edited)

Snowball
How has the practice you get in Europeia helped you in real life?

Drecq
Well, in real life I am a law student. Debating is as much a part of the legal profession in real life as it is in Europeia, though somewhat more formalized. So the added skill certainly hasn't hurt.

Snowball
What positions have you held?

Drecq
At this point pretty much all of them. It is that pretty much that bugs me a little from time to time. I have been Senator, Deputy Speaker, Speaker, Associate Justice, Primus Inter Pares, and Chief Justice. I have also been Minister of the Interior, Attorney General, Grand Admiral, Deputy Minister of Citizenship Integration, Deputy Minister of Foreign Cultivation, Vice President, and Vice Chancellor. So the only positions missing are President, Supreme Chancellor, and one or two of the Cabinet posts. Supreme Chancellor never was an ambition of mine, and with the position having only ever been held by three people, Lethen having decided to stay the only Supreme Chancellor, and my soon being rotated out of the Vice Chancellor position, as part of Lethen's planned Vice Chancellor Rotation system, that is not a position I am ever likely to hold. I would eventually like to be President and fill the trifecta, since I will have headed each of the three branches of Government in Europeia at that point, but I am not currently thinking of running, so who knows when that will ever be.

Snowball
Wow. Of all of these positions, which one was your favorite?

Drecq
Probably Senator. Especially Senator under Malashaan as Speaker. With him as Speaker I could always be just a Senator without having to worry whether the Speaker's duties are fulfilled in the high quality I would prefer them to be. And then just being a Senator and proposing legislation, debating it, filing it down to what a majority can agree on, fixing the problems, and passing it is probably the most fun you can have in Europeia, for my money at least.

Snowball
What would you consider the high of your career?

Drecq
Well, I would hope the high of my career is still to come, but the high of my past career was probably the time I was Speaker, Minister, and Justice at the same time. It takes a lot of work to do all three at the same time and to do them well, but knowing that the region has entrusted you with that much power and responsibility is an honour.
The high of my time in Europeia, outside of my career, even if connected to it, was probably my Ovation. If you don't have one you can't imagine what it is like to see the forum decorated just for you and to see people giving speeches in your honour, knowing it has been prepared for for some time.(edited)

Snowball
How does one even try to balance Senator, Minister and Justice? Tell us your secrets

Drecq
Well, it takes a lot of energy to do it all together. Beyond that of course there is some intricate balancing when it comes to the system of checks and balances Europeia has. I did, once or twice, have to recuse myself from a discussion as Justice, since I would have been biased, having been involved as Minister or Senator. But just as many times it works in sync, with my position as a Cabinet member and as a Senator allowing me to efficiently work on fixes for some problems that would have taken longer without the insider knowledge.

Snowball
What one thing are you the proudest of doing and being responsible for?

Drecq
That is a hard one. There have been a number of laws and amendments that come to mind that continue to work well that I had a hand in writing and of which I am proud. The current Charter of Rights is something I had a hand in that I am proud of. The current Criminal Code is another such item and I probably had a bigger hand in that. But sitting here deciding amongst the various pieces of legislation I have drafted over the years I am struck with it that I am probably equally proud of them all.

Snowball
What is a piece of advice you would give to anyone in Europeia to help them in Europeia?

Drecq
To our newer members I would just say: Give it a shot. We forgive mistakes and we understand it takes a while to learn. We accept a lack of knowledge and will help you out. It is only willful ignorance and arrogance we make fun of and dispise. To everyone else I would say: We argue and we bicker and at various times we lament both, but in the end we are all here out of choice because we like the region and the people in it. We all do. So that means we already have more in common than separates us. Unlike those evil people in that other region. You know the one. The one we all currently don't like. Yeah, the one you are thinking of, regardless of how long after publication you are reading this.

Snowball
Those words will stay relevant forever.

Drecq
I am sure of it.

Snowball
You added a fail-safe

Is there anything else you want to add?

Drecq
Sure. You people gave me an Ovation. I am an Honoured Citizen. It takes an Order by the Court to remove the Citizenship of an Honoured Citizen and it takes an Order by the Court or an administrative decision to ban a Citizen. You can't get rid of me now. I'll be around forever. MUHAHAHAHAHAH... !!!
/evil_laugh

Snowball
Got it Vader

Executive Clerk · Oct 13, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

Who's who in Europeia #10
Holy Ekaj Monarchy

JayDee: Before we get started talking about Europeia, I want to talk about a region you founded before Europeia. What was its name again?

HEM: I started several regions before Europeia, actually. Perhaps the most well known is one called the "League of Dictatorships", which was my first region. It was notable because we only recruited nations that could conceivably be dictatorships. That region lasted from August 2006 - Februrary 2007, though there were some revival periods afterward. I also founded a region called "The Legion" in Februrary 2007 that was Roman themed, and did fairly well before my political careers in Empires of Earth and the Land of Kings and Emperors distracted me from it.

JayDee: After several regions, what drove you to found Europeia?

HEM: I think a compulsive need to found a successful region hahaha?
I was an obsessive region-builder, and being in the LKE made me want to helm one even more.

JayDee: What experiences in League of Dictatorships, The Legion, and other regions you founded helped you with Europeia?

HEM: I learned a lot about what not to do. The League of Dictatorships was interesting because he was essentially founded in isolation from the region of the world, so it was about as newbish as it could get. But over time, as I explored other regions of Nationstates, it began to take on the trappings of other regions (The LKE, The New Pacific Order, Empires of Earth).
By the time I started Europeia I had a decent sense of what would attract nations to the region, and how I could get them to stay and be involved.

JayDee: What sort of "trappings" are you referring to?

HEM: Mostly just how the government is set up and run. At the start, LoD was very primitive. We had elections on an off-site website (regional websites were pretty popular back in the day) that easily had results manipulated. The government wasn't very well organized and didn't make a ton of sense. I was Head of State, had a Vice Head of State, the aforementioned elected Delegate, an appointed General, and an elected Colonel. It was pretty messy.
Over time the system was consolidated to have a Royal Family, and an Imperial Senate, and a set of laws that more resembled a modern region.

JayDee: It seems you were very fond of monarchies back then. Europeia was a monarchy in its early days right?

HEM: It was. I think it's important to know that back in 2006/2007, basically every UCR of note was a monarchy or dictatorship. Republicanism was pretty much confinded to GCRs, or a select few older UCRs that were slowly dying out.
Europeia was actually very radical at the time for giving up a monarchy, it was seen as a very desperate move.

JayDee: Could you walk us through the Monarchy days? What was forum life like? The government? Who were the big players? What did you guys do?

HEM: Ahahahaha there's so much to say, and I don't want to bore people too much.

JayDee: Give us the juicy stuff

HEM: I think to give you some important context, Europeia was home to a lot of members who had been removed or shunned from the Land of Kings and Emperors for various reasons.
So there was a lot of hostility from the get-go between people who knew each other well. Then add in the natives who only sorta understand all the drama, you get some very messy situations.
The early region didn't really have set factions because there was so much infighting, but politics were largely dominated by: Rotalsia, the region's first Prime Minister; Lord Alphanesia, a pretty notorious criminal from the LKE; Verteger, a washed up former LKE politician; PRA, a Prime Minister and native in the region; myself, and a whole host of other people.
Lord Alphanesia would frequently try to use Europeia as a pawn in his vendetta against the LKE, seeing it as a sorta launch pad from where he could damage the region. So a lot of my work was trying to stop him from manipulating people—like the time he tried to convince Prime MInister Rotalsia to declare war on the LKE.
Everyone in the region tended to be pretty high maintanence, and it was frequent for people to threaten to leave in order to force policy outcomes they prefer—particularly from me.
It was a hot mess, though probably very entertaining if I went back and watched.

JayDee: Sounds like a making of a good story

Anways. Europeia is obviously not a Monarchy anymore so tell us what happened? I'm sure most people active right now already know thanks to Verteger, but what about for future generations?

HEM: I mean, the region was sorta going quiet. Not long after I resigned in disgrace as Prime Minister of the Land of Kings and Emperors, I returned to find Europeia mostly in ashes. First we tried an Assembly form of government, which is when Hyangyo served as Chief of State. After that failed, I decided it was time to try somthing totally new and abdicate from the monarchy and start a Republic. This attracted a major former citizens, PRA, back to the region helped Europeia get back on her feet.

JayDee: If I recall, there was also a period where you and Rotalsia shared the position of Head of State correct?

HEM: Yes, that was in the interim period between the end of the Monarchy and the start of the Republic

JayDee: So what were the early days of the Republic like?

HEM: It was chaotic. We still have a core group of members with a number of big rivalries. LA had been banned at the end of the monarchy, but that ban was only temporary and he returned in late July. Rotalsia also began fighting with a new member named Paleomiz, and oftentimes these people would come to me to personall arbitrate.

Politically, I was the first President and Verteger was the first Speaker (though he flamed out and was replaced by the first /true/ Speaker, Lethen). That Senate temr was dominated by debate of PRA's idea to basically create a direct democracy. When that was rejected PRA left, and there was a brief drama between us and the new region he left us for.

We also went to war with NiCoD, and got bad intelligence from spying on them that led us to throwing a FRA dignitary in prison. Interestingly, had that incident not happened, we may have actually joined the Founderless Region Alliance, which would've changed our region forever.

JayDee: That does sound quite chaotic. When did things start...slowing down?

HEM:Um, hard to say. I think after the October Revolution and Cold War with Hampshire in the Fall, things slowed down considerably. After Paleomiz left the region in Februrary 2008, drama pretty much ended—though the entire region faced a slowdown then, which was a little too slow haha. I'd say the period between February 2008 and February 2009 was pretty calm—but even in there there were little sparks of drama to be sure.

JayDee: October Revolution?

HEM: Not to go into the weeds, but for a brief time I became King of Hampshire. Lord Alphanesia eventually harassed and berated me on MSN until I abdicated the role, and he took the crown. Europeia immediately began a resistance to his rule, he was banned for treason, and a "cold war" of sorts emerged between the two regions. Finally, a native with the aid of EIA agents convinced one of LA's fellow admins to overthrow him as King, returning an old ruler to the throne

JayDee: Okay. So transitioning back to the Republic; were there ever any times when you felt like giving up on Europeia?

HEM: hahahahaha every single day!!!!!
Um, I dunno. I think there was a lot of drama, and there were a few times I wanted to throw up my hands. But my political career had really capitulated everywhere, and so I dug my heels in. I think as a 13-year-old I had a ton of patience for the kind of crap I wouldn't have today.

JayDee: At what point did you finally decide Europeia was worth the effort?

HEM: I think after I left the LKE I decided it was "do or die" for Europeia. And I don't think I ever looked back after that.

JayDee: When did it start to become evident that Europeia was starting to emerge from other regions? Given that it's now (arguably) the most powerful UCR in nationstates.

HEM: I think it started to become clear duing our population boom of 2008. Suddenly we were one of the game's largest regions, and we were only getting larger.
By the summer of 2009, when we had a huge population and activity boom, it really became evident.

JayDee: What was that realization like? The feeling?

HEM: It was very surreal. But I think it happened so fast many of us didn't understand it.
I also think, even then, there was a sense it could slip away if we weren't careful

JayDee: If you could pinpoint it to one person. Who do you think contributed the most?

HEM: hahahahahahahahahaha
I think, even after all this time, I'd have to say Pope Lexus X. His work in 2008/2009 was just so crucial to taking us to the next step in NS politics. It's a really unfair question though, with how much time we've been around and the number of people who have poured sweat for this region.

JayDee: These questions aren't meant to be fair

.
Alright, let's shift things up a bit. What would you say is the biggest highlight of your time in Europeia?

HEM: I don't think I really have /a/ highlight. Obviously, reaching 10 years was an absolutely magnificent occurance, but that was just the pinnacle of years of success.

JayDee: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment as President?

HEM: Keeping the region together. There were a lot of factions, and a lot of people who didn't care that particularly much about Europeia. Basically, not a big core of super loyal citizens at first. It was a balancing act trying to keep people happy, and trying to keep the region exciting enough for them to stick around.

JayDee: and what about as Supreme Chancellor

HEM: Oh god
Um
I think developing myself into someone who plays the long game, and looks after the health of the region on a long-term basis and not just the day-to-day. That's not to say my assessments were always right, or that I didn't screw up. But I generally tried to put the overarching regional good before any political issue of the moment. Being able to take that step back and realizing that maybe something has to happen that I don't want, because it's best to keep the region together.

JayDee: Would you say that taking that step back was pretty hard?

HEM: Yeah, it was definitely hard at times. Watching Falconias be elected President and resist calls of some to intervene in the elections. Or appointing an NCP stalwart Vice Chancellor - even as they all attacked me behind closed doors - to difuse the tension in the region.
It was tough at times. But I was obsessed with the region surviving so I grit my teeth and tried to do it haha

JayDee: Would you have done any of it differently? In hindsight?

HEM: Hahaha over 10 years? I probably would do a lot of things differently if I were in the same positions again. I would try to be less emotional, more compasionate, more active at certain junctions. BUT Europeia is still alive and thriving, so it's hard for me to say what I would go back and change.

JayDee: Well. What is one thing you would definitely change? What is it you consider your biggest failure?

HEM: After such a long career, it's really hard to pick something I would change haha. Everything worked out really well, so why change? For instance, I might be tempted to say I wouldn't have resigned in 2011 with the whole "resignation-gate" affairs. But maybe my judgment at the time was right, and that people had to see me leave and that would motivate them to stay and "rally around the flag" so to say.
One thing I definitely would change
Is the delay in making sure Aexnidaral got vindication in regards to the accusations against him. But I don't want to go too deep into that, as I know that's understandably not something he loves to be a topic in popular discourse.

JayDee: Very well. Now. Other than Founder, President, Vice President, and Supreme Chancellor, would you mind sharing what positions you've held in the past?

HEM: I've held a lot of positions. I've been Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Culture, Minister of Communications, Grand Admiral, Chief of Staff, Speaker of the Senate, a Senator, Finance Minister, and very briefly an Associate Justice haha

JayDee: Which one would you say is your favorite?

HEM: It's hard to pick a "favorite." I had a ton of fun being Grand Admiral, and early one I used to really like being Speaker. I think now I would say I enjoy having support roles like Vice President or working in media as ENN Editor.

JayDee: Thank you HEM. I believe I have just a couple questions left. First. How has Europeia impacted your life?

HEM: Hm, well in tons of ways. I think I've grown as a writer, and digital communicator because of so many internet interactions. I also think Europeia has been for me, as it has been for so many people, a support network of people who've helped me when I've been down. I did a lot of growing up in this region, and this little game, which is pretty cool.

JayDee: Now let's reverse the question. How has you experiences in RL affected your experiences in Europeia?

HEM: Oh yeah. I mean for one, I think growing up has made me a totally different player (probably a worse one

). I also think as I've gotten older and become more aware of the word, I've become a different type of forum administrator (a little more hands on). Hard to say beyond that though!

JayDee: Thank you for your time HEM. Any parting words of wisdom for us?

HEM: Europeia is for those who try. Put your best foot forward, and you're bound to succeed.

Executive Clerk · Oct 27, 2017

The EBC is proud to present...

Who's who in Europeia #11
Cat

Snowball
When and how did you get started in NationStates?

Cat
Nearly three years ago I was introduced to this game by a now ex-boyfriend. He thought I would enjoy a political simulation game, and he was absolutely right. When I first joined I started out in a lot of smaller regions, generally the population size varied from 20-40 nations. It was a very compact culture and the executive functioned much differently than how bigger regions function. For example I served in a variety of positions such as RP Master (Culture Minister), Internal Affairs (Interior miniser), External Affairs (FA), Delegate (President), and all of these excutive roles performed on the RMB or main Region Page, and really were "basic" in a way, and what I mean by that is that they lacked complexity and anyone could really do the job with very little experience. Anyways I jumped around in these positions for a few months before I got my big start, and that is when I joined DEN. Now to give a time scale of when I joined, I joined NS the week TBR fell and joined months after the second DEN was founded by Gest. Raiding is where I started to experience the wider NS World and develop contacts I still hold today. After DEN I ventured into various other raider regions and met lots of amazing people, and some not so much. But regardless during that time my name definitely started to become much more well known in the raider sphere. Eventually I met Cpt.Carrot through raiding (of course), and he totally didn't pester me continously to join a region called Europeia. And well, I eventually gave in and here I am. Looking back in the span of nearly three years I have really progressed in my career, and I'm glad I took the steps I did otherwise I don't think I would be where I am today. For all I know I can be in some random small region and no one would even know who I am :stuck_out_tongue:

Snowball
And we are certainly glad you did join.
How did joining Europeia change your involvement in Nationstates?

Cat
There is so much detail and perfection in our system, and being forced to adapt to that and essentially be trained by those materials alone have turned me into a much better player. Joining Europeia got me involved in a lot of places I never thought I would venture into before, like making reports for other regions, running weekend games, or crusing the NSGP forum, or even bulding an entire ministry. I have done so much and learned so many things that I actually began to enjoy the game more, because of the complexity and beauty of our system that has trained me for not only to be succesful in Europeia itself but also it has prepared me for the wider NS world.
And I almost felt much more bolder and confident to venture out, because I knew that I have devloped the needed skills to be succesful (thanks to Europeia).
And overall my involvement in NS increased, especially when I found my niche (Radio). And if it wasn't for Europeia and wouldn't have ever discovered that :stuck_out_tongue:

Snowball
Moving on, When you arrived in Europeia, was Carrot your guiding figure?

Cat
Pretty much!

Him and I were very close friends at that point and he understood my strengths/weaknesses. So he brought me along into the navy, then culture, and eventually dragging me into radio as well, since he recognized these are things I would do well (And he was right).

I think I owe a lot to carrot for keeping me busy, and not going insane for having to deal with me. But I do owe a lot more for him helping me forge my own path in Europeia.

Snowball
Which mimistry did you most enjoy in those early days and why?

Cat
I 100% enjoyed radio when it was still under the wing of the communications ministry. So I guess I enjoyed Minicomm the most in those early days? Anyways, I absolutely LOVED being on broadcasts and being part of the radio system as a whole. The more I got involved in being on the broadcasts and making my own content I began to realize this is my niche. Audio media is what I am good at, and that is what I have stuck with since then.

Snowball
How did you get your first radio post?

Cat
So waaay back when, when Writinglegend decided to seperate Radio from Minicomm and form its own ministry. Carrot was assigned as its first minister, and Carrot appointed me as deputy of radio. Unfortunately in the same term Carrot had to resign for RL reasons and I then became Minister of Radio.

Snowball
What did you do that first term?

Cat
I worked on building the basic foundations of the ministry which were then detailed later in my following terms.

Snowball
What did you do in subquesent terms?

Cat
I finalized the infrastructure of the Radio Ministry and provided a functional ministry in return. Two of my biggest acheivements during this time was the writing and publishing of The Radio Manifesto and the finalization of The Radio Hub, both of which rest in the core of the ministry.

Snowball
You are considered the Mother of Radio. Do you think that is fair

Cat
"The Mother of Radio" was given to me by the extensive work I put forth into radio. And I'm really happy that people recognized my efforts. It's certainly a title I feel is well earned due to the amount of work I put in and even still continue to put into radio today.

Snowball
Besides Minister and Deputy minister of radio, what other posisitions have you held?

Cat
I have served as President, Grand Admiral, Senator, Deputy of Sinker Regions, Deputy of Interior, and Deputy of Culture. Although the first two positions weren't a full term, but I still made it to them and I think it's fair to at least give them a mention :stuck_out_tongue:

Snowball
Which one of these was your favorite and why?

Cat
I'm gonna have to say President

Despite not having a full term I still enjoyed putting together the vision I had for Europeia, and then being able to push that vision after I was elected. It was a really amazing feeling to have worked really hard and have all that work reward you with one of the highest positions in the region. It's truly something I would love to do again someday.

Snowball
Would you consider being President the high point in your career? If not, what was?

Cat
I mean, if I served a full term it would have been. But since it wasn't I would have to say Radio was.

Snowball
What is your greatest achievement in the region?

Cat
Building the Radio Ministry :stuck_out_tongue:

Snowball
Moving along, what is a piece of advice you would give to anyone in Europeia

Cat
In what context?

Snowball
Newcomer peferablly

Cat
Don't stick to one thing, try exploring a lot of different areas in Europeia and find what you like/don't like. And if you get stuck don't worry, there are plenty of Europeians who can help you out. Eventually you'll discover your niche, and if you find it stick to it. Don't be worried if you don't find it right away though!

Snowball
Just keep moving foward!
Thank you for taking this interview

Cat
Thank you for interviewing me!

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