Meet Andrea, the Newest Member of Our Marketing Team!

Meet Andrea, the Newest Member of Our Marketing Team!

We want to warmly welcome Andrea Aberde to our marketing team! Andrea will be contributing to our marketing efforts and take NEC’s mission and vision to new heights. Get to know Andrea better with these 10 interesting facts:

What brought you to New European College? 

An S-Bahn and an U-Bahn. Just kidding.

I wanted to pursue higher education in Business Management with a focus on Digital Marketing in Munich specifically. I found New European College to be a good match. I reached out to multiple alumni and current students about their experiences with the university, and they all provided positive feedback. So, here I am.

 1. What’s something you want to learn or wish you were better at?

I wish I had more patience and better discipline when it comes to my interests and hobbies. I have fallen in and out of love again and again with several instruments. I go far, then I drop them, only to pick them up again after two years, so I tend to forget what I have learned to play, and I always end up back at zero. I recently bought a guitar, but right now I miss playing the piano. It might take a while before I pick up my old friend, the violin, again. But I think that’s mostly out of guilt, since I played it for six years, only to drop it because I prefer the sound of the cello. I have a messy affair with musical instruments.

 2. What’s your favourite place on earth?

Home, above any other place. Or anywhere quiet, peaceful, and sentimental.

3. What’s something you’re proud of?

I’m proud of YOU (yieeeeeeee LOL). I’m proud of how far I have come. Where I am in life right now feels good. Perhaps mine is by happenstance, but that can only occur with the efforts I have put in.

 4. What do you hope never changes?

It would be wishful thinking to hope that something never changes, and yet I have a lot of them—mostly the good parts of life to always stay.

5. What job would you be terrible at?

Construction, for sure. I would also make a terrible mechanic or technician of any sort. And most likely 90% of jobs outside my field because, first, I have no background or idea how to do those. Second, refer to my first point. But if I were to learn one of those, then MAYBE I would not be as terrible.

6.  What movie title best describes your life?  

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The life and mind-altering experience I went through while surviving my deepest sorrows tested my strength and emotional endurance in navigating life. And while my grief is insurmountable and some memories I find too tragic to speak of, I have come to appreciate that these inevitable parts of life serve as catalysts for personal growth and enlightenment. As much as I want to forget, or pause my mind from replaying certain memories, even just for a minute, I can’t. And I have made my peace with that. After all, happiness and sorrow can coexist at the same time.

 7.  What’s the best way to start the day? 

Waking up from an eight-hour sleep, with birds chirping, a cold breeze in the air, and (in my case) that brief distinctive ‘potpot’ sound letting you know there is someone selling Pandesal.

 8. How different was your life one year ago?

Last year, I gave myself permission to slow down and breathe. I consider it my transition year, as I was picking up the pieces from everything that had happened the previous year while also preparing for the life I have now. I spent a lot of quality time with my family, friends, pets, and myself. Knowing that I was going overseas for my studies and that it might be a while before I could visit home again, I focused my energy on those relationships. I also dedicated a lot of my personal time to writing diaristic poetry and prose, as well as going to the gym. Now, I’m living the life I envisioned for myself. It’s very different, and sometimes it requires me to step out of my comfort zone, but I chose this path, and so it goes.

9. What is special about the place you grew up?

The people and memories I carry with me are what make the place I grew up special. The food, scenery, and everything else are only secondary to them. Although, I really want a bowl of special Lomi right now.

10. Who has impressed you most with what they’ve accomplished?

My mother and father on equal levels.

My mother had a tough life growing up. She always told me about all the hardships she had to go through at a very tender age. And although it was difficult for her, she always handled life with grace. She went through so much to have the life she has right now with us. Her greatest success was rising from poverty, and she taught me that no matter your success, you must have humility, graciousness, and patience with people. And my mother reflects that, far more than anyone I know.

When my father passed away, I heard stories from his friends that I had never heard before. And I realized he lived life so beautifully that the hardships he mentioned in his stories felt insignificant—maybe not insignificant, but the stories were so impactful that they resonated more. I thought that was his greatest accomplishment, never mind his medals from his service or his track record in long-distance running. People spoke about him so beautifully in ways I never knew. It hit me—when he was alive, he always emphasized one’s character far more than anything. He taught me not to confuse assertiveness with aggression, confidence with arrogance, and quietness with timidity. RIP, Daddy.

Interested in continuing the conversation with Andrea? Feel free to reach out and contact her at andrea.aberde@new-european-college.com Andrea is looking forward to hearing from you and supporting your journey to becoming a student at New European College in Munich, Germany!