Good vibrations for the whole world

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These two women are both journalists in the making. One of them is just starting her degree and the other is not far off graduation. The pair of them talked to us about a medium they are passionate about: the radio.

Margarita (left) and María (right) just before going on air
Margarita (left) and María (right) just before going on air

María Lladró, a fourth-year student from Spain, has been a long-term intern and contributor to RadioCEU. Margarita Aguilar, who holds both Venezuelan and French nationality, has recently appeared for the first time on the “Bajo el foco” (“In the spotlight”) program.

This mingling of Spanish and international students from a range of degrees is commonplace on the this university radio station, which is led by the lecturers Ángels Álvarez and Kety Betés. The station’s programming can be heard all around the world.

María with the RadioCEU management and colleagues
María with the RadioCEU management and colleagues

We sat down to talk with these Journalism students just before they were due to go on air.

“I remember perfectly my first time on RadioCEU, in 2015. It was a music programme called Meet & Greet. I was very nervous at the beginning but the feeling at the end was great: absolute happiness. And I felt the same things every Tuesday for every broadcast we did. I’ve never been away from the radio since,” María told us.

‘I REMEMBER THE ABSOLUTE HAPPINESS I FELT THE FIRST TIME I TOOK PART IN A PROGRAMME. I’VE NEVER BEEN AWAY FROM THE RADIO SINCE’

Margarita feels those same nerves in the few minutes before she has to step up to the microphone. And that’s the case even though she thinks that RadioCEU gives her the chance to “enjoy the experience without worrying about making a mistake. For me, being able to take part in a radio programme right from the first year is a fantastic opportunity to gain self-confidence in expressing myself and to get a better idea of what making a radio programme is all about.”

María feels much the same way. “RadioCEU is a great introduction to the world of journalism. You pick up tips from the very first year and you start to feel at ease in the very same situations which you’ll have to face in your future career.”

Margarita, who holds dual Venezuelan-French nationality and lived in Germany for seven years, thinks being on RadioCEU is a real challenge
Margarita, who holds dual Venezuelan-French nationality and lived in Germany for seven years, thinks being on RadioCEU is a real challenge

The two students both know that being part of the RadioCEU family also gives them the unbeatable schooling that comes from spending hours talking to people of a wide range of origins and interests about their dreams.

“I’ve always loved sharing ideas and opinions on different issues with people whose cultural background, experiences and vision of the world are very different from my own. I think it’s really enriching,” Margarita said.

‘I FIND IT REALLY ENRICHING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE IDEAS AND OPINIONS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH PEOPLE OF OTHER CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES’

For María, “not only is being on the radio a learning experience, but it’s a fantastic place to form close bonds with other people. In my case, I’ve been lucky enough to meet people from the full range of degrees and from many different countries and take part in a variety of programmes with them.”

“There’s no doubt that I’ve spent four of the best years of my life at RadioCEU and it’s a place that will always be in my heart. Being able to contribute to RadioCEU has been a challenge but also a dream come true for me.” There is much in common, then, between these two students’ views on this CEU initiative to enable Spanish and international students to express themselves. Learn more about the other CEU self-expression initiatives here.

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