Go active!
From the 7th until the 13th March 2015, we had the opportunity to participate together with 5 more SIR members in an international youth exchange project implemented within the framework of the Erasmus Programme +.
The project took place in Streda nad Bodrogom, a picturesque Slovakian village located in the Tokaj region notorious for its wine production. Throughout the week we stayed in very high-standard guest house. In addition to the family atmosphere the hosts were very welcoming and made us feel very comfortable and at ease.
There were a total of 30 people participating in the exchange, from Poland, Lithuania, Hungary and Slovakia.
The main theme of the project focused on the importance of young people in the labor market and the circumstances surrounding their employment. On the first day, in fact only a few hours after our arrival we had a chance to get to know the other participants through fun and games. The ice was quickly broken thanks to the integration party in the evening.
Every subsequent day began very intensively. The weather was usually good therefore permitted to start the workshops outside. This charged us with a lot of positive energy for the activities throughout the day.
We started the workshops with smiles on our faces. Every workshop took on a different form. We had the opportunity to work in teams as well as individually. We discussed issues such as how EU funds could be used and how to start our own business.
During one of the tasks we tried to define our own career path and the necessary skills to succeed. We also discussed effective ways to look for a job. We had the opportunity to analyze our CVs and eventually make necessary corrections.
Each team presented the unemployment situation in their country and ways to combat it. We tried to find common solutions to this problem by reflecting on it at a European level. The international group structure of the project allowed us to improve our communication in foreign languages and expand cultural our awareness.
Despite the intense schedule, there was also time for fun. One afternoon we went on a short trip to the nearby castle. But even there we first worked on developing our skills. We analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of a potential young employee and attempted to determine the expectations of the modern-world employer. After finishing the task we visited the castle listening to the interesting stories of the charismatic guide.
The next day there was a trip to the second largest city in Slovakia – Kosice. A strategy game requiring teamwork was included in the city tour. Another pleasant surprise was the visit to a local winery complemented by wine tasting.
Each day was concluded with a summary, discussion and the exchange of shared experiences.
There was no time to be bored during the entire project even in the evenings as every group had an opportunity to present their country to the rest of the participants. Each group had a separate evening dedicated the country they were representing in the project. This is how we got to know the culture and customs of our new friends. We also had the pleasure of tasting traditional dishes and drinks and shared unforgettably fun evenings.
It should also be mentioned that together we celebrated International Women’s Day and the 25th anniversary of Lithuania’s independence. After returning from the project we can confidently say that the name ‘GoActive!’ was not chosen randomly.
During these seven intense days we learned a lot about ourselves. However that week did not only focus on personal development and motivation but also opening up to others.
One of the slogans that particularly stuck in our minds is the concept of ‘learning to learn’. It is a broad concept which made us realize that it is possible to gain new skills every day.
The project ‘GoActive!’ was our first project and we have to admit that not only met our expectations but also exceeded them by pleasantly surprised us since we didn’t expect to return home with so much experience and positive impressions.
You can see some of the pictures we took during the exchange in the galery here:
written by Martyna & Marlena, translated by Nikolay Stankov, photos by Łukasz Rogowski
