I gained the extra confidence that I sometimes lacked…
This was my first project with Erasmus+ and the LEVEL UP organisation. I didn’t know much about what to expect as it is a relatively new programme. Above all, Discover It Yourself aimed to familiarise people with travel planning and to discover the beauty that Europe hides. This is undoubtedly what I experienced, but to my surprise, it was much more…
Better organization, finding a dozen or so solutions under time pressure, breaking the language barrier, or making new friends that I think were made for years to come: these are just a few of the things I gained from taking part in this project.
What I am most grateful for is the opportunity given to me to get to know myself better. I gained the extra confidence that I sometimes lacked. During my travels, I noticed that I was able to handle difficult situations that required quick thinking and analysis of the situation.
However, my biggest barrier was English. Before that, I was afraid to speak to other people in this language. I was convinced that they would misunderstand me or that they would start pointing out the mistakes I was making. However, I opened up and understood that everyone makes mistakes because we are only human.
All in all, I experienced the trip of a lifetime, but it would not have happened without my group. I want to thank you, girls. Thanks to you, despite some of our ups and downs, we managed to make everything happen as we dreamed it would.
Above all, international trips are a great opportunity to meet new people and experience new cultures and tastes. During such trips, we can completely change our approach to situations that previously caused us reluctance or fear. We can also gain new experiences that help us “enter the adult world”. I myself learned how to deal with an accident in a foreign country. And thanks to that experience, I already know what to do when something similar happens and what mistakes I won’t make the next time. Adventure, new experiences, travel, laughter, sweat and tears: it’s something worth experiencing first-hand to become a better person, not only for yourself but also for others.
Aleksandra, 18 years old, A travel through different European countries – “Discover It Yourself“
I honestly feel I couldn’t have come across a more wonderful group…
The whole project delighted me with its idea, because we didn’t just focus on making the journey, we put it together ourselves. The time spent in pre-mobility meetings allowed us as a group to get to know each other and plan a great tour together.
Before going to France, we encountered nothing but negative feedback, full of questions about why we were going there and that there was nothing there. Despite the fact that each of us had wanted to visit Paris for a very long time, the criticisms we faced managed to discourage us. We travelled to this French city with the attitude that it would not surprise us and that the city would only be dirty and dangerous. However, once we arrived, we all were in awe. Walking out of the train station itself, we saw what beauty this city has in it. In the end, we spent three days there instead of four, due to an unfortunate accident that we had to deal with beforehand, which also showed us that we are capable of handling a crisis very well.
An unforgettable moment, however, was watching the Eiffel Tower glowing at night, with the song “Something Beautiful” performed by one of the street players in the background. Nothing more was then needed for us to achieve fullness.
This project gave me the opportunity to travel by train outside Poland for the first time. I was able to see the beauty of the world from behind a train window, as well as visit cities that I never thought I would see before, let alone in one trip.
As the leader of the Paris group, I could count on support from my darling girls, whom I would like to thank for that. I honestly feel I couldn’t have come across a more wonderful group than you girls. You are all strong and wonderful, and each of you is different and unique in your own way. I am intensely proud of you and I hope that you will not stop with this project, but will continue trying new things.
Special thanks are also due to the project coordinator, Justyna, who has created a wonderful project with numerous development opportunities for young people. She did not leave us in difficult moments, but she helped us find solutions to the problems we encountered.
I encourage you to take part in non-formal education mobilities because it is a chance to discover yourself and, above all, your weaknesses and strengths. This is particularly important in our further development, as we should be able to see what we need to work on so that we and those around us feel comfortable with us.
Dominika, 19 years old, A travel through different European countries – „Discover It Yourself“
This project has not only gifted me with countless unforgettable moments but has also brought me many valuable lessons…
My adventure with the exchange organised by LEVEL UP was an extremely unique and unforgettable experience. This project has not only gifted me with countless unforgettable moments, but has also brought me many valuable lessons. One of the key aspects I have taken from this unique period is a deeper introspection, as well as the ability to act effectively and solve problems even in critical situations.
This exchange became a space for me to understand the immeasurable value of my own self and discover how to cope with difficult moments. I took a closer look at the mechanisms of action and finding solutions in challenging situations. It was an extremely important discovery for me to see the beauty that lies in our differences. Being in a completely new environment has taught me flexibility and the ability to adapt to previously unknown circumstances. Being in a foreign country surrounded by new people required me to have a certain degree of openness and the ability to establish interpersonal relationships.
These skills gained during the exchange are extremely valuable, and I can now use them in different spheres of life. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this exchange. This experience has opened numerous doors for me and provided me with a perspective on the importance of maintaining an open mind towards new challenges. In conclusion, I would also like to sincerely thank my travelling companions during that exchange. Thanks to these wonderful women, the experience not only took on an educational dimension but also was full of joy and laughter. You are truly extraordinary!
I encourage you to take part in non-formal education mobilities as they provide a unique opportunity for personal and intellectual development. During such trips, you can learn about different cultures, establish valuable international relationships, improve your language skills, develop self-reliance and learn how to adapt to new situations. It is also a chance to enrich your global awareness and open yourself up to new perspectives that can positively affect your future. Therefore, I highly recommend you to experience it yourself.
Jowita, 18 years old, A travel through different European countries – „Discover It Yourself“
It felt like we had known each other for years and were going on holiday, but we had only just met…
Above all, the project gave me the opportunity to travel. I would never have been able to organise such trip on my own. For me, it was one of the first trips abroad and I am really grateful for it. It also taught me how to deal with crisis situations and now they will be easier to overcome. It showed me how different people are, and that it is worth travelling and exploring new places. However, the project is all about people. I ended up in the best group and that’s what made me have so much fun. There were six of us, and despite our differences, we were able to get along well and share responsibilities. Each of us was involved and did what we could to make the trip the best it could be. It felt like we had known each other for years and were going on holiday but we had only just met! I hope that this will not be our last trip together and that we will be able to take part in something similar one day again. During the project, I was also able to meet many other people and my language barrier disappeared completely. The project has given me a lot and thanks to it, I have much more courage when it comes to travelling, and it made the world a little less scary (: Thank you LEVEL UP for giving me that opportunity. Dominika, Martyna, Ola, Jowita i Maja, you are great (:
I encourage you to take part in non-formal education mobilities. During that time you can learn so much more about different cultures, people and the world at large than you could ever learn at school. In addition, it is an ideal opportunity to make new friends, break down barriers and discover new places. Projects allow us to gain a lot of new experiences, and make us more independent and open to others. They also make us more tolerant of people, and “being different” is no longer scary to us.
Kasia, 18 years old, A travel through different European countries – „Discover It Yourself“
Throughout the trip, I was most surprised by the cultural differences between people…
The trip was an amazing opportunity for me to meet great people and visit beautiful places. Thanks to the girls in the group and the volunteers, I realised how big and wonderful the world we live in is and how much I have still to discover. Throughout the trip, I was most surprised by the cultural differences between people and how where you live changes people’s attitudes. The trip made me overcome my introverted personality and step outside my comfort zone. I also overcame a considerable language barrier. I would like to thank all of the LEVEL UP team for the opportunity to participate in such a great project, as well as the girls for the great atmosphere and wonderful adventures.
I encourage you to take part in non-formal education mobilities because you learn up-to-date information in an interesting way. We are developing not only our scientific and cognitive abilities side but also our spiritual and mental well-being. We get to know ourselves and our capabilities. The skills acquired during the journey are irreplaceable.
Maja, 18 years old, A travel through different European countries – „Discover It Yourself“
The project has shown me that the world is not so scary after all and travelling is not that difficult…
Above all, during the project, I gained a lot of experience in travelling: how to plan a trip for myself and what to do to make the plan work. I learnt how to deal with crisis situations, which happened from time to time so that now I can cope without major problems. I know now what to do now! Every person I met in the different countries we visited was smiling and willing to help. Representatives of various organisations were eager to tell us about their city and show us around. I will never forget how Matteo from Italy took us to an Italian breakfast, and he was surprised by Polish customs, which made us laugh. Even though I was afraid of my language barrier, I managed very well. If I couldn’t get along, I could always use gestures understood by everyone regardless of their language. Throughout the project, we had support from the LEVEL UP team, for which I am very grateful. Otherwise, we would not have known what to do in some of the situations we encountered. Thank you very much to LEVEL UP for the opportunity to participate in such a trip and for assigning me to a group with people I’d loved from the first meeting. I couldn’t even imagine being in a better group. I felt so at ease with them as if we had known each other all our lives. I could never part with them, and already miss them so much. I hope we will meet again and go on another unforgettable journey like this one. The project has shown me that the world is not so scary after all, and travelling is not so difficult. Now, I am braver and more confident. It was a small step towards fulfilling my dream of exploring the whole world, I believe that one day I will succeed!
I encourage you to participate in non-formal education mobilities. During such projects, you can learn a lot about people, cultures and customs, which is exciting for me as I love discovering new things. It’s completely different from boring lessons at school. There you are present, you can see everything and experience it! It is an ideal opportunity to discover new places and meet new people. I believe that thanks to such projects, we become more independent and adventurous, which is a huge advantage when we plan to travel. No textbook can teach us about the world the way a journey will.
Martyna, 18 years old, A travel through different European countries – „Discover It Yourself“
