On October 16-24, I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange which took place in a beautiful location – Vadul lui Voda in Moldova.
The aim of the project was to help young people understand the importance of sport for good physical and mental well-being. Through sport activities and numerous conversations, we developed teamwork skills, communication, shaping our confidence and responsibility. During cultural evenings we learned a lot about the culture, cuisine, and traditions of the participating countries. We started with icebreaker games to get to know each other better. Later, through numerous workshops, we learned a lot, for example, about stereotypes in sport. We also had the opportunity to play the role of facilitators. It was an amazing adventure, I met wonderful people, and developed my language skills. Everything was prepared at the highest level, the organizers did a great job and I will remember it fondly for a long time.
I recommend trips like this to everyone because they offer a lot of opportunities: meeting new people and their cultures, learning a foreign language, and, above all, expanding knowledge and education through fun.
Karolina, 22 years old, Fate of Sport youth exchange, Vadul lui Voda Moldova
I remember the exchange as an extraordinary experience, thanks to which I had the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and break my language barrier.
The topic of the project was also very close to me because I work with young people every day, providing them with knowledge about physical activity. Our leaders were fully committed, they were the right people in the right place, they had interesting and creative ideas that I can certainly use in my current work. Moldovans are very pleasant people, they offered their help on the way to the place of accommodation, on the first day. I had the opportunity to try how hitchhiking works in this country — it confirmed that the people are very friendly and polite.
When it comes to the LEVEL UP organization, they supported us throughout the entire exchange, they thoroughly discussed with us all the necessary documentation, we were in constant contact before, during and after the exchange.
I encourage you to participate in mobilities carried out as part of non-formal education because it is an excellent opportunity to develop skills, learn about other social realities and cultural differences, and strengthen values such as solidarity, democracy, and friendship.
Thanks to the exchange we are able to develop our language competencies and break the barriers.
Agnieszka, 29 years old, Fate of Sport youth exchange, Vadul lui Voda, Moldova
Through the project, I gained new experiences related to working in an international environment, I learned about different cultures and customs, as well as ideas for original workshops and “ice breakers”.
First and foremost, I formed friendships with people from Poland and from other countries, which will last for years! During the project, I learned that sport indeed plays a significant role in our lives (not only in a physical and mental aspect but also in a social one). During this week-long exchange, I had the opportunity to meet many new people from Armenia, Georgia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland and, of course, Moldova. These new acquaintances allowed me to look at Europe and the world from a perspective, which I hadn’t known before. In Moldova, I was most surprised by the kindness and hospitality of the Moldovans – thanks to this, we had the opportunity to get to know a new culture very thoroughly. Thanks to the kindness of the organizers and local people, we had the opportunity to try local cuisine, which surprised me very positively. The LEVEL UP Association brought their ‘A’ game! Before the project, we had an organizational meeting, so we knew how to prepare and what to expect. Likewise, the organizers from the host organization were very helpful and solved every “problem” that appeared. The biggest barrier, which I managed to overcome, was the language barrier – being among an international group encouraged me to communicate in English. In addition, everyone was very kind and understanding, I could feel as if we were one big family. One of the funniest situations I witnessed (actually not once, but almost every day!) were moments when we were eating outside and sometimes, absorbed in conversation, we did not notice that someone was “stealing” our food. There were many cute dogs living in our center, who liked to ask for food. Every time someone noticed, for example, that their egg suddenly disappeared, we all laughed heartily (the organizers took very good care of us, so there was no problem in asking for more – despite sharing food with the animals, definitely no one was hungry!). I would especially like to thank our facilitators – Edi and Tomi. They were always very well-prepared (I wouldn’t be surprised if they stayed up at night, preparing tasks for us), and they knew how to make us laugh and interest us in the topic. They definitely proved themselves in their role and I think the exchange wouldn’t have been so amazing without them! Of course, I would also like to thank LEVEL UP and the hosting organization for the possibility to participate, because without them there would be no way to experience everything.
I strongly encourage others to take part in international projects, including Erasmus+ youth exchanges. I think that the best encouragement for others to take part in these types of projects are stories told by former participants – that’s why I always share information about opportunities offered by Erasmus with my friends. Reasons why going on a project is definitely worth it: personal development, breaking the language barrier (or the opportunity to practice English), broadening professional horizons (skills gained during projects can definitely be used later in your professional career), getting to know new perspectives, cultures, customs, exchange of experiences. In short, a youth exchange is a great adventure, which allows you to delight in discovery.
Ewa, 24 years old, Fate of Sport youth exchange, Vadul lui Voda Moldova
The project in Moldova was an absolutely wonderful experience that I will always remember and all the amazing people that I met will have a special place in my heart.
We were provided with a lot of useful workshops on the face of sports, its impact on societies, as well as the dangers associated with it.
In my experience, Moldovans are hospitable, welcoming and always eager to help. Once, when traveling by bus, we couldn’t understand when, where and at which stop to get off, so we asked our fellow passengers for help. Although we could barely understand what they were saying, we quickly realized that 20 people were discussing how to help us. Of course, there was a language barrier: the lack of knowledge of Romanian and the vague familiarity with Russian, but it turned out that if there is the will, it is always possible to communicate. I feel that I learnt a lot, not only within the subject of the project, but especially from the wonderful co-participants from different countries. I became familiar with their different perspectives and habits. It was all really enriching.
I strongly recommend participating in this type of European projects and others – it’s a unique opportunity to broaden your perspective and meet fantastic people from different countries. Not only those experiences give you the courage to travel more willingly on your own later on, but also allow you to build international friendships. I feel that these projects allow you to simply become a better person.
Melchior, 26 years old, Fate of Sport youth exchange, Vadul lui Voda, Moldova
I have fond memories of the project in Moldova. First of all, we were accommodated in a beautiful place, in colourful houses surrounded by nature.
Nearby was a river and despite the autumnal weather, we still swam there. I made many new friends- participants came from Moldova, Poland, Armenia, Georgia, Türkiye, Ukraine and Lithuania. I learned more about their countries and cultures during conversations and cultural evenings. I was surprised by how beautiful Moldova is, because I knew earlier that it is not a very touristy and rather poor country, but after this trip I definitely recommend visiting it.
I would particularly like to thank the wonderful facilitators: Edi and Tony, and the organizer Tomas – without them this project would not have been so great.
I encourage you to participate in non-formal education mobilities, as it is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge on various topics. On top of that, we gain knowledge in an interesting way through workshops, group work and discussion. It’s definitely not as boring as sitting in a classroom and listening to the teachers.
Monika, 24 years old, Fate of Sport youth exchange, Vadul lui Voda, Moldova
The youth exchange in Vadul lui Voda was an extraordinary experience for me. The project was an opportunity to learn about other cultures and customs especially during cultural evenings.
The theme of the project was very interesting. During the exchange, I learned a lot of new things, such as working in an international group, and I also became more open-minded. We discussed topics related to sports, such as fair play, we sang songs about sports, and we also participared in field activities. I was positively surprised by the hospitality of the Moldovans, who offered me help and guidance, sharing their enthusiasm for the local culture and traditions. LEVEL UP accompanied us from the very beginning, during and after the exchange, guiding us through the necessary paperwork.
I encourage everyone to participate in mobilities. In my opinion, participating in an international exchange is a completely different experience compared to the traditional learning process. It is a great opportunity to learn new things, especially interpersonal skills. This experience allows you to go beyond your comfort zone, and furthermore, it allows you to make contacts with people from different parts of the world.
Weronika, 23 years old, Fate of Sport Youth Exchange, Vadul lui Voda, Moldova
