I learned the variety of approaches to ecology in different countries…
The Youth exchange allowed me to have experiences that increased my self-confidence. The first days were stressful as I was not fluent in English. In fact, I knew only a few sentences. However, over time, I started to open up to everyone as my self-confidence increased, and people around me, including the Polish team, were open and willing to help.
The games and activities were an engaging aspect of the trip. Movement games allowed people to get to know each other and play around. It was also a chance to learn multicultural games. I met six unique people from six different countries. The memories of the cultural evenings, which allowed us to learn and play and brought us together, will stay with me for a lifetime. I learned the variety of approaches to ecology in different countries, which was the main goal of the project. Although the approaches were different, the purpose was the same: to take care of our world together.
I strongly encourage you to participate in mobility programs carried out within non-formal education because it is an opportunity to meet new people and cultures. You might experience things you would not have experienced while sitting in a classroom.
Angelika, 28, youth exchange in Georgia as a part of the “Eco Trek!” project
It was amazing to see all these people giving us help selflessly……
Thanks to this project, I have become more aware of the world around us. I learned about sustainability and how to take care of our planet. During that week, I realized the we are the ones that have the greatest impact on our environment. While cleaning the beaches every day, I saw people, both older and younger, who were willing to join us in cleaning. It was amazing to see all these people helping us selflessly. I met people with beautiful souls from Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Turkey and Armenia. The biggest surprise for me was the views. I didn’t expect Georgia to be such a beautiful country with high mountains and delicious cuisine. Oh, yes… delightful Khinkali dumplings and Khachapuri with cheese and egg … yummy. What am I grateful for? For having the chance to meet wonderful people, get to know new cultures, explore myself and empower others. I want to thank the LEVEL UP Association for having given me that opportunity. I encourage you to participate in mobility programs carried out within non-formal education, where during that time we can learn new skills, explore new cultures, as well as explore new parts of the world and discover ourselves.
Julia, 23, youth exchange in Georgia as a part of the “Eco Trek!” project
I’m grateful to the Polish team for creating a tightly knit group, for the time we spend together and for the conversations…
It’s hard to sum up the week and a half of intensive work. This wasn’t my first experience with a youth exchange, and just like before, this time I wasn’t disappointed. The youth exchange in Gonio focused on the topic of the climate threats caused by human activities. We discussed topics such as “greenwashing” by companies, which promote themselves as eco-friendly, simultaneously producing huge amounts of pollution into the environment, and the issue that individuals are the ones responsible for making eco-conscious purchases. Every day, we dedicated an hour or two to cleaning the surrounding area, usually the polluted coastline. It was there that I realised the validity of our actions, as bystanders (including children!) joined us in cleaning.
I’m grateful to the Polish team for creating a tightly knit group, for the time we spend together and for the conversations…
I encourage you to take part in mobility programs carried out within non-formal education because it’s worth surprising yourself with the world.
Maciek, 25, youth exchange in Georgia as a part of the “Eco Trek!” project
The project in Georgia was for me an entirely different experience from the previous projects…
The project in Georgia was, for me, an entirely different experience from the previous projects, which had taken place in Spain. The first two days spent in Kutaisi surprised me with how much this country differs from all the European countries I had the chance to visit before. It was truly an amazing experience to immerse myself in such a rich culture and notice these differences. The topic of the project itself was close to my heart. I didn’t expect to learn so many fascinating things related to the issues of greenwashing, sustainable lifestyle and fast fashion. One of the important elements of this exchange for me was the morning yoga, which I practised every day with Zuzia from Poland and Gizam from Turkey. We met before breakfast to do yoga together and then we swam in the pool. It was much better than a cup of a nice coffee! By the way, I still continue to practice yoga at home with the girls in the mind. I extremely grateful for Zuzia’s presence, whom I met during the exchange in Tenerife. She was and still remains a great support and a source of my inspiration. Together, we organized a small trip to the mountains with our two friends from Armenia. During that trip, we got lost in the mountains after the sunset when it was raining. It may sound scary, but it was truly an amazing adventure that I would like to repeat! I highly recommend participating in mobility programs carried out within non-formal education as they can bring a change in your life and make you meet people from all around the world.
Maja, youth exchange in Georgia as a part of the “Eco Trek!” project
The project made me realise that change starts with one person and can lead to a chain of further changes within the community…
The most surprising thing during the project was the people’s reaction to us cleaning the beach. Some of them only watched, others approached us and asked questions about why we were doing it and where we were from. Others joined us to help clean everything left by the sea ashore. I even managed to talk with one girl about all the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ project and encourage her to participate in a youth exchange in the future. The project made me realise that change starts with one person and can lead to a chain of further changes within the community. I met many wonderful people who made this project memorable. Despite expecting to see homeless dogs on the streets, their number overwhelmed me completely. I was pleasantly surprised by Georgian cuisine and the fact that Georgian dishes were served during the exchange. Khachapuri and Khinkali will stay in my heart for a long time. I am incredibly grateful to the LEVEL UP Association for allowing me to participate in the Eco Trek project. Throughout the exchange, the organization provided me with the necessary support at every stage. I encourage you to take part in mobilities carried out within non-formal education. They offer a unique chance to connect with incredible people from around the world, all while learning in a different manner. Those trips are for everyone who wants to become a better version of themselves. It’s impossible to describe how much people can change through travelling abroad.
Natalia 23, youth exchange in Georgia as a part of the “Eco Trek!” project
Seeing all the participants who genuinely cared about our planet bolstered my faith in people and the potential for positive change…
Although it was the third time I took part in the youth exchange, this one was also unique and completely different because it took part in a country located in Asia! It was exciting to travel so far abroad. I was curious about the culture, food and people there. That was an interesting experience to see a world completely different but still familiar at the same time. The topic of the exchange itself was very close to my heart as I am interested in ecology and sustainable living. Although I thought I knew quite a bit about this topic, I learned many important things. Seeing all the participants who genuinely cared about our planet bolstered my faith in people and the potential for positive change. Every day, we went to the nearby beach and collected the litter we found. These seemingly small actions had a tangible impact on the environment, inspiring me to continue similar efforts back in Poland. I also met wonderful people from Turkey and Armenia with whom I instantly felt a special bond. With Gizem from Turkey, (almost) every day we woke up 30 minutes before everyone else to do yoga together, then jumped into the pool, starting our day this way! And with the guys from Armenia, we went to a nearby hill where we admired the sunset together. On our day off, the girl from Georgia led us to an astonishing beach north of Batumi. We walked through a jungle full of banana trees, eventually arriving at a beach located by a cliff, with a spring waterfall right next to the sea. It may sound like paradise, and it truly was. I arrived in Georgia a couple of nights earlier with Maja. I met her during the exchange in Tenerife back in May. Our shared love for nature and mountains instantly connected us. This allowed us extra time to delve into Georgian culture, observe local life and build a stronger bond between ourselves. Over those nearly two weeks, Maja became an incredibly significant person in my life. We woke up each day, laughed at any nonsense, and talked about so many different and important topics! This, I believe, is one of the most beautiful “side effects” of Erasmus projects. Just when you least expect it, you can form genuine friendships with amazing people over just a few days. I encourage you to take part in mobilities carried out within non-formal education as it is a great opportunity to meet amazing people and realize that in fact, the world is full of fascinating people, regardless of the culture.
Zuzanna, youth exchange in Georgia as a part of the “Eco Trek!” project
