That project was one of the best experiences in my life…
That project was one of the best experiences in my life. Thanks to participating in it, I had an opportunity to meet wonderful people from all over Europe with whom, almost immediately, I felt a special bond. That contributed to us building a community where one felt understood, appreciated and always supported by someone.
Both in and out of the classes, I got to know new sides of me, my possibilities and values. I also learned about the role of love in one’s life and I found out a lot about other people, cultures and languages. So far I’ve managed to meet three participants after the exchange, and I’m planning to do so more. Thanks to the exchange, I discovered my new favourite language that I’m getting in better and better through conversations with native speakers who teach me new words. Together we also organized an event for the local community that gave us a possibility to develop group work and language skills, creativity, and allowed us to get to know residents of the surrounding areas.
During the exchange, we could also taste a typical cuisine of different countries that participants came from, particularly the Spanish one. We learned about Spanish culture from yet another angle by getting traditional dishes such as paella or churros as our meals. Apart from typical dishes, others were very tasty and exceeded my expectations.
Both the organizers and the locals that I had a contact with were very nice and helpful. They made sure that every participant was on time. They also run the workshops passionately and with an essential knowledge. They noticed our needs and modified a little some of the classes so that we could make the best out of them. What’s more, they spotted our willingness to share some skills or knowledge and created a space for every willing person to run their own classes.
Before the exchange, I was afraid that I couldn’t be able to find someone to talk to, but my first day proved me wrong.
I am grateful, and I want to thank the organizers, all the participants, EU and surely LEVEL UP for allowing me to participate in the project and spend a wonderful time with even more wonderful people.
I encourage you to participate in all non-formal education mobilities, because it is an amazing adventure that gives you a new perspective, knowledge and skills, and also a chance to make various international friends for years.
Adela, 20 years old, youth exchange in Vilanove De Arousa – “CONNECT WITH YOU(TH)“
Thanks to that project I learned the importance of self-awareness and values that guide us in daily life…
The “Connect with you(th)” exchange was a fantastic experience thanks to which I got to know better the culture of different countries and I learned about myself. Thanks to that project, I learned the importance of self-awareness and values that guide us in daily life. As I study Spanish at university, diving into the culture of this country was also a great deal for me. During the exchange, I met a lot of inspiring people with whom I’ll stay in contact. It was a wonderful experience as I could learn a lot from others. I think my greatest barrier was the theme of the project, because during the workshops you were supposed to “dive into yourself” which sounded like a hard thing to do for me. That’s why I considered that project highly developing, it helped me know me better. I also want to mention that I’m very grateful for the support of the LEVEL UP before, during and after the project! It wasn’t my first youth exchange. I hope to have a chance to participate in such a project again, as every time I come back with new experiences. I encourage you to participate in non-formal education mobilities, because it’s an amazing opportunity to open for the world and get to know yourself better.
Alicja, 21 years old, youth exchange in Vilanova De Arousa – “CONNECT WITH YOU(TH)“
It is surely one of the best experiences in my life…
It was a greatly treasured project for me. I gained lots of invaluable experience. Above all, I learned Spanish at a basic level that helped me communicate with the locals. I met a lot of interesting people from various countries with whom I made friends. I also consider group work experience and fast-adapting-to-new-situations skills greatly beneficial. During the exchange I met a lot of nice and helpful people. It surprised me how hospitable and welcoming for foreigners was the local community. The Spanish cuisine was a total hit—I love tapas and paella, also the seafood was just delicious. The LEVEL UP organizers were involved and professional, it allowed us to focus entirely on the project and carrying out our ideas. We had no problems with transport or accommodation. All questions were answered and doubts, resolved immediately. Personally, I had no language barrier, nor did I felt uncomfortable. One of the funniest situation I experienced was teaching Polish to a person that I had just met. It was quite a challenge for me as Polish phonetics and grammar are not the easiest, but I managed to break this barrier and teach her some basic phrases. I’m very grateful for that experience and the opportunity to participate in that project. It’s surely one of the best experiences in my life. I encourage you to participate in non-formal education mobilities, because they broaden our horizons, allow us to learn abut local cultures and meet new people.
Grzegorz, 18 years old, youth exchange in Vilanova De Arousa – “CONNECT WITH YOU(TH)“
The exchange helped me understand the importance of opening for new experiences and meeting people from different cultures…
It was my first youth exchange. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was positively surprised. The workshops were very interesting. The topics dived into important things like culture, art or challenges that many young people from all over the world have to face. I met wonderful people from various countries. They were very open-minded and inspiring. It was a great surprise to make friends easily with people I had not known before. The organizers were professional and friendly, always ready to help whenever necessary. I was impressed by their enthusiasm and positive attitude towards life. The food was delicious and always in abundance. The vegetarian option was, surprisingly, of a high quality. I’m happy to have gained different perspectives in life. Also, I had the opportunity to get to know the culture better and, obviously, to become more aware of myself. The exchange helped me understand the importance of opening to new experiences and meeting people from different cultures. I totally recommend these types of youth exchanges. Not only do you meet new people and cultures, but also you develop language and personal skills. I’m grateful for such an amazing initiative and invaluable experience. I encourage you to participate in non-formal education mobilities, because one project can change our perspective and attitude towards many key areas in life. Izabela, 19 years old, youth exchange in Vilanova De Arousa – “CONNECT WITH YOU(TH)“
I came back well rested, more confident and open for contact with other people…
I came back well rested, more confident and open for contact with other people, especially with the foreigners. What I learned during the exchange was, among others, listening to myself and my body, and establishing new relationships. What surprised me was the openness of the participants during workshops which were sometimes very personal. The food was quite varied. It was fresh and delicious. We had an opportunity to taste some of the typical Spanish dishes. My biggest barrier was the stress related to communication in English and some workshops whose topics were really personal. I’m grateful for the possibility of participating in such an interesting exchange. I’m proud that I live in a country that is a part of the European Union and I’m able to take part in such exchanges. I experienced a funny situation during the project in which I participated in “sexy dance workshop” with girls from Portugal. I found it hilarious, especially because the idea was very spontaneous. What’s more we were supposed to prepare a task, but we failed to do it. For sure I could count on the LEVEL UP’s support before, during and after the exchange. Special thanks to Magdalena Budzisz! She was our guardian angel. I encourage you to participate in non-formal education mobilities, because these are trips funded by EU and everybody, despite their financial situation, can take part in them. Such exchanges are knowledge hubs, amazing experiences and new beautiful friendships. Bartosz, 20 years old, youth exchange in Vilanova De Arousa – “CONNECT WITH YOU(TH)“
