Last March, me and 5 other people from Greece travelled to Rakičan in Slovenia for a Youth Exchange Erasmus+ Project. The name of the project was “We can and we will” and its topic was about Entrepreneurship.
We were a big group. People from 6 different countries gathered together and spent 9 days in a beautiful castle surrounded by nature. We got to know a lot of people: discuss with them about different topics and share knowledge and experiences. People who have origins from other countries, with different ethics and beliefs. Unique individuals who want to live life and meet others. We worked a lot in groups, either in mixed ones or based on our sending countries. In the project itself, “We can and we will”, We had great, fun team building exercises, ice breaking games, enlightening workshops and my personal favorite the culture nights. We got to experience new things and try food and beverages from other countries.
Moreover, it was very interesting to see all the differences that we had between our cultures and at the same time all the similarities we noticed. Sometimes we think that because we live in the same geographical area (ex. Europe, Balkans, Mediterranean) our lifestyles and ways of thinking are the same. This was not always the case.
My experience with erasmus
When it comes to the project: “We can and we will”, by working together I learned a lot about how to start a business and how it works. It was very fruitful to listen to each other’s ideas and share our knowledge. At the end of this experience, except for all the information that I learned, I gained some great friends and beautiful memories. I believe that erasmus plus projects are more than just cultural exchange. It’s a great opportunity to learn new things and evolve as a young individual. Completing a project and seeing it through to the end can helped obtain new skills and work well as a part of a team.
To sum up, the best part is to understand that there is a whole world out there who doesn’t look the same as us, doesn’t speak the same language as us, doesn’t have the same food as us, doesn’t think in the same way as us, and to face that reality up close is a life changing experience. I certainly feel more open, more tolerant, more knowledgable and more international after being part of Erasmus family!
Article by: Tsampika Tsoplaki, Konstantina Vougiouka
Photographers: Tsampika Tsoplaki, Konstantina Vougiouka, Georgia Amanatiadou, Valena Iordanou, Manousos Stagakisand Elisavet Hatziaslanidou
