Go Europe

Go Europe

Thanks to the Youthfully Yours organization, a student exchange through the Erasmus Plus - Go Europe program took place in Wisła. Our six-member team met for the first time on the train, which we all boarded with a little trepidation. But after only a few minutes, laughter and joyful chatter could be heard from our compartment. And when we later met with the Hungarian and Polish teams, the laughter did not subside.

Thanks to the activities we did daily, we managed to get to know at least a little bit of every participant in this project. Since the weather was not on our side, we spent a lot of time with workshops in our hotel. They mainly concerned the European Union and elections, teamwork, and so on. International evenings showed us that even though we are neighbors and similar in many ways, there is still something new to discover. The town of Wisła had a peaceful atmosphere, so we spent almost every evening in long conversations on benches by the bank of the Wisła River. When the weather calmed down, we also went on a trip to the historic city of Bielsko-Biała.

Thanks to the project, we gained many experiences and memories, knowledge, and friendships with Slovaks, Hungarians, and Poles. We learned how to cooperate in groups, but also how to create a personal profile. We will always remember the barbecue, singing with a guitar, games on the playground, walks through Wisła, and late meetings on balconies. We agreed that it was one of the interesting experiences, and we will definitely meet again, for example, in other Erasmus programs.

Our entire Slovak adventure began at the station in Žilina, where the whole Slovak team met. During the journey, we got to know each other and were all excited, as it was the first project for each of us. From the train, we transferred to a van, where our charming driver took us to the town of Wisła in Poland, near the borders with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This town is named after the river that originates there, the Vistula. The first days were filled with the tension of the unknown, but the very first evening convinced us otherwise. These first days we mostly spent in the accommodation and especially in our "workshop room". These days were filled with a lot of self-discovery (for which we thank our facilitator!) and also getting to know others. Every evening after the program ended, we would retreat to one room, invite the Poles and Hungarians, and together we would talk about various topics. It is incredibly easy to communicate in English, and whoever wants to say something always finds a way! In the last days of our Erasmus, we participated in a happening among the locals, took a trip to the mountains, and also a trip to the city of Bielsko-Biała, where we discovered a charming local cafe, Imbryk, with an even more charming lady who owns it. During the program, we played many energizers, learned how to create our own workshop, got to know the culture of our neighbors (which is very similar to ours), improved our English communication, and made many friends.

If I had to describe my youth exchange in Poland, I would certainly only speak in superlatives. Not everyone has such an opportunity, and I appreciate even more that I could be part of this project. Our stay was definitely interesting. We attended a large number of lectures, which were styled in a creative way. I never felt bored. Even the least interesting topic for me was presented engagingly. I also cannot forget the trips, walks around the city, discovering unusual places, or evenings spent together by the fire with a guitar. This project gave me a lot. I learned a lot of information related to the given topic. They are very valuable to me, as I plan to work in this field in the future, and I will definitely use them. It was also an excellent opportunity to practice English, as communication with foreign participants took place only in English. Getting to know other cultures and customs was also completely new to me. I also had the opportunity to reflect on myself, re-evaluate some steps in my life, and where my life will go next. The other participants, who were incredibly kind and clever, by the way, showed me a completely different perspective on the world. This project helped me overcome myself and especially the stress of public speaking – which I always had a problem with. I can say that it was a valuable life experience. I already know that this was not my last Erasmus+ project.