The Story of a Bachelor's Thesis (Act Non-Formal vol.2)
The Story of a Bachelor's Thesis (Act Non-Formal vol.2)
BREMEN. GERMANY. TRAINING COURSE. ERASMUS+. BACHELOR'S THESIS. YOUTHFULLY YOURS SLOVAKIA. BIBI. BIANCA. FILIP. RADKA. Once upon a time, there lived a princess and blah blah blah. Everyone knows this, but no one knows how one day my bachelor's thesis went to a Training Course in Germany.
One day I decided to apply for a training supported by the Erasmus+ program. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in TC Act Non. Formal 2 in Germany." Who wouldn't be happy about that? My travel plan was already partially prepared, as I knew that flights from Košice to Germany were inexpensive.
03:45. Alarm clock. Trip to the airport. Nap at the airport. Flight. Cologne. Germany. Bachelor's thesis. Canceled train, which I thought couldn't be delayed even for a second, because we are in Germany and everything here is 110%. Another of many mistakes in my life. But one learns from their own mistakes, and this is a life lesson. 22:00. I'm at the destination. Without energy, without words, without everything. I see a bed, I sleep, I think. I get to know my roommate, who describes to me what amazing food they prepared for us at this amazing training, and she has no idea that at this moment, food is completely irrelevant to me. But otherwise, she was very nice, she was from Latvia and studied in England. Coincidentally, not far from the city where I spent a good few months. This slightly increased my sympathy for her. She was great.
First day of training, first introductions, first people. Everything was first, new, strange. Grrr. And great. The training focused on THEATER. Yes, theater, and I, a complete amateur, was there. And from so many previous experiences, I say that this project was 110% successful. Really, I'm not lying. Everything was perfect. I learned how to play a refrigerator, depression, a chair, a perfect day machine, and many other interesting inventions. And no, I'm not crazy. It was simply worth it. The trainers who led it were true professionals, and that's why it was so successful. The organization that prepared it all was unique. They took care of us like children in kindergarten. The approach was great because the atmosphere they created was friendly, relaxed, yet full of respect and understanding. The participants were experts in youth work, people from countries like Macedonia, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Finland, Cyprus, Latvia, and of course, Slovakia.
Every day, an interesting program awaited us. I myself couldn't believe what I was willing to do. The performances of people I saw for the first time, and who also saw me for the first time and were not at all ashamed. The amount of fun, laughter, experiences, but also pleasant sadness. All of that is unforgettable. A lot of emotions and stories. One realizes that they have no inhibitions and can do anything. One day, two presentations, two countries, twice as much food as usual. How we made lokše for the first time for 35 people and how we succeeded, that's the secret of the CHEF without a hat. Everyone was surprised that red cabbage can also be consumed cooked, and I looked at them like a calf, saying, you didn't know this?! But they liked it.
#BachelorOnTheRoad AND HERE IT IS! The truth. I applied for the training because I no longer have any classes, but that doesn't mean I have nothing to do. My classes may have ended, but the bachelor's thesis is waiting. All or nothing. I choose all, and that's why I took my bachelor's thesis to this mega super-duper training and wrote at night. And it was hard. Everyone is having fun, everyone is talking, and I am writing my bachelor's thesis. But I was there. BRAVO! I wrote my bachelor's thesis everywhere I could, everywhere there was internet, everywhere I (didn't) feel like it. Airport, street, cafe, restaurant, bus, train, forest, bed, room, kitchen. EVERYWHERE! But this training offered me so many new ideas, and the people did too.
A week full of interesting people, about whom you never know what they will bring you. And they did bring a lot. A lot of "smart-talks" at three in the morning about life, politics, and other "boring" things. About how to travel to Germany and have four transfers in four countries, or how to complicate your life. About having a girlfriend I met in England, but who is half Greek and half Spanish, lives in Belgium, studies in Austria, works in Switzerland, and I am from Cyprus. Long live multiculturalism. Long live non-formal education. Long live Youthfully Yours Slovakia. That's what Erasmus+ is all about. The bell rang and the fairy tale is over.
