YE Neighbours & Stories

YE Neighbours & Stories

The project called Neighbours & Stories took place from August 17-23 in the Polish city of Rzeszow. Participants were from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Ukraine, totaling 21 people. The project focused on raising awareness about our culture, getting to know other cultures, and bringing nations closer together. The first day was Sunday, and we all met for dinner, where we mainly tried to remember each other's names. The first day of the program started with breakfast, and immediately after, we moved on to ice-breaking activities. In the afternoon, we went on a city tour, where we saw the city's landmarks. Day two also started in the Urban Lab, where we had activities related to presenting our culture to other countries. The following day was again dedicated to exploring cultures and breaking down prejudices. On Thursday morning, we visited an underground museum, which is very interesting and modern. In the afternoon, we spent time at the local community center, Urbanlab. On Friday, we concluded the project with reflection and discussions about volunteering or similar opportunities.

The topic was interesting to me, and I most enjoyed working in groups, as we were able to utilize each person's strengths. This project gave me a lot of knowledge and friends, and I would definitely recommend everyone to take advantage of such an opportunity. Rzeszow, as a city, also has a lot to offer, such as the aforementioned museum or the Lubomirski Castle and other attractions. On Saturday, we all woke up after our last night spent together, said our goodbyes, and each of us went our separate ways with the hope of seeing each other again someday.