This youth exchange took place in Ghlin, Belgium, between 18th and 28th of August 2008. There were participants from 7 countries: Bulgaria, France, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Belgium.
The main theme was to discover participants cultural background and to share it with the others through artistic and body expression activities. In that participants discovered sculpture with Zoé from France, piano improvisation with Vlada from Latvia, singing with Sylvie from Belgium, photography with Richard from Belgium, percussion with Benoît from Belgium, sport activities with “energetic” Emese from Romania, special “jewellery” creation with Mirko and Smantha from Italy, T-shirt painting with Polish group, theatre with Christine from Belgium and many other activities too.
I think that this youth exchange changed a lot in the hearts and minds of many of participants. I will quote some of the feelings of participants about the youth exchange and their participation:
Magda from Poland: “This exchange was very good experience for me. I met fascinating and valuable people… This experience motivated me to learn new languages...”.
Boyan from Bulgaria: “To me it was a great experience I will remember it for whole life. During the exchange I met a lot of new cool people and a few guys I knew since before and I am completely sure that we’ll manage to become good friends through keeping in touch… Thank you all for everything what you gave me as emotions and your personal appearance! Once again, I miss you all very much and hopefully we’ll keep in contact! ”.
Mirko from Italy: “For me, it's not been easy to restart my daily life after this experience; made special and extraordinary thanks to everyone of you! Thanks to everything you brought out of yourselves! Every one of us is very different from the others, but this fact has certainly enriched the personality of all! For me it was a pleasure to get know of everyone of you and me too i hope to keep in contact each others!”
Jenny from France: “Thank very much all of you for this super journey!”
Ovidiu from Romania: “I miss you and i miss Belgium. It was a great camp and most of all were great people.”
Vlada from Latvia: “It was a great experience”.
I would only like to add that for me too, as coordinator of the project, although I had to deal with a lot of new and challenging situations, I met a lot of new interesting people, I learned a lot about the others and myself and above all I enjoyed being with you, sharing this unique experience.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who had helped me, on one way or another, during the realization of this project. Without their precious help and support and the energy that all participants put in this project, this youth exchange wouldn’t have been such a positive and great experience for each and every one of us. I wish that this youth exchange will be the starting point for new projects, friendships and dreams together! Thank you!
Manneke Pis, the boy who saved Brussels and a part of us: Aurèlie, Zoé & Roma, Ewa, Gellert, Loredana, Anca, Boyan, Samantha, Anna-Rita, Federica, Emilia, Agatha, Sylwester, Aglica, Bogdan, Emese, Ambro, Magda, Ovidiu, Svetoslava, Miroslav, Andrey (from left to right)
Having a break and a Belgian beer, what else could Bo, Miro, Svetla and Aglica could have asked in Brussels? (from left to right)
“I know I can reach the top!” said Svetoslava when “touching” the Tower of the City Hall in Brussels’s “Big Square”
Visiting “Musical Instruments Museum” in Brussels, Vlada played the piano and everyone (the guide, Robi, Magda, Ivita, Dimitri) around her was quietly listening (from left to right)
Sculpture workshop with Daphné and Zoé
T-shirt painting workshop with: Cyprian, Arnaud, Emilia, Agatha, Boyan, Emese, Ewa, Aurélie, Sylwester, Magda (from left to right)
Anna-Rita, Samantha, Federica, Anna, Sylwester enjoying the greatest percussion workshop ever done!
Emese learned playing Pétanque to Octav, Bogdan, Gellert, Mario
Aglica asks Emese and Boyan : “Do you need a break? Already!?” during tandem biking
Having fun at Latvian presentation: “Who wants to be the next to sit into Aglica’s lap?” asked Boyan and Andrey
“Tonight, we have Bulgarian food on the menu!” Mmmm…. Participants were very happy to taste every evening each countries culinary specialties
“Bulgarian Network” a new game invented by: Georgi, Boyan, Svetla, Miro, Aglica & Andrey (from left to right)
“Bed-time stories” with Sylwester, Ewa, Emese, Robi, Mirko, Anca, Emilia, Agatha, Ambro, Cyprian (from left to right)
With an enormous cake and a big smile, this is how we celebrated Sylvie’s birthday
We will never know what Vlada just told Mirko, but they seem to have a lot of fun
“Are you cold? No, we are just hiding from the others!” said Vlada & Ivita during the visit to Mons
Mirko finally found his true love: Art!