The Keep calm and follow your passion youth exchange brought together young people with or without a physical or visual disability in northern Poland to learn more about each other, their hobbies, passions and hobbies.

Read the comments of our participants about breaking down stereotypes and inspiring active citizenship of all young people

Volodymyr

It’s just natural to be careful about what you have not tried so far. But sometimes the extra restraint of communication in a team can injure the result. So any expectations I tried to isolate and focused only on current events and feelings.

    

Apparently, due to lack of expectations, the first day of exchange impressed me of sincerity of communication, generally friendly attitude and incredible energy. And every next day was even more intense. Therefore, it was never enough of sleep, because thoughts and emotions did not allow falling asleep. The coffee was also unlimited.

And the initial caution very quickly changed to trust. Someone from team starting to do something – it’s provided inspiration to the rest, everyone wanted to add something own, something wonderful. And if there was some difficult moment – then surely someone will help.

It is through the depth and quality of communication that one should participate in such projects. It’s also a great opportunity to improve your English.

Yulia Vorovska

Youth Exhange

Youth exchange sounds like an adventure.

My adventures began long before I had to go. Initially, it was decided / discussed by the whole team what, where, when we would talk and show. At least we had decided. Phew.

Vinnytsia railway station.

Getting to Boryspil was also an adventure because of lack of sleep. In Vinnytsya I had several hours before the train, so it was a choice to sleep (and knowing myself – to outsleep) or to wait for the train to Kyiv and to lie down for a few hours. Because in principle, I cannot sleep in the train. When we arrived at the train station in Kyiv, the train was first delayed for 10 minutes, then for another 20… I understand that this is not the end. The train station workers who helped me get on the train jumped out of the train on the go, as the driver did not notice a signal that he needed to wait a little longer. Bah!

Kyiv train station.

In Kyiv it seems that we get to the station relatively without adventuries. But there is one moment. To get to the train that immediately goes to the airport, it was necessary to bypass the entire railway station, until the end, to 14th track. Suddenly, we are stuck in a dead end – a fence that does not open. The escort from the train station that conducted us didn’t know it. Ukrzaliznytsia’s missed again. Oh, how I love it. It remains 10 minutes, before departure, again have to bypass half 14 tracks, then all 13 tracks, and again half 14. Thanks to the people and workers who noticed and delayed the train, I’m inside. I go to the airport, simultaneously resting from the morning unwanted jog. There was only one thought along the way, what else was to come, what was the next adventure?

Boryspil Airport.

Arrived, made check in, waited for landing, after landing still waited in the yard for 20 minutes. We were planted inside on a very interesting wheelchair, if you can call it so. I don’t even know what is it. You can see the photos. That’s it, we’re on the plane. Flight was without adventures)))

Gdansk.

At the beginning of the exchange, I knew for sure that there would be mega cool people who would teach, help, and just enjoy the project. With such a team you can create anything, and it will turn out no worse than professionals, because we worked hard with love. I wanted to improve my English, and it came true. In the middle of the project, I spoke a little in English, oh, how I liked it. There was a lot of information, a lot of smiles, a lot of emotions, a lot .. of all. It was hard to say goodbye. Everyone is used to each other, even during these 8 days. We were, and remain, as one family. But one thing is warming our hearts that this is not our last meeting with each of you. Love you and see you soon!

Elina

Not acceptance

How often do we not / accept what happens?

I would like to tell a little about my trip to Poland. What it was, where, what was it like and special moments for me. There will be a lot of text, so get ready) thanks to everyone who will finish it.

It was Youth Exchange from Erasmus +, which this time took place in Poland, Varzhenko.My journey began on the 20th, from the Zaporozhye-Kiev train. Honestly? For a very long time I didn’t accept this trip and I doubted a lot about whether I need to be there or not. Looking ahead, I’ll say – it was necessary !!!

Being on the train, I could not even imagine what kind of adventure was waiting for me at 5:40 in the morning. An emergency brake, a running marathon with 7.5 kg bag, I run from track to track in order to catch the express, which would take us to Boryspil. You might ask, why I was in such a hurry? And all because the track that we were supposed to hit was blocked by a fence that was tightly screwed to the ground. So 10 minutes before departure, we had to run along the entire 14th track , then run the entire 13th and again the entire 14th, but on another side. I ran with the thought: “This will be the most epic moment, if when I reach the train, a stone’s throw from it, the doors will close …” And…of course it happened. But, thanks to all the staff and people who saw us, we were able to get to the car and reach to the airport. On the way to Boryspil, I kept trying to calm down and completely accept the whole trip, because it’s okay if such troubles take place on the ground, but if all some kind of that will happen in the air. It won’t be very fun …

The flight went perfectly. A couple of hours in Gdansk, a new country, a new city, new acquaintances. We waited for all the participants and went to our base in Varzhenko.

And probably now, I want to proceed strait to the special moments for me.

The whole time that I was there, one thought did not leave me: “Why don’t we cherish so much everything that we have? Why is the more a person has, the more often he is unhappy and tries to create a picture of a happy life, a happy self? And on the other hand, why if a person doesn’t have much (according to our stupid standards of life), he’s happier, appreciates more, thanks more? ”

Have you ever thought about the price of the word you say? How many useless things are we talking about? Even I, while I was writing this text, have already written too much not very significant information (we call it “water” in Russian). Have we ever thought about the fact that for someone one spoken word is worth its weight in gold? And we just take and scatter words, not even thinking, without full meaning.

How often do we think that – Dang, how cool it is to see this world! To see our loved ones, yourself, nature, everything, literally everything in this world. TO SEE! And again, very often we don’t appreciate it as much as we should. And how much attention and time do we give to the sensations of this world? Do you remember what sand feels like? When it pours in your hand, dripping through your fingers. If not, you know what to do next weekend;)

And one more thing … Which, it seems, turned a lot in my thoughts. In response to the question: “What was your best day?”, I received: “A day without fear, a day when I will not be afraid …” How often do we allow fear to rise above us? Stop being afraid of your feelings, thoughts, emotions, desires!) You can do anything! You are a living person!) Be above fears, help yourself and others overcome them! Together we can do a lot, and everyone can do much more than he or she thinks!

Also, giving a person a smile, warm emotions and feelings is not so difficult. 🙂 How long ago have you been smiling at passers-by? Hugging your family and friends? Told them how important they are to you?

I want these lines to be read by all the people who gave me so many thoughts, so many feelings, gave me a feeling of happiness and gratitude, those who made surprises for me. Oh yes, by the way, I had a very cool secret friend! You will see one of the gifts on the photo. Thank you very much for such a surprise! The whole camp, I was sure that I know who my secret friend is, but no, they made a big surprise to me

  ️

I am grateful to each participant and I want you to remember – you can do much more than you think! You are so incredible! Special! Your smiles and eyes, your thoughts change everything around you to the better! Thank you for the opportunity to be around all these days. Thank you for all the moments, all the words spoken, for the fulfillment of the dream (Roi – thanks to you, I will now boldly develop the film :)), for the desire – to be on the bridge, on the water. (Who doesn’t know, such bridges and lighthouses are my weakness. Although I haven’t seen a lighthouse yet, I’m sure that I’ll be near and will have another dream come true), thanks a lot for group hugs, for massage and dancing, for a cheerful mood at the kitchen, Tim Tiramisu – I miss you!)

Thanks for all the moments! You brought so much into my life and I would have made a big mistake if I decided to stay at home and not go anywhere.

Believe in yourself! And I’m sure that see you soon ♥️

Mikhail

I like it. It was interesting.

This is my fourth exchange. It passed the village of Warzhenko, near Gdynia, in a very unusual format. It was a kind of training course where all of us were teachers.

People. They are always the most important in projects, they were unusually smart and interesting, no one even drank alcohol in the evening, as is usually the case with exchanges.

Conditions. Perhaps we were given the best conditions from exchanges. We were accommodated in a wonderful hostel, only two in a large room. They fed wonderfully, presented with attention and gifts (I got a wonderful mug with a cock, I’m still very pleased). They provided a comfortable transfer, gave tickets for public transport and fed a lot.

Our Ukrainian team had 3 workshops, I was responsible for the blockchain, I did not do well enough, nobody understood anything. The girls showed and talked about strollers and how to help. Vova taught how to make norms a photo on a mobile. There were 2 games of the workshop, no longer from us, one tied to randomness and I categorically did not like it, the second was a role-playing game, the idea of   which I really liked, I need to try something else. And we also sculpted all kinds of things out of clay type, it really hit me too, I blinded Zhabka-Gentleman. And there were a lot of workshops about photo and video shooting, a lot, I was in the group where the interview was shot, it was useful, definitely.

I liked everything, Poland is super cool, exchange is also cool, I want more.

Yulia Pidorina

What happened to me in just 1 week? Many things!
This project became for me as a separate little story of my life…
✅It was a story, where I met so many awesome people from different countries. It was so cool to be inside such a warm, intercultural atmosphere.  ️There were so many like-minded people, with whom I talked about common topics, learned new things, and shared thoughts about common values. ⌛️
✅ It was about, how I learned to notice the little things, how I started to appreciate more what I have and most importantly learned to be grateful for it.

✅The story in which I discovered something new every day. Our photography workshop impressed me at all, even can’t describe how cool it was.   It showed me, how is important to appreciate every shot and pay more attention to the little things. It was an experience of fighting with sleeping when we developed the tapes with photos at midnight.

✅ It’s my story about a little “reboot” inside. When you can look at yourself from the other side. And discovered something new, what had never noticed before.

✅ It’s about the beautiful nature around. About the great view from the window to the lake. And it’s about the night conversations and walkings near the lake

✅ It’s about development, new friendship, jokes, and dancing!
I wish everyone the good motivation to be active and don’t be afraid to apply for these exchanges!!!

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By alena

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