The Youth Exchange “My VOTE, Future for Youth” took place between 11-18 March in Nitra, one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and brought together several young people from different countries: Romania, Lithuania, Turkey, Poland, Slovakia and Croatia. The main goal of the project was the importance of voting, so young people learned how the democratic system works and the impact that one vote has on their own future.
Day 1:
The first day kicked off with vibrant energy and enthusiasm. The participants dived into ice-breaking activities through which we had the chance to meet everybody and share facts about themselves. The day continued with a debating, focusing on selected topics, allowing participants to interact in a fun and dynamic manner.
In the afternoon, participants had the chance to explore Nitra, by accomplishing Treasure Hunting missions all around the city. In the end, the day finished with an intercultural activity. Participants got to learn about Polish and Croatian culture and got a taste of their gastronomy. Romanians also presented facts about their culture and got to delight everyone with traditional foods. It was a day filled with laughter, learning, and the first steps towards building a connected and empowered group of young individuals, ready to explore and grow together.
Day 2:
The day begun with an introduction to the project’s topic. Participants learned about the social differences between generations through interactive and fun games, then each of them self reflected about their perceptions and ideas. After that, they were divided into groups and had to prepare a play of each form of government : monarchy, anarchy, democracy, communism, tribalism and dictatorship. Participants learned, shared, exchanged and engaged in quite specific and complex discussions of different forms of government and dug deeper to understand the principles of it.
It was a great day that concluded with a second cultural evening where Lithuania, Turkey and Slovakia presented their countries through games and offered the others to taste different local products.The evening ended with an amazing party!!!!
“Overall it was an eye opening experience for all of us as we discussed about different opinions on social problems and we could actually pay more attention to details that we couldn’t observe before.” – declared Ruxandra Narie.
Day 3:
Participants started the day in a dynamic manner, with some energizers, then they were split into groups. Each group had to create a poster, presenting the political and social realities in their country. After that, they all have exchanged ideas on how they can make a change.
The day continued with the game “Simulation of European Parliament”, where participants were divided in teams, each of them supporting different ideas. Then, they had to debate and share opinions and ideas. This was not just a learning experience but also an opportunity to deepen trust and understanding within the group.
The day concluded with a reflection session in national groups. This was a time for introspection and sharing, helping participants process the day’s learnings and experiences. In the evening, participants went to explore the streets of Nitra together. What an amazing day!!!!!!
Day 4:
Today was all about promoting European Union. Participants had to prepare a flash-mob! This needed much work and cooperation from all of them as they had to create a video filmed by a drone. Everything happened in one of the main squares of the city and it was an amazing and fun experience as all the participants put in a lot of work and dedication.
The day finished with a local tour, which was a great way to end the day.
Day 5:
DAY 5 of our Youth Exchange was a really productive one. The day begun in the typical way: energizers. Participants then were divided in groups and had to create an informative video, promoting EU, blending team spirit with digital content creation skills. Participants learned the values of European Union in a fun manner, taking videos all over the city. After each team presented the videos, participants went on a walk exploring the city and the local stores.
Day 6:
The last day was about the final evaluation of the project, future plans and goodbyes. Participants made their personal reflections about the results of the Youth Exchange and discussed if the expectations from the first day were met. They also revealed their secret friends and were given their Youthpasses that certified their participation in this exchange. The day finished with a lovely goodbye party.
The Romanian participants had a great experience and shared it with us:
“Being my first Eramus project, I can say that it exceeded my expectations. I had the opportunity to experience new cultures with great people who I hope to see again soon. It was a transformative experience that gave me a broader perspective on the world!” – Ruxandra Narie
”The experience in Slovakia was my first Erasmus+ adventure and I knew from the beginning that it would be a beautiful imprint in my memories. The thing I didn’t expect at all was the heartache I felt when I had to leave Nitra and all my new international friends. The project activities gave us the opportunity to get closer to each other and improved my communication skills to the point where I could easily switch teams and topics. I wish I could go back in time and experience the whole week again!” – Alexandra Ivașcu
”In my opinion, the project was a great opportunity for us to meet new people and understand how other cultures think and live their lives. For me it was a great experience and I had a lot of fun with my new friends. I met a lot of different people with different characters and I left home with only good memories.”- Maria Vlad
“For me this experience was a great one. I met people from other countries, new friends that I still talk to and plan to see again in the summer. I learned a lot about voting and how important it is to express my opinion, because if I don’t make a decision, someone else will. I recommend this experience because you won’t regret it.” -Andreea Sumedrea
“It was a pleasure to participate in this project. Meeting people from other countries helped me to see different perspectives and learn more about other cultures.” – Filip Pantiru
“Participating in the Erasmus programme in Slovakia was a remarkable and transformative experience. During this week, I had the opportunity to discover not only the beauty of the country, but also the cultural diversity and historical richness of Slovakia. The interactions with students from all over Europe were inspiring and the friendly and open atmosphere facilitated the formation of friendships that will last a lifetime. This Erasmus week in Slovakia gave me a new perspective on the world and strengthened my desire to explore and experience more cultures in the future.”- Vlad Doroftei
