Από τις 11 έως τις 17 Αυγούστου πραγματοποιήθηκε στη Λετονία το Youth Exchange “Are We Cooked? From Climate Anxiety to Climate Action”. Παρακάτω μπορείτε να διαβάσετε τις εμπειρίες των συμμετεχόντων.
Giorgos
I am not exaggerating when I say that this trip was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. This was mainly due to the program’s exceptional organization and all the incredible people who participated in it.During this week, I did and saw many new things, stepped out of my comfort zone, and made many good friends. It is very hard for me to single out one activity, but I think the most exciting and unexpected part for me was the honey harvesting, where we put on beekeeping suits and visited the bees. And the best part is that, through all these activities, we actually learned useful stuff about climate change. The program really met its goal! The place we were living was also amazing, surrounded by nature. It provided all we ever needed, lakes and rivers for swimming, a sauna (I loved the sauna), a clear sky for stargazing, cucumbers with almost every meal and enough internet to scroll reels at the end of the day! I am honestly so happy I took part in this program, and I hope to have the opportunity to participate in many more.
Evan
The program was amazing. We planted trees, danced, learned about honey production, and fostered our environmental awareness. The activities were very well designed and tailored to the needs and knowledge levels of the participants from each country. Overall, I was extremely satisfied and would certainly do it again, just as confidently as I recommended it to people I know!
Lenia
My experience at the AWC exchange was positive in every aspect. As I had hoped, I learned a lot about sustainability, climate change, and active citizenship. I met with people from all over the world with diverse backgrounds and beliefs, which allowed me to enrich my own knowledge and broaden my horizons, while also motivating me to take action against the global threats facing us, such as environmental disasters. Connecting with nature was also deeply therapeutic, helping me step away from a narrow urban mindset and recognize the danger our flora and fauna are in. At the same time, I realized that living sustainably today is not utopistic, but a tangible reality. Overall, my participation in the program will remain unforgettable, as will the skills I acquired and the memories I made with such exceptional people!
Savvina
Taking part in a ten-day Erasmus Youth Exchange in Alūksne, Latvia, was an unforgettable experience that I will always carry with me. The programme focused on sustainability, green thinking, and the small changes we can make in our everyday lives to create a more sustainable future. Throughout the ten days, we took part in different activities, workshops, discussions, and team challenges that helped us learn in a fun and interactive way. However, what made the experience truly special was the people. Being in a small village with limited phone signal and almost no internet initially felt strange, but it actually brought all of us closer together. We spent more time talking, laughing, sharing stories, and creating memories without constantly being on our phones. I learned not only about sustainability, but also about different cultures, perspectives, teamwork, and myself. It was an amazing opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, meet wonderful people from different countries, and experience a different way of living.
Lefteris
The experiences and memories I gained through this program will stay with me forever. Beyond broadening my understanding of sustainability, the ecological crisis, and climate change, it was a powerful reminder that the distance between people of different nations is remarkably small and bridging it creates fertile ground for practical solutions to real world problems. Reconnecting with nature and enjoying a digital detox was incredibly refreshing, giving me a deep appreciation for Latvia’s rich natural environment. Ultimately, the skills I developed are just as valuable to me as the lifelong friendships I built along the way!
Sophillenia
Except for the wonderful venue and the great selection of people who took part in the project, the learning process and the program were more than I expected for a youth exchange Erasmus+ project. The program itself wasn’t only about presenting climate change and the issues we are and will face in the coming years; we had, through it, to challenge ourselves to find very specific problems we face in our everyday lives due to climate change and actually try to tackle them down with reasonable and realistic solutions. Also, I hadn’t realised how many more solutions to climate change there were. For example, geoengineering was something that I not only didn’t know could happen but hadn’t even thought about as a part of the solution.For me, this project was amazing because it brought people from different cultures and backgrounds together and showed us that we all have the same purpose.Also, I hadn’t realised how crafty some people would be in the project, especially when they had to sew their tote bags.
Natalia
Every Erasmus+ project is so difficult to explain once you come back home. This project gave me the chance to explore topics that feel increasingly important in our everyday lives – climate change, sustainability and climate anxiety, but also how we can turn our concerns into action. Still, for me, this experience was mostly about the people I spent these days with. Not only those I already knew before, but also those I met through this Youth Exchange. Everything about this place felt so peaceful, and somehow, the laughter, conversations and little moments felt so familiar. I came back with new knowledge, new memories, new friends and, of course, another list of side quests completed in Latvia. Somewhere between learning, laughing, exploring and simply being together, this became much more than just another Youth Exchange.
Ακολουθούν μερικές φωτό από τις δράσεις των συμμετεχόντων στη Λετονία:
Let's all participate! 