During the second week of June we, Grigoria, Dimitris and Angeliki, had the chance to participate in a Training Cource called ‘Me and EU’ facilitated in Presenzano, Italy. In total 23 participants from Italy, Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria, Sweden, Poland and Romania were hosted in a traditional farm in the Italian province.
When we embarked on our Erasmus+ project journey, little did we know that it would become a life-changing experience. The decision to participate in this European Union program was undoubtedly one of the best choices we ever made, offering a plethora of invaluable gains that enriched our personal lives. First and foremost, Erasmus+ gifted us with the invaluable treasure of cultural awareness and global perspectives. The beauty of diversity unfolded before us, fostering open-mindedness and empathy. We found ourselves tasting authentic Italian dishes as well as each country’s participating cuisine, forming bonds with people from various corners of the world. Our understanding of global affairs deepened, and we realized the power of unity in diversity.
We started the program by playing games and doing activities to get to know each other better. As we went along, we used fun ways to learn about important skills for learning throughout our lives. We also learned about the European Union, how it works, and the people and groups involved. We talked about different topics that we researched before the program, which helped us think critically and question where we get our information from. We also had fun activities where we compared our personal identity to being European and talked about our values. We even pretended to be members of the EU Parliament and talked about human rights and responsibilities. We worked together to come up with ideas for new laws. We also made our own survey to understand what young people in our community need and want, making sure everyone’s ideas were heard and understood.
Erasmus+ provided us with a safe space to step out of our comfort zones, allowing us to explore our strengths, weaknesses, and passions. This self-discovery journey fueled our desire to push boundaries and embrace new opportunities fearlessly. Furthermore, we took part in activities that taught us how to get young people involved and encourage them to participate in discussions and debates. We also learned about different tools and materials we could use to prepare for workshops and we even got to create our own workshops on topics we liked and got feedback from the rest of the group to make them even better. We also made plans to share what they learned with our local communities. Moreover, breaking the language barriers enabled us to forge deeper connections with the local community and truly immerse ourselves in the richness of our host country.
By closing this wonderful week we talked about how each of us experienced this project and how much we appreciated our so different yet interesting personalities. In conclusion, participating in an Erasmus+ project has been a transformative journey that continues to shape our lives. We emerged from this experience as well-rounded individuals, equipped with a deeper understanding of European Union values and a strong sense of active European citizenship. Our time with Erasmus+ has left us with cherished memories and an enduring appreciation for being part of a great community and positive change in the world.
Civil Education and Training Platform – Hellas 