ERASMUS+, Key action 1: training course
Dates: 26 March—1 April 2025
Venue: Cerro Muriano (Cordoba), Spain
Czech team: 3 participants
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Asociación Europa 2020
Project report:
When I say Cerro Muriano, I think of the best olives I’ve ever eaten, siesta and the singing Spanish of the locals. The small town north of Córdoba became the venue for a week for the TC Youth Boost project, which brought together participants from all over Europe and offered us a mix of workshops, discussions, sharing of cultural differences and plenty of time to just be and observe how life is lived in Andalusia.
The programme was varied, but at the same time had plenty of room for self-pacing. The first days were mainly about getting to know each other. Not only with each other, but also with the place where we were staying. Walks around the area, icebreakers, sports and singing at karaoke in the evening helped create an atmosphere where we all quickly stopped feeling like strangers. A visit to the city of Córdoba also helped, where we were introduced to the workings of the Andalusian Youth Institute and learned more about supporting young people in the region.
During the workshops, we explored different forms of education – from the school-based ones to the informal and unplanned ones that we experience every day. Through skits, posters and discussions we realised how many ways there are to learn and that we all learn differently. Telling personal stories was also beneficial, in which we tried to name the key moments in our lives that have shaped us.
An interesting moment was the storytelling workshop with the story of Abigail and Gregory. Opinions on who did the right thing and who did the wrong thing differed dramatically, and it was this disagreement that opened up a debate about cultural differences and the values we carry from home. What seems obvious to one person is completely incomprehensible to another.
In addition to the organised programme, we had a range of informal activities – from crazy game nights, to table football tournaments, to quiet walks in the countryside. Cerro Muriano is surrounded by forests and hills, so it was easy to switch off for a while, get lost in the landscape and maybe just sit on a rock and watch the sunset.
It would be a crime not to at least mention the excellent Bar X, where we went every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Juan and his sons, who run this authentic establishment, served us typical Spanish dishes every day, such as cold tomato soup, paella or churros. For starters, a bowl of olive oil, fresh bread and olives was served at every meal.
A big thank you also goes to the organizing team – to the main facilitator, Juan Joe, who, unbelievably, managed to keep a great mood throughout the week, but also to Magdalena and Juan Jose, who were helpful whenever we didn’t know what to do.
What I always find best about events like this is how the dynamics change throughout the week. At the beginning you are reserved and don’t know what to expect, by the end of the week there are seven different nationalities sitting at the same table and keeping the discussion lively. I am already looking forward to the next project.
Dobromila Ž.
