ERASMUS+, Key action 1: youth exchange
Venue: Brebu, Caras-Severin county, Romania
Dates: 2—10 September 2023
Czech team: 6 participants + 1 group leader
Please read the info-pack. Please also check out:
- Aftermovie: https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=WUvCnB77g- 8 - Video testimonials: https://youtu.
be/0bzBqtWmh04?si= GPCMHxjOfOoCwvOg
Hosting organisation: Asociatia Alternativa Eco
Project report:
From 2nd September till 10th September, I had the opportunity to lead a group of 7 amazing people from Czech group to Erasmus+ in Romania. I have never met any of them before, but I am pleased to say that we grew into friendship that will last even after the Erasmus+.
We went on project which was called “Eco(love)gy Business+” which was focused on starting sustainable business from scratch. There were 42 people on the project. 7 from each of the following countries: Romania, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Spain and Czech Republic.
After the six of us travelling with bus met In Budapest, we met the Greeks. Our bus ride to Romania was rather adventurous after we got stuck at the Romanian border for more than 3 hours. But Theodor from Alternativa Eco immediately helped us and got the bus driver from Timisoara to Brebu to wait for us. In the meantime, we made our first foreign friends while we were standing in front of the bus with the Greeks. Other than late arrival, everything went smoothly. (Sorry to the Spanish group who had to wait in Timisoara with the bus driver 😊)
The next day, after the deserved sleep, we met Alex, our program organizer. I don’t think that I’ve ever met person so filled with positive energy as him. He got us from shy students talking mainly with our groups to talking to everybody in a no time. Each working block started with energizer to get us going and then we got to work.
First few days we were getting to know each other using many name games and group games. After we got to know each other, we were presented to the basic idea of Erasmus+ and the Eco(love)gy Business+.
Most of the days we spent in mixed groups talking about the three R’s (Reduce, reuse, recycle) and then we were discussing different ideas how to both start a business and do something for the planet. I was amazed by the creativity and the spirit of all the groups.
We even had a few trips. Fist one was in the nearby forest to rest and enjoy the Romanian nature. The second one was for a whole day, and we went to visit nearest city, Resita. We’ve visited a museum of retro games and after that few of us went for a hike to a nearby hill and few of us went to explore the city and its wonders.
Every night, after a long day of working and coffee breaks, we had a cultural night. Every country prepared some kind of presentation of their country. Most of the times in was presentation, quiz and tasting of the traditional food (for anybody reading this before going to Erasmus, Tvarůžky were a great success). After cultural night we had a campfire, and we were free to talk with our new foreign friends about life in their country.
For the whole duration of the stay each of us had his secret friend. We’ve enjoyed the whole concept of the idea, which basically was that you had to take care of your secret friend and make his stay more enjoyable by giving him a mug and nice notes into his envelope without him knowing.
Travell back to Czech Republic was calm and with no issues.
When I consider all these facts, I can say that we’ve enjoyed the Erasmus very much. I would like to thank Theodor for working out our issues, Alex for being an amazing positive organizer, EYCB for giving us the opportunity to be there and to not only the Czech group, but to everybody, to making a safe and fun to be in environment.
For the Czech group, Zdeněk T.
