ERASMUS+, Key action 1: xouth exchange
Venue: Rites, Latvia
Dates: 1—10 August 2024
Czech team: 4 participants + 1 group leader
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: Klubs “Māja”
Project report:
Myself and four other people from the Czech Republic had the amazing opportunity to travel to Latvia for a project called ImPulse. We spent 10 days focusing on self-development and learning how to create success through accountability. Even more than the programme I enjoyed getting to know participants from Latvia, Italy, Greece, and our own group from Czechia. We all created a fun, close and supportive group that I’ll always remember.
The project was based in Rites, which was a small settlement in the middle of Latvia. There wasn’t a lot of hustle and bustle, but the surrounding meadows, woods and lake made it a quiet and pleasant place to focus on the project. Through a variety of activities, we explored different aspects of personal accountability and how it plays a crucial role in achieving our goals. In the beginning the workshops were tiring and a bit formal. However, through feedback we were able to change the style of this course and we ended up with informal and fun workshops that we all enjoyed to the fullest.
One of the more challenging parts of the project was a two-day expedition. We were split into groups and each group was able to choose the level of difficulty that suited them. Naturally, we chose the most difficult, which involved navigating local areas without maps, trying to spend as little money as possible and even asking locals for their help. In the end we only paid for the train, but got free food and accommodation. I was shocked at how generous people could be to complete strangers. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me a lot about communicating with strangers and relying on others.