It hasn´t been my first training or my first step into the Erasmus world, but once again I was blown away how intens it can be and how powerful non formal education and intercultural learning is. 10 days can really feel like a whole life.

The topics of the training were environmental issues and tools to adress them in non formal education / youth work. I do know quite a bit about environmental issues already, because I am studying something related and therefore have - sometimes - some strong and fixed opinions. Opening up, embracing other peoples truths, trying to understand their perspectives and thoughts has been the biggest challenge on this training but also such a huge enrichment. I learned a lot about group dynamics, about myself and I made connections with people and the beautiful nature at the hosting place that will forever stay in my heart, even if I will never see them again. I feel I came home a richer person, because all that I got to experience, feel and learn are a treasure to me that I will keep developing.

The training empowerd me to continue on my path of becoming an teacher / non formal education faciliator myself, because I really want to make experiences of such kind possible for other (young) people too. At the end of the training we exchanged cups, that we brought from home. I got a cup from a trainer and she told me this story: "I got this 13 years ago on my first ever Erasmus exchange. I know it´s ugly but it has been with me ever since and now I want to pass it on to someone who is just starting their journey." For me that felt like a welcome and good luck and it made me so so happy. Maybe in 13 years time I will pass it on in the same way and tell it´s story to another human who is on their way.

I am very thankful for possibilities like that.