"First Steps" brought together 28 people from Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Poland, Austria and Italy in a small place called Hollókő in Hungary (which is also a UNESCO world heritage site) in December 2019. Thanks to our friends from "MOVE to Be You", who were the partner organization from Austria, we were part of it.

The project itself had started even before we all met, starting from the application form followed by preparing the program, designing info-packs, contacting partners. For me personally it began when I read the info-pack and the following quote

"This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose

recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of

nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and

grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself

to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs

to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege

to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I

die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its 

own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid 

torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to 

make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to 

future generation." - George Bernard Shaw

The training course offered different non-formal processes through which each participant had the opportunity to learn about themselves in a group context.
The first part of the training was about understanding the concepts we acquired through our lives and in what way they are supporting or limiting us in reaching our goals and dreams. Having a deeper look into ourselves and how we see the world and people around us created the opportunity to take a first step into consciously deciding what we want to change or keep and cherish.


What became clear in the first days is that we all have our own perceptions and understandings and that it is important to keep that in mind, but at the same time to watch out and not confuse our perception for facts.

In the next days of the training we cooperated with each other with honest intentions and showed ourselves more and more. Working on authenticity and integrity created some more insights and understandings.



Another topic that was worked on was inclusion and how we include or exclude ourselves and others in our daily lives. Through different experiential activities inside and outside we had the opportunity to observe each other and look deeper into our own behavior when working alone, in pairs or groups.

Through non-formal learning and self-reflection we were able to learn to enjoy every process and see what it brings for us. What surprised me once again was that changing or controlling the focus, language and physiology, can influence the state of oneself.

The purpose of "First Steps" was “to create more successes in life while enjoying it”. In the second part of the training it was time to put into practice what was acquired in the first days that we spent all together. We created small groups for the upcoming activity in which all participants got the chance to actively use the learned methods while experiencing Hungarian culture. In this process, we experienced that in life, one can decide to focus on “what are my limits” or “what can I create”!



In the last part of the training course we reflected upon our learning goals and created visions for our own future. Together with that we planned SMART first steps for the time after the training. Together with our buddies we agreed on how we can support each other in the future and with our country groups we planned how we can use our learning and promote Erasmus+ in our local environments.

As it is always nice to read how it was for people to take part, here are some insights from participants:
"Seeing the training from the other side was a unique experience. While it was at least as intense and challenging as I remember the training as a participant, it was definitely worth to see what it gave the people. I also got a new perspective on many parts of the training and got the possibility to refresh my memories."
- Stefan / Austria -

"Before going on the First Steps training I had heard from a few people that I should be prepared for an unforgettable experience, a very deep one, a myriad of learnings, discoveries and revelation moments about myself and the reality I live in, a training that is one of its kind. And my comment after the training is: This was exactly as I had been told. And even more!"
- Ula / Poland -

"This was my first Erasmus+ training I have participated in. I was super curious to join this program as I am also working with non formal education in the workshops I lead. After the first steps training, I notice that I am much more conscious and clear in my communication, and I feel more confident after the outdoor exercise. It has also helped me to set my intention and direction for the upcoming year. What I also enjoyed is the passionate and capable community I got to know at the event. I am still keeping in contact and planning projects together with multiple people I got to know at the training." - Viktor / Hungary -

"This time I joined the training as a co-trainer, and for me everytime I join is a completely different and unique experience. This time, even from this side I discover how much honest I have become since I was a participant and how much more accountable for my actions. Overall, this training has shaped a lot of myself , and my approach to people and going back to it reminds me who I want to be and what I want to do, and just do it, not spend my energy on trying but doing it. It was a magical experience in a winter wonderland filled with snow, magic, calmness, tea, people and emotions."
- Katerina / Greece -

Thank you ReCreativity for hosting this training course and big thanks to everyone who was involved in this unique experience!

Yours,
Nina

After I attended many Erasmus+ projects I thought it’s time for my first training course. And so I took the challenge and applied for the training Course “Hop On - The Train to Trainings” implemented by wEUnite and I was really happy when they accepted my application. I had big expectations for the project because I wanted to improve my skills as a facilitator and learn how to write and organize my own projects.


We were located close to Klagenfurt in a castle surrounded by beautiful nature. I think it was a perfect choice to be outside of the city, with a calm landscape around so we could put our focus just on the project and get some energy in the nature when necessary.

At the first days we got quite some theoretical input such as the Johari’s window, our own and others' communication styles, Visual-Auditory-Kinestetic (VAK) learning styles, Kolb's cycle, the circle of creativity and quite some more. But the training was clearly not just about theory. It was more about “Learning by doing”. We all had the possibility to choose and organize either an energizer, team building or problem solving activity, prepare a session in a pair of trainers or work in a trainers’ team, in which there was one main trainer and 3-4 assistants to support the trainer. The trainers supported us anytime we needed help and clarified that we shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes, because this is the place and space to practice. After thinking it through, I took the challenge and was the main trainer for one session. With a team of 5 people from different countries we created a workshop about dancing. At the end of all the workshops the trainers always gave feedback immediately, to make it time-bound and relevant for whoever took the stage for that session. Through that we learned how to give useful feedback, which we practiced after every session, and also how to take feedback.

I really enjoyed the fact that we made small reflection groups with 4 participants and one

trainer, that was our support system. We met twice a day and had the opportunity to mention if we don’t like something or if we just needed help or to focus on the day. In these groups we also had the chance to lead the reflection or prepare a morning focus for our small group. Sometimes it is easier to express feelings in a small group where you feel comfortable.

At the last day we just focused on how to organize our own project and I had the opportunity to talk with all of the 5 experienced trainers and could ask the for all the information I needed. They split on 5 different tables and answered questions around risk management, how to write and coordinate a project, what to watch out for with budgeting, what opportunities there are under Erasmus+ and throughout one hour we could ask them anything related to these topics but also beyond.

All in all I had some extremely intense days in Klagenfurt. I met so many interesting people from different countries and many of them became my friends. At the same time I learned so much about organizing workshops and projects and improved my facilitator skills.

Thanks to all the participants of the training and to the trainers of the training. It was just amazing!

Yours,
Martin

“Younique” - Diving into a new reality

From the 05.09. - 14.09.2019, I and 23 other people from eight countries took part in an Erasmus+

trainings course called “Younique”. As the title of the training already tells, it was all about how to find your own uniqueness and how to help others finding theirs. The great thing with Erasmus+ is that everything you do is interactive – it´s based on non-formal-learning and for me it´s just so much more rewarding being part of a non-formal-learning environment than being cramped into a formal-learning system.

About the training: The hard part with writing this article is that no matter how well I choose my words it can just give you a glimpse of what may have happened. Everything I tell you runs through my own filters of reality and is just my understanding of this experience. Therefore, I choose not to give you an overview of the training, but I´d like to share some key moments with you, that made this training special to me.

The first moment I would like to share with you is when we were all facing our fears. This exercise

was probably one of the most intense in this trainings course. It lets you have so many emotions and thoughts running through you. The aim was to find a fear we had inside of us, giving it a name and finally facing it. This was executed in four steps. Step 1 was a short guided mediation with music. Than we were writing our fear down on a piece of paper. In step 2 we were all one by one walking a path in the woods. Along the path, we found different pictures attached to the trees. These pictures should help us to reflect upon our fear(s). It took me one hour to walk the whole way, even if it was just around 20 pictures. It was just me, the trees, these pictures and my own picture of my fear in my head. When I came back, we had to draw our fear on a piece of paper in step number 3. Music was playing, people were drawing – everyone was in his/her own world. You could see pure emotions and it was okay to show them, because we created a room, where it was possible to show ones vulnerable sides. Step number 4 was the hardest. We went outside on a grass field. There we divided in groups of four to five people. The task was to face our fears. Four of the group were turning their backs to the fifth person. Now the fifth person said: “I am ready to embrace my fear of….” – while facing the others backs. The tricky part was, that the four people who turned their backs to the fifth person did not turn around, until they would believe what they were hearing. Imagine the feeling of standing behind four people you barely know with the task of opening up to them, showing them your vulnerable side and telling them about your fear and that you embrace that fear. All these emotions and thoughts rushing through your head and body. “Why should I do that?” “Who are these people I am opening up to?” But even, if you don´t know them very well you still feel connected to them, you feel safe to let go and you feel that they will take care, of what you show them and tell them. When all four people turned around they would open a hole between them and the fifth person could go through that hole – entering his/her new world/reality where he/she would be set free from this fear to the very extend he/she could allow himself/herself to be set free. It was all about us. It is about you and how much you dare to be vulnerable, how much you dare to show yourself and how much you dare keeping this new reality alive and not letting it fading away, when coming back to “the real world”. 

I wanted to share more moments with you and I could go on for pages, but I won´t do that. I hope that

you got a glimpse of what may have happened in this trainings course and I am glad if it helps you in some way. I don´t want to tell you, that you have to attain such a training, because of whatever reason – even if it is awesome. Just always, think about what feels right for you and keep in mind to dare…. Dare to be you, dare to be vulnerable, dare to step out of your comfort zone and dare to show your true self. For me the Erasmus+ TC was perfect for that. What can YOU do in order to find your own uniqueness?

Yours,
Luca Mark

After coming home from "Basic Training for Trainers" two events were organized to put into practice what we have learnt in Lecce and also to spread the spirit of and idea behind Erasmus+:

• "Happy thoughts! Workshop on happiness in daily life" by Elisa and Nina, in Graz
• "High Performance Workshop: Gain Focus" by Manuel, in Vienna

Happy thoughts!

On the 19th October both of us, Elisa and Nina, implemented our workshop under the title "Happy thoughts! Positiv denken im Alltag" (=think positively on daily basis) in Graz. The workshop aimed to give an understanding how positive thinking can change the daily life and to provide tools which help to “get caught” in an upward spiral. The participants were encouraged to brainstorm about what makes them happy and what keeps them in positive mood and to share it with other people. With the help of visualization the participants got an idea of the upward and downward spiral. Moreover they got an theoretical input on “the happy chemicals” oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin and endorphin. It was explained what they are needed for and what provokes their production in the body. Afterwards the participants could experience some easy tools which can boost their mood in daily life. In the end it was showed how they can have an impact on themselves but also on the people around them and in their society.

In order to have this workshop take place we needed participants to join our event. We did not have much time actually as we were pretty spontaneous with the idea and date which is why we were more than happy to have a local youth center (Logo Jugendzentrum Graz) as support. In order to inform people about our event and invite them we created an open event on Facebook and told everyone we knew about it. Both of us met a week before to plan the programme of the workshop session, to prepare the materials needed and to distribute further planning and responsibilities. On the day of the workshop we met early to go through the schedule again, talk last things through and to prepare our location. We were a bit nervous before our workshop as none of the participants had experience with non-formal learning before - but everything worked out amazingly well! Everybody participated fully :) We got lovely feedback right after the session but also some days later - and we definitely got our participants to be curious about Erasmus+ !

Selfie in the end! 

High Performance Workshop: Gain Focus

... "Use Meditation, master Transitions and take Power-Breaks to direct your spotlight!". This was the title of my (Manuel's) workshop, I (Manuel) that took place on 21st of November 2017 in the Catalysts office in Vienna. For this workshop I used formal and non-formal learning methods to give the participants information as well as hands-on practice on different methods and techniques to keep their focus on their doings during the day. 13 participants joined my workshop to reach their next level. The workshop took around 1h 15 min and started with an introduction of myself, why I chose this topic and a little energizer to activate the body and the mind of the participants, followed by the three topics to gain focus: Meditation 101, Master Transitions and Power-Breaks. Check out the slides here.



In general, I also talked about my experiences from the past (on how to improve myself and become a High Performer), why I chose the topic (I found lot of great information on my journey that helped me a lot, and I want to share it with others, such that they can improve their life too) and why I do this now (I did some trainings (e.g. Basic Training for Trainers) and I feel ready to do this kind of things and also the necessity to share the things I know... I want to make a transition from being a student to becoming a teacher).

I got a lot of great feedback from the participants and from some already know, that they used some methods I taught, to improve their performance and life. Big thanks to all participants for the active involvement in my workshop. I enjoyed it a lot! If you want to have more background information about my workshop and tips&tricks, read the Behind the Scenes here!


- Elisa, Manuel, Nina

Some week ago, from 15th until 22nd of September 23 people from Austria, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Macedonia and Malta gathered in Klagenfurt for the training course under the title “Desire To Inspire”. This training course was based on the importance of leadership in everyday life situations and even more on those appearing in youth work. The focus was put on methods and aspects for and about leading groups, but also on how to present oneself and behave in order to be respected.

In order to make this week as great as possible and a secure learning environment the first one and a half days were dedicated to the topic of getting-to-know each other and building a team out of this group of people. Having been blind-folded, for example, was part of a trust- and team building activity and from the trainer's perspective definitely made those 20 participants an amazingly strong team for the upcoming days.

Each day had a different topic such as group dynamics, live action role play, myself as superhero and overall leadership. Aside from theory we tried to give the stage to participants and let them learn by putting into action their new knowledge and receiving feedback for further improvement. Everyone was so into the topic that even offered free time was used to keep on doing workshops and discussing topics of the sessions.

Together we all got new perspectives and a bigger understanding of leadership and its importance in youthwork. Having had the chance to discuss about and work on this topic intensively I can definitely say I've improved my skills and learnt from everyone of the 22 other people there.

Besides working there was also time for cultural exchange, game nights and story telling in the evenings.

And here are some impressions about Desire To Inspire:

Aleksandra, Macedonia

"The DTI was an unforgettable experience for me. Things that I have learned there about leadership, team work, trust and friendship were surprisingly amazing. The organization was perfect, the group was like one big hearted family and I can honestly and truly say that I had the time of my life, time filled with lots of fun,crazy games, laughter and inspiration. We were many deferences connected together in one perfectly big puzzle." 

Kristina, Slovakia

"Desire To Inspire was the first training course I participated in but given my previous experience with youth exchanges, I kept my expectations low. The projects I've been to before were great but their organisation was rather disappointing. That's why I was so amazed when I saw all the effort wEUnite made to make sure everything is prepared and on point. We had all we needed (or even more) and we got the opportunity to improve our soft skills & leadership skills. The activities we did were always innovative and enriching so I really enjoyed each one of them. Besides that, I've also made many new friends and got to know myself better. Thank you for everything !"

Krzysztof B., Poland

"Desire to Inspire was quite a special training. Each activity and workshop managed to help the participants in learning something new about working with groups, about being a leader as well as what happens when there is no leader. IT was an amazing privilege to take part in it."

Manuel G., Austria

"The training gave me a lot of opportunities to practice leadership, as well as being a follower and possibilities to support others. I put my focus also on communication with people in terms of helping them to see their potentials and how they can enable it. Furthermore, I took special opportunities from the organizers to facilitate and lead workshops which gave me the confidence to be able to perform on different stages in front of people in future and to create and facilitate activities and workshops for other people to help them to improve themselves. During this training I improved my skills to be in lead by being authentic, pro-active, open-minded, team-oriented and a role-model in order to successfully achieve goals. Thanks a lot to all organizers for realizing this great training! It was a pleasure to be part of it!"

Lucy, Czech Republic

"The training course DTI influenced my personality a lot. We were busy but as I am retrospecting, I am appreciating it at the same time. Now I believe in myself much more but what is more important, I met people who are like me and they are my friends now."

Triinu, Estonia

"I went to training course with high hopes, and I was pretty surprised at the end of the week - my expectations weren't just fulfilled, but exceeded. I learned so much in such a short period of time and I experienced so many things and feelings. All this thanks to the team and magical group of people that we had. <3 blockquote="">

A very big, big thank you from the whole team behind this training course! It was great to work together and we hope to see you soon in one place or another :)

I did a special training recently and I want to share my experiences with you :)

From 4th to 8th September 2017 I did the Choice training at Olde Vechte in Ommen, Netherlands. You can find information about it at the following website: http://oldevechte.com/open-call-trainings/choice/

First of all: to do this training, you have to do the Event Wise training or Basic Synergy program first. I did the Basic Synergy program in Cortemilia, Italy some weeks before. You can read about it in our blog post (http://www.weuniteaustria.eu/2017/07/united-we-win-youth-exchange-synergy.html). If you want to have information about this or anything else, just write to me and I am happy to talk to you. :) https://www.facebook.com/mangei

Now, lets dive into my experiences!

I had my expectations about this training... and I was completely wrong. There is a lot of information on the website about the Choice training, about the objectives and so on and I really wanted to tackle these points, since I love to work on and improve myself, but I never would have guessed where this training would actually lead me and I am really happy about this surprise. Why? Today, speaking of myself too, if we hear or read about things, we always seem to already know everything, but things are never the way we think they will be and because of this wrong believe, we miss a lot of opportunities. We make assumptions and don't even give things and people a chance to explain themselves, so that we may learn and grow. Some trainings, like this one, are different and they build on this surprise moment or the unknown and I love it. It stops me from thinking that I already know what will happen... because in fact I don't know what will happen. This is also called life. Every moment in life is different. And every moment, is a moment, we can learn from and grow with.

About this training in general: I won't share any specific details or activities we did in this training, so you can experience it on your own. In fact, it really doesn't matter and the journey is different for everyone (see previous paragraph about, why my experiences are unique and not comparable to what you might experience). Nevertheless, the outcome might be somehow similar, when I compare myself to other participants. Just check the website for possible outcomes like "Lasting self-confidence", "Renewed quality relationships", and "Connect to live and opportunities".

So, I was at this training, went through the whole process and I have to say: It was the best thing I did in my life so far. I can not describe this feeling. It's unbelievable. I feel kind of reborn and full of joy and excitement. To be fair, I have to say, that it was also the biggest mind-fuck I've ever had so far in my life and I had many ups and downs during these days, but it was just the right thing! All the objectives which were promised on the website were fulfilled. I found the solution to so many things somewhere I had never guessed to find it, even if it is so obvious. I really loved the closing words by the founder of Olde Vechte, Marko Vlaming, who said: "I would not call it a training, I would say it's a Wake-up Call of things we already know but forgot". I just can sign his words without adding anything.

I encourage everyone to go through the same process and to find what you really need in life, to live your life to the fullest, to be happy, to be motivated and also to be wild.

Not only the trainers, Yassar Markos and Veronika Pavlová, and the co-trainers, the program but also the participants on the training were just amazing. I am so thankful for all the things I've learned and got from all of you. You made this amazing training possible and helped me to grow! Big thanks to all of you! Furthermore, I want to give a very special thanks from the deepest point of my heart to Krissy, since she was my base at this training and helped me to overcome my biggest resistances, took away so many fears, taught me how to be in the presence and she made every day shining for me! I love you! :)

Since I am now back from this trip, many good things happened meanwhile already and I cannot believe that it really happened. It just feels so good. Compared to other trainings, the outcome feels totally different and I know that these outcomes are long-lasting, since fundamental changes happened inside me which were definitely life-changing.

Me flying home from the training, being tired but full of happiness. :)

I am really, really glad and happy that I did this training and I guess, when you see me, you can see my new self by just looking into my bright blue eyes. And if there are times, I may forgot this new feeling, please just remind me about this time. :)

Yours,
Manuel

Hi, I am Matthias and I will tell you about our follow-up:

This week we completed the final part of the "United We Win" Synergy Basic youth exchange and training (link). We organized our follow-up activity in Vienna in order to apply and share some of the countless things we learned in Cortemilia. 

The event was based on was a board-game night. We hosted the evening at Catalysts in Vienna (link), the company I (Matthias) and Manuel work at. Manuel, Pato and me were joined by many colleagues from Catalyst and young people from all over Vienna. We also give a big thanks to Catalysts for providing some snacks and drinks!

 

Personally, I find games to be a powerful tool for learning, teaching and integration. The rules of games determine the interactions between participants. During the game, they supersede our general societal rules of interaction - which are often divergent - and make us all speak a common language. Games are an important part of the Basic Synergy training we were part of in Cortemilia. I am happy with how we replicated our learning. 

 

The first game we played was Magic Maze. True to the spirit of "United We Win" all players have to cooperate and coordinate as a team to beat the game itself. All while not communicating with each other. The game requires trust in others while demanding responsibility from every team member. I was often reminded of experiences from the youth exchange. 

 

We concluded the evening playing "2 rooms 1 boom", a social deception game. Again trust, communication and seizing opportunities were the center of the game. We interrupted the game for a bit to tell our guests about Erasmus+ projects and shared some of our experiences. Some people stayed even longer and continued the evening by playing some rounds "Werewolf".

 

To summarise, we had a great evening, applied and shared some of our experience and learnings with others and spread the word about Erasmus+ and wEUnite.

Yours, Magda, Manuel G., Matthias, Nina, Pato

United We Win – Time to play

wEUnite had the great pleasure to join the Synergy Basic training for the first time. The project called “United We Win – Time to play” gathered 30 participants from 5 different countries: Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy and Austria. From the 17th to the 27th of June, we learned about ourselves, group dynamics and the so called “WE”. Even though the project duration was just 11 days, wEUnite managed to create close friendships with people from around Europe.

See below personal statements by our participants about this project. :)

During the first part of the project we learned a lot about ourselves. Not only did we get input to different kind of methods on how to treat yourself well in everyday life, but also getting to know the rest of the participants was part within the first days.

Challenge after challenge our group started to become a unity. Different activities, so called processes, taught us how to work together. Building trust and train our communication skills and our perceptions was part of many activities on slacklines and in solving tricky challenges being blindfolded. Also dancing to the limit and watching our own movements and other movements excited every single participant.

Besides these activities, the project also focused a lot on self-development, on how to become an even better version of yourself and how to overcome the limits you set on for yourself. To do that we used techniques like visualization to face our fears, did performances on stage and did a lot of other tasks to get out of our comfort zone. We also used different kind of meditation methods to focus our mind, get clear visions and to get calm. Many processes were supported by music and motion.

Thank you L'Arca del blues and the Synergy network to let something so unique, beautiful and unbelievable happen! In the end, even with many doubts in between, we all had an amazing learning experience!

Finally, these are personal statements by our participants about the project and their experiences and learnings:

Magda:

Well, I'm honest: this project was quiet a challenge for me. I struggled with the trainers, the project and myself. The hardest part: having to trust in people I've never seen before. However this also became my biggest learning: sometimes you just have to let go & don't think for a moment. I'm still not completely able to do that, but I'm a step further.   Apart from that: this was an amazing Adventure, with ups & downs, with tears & laughters, with foreigners becoming friends ❤

Manuel:

Coming back feels unreal. The world is still the same, but I am not. In terms of self-development, the activities during these 10 days brought a lot to me. I experienced a new level of trust and care, faced many fears and took inside-out approaches to connect to people in a quick and honest way. I have a new perspective on people now in general and my communication, understanding, listening and speaking abilities are renewed and improved. With that, I am able to better connect with (new) people and my beloved ones. I see people now as opportunities. I also learned to be more honest to myself and to others and to see my needs and wants in life. With a clear vision in mind I am going to make my own way. I see fears as friends of mine, I accept them to be with me and still take the next step to go where I wanna be. Big thanks to Fabiano, the co-trainers and all participants for making this project so successful for me and for teaching me things I can not learn in school or university! This project brought more joy to my life! I will share the light of joyfulness with the world!

Matthias:

This training taught me many things about myself and let me see my own priorities in life more clearly. I learned how to deal with the unknown, be it people or situations, and I believe I am more able to recognize opportunities because of it. It was important for me that I didn't only learn these things intellectually but to have actually gained experiences that helped to internalize these learnings. 

Nina:

United We Win - what a beautiful title for an Erasmus+ project. When I first read it, it didn't sound any different than my previous projects, but it turned out to be a completely new, unexpected and incredible experience. Having been in Italy for 10 days I had the chance to explore and be part of a Synergy basic training. Every now and then I had my doubts about the program and whether I can take something out for my own learning. Being back home for some days already I can honestly say that this project was one of the best ones I participated in. It changed my perception and empowered my self-confidence. United We Win also taught me that alone you will dream, but together, being united, you can make your dreams become reality. If any of you, my beloved readers of this blog, ever have the opportunity to take part in a Synergy basic training - please, please take the chance and go for it :) I promise, you won't regret it! 

Pato:

This project was unique in every kind of way. Normally I'd say that friendship and intercultural exchange is the the best part about Erasmus+ Projects. But this time was different. I learned so much about me through others. Sometimes there was no dialogue needed. Sometimes you had to look at things from a completely other point of view in order to deal with it properly. So friendship was still made, but in a completely new and different way. I learned to accept every single participant as he/she is and I would definitely host them in Vienna any time they can come for a visit. They changed me. Thank you synchro for this incredible and undescribable experience.

- Pato, Manuel, Nina, Matthias, Magda