It's such a strange feeling to be at home after more than 2 months of travelling... I was home inbetween long enough just to unpack, wash my clothes and pack, all the time busy with so many different things. And now I just have 1 report to write, some other things to do and that's all. Incredible! I would like to use this time maybe also for creating the project ideas for future applications, refreshing my languages and developing the professional knowledge. Let's hope I'll manage.
I came home 3 days ago - before that I was in Brussels, co-leading video workshop during the European Youth Week. I was working with Christophe and Steven - two lovely, charming, inteligent and professional guys from Belgium and Wales. It was very nice work and also cool free time together. Besides our workshop, there were 2 other 'creative' workshops - music and photo. The music workshop was leaded by my favourite Turkish-Iranian: Behrooz and very cool Greek: Sakis :)
There were also 7 'debating' workshps leaded by trainers from the Pool of Trainers of the European Youth Forum.
It was a bit difficult (especially at the beginning) to create one team between those two types of trainers, but later it was better and better. I would not say that it was done in 100%, but still - better than I expected after the preparatory meeting. But I still hope that organizers will a bit rethink the concept for the next EYW. Even, if I don't have any guarantee that I would work for the next one as well.
The work was a bit confusing sometimes, often very hard and long, but still - it was very interesting and I'm not sorry that I agreed to work there. We had very interesting group of participants, spent also cool time together during the breaks and the free time.
I've met many cool, very interesting people during this time. On both levels - between participants and between trainers. I've also met people whom I know before, so it was also cool :) I enjoyed my free time very much! I've met again, e.g. Annamari, Asia, Bettina, Bjorn, Marius, Homa... And I've met many new cool people, e.g. Ioana, Bogdy, Danjela, Peter, Nina, Naomi, Renata, Vesna, David, Luis... Many, many great people! I hope that at least with some of them I'll meet again and again :)
About the EYW - we've started with informal opening, introduction to workshops and bus tour around Brussels (what a lovely time!). Next day we had the official openning, workshops time and a disco (hm... very short for 'the creative team', but still great :)). On Tuesday we're finishing the workshop results and at the evening there was a European Celebration - ceremony of giving awards to projects (Eurovision show II ;) But it was great, time with friends...). During the last day we had first presentation of the results, then time for questions and proposals and after the lunch the final conclusions were ready for the round table with officials from the EU-institutions. After that - for those, who were staying in BXL - evaluation meeting. And at the evening totally non-formal meeting of the trainers and their friends :) Very nice time - laughing, drinking, joking, teasing, talking, eating, being together...
And now, after this beautiful time, it's even harder to get use to being in my village again. I will stay at home until 21st of June, then we have the preparatory meeting for a regional training course for multipliers on human rights education. I will meet there Marius, Darek and other friends, as well as a new (for me) members of the team - Sylvia and Monika. Let's see how it will be work with Darek and Marius, whom I knew from some time, but never worked together.
Missing my friends...
PS. More about the European Youth Week -
HERE. Some photos as well, but only for my friends, whom are registered in the Facebook :)
