Youth exchange blog: GreenART in Murcia, Spain by Saskia

I decided to participate in the GreenART youth exchange because the themes of the environment and creative activity were inviting and fascinating to me. I was also drawn by the chance to travel, experience a new culture, and meet people from different backgrounds. As a university student, Erasmus projects are very affordable, available and enlightening. I have participated in Erasmus projects before, so I had some kind of idea what to expect. For this exchange I hoped to be more informed about the environment, explore how to approach art in a more creative and sustainable way and make new friends.

I was the group leader for the Estonian team, though the role didn’t come with many formal responsibilities or assignments. Still, I tried to be supportive and there if needed. During the project I actively participated in all the tasks, discussions and activities. I made an effort to stay present and helpful.

One of the highlights was learning about the Jardin Secreto Festival and the work that goes into it. The organisers, who we met, were really interesting, bright and inspiring. The work that they do with sustainable design is very impressive and important right now. But I also enjoyed the free time that we had, it gave us, participants, a chance to get to know each other more in natural circumstances and explore the town by ourselves.

Because the group was quite large, it sometimes felt difficult to bond with everyone during the short time we had. Maybe more structured activities would have helped to connect the participants with each other. I also would have liked the opportunity to meet more local artists or environmental experts – perhaps through a workshop or informal lecture.

I think this youth exchange helped me to step away and have a break from my everyday responsibilities in my day to day routine and be more in the moment at the program – it was very refreshing. I also had the chance to find some wonderful people who I had really sincere conversations and bonds with. I really enjoyed the overall atmosphere, from the participants to the hosting town, it felt very welcoming and safe.

I would certainly recommend Erasmus youth exchanges. It is a fun opportunity to broaden your horizons, meet people and contribute to meaningful topics. You also get a chance to give back to all the welcoming local communities and add to a good cause.