Youth Exchange Blog: "PowerUp!" in Viroinval, BELGIUM by Elisabeth

I decided to participate in this youth exchange because I really liked the idea of spending time in nature and doing activities that I do not normally get to do in everyday life. The things that attracted me the most were cave diving and rock climbing. I have already participated in many Erasmus+ projects and youth exchanges before, so I do not really have the same expectations anymore. I have done so many projects that I mostly just go into a new project with an open mind and see what happens. I know from experience that every project is different, and sometimes the best moments are the ones you did not expect.

Before and during the youth exchange, I tried to contribute by sharing my ideas and the experience I have gained from my previous projects. Since I have participated in many different projects, I was able to give advice and suggestions to other participants when it was useful.

One of the biggest things I learned during this youth exchange was how to survive and manage yourself in the wild. I learned practical things that I can actually use, instead of only learning about them theoretically. I also learned how to use a map properly, which was especially useful during outdoor activities. Another important skill I learned was rock climbing. I learned not only how to climb myself, but also how to help another person while they were climbing by holding and managing the rope. It was interesting to experience both sides of the activity and understand how important trust and teamwork are. Of course, I also learned some very important things that were slightly less serious — for example, how good blackberries can be when you find them in nature. These small moments made the experience even more enjoyable. Spending so much time outside also made me appreciate nature more and showed me that you do not always need technology or entertainment to have a good time.

The activities I enjoyed the most were definitely rock climbing and cave diving. Both were completely different experiences, but they gave me a similar feeling of doing something exciting and slightly outside my comfort zone. Rock climbing required concentration, trust and teamwork, while cave diving was an experience that I will remember for a long time because it was something very different from my normal life. I also really enjoyed simply being outside and exploring the surroundings with other participants.

There are three moments that stand out as the most memorable for me. The first is rock climbing, especially helping other people with the rope and seeing everyone encourage each other. The second is cave diving, because it was such a unique experience and something I had really been looking forward to. The third is looking at the stars. It was a much calmer moment than the other activities but being outside at night and looking at the sky together created a really nice atmosphere. These three experiences were very different, which is probably why they stayed in my mind so strongly. If I could change or add something to the next youth exchange, I would definitely suggest having cultural evenings. This is probably the one thing I missed from previous projects. Cultural evenings are a great opportunity for participants to learn more about each other’s countries, try different foods, listen to music and simply spend time together in a different way. Since participants usually come from many different countries, I think this would make the exchange even more complete.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend an Erasmus+ youth exchange to my friends and peers. For me, it has been one of the best things that has happened to me. I have met so many different people, experienced things I would probably never have tried otherwise, and learned skills that I can take with me afterwards. Every project gives you something different, whether it is a new skill, a new friendship, a new perspective or simply a really good memory. This youth exchange was no different, and I am really happy that I decided to participate.