Do it yourself!

Hello, it's me...

I've been wondering if you would like to know about the Erasmus+ youth exchange we participated last december, here in Arcos de Valdevez, called 'Do it yourself'.

Life is about dreams. And sometimes you don't know how to become them real. Sometimes you find the missing piece of the puzzle. So you start transforming you life. That's was 'Do it yourself' about: entrepeneurship, work by yourself (that doesn't means you work alone!), and little ideas made big.

The exchange was designed and produced by our hosting organization, Juventude Vila Fonche, and they kindly offered us to participate. At the beginning I thought we would be only in the evenings and nights (as we would be sleeping in our house), but it realise we were actually being a part of the exchange with the great portuguese team.
 

So, this was going to be my first time doing a youth exchange. Agnes, who had already done some, was repeating all the time that it was going to be very intense. I have done lots of summer camps and activities which always were like that, but I coudn't imagine until what point this exchange would be intense. Always speaking in a positive way, of course.

"What is a youth exchange?" will you asking yourself. Well, it's just a non-formal education programme which aims to introduce an idea to the youngsters, but in a way which is totally the opposite from what you can find in a school or college.

In this case, 'Do it yourself' was one week of working, (non-formal) learning and, above all, having so much fun, from 9 in the morning, when everybody were barely awake, until late late (sometimes really late) night. I just can describe my experience with one word: amazing. And I'm not the only one who think like that.

First, because of the people. Kind, positive, smart, funny, energetic, good-cook, hard-worker, and interesting people, with ages between 18 and 26, coming from four different countries, plus Portugal: Chech Republic, Greece, Italy and Spain.

Each one of us shared a piece of ourselves and our country, giving the best of us to the group. Maybe food, maybe literature, maybe games, maybe music, maybe traditions or even our good mood. At the end, we knew a little bit of each others and our countries. We started with five different groups, but we finish our days there as a family.

Second, because of the things we did. I've already been almost four months here and thanks to "Do it yourself" I could discover what makes Arcos a different place: technology, start-up and small business, entrepeneurship, space, and people willing to create a better city.

But also, because of the games, activities, work and trips made that week. We were all the time playing and joking, talking, getting each other better, losing shyness, getting this place better, planning and executing incredible ideas. Living intensly, after all.

And, of course, because of the nights lived there. But, what happened in Pousadinha (the youth hostel where it was the exchange) must stay there. I will only said that none of us slept enough during those days. Some even fell asleep on the couch, while the rest of us where singing out loud, jumping, laughing and yelling.

So, all I want to say now is thank you all!! I would repeat without thinking it.

I could stay like that all day, but I think the best you can do is live a youth exchange by yourself (Do it yourself!). You won't be disappointed, for sure.

All fotos were taken by Aurora Cappiello, friend, graphic designer, photographer and participant in Do it yourself. Thank you!