Yana Mutafova:

"I don’t think there are words that can describe how amazing and fulfilling this project was. The project definitely gets you out of your comfort zone- sleeping in tents, showering in a public bathroom, not speaking in your native language, etc. But I believe that we learnt a lot from it, not only about climate change and how we can improve ourselves, but also about different cultures, how we are all so different yet so similar. We did various activities- from hiking a mountain twice that day to canoeing to picking grapes for three hours under the sun and later stepping on them (that is how you make wine in Portugal). Also, the participants from every country had to plant a tree in the village. Apart from that, we did multiple activities in order to get to know each other and our cultures. I learned a lot about different countries and their approach on climate change. It definitely was an unforgettable experience, I met some amazing people that I hope I will meet again someday. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the project and to meet every single one of the people there. Regarding the organisation, everyone worked hard to satisfy the participants. They all did an excellent job at making us feel welcomed and I am so grateful for every single one of them. This was my first Erasmus+ project and I think it’s safe to say that these 10 days were the best 10 days in my life. I thank the bulgarian organisation, as well as the portuguese team and every other person that made this project happen, for this opportunity and experience. It was wonderful and I can’t wait for my next project in Arrouquelas!"

Emo Panchev:

"Regarding the project in Portugal, I have very positive feedback. As a leader of the Bulgarian group, it was a pleasure for me to participate- the rest of the group was just amazing. During the project I learned a lot about the climate and the changes in the 21st century. I met a lot of different people and cultures and we became really fast friends. For me it was an unforgettable experience and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that was given to me to participate.
Regarding the organisation- I don’t have any complaints and the Portuguese people and volunteers, have done an excellent work- from the tents, through the food, the tasks and the things we had to do, the canoeing, the intercultural nights. I can say a lot of good things about the project. After the project, I’m sure that if I’ve the chance to participate again, I’ll jump in the project immediately."

Nikolay Hristov:

"My first impression upon аrriving in Arrouquelas was a bit of a shocker since I didn’t expect the camp would look like this. I was really startled at first but then I realized I should just calm myself down and enjoy the experience to its fullest. There were a lot of participants at the venue, maybe a few too many at first glance. However as the days went by we started bonding and sharing and it felt like I belonged somewhere – I felt attached to the small community we had created. We did a lot of activities, each unique on its own. It started out with simple tasks like introducing ourselves to the others, strolling through the village while getting to know its history and meeting some of the locals including the famous Antonio Lopez. We then had my favourite activity throughout the entire project – we went canoeing in the river near Constancia. It was so funny to see people failing to steer their canoes in the correct way or just crashing down into others. Well, me and my partner also had a crash course into the river’s ice-cold water but we also found it amusing (and chilly of course). Two people from big environmental NGOs in Portugal visited the camp to introduce us to many climate change related topics. We played a lot of games as well which I believe helped the participants grasp the information more easily. The flash mob is the only activity I disliked since I am not fond of dancing in general, but there was also a charm to it because people would not care whether or not they look ridiculous while trying to repeat the dance moves, myself included. All in all, I must admit that I fell in love with the place, I would definitely return one day. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me!"

Victoria Daskalova:

"Ever since the first day of the project when we arrived in Arrouquelas, it felt like a place where we were going to make a lot of memories. The first thing that stood out the most and that surprised me was the smell of cows but after a couple of days i got so used to it, that now I kind of miss it. We had a lot of activities planned by the hosts, which were all incredible (during one of the first few days we went canoeing in Constância). To be honest, it was extremely exhausting but it was worth the muscle strain because of the breathtaking views we saw. The next couple of days we stayed at the camp in order to fulfil some tasks, like making a video about raising awareness about climate change. For the first 5 days we had cultural nights where each country presented itself in the most artistic and fascinating ways I’ve ever seen. We tried each country’s cuisine and played games from all over Europe. We went to a local farm to pick up grapes and make wine ourselves. My favourite day was probably the day we visited Nazaré where we did the flash mob we practiced so hard for. It is such a beautiful city, with long beaches, cute street shops, cafés and the best Ice cream I’ve ever eaten. When we went back to Arrouquelas, we had a Sunset party held in the local bar. The day we went to Lisbon to catch our flight back home, I felt as if a piece of me was left there. Honestly, I didn’t want for all of this to end.Mostly, I will miss the people i met there. I made close friendships which I hope will last a lifetime. Everyone there was unique in their own way, it felt like as if you had collected all the colours of the rainbow and placed them together. The diversity of characters taught me a lot. The others from the Bulgarian team are one of the most incredible people I have ever encountered. Without them my first journey with Erasmus wouldn’t be the same. I wanted to say huge thanks to everyone and I hope we will meet again."

Anastasia Ivancheva:

"I'm very grateful I had the chance to be part of the life changing youth exchange in Arrouquelas, Portugal. I met a lot of amazing people and i made some friends and memories for life. During the exchange I grew to fall in love with the camp and the people in it .It was truly an amazing chance to experience Portuguese culture from 1st hand while canoeing, harvesting grapes and swimming in the ocean. The people were very accommodating and kind and it was a pleasure working with them. The exchange helped me to truly understand the challenges our generation is facing in the face of climate change a bit better."

Reneta Georgieva:

"I liked how I felt during this week. I liked that I was respected, motivated and listened to. Everybody had the chance to express their concerns, give their ideas freely and discuss the topic without the fear of being judged. It was a safe environment where we all had one mutual goal - learn something new and educate others. Everyone participated in all the activities with great enthusiasm. It was my first time riding a canoe. I have always loved rivers but was too afraid to get too close to one. This time I had the chance to actually swim in one. It was clean, fresh and incredibly calm, I felt safer in nature's arms. It was my first time planting a tree, too. It was always a dream of mine to leave something behind, to know that I have contributed to the world in some way. Now I know that somewhere in Arrouquelas, there is a living memory of me and our group. This project is not my first one, but definitely had the greatest impact on me. I am beyond grateful for being accepted in the first place and I hope that in the future I will have another chance of working with your association on other projects. Thank you!"

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