Stanilina Georgieva:

"Being part of the training course “piece of mind” was such a pleasure and honour for me. It was like a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s a rare thing for Erasmus projects to look at yourself and talk about your insecurities and maybe that is why the whole experience was so special. We started with some teambuilding activities, so that we assemble a team. During our first day we had to learn how to collaborate and build trust in the group. We had the chance to discuss some personal topics in pairs, which expedited the ice-breaking process. Usually we had yoga classes in the mornings. It was a great way for everyone of us to have some proper stretch after sleep, improve our flexibility and boost our mood. It was the perfect way to start our days. During our sessions, we discussed many topics, concerning our mental health, coping with stress and mostly how to teach others do that. Our trainers provided us with tools which support our personal wellbeing, self-care and personal awareness. We showed self-compassion by being empathetic towards ourselves and others and practiced mindful eating, so that we learn how to be present and aware of the moment. Divided in groups we tried some active listening techniques, so that we can easily meet our target group’s needs. As well as these activities, we implemented some breathing techniques for calming down and meditation. There was also a fun part in which we had some role play and made improvised theater scenes. Activities like this one provoked us to be creative and think extraordinary. The trainers were so devoted to the project and did their best to make us feel comfortable, relaxed and opened to express our fears, needs and emotions. They showed us a professionalism on a high level concerning the topics while being our friends as well. Our one-day trip to Vrsac was entertaining and uplifting. We had the chance to try the national cuisine and have a lovely walk in the city park. It was also a bonding experiences for the group because we shared some time together in different surroundings.
After the project, I can say that I learned how to show empathy, judge less, be present and more mindful. I will definitely implement these stress-relieving techniques and also attend yoga classes more often."

Gergana Aleksandrova:

"I am very pleased to have taken part in this project. I loved that we were in the small village with its own athmosphere. Bulgarian team was with very supportive and nice people. I met lots of different people with their own stories but everyone was friendly and openminded to each other personality. The workshops were very dynamic and useful to develop ourselves. I wanted to increase some of my teamwork abilities and the project helped me to do it. The place where we lived was very suitable for such an event and the organisators were taking care of everyone. We had free time as well and had the opportunity to meet some local guys and exploring not only the village but the bigger city that was nearby."

Viktoria Lyutakova:

"The topic of the project was "Peace of Mind" and I can say that the location of the project was appropriate because there were places like the park or the tower in the fields where you can be on your own with your thoughts. I felt amazing there being far away from the big city, the pollution and the traffic jams. What is more, I really enjoyed the art and poetry workshops which were led by participants from the projects. Thanks to those workshops I reconnected with my deep thoughts and I figured out that everything that involves creating something with your hands can bring you happiness. Last, but not at least I loved the people there and the way we were communicating. We have learnt how to be more empathetic and how to have a lot of fun together which was unforgettable. "

Ralitsa Manolova:

"If I need to describe the experience with one word, it'll be recharging. The venue was a village in which from the very first day you get the feeling of belonging, the locals were happy to see us and were greeting us kindly, something you cannot see often especially if you come from a big city. I loved the Magnet house (our home during the project), it was an expression of art and community that we've built together. We had very interesting workshops on poetry, astrology, meditation, art therapy and social media through which we explored and broadened our emotional and personal awareness. Some of the best memories for me from the project I connect with just being in the room with the people I can now call friends talking and laughing or doing the community work together, as well as our trips to Vrsac and Belgrade. Definitely it has been an experience, which opened my mind for new possibilities. I'm extremely grateful I met those unique people, who inspired me to work on better version of myself. "

Anna Rusinova:

"The project is called "Peace of mind" and it took place in a Serbian village named Veliki Gaj. It’s the first youth exchange that I've taken part in. At the Magnet House (which was the venue), about 25-30 of us gathered and went through the ups and downs of learning. We explored our needs, identity, emotions, we went through the worlds of astrology, poetry, meditation, communication, dancing, art therapy, yoga, mindfulness, mental health, cultural differences, and many more. The main theme we generally paid attention to was – How do we maintain our sense of peace? We all had our different (and sometimes similar) ways of doing so, and connected through that. Because of some unexpected and sometimes chaotic circumstances during the exchange, our ability to maintain this peace got tested without any of us planning it. I believe that chaos helps us strengthen our resilience. In the end, the chaos and negative feelings also helped me realize important things about myself and human connection in general. I appreciate both the negative and the positive moments I lived through, and I prefer to focus on what I learned thanks to them. Meeting and connecting with so many lovely people was the highlight for me. Living in this community, I realized how important it is to help each other out, show initiative, share ideas and feelings, and I witnessed how when people cooperate everything can flow easily and any task can get done in no time. Even when you’re pulling weeds in the garden and cleaning the whole house. I took loads of photos, also because photography is a hobby of mine. I would love to share all of them but I’m afraid there’s too many moments worth remembering. I’d like to share a few moments that stood out or that I think future participants will be keen to know about. Most of all, the environment and the people enabled me and opened up a space for me to consciously create with inspiration and joy. And I am so thankful for that! I’ve made friends for life, as cheesy as it sounds. Peace out!"

Paola Zaharieva:

"I was not expecting much from a venue this far away from big cities, however, the small village and its people were extraordinarly welcoming to us. What I really enjoyed was that we had to take care of the cleaning and cooking by ourselves. The project was interesting and all, however, what stood out the most for me was how the team worked together and everybody was having fun with everybody. When I first understood that there will be only girls, I was kind of put off, but then it turned out quite fun, all of us having the liberty to be ourselves in the most freeing way.
I really enjoyed the workshops which my fellow participants organized. It was really cool having the opportunity to shape the project just as we wanted it to be."

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