Words by Patrice Egue:

First, I would like to thank the Bulgarian organization – Active Bulgarian Society for the good organization, concerning both the travel and the preparation for the project.

Now for the project itself... The beginning was somewhat shocking because we arrived at what seemed to be a building in a field that is far away from everything, which was unexpected, at least for me. Next, the facilitator welcomed us and told us that we (the Bulgarian group) are going to share a room with the Romanians because our languages are close. I like the fact that were in mixed nationalities rooms because it was the first step towards getting to know each other. However, after the welcoming, the facilitators disappeared and there was nothing going on for about 3 hours or so. Fortunately, there were enough of us to start introducing ourselves to each other. Later that night we were finally invited to dinner, which was the usual breakfast – bread, salami, tomatoes, etc., which was something not very pleasant for me also.

Even though the start was a bit shocking and uncomfortable, I really enjoyed the whole project. The thing that I enjoyed the most was that the activities were organized in such a way that we had to work in groups all the time which really helped us to find out more about one another. For me, the activities were not that informative, but it is probably because I had previous knowledge of the topic. The good thing in this situation was that I was given the opportunity to lead one session on a topic that I decided, which was something very enjoyable and useful for me and as said by the other participants, also for them.

We had enough free time to do whatever we liked – sleep, explore the village, interact with different animals around the village, which was very exciting for me since I am a city boy, and of course, it’s good to spend time with people whose company you enjoy. Every night we had a cultural night, during which the participants from each country had the opportunity to share some interesting information about their country and culture. In addition, after every cultural night, all of us gathered around the fire, which became a favorite activity for most of the participants because there one could interact with as many people as he/ she wants, which created a strong and friendly bond between the participants.

On the other hand, as natural, I did not like several things about the project. First of which was the food. It was very unhealthy- mostly fried and most of the time cold. We had the opportunity to heat the food in a microwave, but that is not normal for me. In addition, the food was late almost every time, which is not great, especially in the cold mornings. Last but not least, the first nights were very cold and the problem was that we did not receive blankets and in some of the rooms, including mine, the windows were broken and were not able to close. Therefore, the first nights were difficult, because it was too cold in the rooms, therefore most of us had trouble sleeping. I think that these problems are easy to solve, but at the same time important, because they concern basic needs.

In conclusion, I would say that I really enjoyed the whole project, time passed faster than expected and it was very well spent. The atmosphere throughout the whole project was amazing, full of positivity and friendly vibes. The facilitator helped as much as she could, which made a very good impression on me. I met amazing people that I hope to have the opportunity to meet again after some time and see where each of us is in life. Usually, I am not an emotional person, but when I realized that the project was coming to an end, I felt very bad which shows how good this project was for me. In general, I found the project very useful and enjoyable and would love to go to another one. Words by Blagovest Tsvetanov:

An adventure that will remain in my memories, it was a great experience. I was impressed by the opportunity to speak with professionals in the field of entrepreneurship. We had debates on various topics, presenting our own business ideas to a real audience and many other sessions that helped us develop. Teamwork and the ability to exercise our leadership skills were some of the many opportunities we were given. I met many people, each one unique in their own way. I was able to exchange experiences with other participants, we all had a lot of fun and made fond memories together. The atmosphere was unforgettable.

Words by Yani Enchev:

This was my first youth exchange and as such, I had my fair share of doubts and fears, which is very normal as I didn't know the place I was going to nor who the other people at the camp were going to be. But in the end, my fear turned out to be unfounded. The other participants were amazing and the place, albeit a very small village in the middle of nowhere, still provided places to see, local culture to experience and fun activities to have. One of the most memorable things was the bonfire we lit up every night and gathered around it playing social games or just talking with one another. This bonfire was a great way to bring everyone together and give us the opportunity to get to know each other even better.

During this exchange, I had the opportunity to meet with people from Romania, Italy, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Spain, Cyprus, Slovakia and Croatia, and learn more about their cultures, languages, food and traditions. The whole setting of the camp really gets you to socialize with everyone and all that speaking English really helps you improve your language skills. Also, all of the presentations and games really improve your social skills and make you better at making presentations and talking in front of a lot of people.

At the end of the day I made so many friends during this exchange and I really hope to keep in touch with them, and maybe one day meet some of them again on another exchange or maybe while traveling. I am very grateful to Active Bulgarian Society and Erasmus+ for giving me the opportunity to become part of this project. After having this as my first experience with youth exchanges, I am certain that I will participate in more of them in the future.

Words by Slavi Medova:

This youth exchange was a life-changing experience. We had really good sessions that helped us understand clearly the topic of entrepreneurship and business development. We had to set up our own businesses to brainstorm ideas and to present them. This way we had the opportunity to improve our leadership and presentation skills. But the most important part was the people. I personally became close friends with most of them. They helped me realize some things about myself, relationships and life. Starting with the first night playing name games, getting to know each other, we came up with the first of many inside jokes. All the nights we spent together, all the sunsets we were admiring together. All the conversations we had. The amazing teamwork we successfully did. I hope we stay in touch and have the opportunity to meet again under the sun.

Words by Ioana Doncheva:

Our trip to Milcoveni was very long - around 7 hours by car. It had tired us a bit. But when we arrived, we were greeted with a wide smiles. The place is not something special but the people made the experience unforgettable.

Each day we had different games, tasks, and debates about a business and other topics. The teams were always different during the assignments, not just by one nation, which helped better our acquaintance. We were able to work with everyone. We had a night themed for each of the countries - Bulgaria, Spain, Macedonia, Cyprus, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia. So everyone learned something new about foreign cultures.

For 10 days I managed to meet more than 40 people and see so many new opinions and different points of view. But the best thing is that I found new friends, and I have a notebook to keep where each person wrote a memory.

I did not want to go home but unfortunately, we have come to this point. Every journey has an end, but it also has a new beginning for me, because I learned a lot about myself by getting to know others. Euphoria still keeps me, and this great adventure will remain a beautiful memory, bound with wonderful emotions.

I can’t wait till our next meeting with these people whom I love so much.

Words by Bilyana Marinova

"Be a Star: Target to the Moon and Reach the Stars" is a project that can change lives. My first time as a participant in Erasmus’s projects gave me unforgettable moments. Before the project, I was very excited to see new ways of teaching, meet new people and cultures. I always love to learn new things and share information with people.

I participated in the program mostly because I wanted to learn more about Entrepreneurship and Business. The first day at the camp seemed very strange to me because I had to see things that I have never seen before. But I can truly say that I enjoyed a lot of the activities and learned new things from different people. The organization was not the best, we had some issues, but at least we all went to our homes satisfied. I liked the camp a lot, mostly because of the other participants. They were very friendly and we became friends very fast. I have met amazing people, who gave me incredible advice that I will never forget. We played games, which united us as a big family. We had interesting sessions that affected us in a very positive way. We learned the difference between an entrepreneur and a businessman and to treat entrepreneurship as a lifestyle. I’m happy that we had the opportunity to visit another city in Romania and discover new places. We met with entrepreneurs who shared their stories with us.

The most important thing is that we all learned something new and enjoyed our time together. I’m glad that I had the chance to spend some time with people who resonated with my heart. I learned so much about other countries, cultures and I made international friends. I had a pretty good time at the camp and these moments will always stay in my heart.

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