On Monday, June 19, 2023, the Erasmus+ project START ME UP began. We all gathered at the airport in Vienna and flew together to Venice. The project then took place in the Italian town of Recoaro.

On Tuesday, we got to know the other 30 participants from Germany, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, and Romania. We also discussed various topics related to ecology. On Wednesday, we started exploring the nearby town of Valdagno, where we learned about its history. Thursday and Friday, we helped a local volunteer organization to paint a graffiti-covered wall in the city. We started the weekend with a hike, during which we discussed the cleanliness of water in nature and ended the day with beautiful views.

The next day was free, so we split into groups and visited the cities of Verona and Venice. Most of the group was in Verona, where we visited the local arena, Juliet and Romeo's balcony and statue, and the local castle with a view of the entire city. Italy has a different culture from Slovakia, and we must admit that seeing such a beautiful city was a lifelong experience for us. We started the new week with an activity where we talked about states' involvement in environmental protection. In Slovakia, for example, we discussed how we sort plastic, how we can use bottle caps, or how local schools participate in sorting metals and batteries.

And what about the evenings? We spent them all together and had so-called intercultural evenings, where each night we had a presentation from participants from a different country. For example, we learned about the Romanian castle and Dracula, and about Granada from the Spanish participants. Of course, we also tasted national dishes, both savory and sweet.

What remains from the youth exchange are countless unforgettable experiences and friendships for a lifetime.

Finally, we, Jaro, Barborka, Roman, Alica, Janka, and Nina, would like to thank the organization Youthfully Yours SK for the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus+ project. We highly recommend it to everyone. THANK YOU!