YE Neighbours & Stories
The project called Neighbours & Stories took place on August 17–23 in the Polish city of Rzeszów. The participants came from Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, and Ukraine, and altogether there were 21 of us. The project focused on raising awareness about our culture, getting to know other cultures, and bringing nations closer together.
The first day was Sunday, and we all met only at dinner, where we mainly tried to remember each other’s names. The first program day started with breakfast, followed by ice-breaking activities, and in the afternoon we went on a city tour, where we saw the city’s landmarks. On the second day, we began in the Urban Lab, where we had activities connected to presenting our culture to the other countries. The following day was again in the spirit of discovering cultures and breaking down prejudices.
On Thursday morning, we visited the underground museum, which is very interesting and modern. In the afternoon, we spent our time again in the community center Urban Lab. On Friday, we wrapped up the project with reflection and discussions about volunteering or similar opportunities.
The topic was very interesting for me, and I enjoyed most when we worked in groups because that way we were able to use the strengths of each of us. This project gave me a lot of knowledge but also many friends, and I would definitely recommend everyone to take advantage of such an opportunity. Rzeszów as a city also has much to offer, such as the already mentioned museum, the Lubomirski Castle, and other attractions. On Saturday, after our last night together, we all woke up, said our goodbyes, and each of us went our own way, with the hope that we would meet again someday.
