Yana Bublynska from Ivano-Frankivsk branch talks about the Erasmus+ project in Bulgaria
FRI members have already heard a lot about Erasmus+ exchanges and their benefits many times. Today, we present to you the new interview with Yana Bublynska from Ivano-Frankivsk branch, who shared with us her insights and impressions from the project in Bulgaria, which was coorganized by our NGO.
Have you participated in Erasmus+ projects before? If so, what was special about this one?
Yes, a year ago I took part in a project in Spain, also on behalf of FRI. Since I really liked the previous one, I applied for this one.
The topic of this project in Bulgaria was employment and its difficulties, so I can say that I managed to connect with other participants. We found a common bond because we all fit the target audience perfectly. Despite the fact that we were all people with different backgrounds, lifestyles, and from different countries, we found common ground easily. The atmosphere provided by the organizers was great (and special thanks to them for it!) In fact, I can say that the main benefit of this project was primarily people. Because it was my second experience of such an exchange, I understood how to behave and what to do, so I enjoyed it more.
What should EVERY FRI member know before the project?
First of all, every FRI member should understand that they are going to represent Ukraine on the exchange and, in fact, become its face for the duration of the project. You have to realize that people will come back home and talk about you and Ukraine, so you should constantly remind them that we are at war in our country and about other important events. The process of preparation for the exchange is equally important: you should make a good presentation of the country, bring national products, etc. So, in my opinion, presentation plays an extremely important role.
Another thing is that you shouldn’t be afraid to speak English. I personally had this problem on my first project. Now I realize that you shouldn’t have been afraid of what foreigners will say, because after all we are all human beings. And besides, how else can you gain knowledge if you don’t communicate with people?
Please tell us about a typical day at the project.
I would like to note that the program is quite different from projects in Ukraine, in particular because you don’t study from 9:00 to 18:00, but instead, more time is allocated for socializing and rest, so that the participants were much less tired.
The everyday program was approximately like that: the day started at 8-9 a.m., and after breakfast (which ended at 10:00) there was the actual lessons. The first training block ended at 13:00 and also included teambuildings, energizers and a coffee break.
At 14:00 we had lunch. The break lasted from 15:00 to 16:00, and then the training block started again. In the evening, we had free time and were able to go for a walk around the city or to the sea, as well as to get to know the participants better. Every evening we had informal gatherings, played board games etc.
What do Erasmus offer that no other project can?
Definitely a way out of your mindset bubble. I’ll give you an example of the youth environment in Ukraine, when you already know everyone and are set in a certain way of thinking. In this case, it’s hard to go beyond this kind of thinking. When you go to get acquainted with other cultures on such projects, the participants already have something different in mind – they think “not in our way,” and your paradigm and horizon, which you have always been focused on, changes. In Ukraine, you get used to talking about the same things at all events and forums, but abroad you have to find a new way to disseminate information.
The second thing I definitely noticed is the opportunity to look at another country, see the sights and apply the so-called observation effect and compare it with home. Then you come back to Ukraine and tell your civic activists that some things can be different (here I am talking about logistics). In fact, you try to think differently after such exchanges.
What was the most important thing you learned, what insights did you gain?
First of all, I learned how to create a project program because in Ukraine everything is tried to be “crammed” into them. Now, if I’m going to be a program manager, I’ll try to give time for participants to communicate, because the memories of communication are what people bring home with them. I’ll also try to do a lot of energizers and teambuildings: I learned a lot of new ones during the project. I think this material would be very useful for camps, weekends, and congresses of the FRI. I remembered a lot of practical things, which is great.
The last thing I’d like to say is that there are people abroad who are just like us, with the same problems, especially young people. They also worry about employment and low salaries, just like we do. It was a surprise for me, especially after many people said that it was better abroad and there were no problems!
We are thankful to Yana for her responses and time! And the advice from the International Department is to follow the updates not to miss such opportunities where you can get the same great experience!
By Khrystyna Ivantsiv