Have you ever been on an Erasmus+ project before? If so, what was special about this one?

I have previously been on Erasmus+ projects in Germany and in Sakartvelo. This Erasmus+ was special because of its location in a small Dutch village of Wehe-Den Hoorn with a population of 700 people – near a river, fields, and a local bar, where an exhibition of our photography works was held on the last day of the project. It was my first training, and most of the participants were experienced volunteers and public figures with completely different backgrounds. The cultural evening was also special because our team organised an auction. I also cooked for the first time during the exchange – varenyky with potatoes!

What should EVERYONE know before a project?

You should know that the main thing is to be open and sincere. The training is a powerful opportunity to make cool contacts with both participants and locals.

And it’s equally important to research the weather of the country you’re going to for the exchange to feel comfortable with the train of travel.

Please tell us about a typical day at the project. What was your daily routine like during the exchange?

A typical day started with a fabulously delicious breakfast prepared by Lyudmyla, who currently lives in Portugal and moved there from Irpin in 2022. This was followed by a reflection room where we shared insights from the previous day and discussed the plan for the day.

The activities were very diverse: workshops on photo editing, programming, and artificial intelligence. We also took various photos on the streets of the villages and in the courtyard of the house where we lived. We discovered the art of finding composition, symmetry, depth, and contrast.

In our free time, we hung out in the courtyard – talking, jumping on trampolines, playing volleyball, we could also take a bike to get to the nearest supermarket in the neighbouring village, it was fun)

We also went kayaking on the river, which is located opposite the house where we lived. The first time I paddled by myself to explore the area, and then I joined a lot of participants. Moving along the river, you could see incredibly cosy courtyards of houses, ducklings, and catch a synergy with nature and the local population, who are very open to communication.

Did you learn anything new about ICT in the public sector?

I learnt about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to organise the educational process – generating presentations, images, tasks. Learning how to build programming algorithms and flowcharts helped me build structure in everyday tasks and life.

Were there any cultural differences that surprised you or caused difficulties?

There were no cultural differences that caused me difficulties. On the contrary, there were many aspects that surprised me. One of them is the openness and trustworthiness of the locals: We went kayaking and when we asked how to pay the money and when, they said ‘whenever it’s convenient for you, don’t worry’.

The people are very nice. For example, once one of the members of our Ukrainian team met a local who lived across the river from us while kayaking, and then she went to his house. He and his husband told her about their move to the village from the big city, about the trend of young people moving to villages, and about the way of life in the village and how the local population communicates with each other.

What do Erasmus offer that no other project can?

Erasmus provides cultural exchange, love for the countries of exchange participants, and their traditions. The biggest gift is the network of like-minded people who are active and create initiatives. I actively keep in touch with many of the participants I meet on exchanges. For example, when I had an exchange in Sakartvelo, I met three people whom I had met at my first Erasmus in Wiesbaden, Germany. Each project is about gaining knowledge through practical experience, developing skills in different areas, improving English, and of course, providing inspiration for further ideas and their implementation.

What conclusions did you draw after participating in the exchange, what insights did you gain?

Somehow it happened so that Erasmus is a breakdown of my fears for me. After this project, I have developed a great ability to communicate with locals. I realised that strangers are often open to communication and happy to talk to you, and even if they are not, it’s okay to be rejected! I improved my ability to ask a lot of questions because I finally realised that no one will judge you for it and it is a great tool for communication.

In particular, I received a lot of support from people about my work and creativity. It is often difficult to stop and say thank you to yourself in a fast-paced environment, to see what you have already done and what you have achieved. This is important.

What was the team atmosphere like? Were all participants and organisers friendly?

There was an atmosphere of support, pleasant communication and learning. All the organisers helped and showed us around. We were friends to each other. The participants were very open to communication and fun. My favourite part was working in teams, where our friendliness and initiative were implemented to the fullest.

Was the material at the training useful and have you applied it later?

I now use a lot more AI tools to improve and optimise my work. I have changed the way I look at creating photos, I started to concentrate more on details, it helps me to be in the moment and calm. One of the participants who was a great presentation maker told me his secrets that he uses to create dynamic creatives for slides. I also took this to my “toolbox”.