This was the first day after a long day travelling the day before. The morning activity was planned to get to know each other. We played 3 games where we tried to remember each other’s names (but in a fun way), then we had lunch together and had some hours of rest. The afternoon kicked off with a team building activity where we everyone said their expectations, fears, and contributions for the whole week. Mine was that I volunteered to be the journalist and team supporter. Others volunteered to take care of the energiser activity or be the photographer for the day. The first day was exciting and I enjoyed it. After the first few days I felt that I conquered some of my fears such as eating different foods and making friends.
Giorgio Borg, Yr 11
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The following day was mainly characterised by intercultural bonding. The day started with the breakfast like every other day, after we discussed the group agreement for the week where we saw what the rules of the week were going to be. Then after we had a break, where we mostly played football with other groups, we had an activity where the main aim was communication through different methods. Following lunch and an hour-long break we had to plan together with Mr Andrew and Ms Diane the presentation we had to do for intercultural night. This was mainly a small presentation about our country and Maltese culture and traditions. Then we had a break where we played football again. Then after we had the reflection of the day, where we reflected of what happened that day and how we felt throughout the day. Then, after dinner we had the intercultural night where we had to do a presentation of our country to show them what Malta looks like; also, we had planned a fun activity for the other groups where they had to write a small “makjetta” but in their native languages. After everyone did their presentation, we set up the table with some food that you only find in Malta so every country had food on their table then everyone could eat from other country. So, it was about trying other countries’ food. On this day I had a lot of fun because the activities where cool.
Zven Agius, Yr 11
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The following day, after breakfast, we did an activity filled with many challenges. We went into the nearby forest and had an activity aimed at teamwork and communication. We had to find the leaders, who were hidden in the forest and complete a challenge and get a piece of paper; pieces which when glued together made up a CV. Then we discussed what needs to be in our CV and how to create one. After a good plate of spaghetti, we had an hour break, where we could even play outside. Then we presented the cv in front of the other groups. We were then given the instruction to create a workshop in our country groups for the next day, so we had a brainstorming session to see what was the best way to do it. In the evening we did an exciting game where we competed with the other participant countries.
I felt the day flew by because the activities were exciting and fun.
Jayden Busuttil
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Today was the day where every country group had to create their own Workshop activity. Every country group focussed on something they needed the whole group to think about; for example, the Estonian Group helped the group to think about the privilege we may have without knowing and what are the struggles people face across Europe by creating a game around the privilege walk. Me and my friends created a treasure hunt around the building where the other groups had to visit room by room and play different mini games. The aim of these mini challenges was to help the group to focus on the language barrier and how to go about communicating in spite of it. With every mini game won, a card with our names was given so they could search the building for that person and do the next challenge. Whoever got everyone’s names and competed the challenges won the whole game and was awarded a packet of Twistees.
Matthew Fenech, Yr 11
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We woke up for breakfast and then we had the highlight activity, which was the rope obstacle course.. The course was really challenging but the help and positive comments from our leaders and friends, who were also doing the course helped me to keep moving forward and completing the whole course. Whilst the other groups where having their turn on the rope course, we went with the Portuguese group for a small walk in the forest, after that we had lunch and an activity to teach us about Erasmus+ where they told us more about Erasmus+ and what were the possible opportunities, and then, we had the daily talk about what we liked and what we didn’t like it after that, we had lunch and some free time at the end where we watched a film together.
Jeremy Bonello, Yr 11
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Fl-aħħar jum ta’ din l-esperjenza, bdejna bi ftit logħob bejnietna mal-parteċipanti tat-tliet pajjiżi l-oħra. Hekk kif konna miġburin, saret preżentazzjoni taċ-ċertifikati tal-Youth Pass, fejn kull wieħed u waħda minna ngħatajna ċertifikat tal-parteċipazzjoni tagħna f’dan il-proġett tal-Erasmus+. Wara din iċ-ċeremonja żgħira, kellna l-opportunità li niktbu messaġġi qosra lill-parteċipanti l-oħrajn, waqt li huma jiktbu lilna, sabiex inżommuhom tifkira sabiħa tal-ħbiberiji ġodda li lkoll għamilna f’dawn il-ftit jiem li qattajna hemmhekk.
Finalment kellna evalwazzjoni tal-proġett u l-esperjenza nfisha. Hawn kellna ftit ħin biex b’mod individwali noħolqu xi ħaġa kreattiva, bħal sticker jew poster, li fihom ninkludu xi ħaġa li laqtitna jew spikkat għalina matul din l-esperjenza. Dan kien spazju li fih stajna nirriflettu fuq il-ġimgħa mżewqa li issa kienet waslet fi tmiemha. Dak kollu li pinġejna kellna ċ-ċans naqsmuh mal-kumplament tal-parteċipanti, biex nisimgħu u napprezzaw l-esperjenzi differenti tagħna.
Minkejja li kien żmien qasir, il-mumenti li għixna bejnietna, kif ukoll mal-parteċipanti tal-pajjiżi l-oħra żgur li se jibqgħu f’qalbna. Grati ta’ din l-esperjenza li bla dubju se tibqa’ dejjem magħna.
Ms Diane Cutajar, Għalliema tal-Malti
