Being part of the PDA activity in Cyprus with Acpelia was such a meaningful experience for me. Sharing this journey with other youth workers, educators, and young people from all over Europe made me feel connected, inspired, and truly hopeful. We didn't just talk about body positivity—we explored it through real conversations, creative methods, and hands-on activities that brought the topic to life. I left feeling more confident and ready to support young people in building a healthier, kinder relationship with their bodies. This experience reminded me how powerful it is when people come together to learn, grow, and create change around something that really matters.

Organisation: ACPELIA

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

During this training, I had the chance to reconnect with my body and emotions in ways I hadn't expected. Through art and dance therapy sessions, I discovered how powerful movement and creative expression can be in healing and self-awareness. It wasn't just about learning tools—it was about experiencing them deeply, together with people from different backgrounds who shared the same openness and curiosity. I left inspired, grounded, and more connected to both myself and the community of youth workers across Europe.

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

Participating in the Erasmus+ Youth Worker Mobility was a truly enriching experience. Through workshops and exchanges with other participants, I gained a deeper understanding of sustainability and learned innovative recycling methods that are used in different European countries, many of which I was not aware of before. This project not only strengthened my knowledge but also inspired me to apply new practices in my community back in Cyprus. It was empowering to see how young people across Europe are working together for a greener future. I feel more motivated than ever to take action and share what I learned.

Organisation: ACPELIA

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

Taking part in an Erasmus+ project is a truly transformative experience. It’s not just about travelling or attending workshops, it’s about stepping into a shared space where different cultures, perspectives, and stories come together. Through open dialogue, creative collaboration, and genuine human connection, you begin to understand what inclusion, respect, and empathy really mean. 

When people from different countries and backgrounds come together with a common purpose, something powerful happens: barriers break down, friendships are formed, and personal growth takes place, often in unexpected ways. 

One of the greatest lessons Erasmus+ teaches you is that diversity is not something to tolerate, but something to celebrate. No matter how different our paths may seem, we all share a deep need to be heard, understood, and valued. 

Every young person should experience what it means to learn from others and about themselves in this unique way. Erasmus+ opens your mind, broadens your horizons, and reminds you that even the smallest encounter can spark big change.

Organisation: Freelancer

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

During the project “The Citizens of Tomorrow: Stories for Active Communities,” I confirmed my belief that collaboration is what is needed for growth. I was able to communicate with my fellow participants in a way that transcended words, which was also reflected in several of the activities we partook in. We identified common cores in our cultures and shared our different experiences.

Organisation: Youth Employment / Training Foundation (YETF)

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

Eternally grateful for NGO ACPELIA for choosing me to attend Eurotender's training course, titled "Spoken World for Self-Expression." With support from ACPELIA, and all the opportunities the European Commission offers, this training course allowed me to build up my own skills as a facilitator and trainer in non-formal education. This training course allowed me to exponentially expand the skills I had already gained during my formal education and use new, improved, and updated methodologies. It also allowed me to improve my work for the local youth in Pissouri and more.

Organisation: ACPELIA

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

Ever since I was a child, I've been a curious person, always asking questions and wanting to understand the world around me. That curiosity and passion for understanding how things work, especially human relationships, led me to use storytelling as a constant tool for exploration and expression.

This Erasmus experience allowed me to put into practice everything I had learned and to discover many new ways to apply storytelling across different areas of life, from conflict resolution and intercultural collaboration to the way we connect with others through our stories.

Visiting Cyprus under the theme of storytelling and meeting people who were, at the same time, so different from me yet deeply aligned in spirit, left me with unforgettable memories and a full heart.

Organisation: Active Kosmos

Updated on Friday, 26/06/2026

Hi everyone, I’m Ellie, and I’m happy to welcome you to my blog.

I have now been abroad for a month, far away from my family, my friends and everything familiar, speaking a foreign language. That may sound terrible, because feeling lost is exhausting and takes a lot of energy. Several times, I have asked myself why I made this decision. Was it because I was looking for adventure? Because I wanted to rediscover myself and find a future that truly suits me? Or was it an unconscious choice?

The answer is unclear. Maybe it was a little bit of everything, or none of those things. I wonder whether I will have found the answer by the end of the year, but is that really so important? Why not enjoy the uncertainty of youth for a little longer? Yes, as a great romantic when it comes to life, I love getting lost every now and then. It allows me to discover new paths, meet unfamiliar people and find parts of myself that had been hidden beneath the thick cloud of comfort.

Perhaps the answer lies in this very thought. Did I not simply want to get lost in a new world in order to discover something new? Probably. But let’s put these questions aside for a moment and look at the path that brought me here.

As I said, I have been living a new life for a month now. At the beginning, I learned an incredible amount in a short space of time. I now know how to do my laundry and cook some of the delicious meals my mother always made for me. I found out where I work, who my colleagues are, what tasks await me during this volunteering experience and, last but not least, what the coffee at the office tastes like! Luckily, it is good.

I also met the other volunteers who are in the same situation as me and with whom I will spend the year exploring many parts of Austria and the neighbouring countries. These first experiences were not too difficult for me because I was full of excitement about everything new, and I was supported and warmly looked after every step of the way.

Things became more difficult when I gradually received less support and the feeling of being looked after began to fade. Ah, independence! It is challenging because you have to find solutions on your own, dare to ask questions and deal with the doubts that arise. That is not always easy. However, as someone who enjoys being alone, I have also really enjoyed the experience of becoming more independent. Doing the laundry became my little project for the day, and going shopping made me feel like a treasure hunter.

Of course, after a while, it loses its charm. Anyone who has ever lived alone knows that once something becomes routine, the magic disappears. I experienced this change of perspective during my first month. Washing the dishes every day? Hmm, not so great. But hey, with Beyoncé playing in my ears, it becomes more bearable.

As for culture shock, I do not think I have experienced it so far. There have been no major moments when I thought, “Why do they do things like that here?” Everything seems quite normal to me. Perhaps this is also because my friends, with whom I spend most of my time, notice many differences compared with their home countries.

I started wondering whether I even had a culture of my own. A very dramatic question that came to mind when I noticed that I was the only person who did not see any cultural differences. But when I looked more closely, I realised that, yes, I do have cultural roots. Perhaps I do not notice the differences as much when I am with Austrian people, but I do notice them when I am with the other volunteers. So, Ellie, do not worry: you have cultural roots. Phew.

And finally, the language. It has both repelled and fascinated me. At school, I hated learning languages, but when English slowly became part of the way I communicated online, I began to take an interest in them. Suddenly, languages no longer seemed boring and pointless.

By learning English, I gained access to more articles, books and videos, and I was able to speak to more people. It was like being a girl who, after learning to walk, learns how to ride a bicycle and suddenly realises that she can travel further and faster.

To sum up, my experience here has begun in a wonderful way, with all the small ups and downs of life.

Kisses! See you soon, and I hope you have a lovely day or evening!

Ellie

Updated on Tuesday, 23/06/2026

I took part in the DiscoverEU initiative together with a group of peers, using the DiscoverEU Inclusion Project opportunities. In this project, my responsibilities were divided into two areas. The most demanding part was planning and organising the project, as well as solving problem situations. My other responsibility was gaining experience and fully enjoying everything that had been planned, which was also very important to me.

As part of the project, we spent 20 days abroad. We wanted to see many different places, so it was important to plan everything carefully and decide what was most important to see, for example in Rome, Budapest, and Vienna, and to prioritise accordingly. We often had to compromise within the group and learned to find common ground when everyone had different opinions.

In my opinion, it is impossible to plan everything in detail, but it is still important, as it helps the overall process.

I was motivated by the opportunity to experience different cultures, visit so many places, meet new people, and of course receive support for this adventure from Europe. I gained truly fantastic experience and made contacts with many people from abroad. I had not travelled much outside Latvia before, and being abroad felt completely new and different to me. It was very exciting.

We had to communicate a lot with local people and use various digital skills and apps to manage ourselves and the whole process, both for navigating the environment and making decisions. In short, the whole trip was one big lesson in adapting to different environments, reacting quickly, and finding solutions in all kinds of situations. We also significantly developed our problem-solving skills and way of thinking. I believe that in this way everyone can foster their own personal growth and learn to cooperate with others – both group members and strangers.

On the second day of the trip, we arrived in Budapest and were tired, so we did not walk around much. We simply ate and planned the next day, and bought the necessary transport tickets. Waking up the next day was already exciting, as many adventures were ahead. The weather was very good and the city itself was beautiful. It is now one of my favourite places.

We went on a night cruise along the river; all the illuminated buildings looked surreal, and I was there with my closest friends. We were so many kilometres away from home, just us without adults, having planned everything ourselves. It was an amazing feeling. I hope every young person will have at least once in their life a similar opportunity to go abroad, develop independence, and experience other cultures.

On the third day of the project, there was a football match in Milan, which I attended because I really enjoy football. I was surprised by what I saw, as football fans in Italy are much more passionate than in Latvia. After the match, I celebrated the result with local Italians, and although we did not understand each other linguistically, we were jumping with joy and I felt almost like a local. I experienced many positive emotions. After the match, I also met some French travellers who were travelling by car, and they took me back to my accommodation that day. In my opinion, the best part of the project is talking to other people, finding common ground, and making new friends.

We tried to plan as much as possible, and the biggest challenge was agreeing within the group on the route, places to visit, and everyday details such as food and accommodation. Sometimes we also had to replan during the project, for example if a hotel cancelled a reservation or no longer existed. That happened to us in Nice, where we had to find a new place to stay at the last minute. The solution was to stop in Milan and adjust the route.

My main advice to young people would be to actively look for and take advantage of different opportunities. I was lucky that a friend encouraged me to apply, as she knew about this opportunity. But it is also very important to search for opportunities yourself and take part in them. It helps you step out of your comfort zone and gives you the chance to learn many new things in a short period of time.

For more information about DiscoverEU, click here.

Updated on Friday, 12/06/2026

Thanks to the DiscoverEU project, I had the opportunity to travel across much of Europe. As part of this initiative, the European Union covers the cost of Interrail train tickets, and I was delighted to travel in an environmentally friendly way by train. I had to plan where I would go and what I would do myself, and as a result I visited friends and family, met many people from different nationalities, and made new friends along the way.

The main thing I learned during the journey was to trust people. Of course, not completely – you still need to take care of your own safety – but it is valuable not to be afraid, because people around you are helpful and willing to assist. It is important to trust the process and believe that everything will work out. People were very helpful in the streets and answered my questions whenever I needed directions, and many drivers stopped and agreed to take me where I needed to go when I was hitchhiking. I believe I became more independent and also developed my time and resource management skills by planning my trip and thinking carefully about how to make the most effective use of my budget.

I have always wanted to travel, and I believe it is one of the most important, if not the most important, ways to get to know yourself and other people, while also learning how to manage your time. The financial aspect is always the biggest challenge, as you need to work a lot to save money for travelling, so I was highly motivated by the opportunity to leave the cost of the train tickets to the European Union. For example, the UNESCO-listed train journey in Switzerland would normally cost around €200, yet it was included in the Interrail ticket.

My favourite memory from the trip was the moment when I met two other Latvian DiscoverEU travellers in Genoa, where my travel companion and I had rented a hotel room and invited them to stay with us. During the evening, we exchanged stories about our adventures, and it was incredibly inspiring to meet like-minded people. I gained valuable insights into what else would be worth planning and doing during the journey, as well as what might be better to avoid or be cautious about.

By the way, Genoa is a very beautiful city, although perhaps a little dangerous in certain areas. Afterwards, we travelled to Portugal, which, to me, felt like a country full of young people. Spain is quite similar, although its cuisine is more familiar internationally. In Spain, I stayed with a friend, which allowed me to save money and experience authentic local life through someone who lives there. After that, I travelled to Marseille, which I might not necessarily recommend to young people as a city, although with good company anywhere can be enjoyable. I also have family living in Switzerland, whom I had wanted to visit for a long time, so I included that country in my travel plan. Afterwards, I went to Italy to enjoy nature and the sea, travelled through Austria, and stopped in Prague, Czechia, which I also liked very much.

One of the adventures was connected to our wish to see the Dolomite Mountains. We had rented an apartment in a place where the Dolomites begin, but it turned out to be quite literally in the middle of nowhere. The apartment owners drove us there for a couple of hours by car. The village had only one shop, which is closed on Sundays, and when we started planning how to reach the mountains, we realised that travelling there by train would take 16 hours, making the whole plan impossible. Since the shop was closed, we walked for three hours until we reached the main road, where we hitchhiked into a town to look for food. It became one of the most memorable adventures of the trip and encouraged us to hitchhike more often, as the drivers were genuinely friendly and helpful.

The most challenging part of the project was the financial side. Halfway through the journey, I realised that I might run out of money. I was sitting in Madrid and created a financial plan, something I had not done beforehand, calculating how much money I could spend each day. It helped enormously and solved the problem. Of course, it would be much better to do this before the trip rather than halfway through it, and that is exactly what I recommend to others. If you only do it during the journey, you may feel less comfortable, although it will not be too late to work everything out.
I would also encourage others to take reasonable risks, to try stepping outside their comfort zone and do something a little crazy. Collect the things you have always wanted to do and actually do them. Life and opportunities like these should be embraced to the fullest – definitely go on adventures.

For more information about the DiscoverEU click here.

Updated on Friday, 12/06/2026