In Estonia, in a small, secluded location, the Marja Talu house in the village of Kirikuküla hosted the Nature’s Healers youth exchange from August 14-18, 2024. Six young people represented Romania and Transylvania, and after a short but meaningful project, they returned home enriched with countless experiences, knowledge, and new friendships. Below is their report.
“The first day was all about getting to know each other and the surroundings. Through various interactive games, we learned more about each other and memorized each other’s names. This was followed by a brief introduction to what we could expect throughout the week. Excitement filled the air as, after lunch and a short rest, our host, Estonia, prepared an exciting workshop for us. We had to use our bodies as tools to express different emotions, giving us insight into the importance of the harmony between body and soul, as well as the effects of nature’s power.
Next came the Estonian and Portuguese intercultural evening, where we got to know the beauty of these two countries from both a geographical and culinary perspective.
The second day began with reflections on the previous day. Pairing up, we walked in nature, discussing the events of the day before based on given questions, and reflecting on our roles, considering what we might do differently in the days ahead. This was followed by a short activity from the Estonian team, where we organized into groups to first distinguish between formal and non-formal education. Then, still in groups, we searched for examples and argued in favor of non-formal education, presenting its importance to the other teams and highlighting the competencies gained through youth exchanges like “Nature’s Healers.” The highlight of the day was the “survival program,” where the Estonian team introduced us to various mobile apps necessary for survival in nature, such as Mushroom ID, iTrackWildLife, iNaturalist, ObsIdentify, and RockIdentify. We had the chance to test these apps in the field, where the exchange took place. Later, we participated in a survival activity consisting of five tasks in the forest, where teams had two hours to complete the challenges. The results were presented the next day. We ended the day by cleaning chanterelle mushrooms found during one of the survival tasks.
The third day started with the usual 15-minute evaluations with our partners. After that, the Portuguese team led a session that began with a team-building game and was followed by an individual task where each participant found a spot to reflect and connect more deeply with nature. In the afternoon, we split into two groups to learn how to canoe, then set off on a canoeing trip in teams of three, which turned out to be a very pleasant experience for us. After the long trip and the return journey, we had a free evening, which our team used to prepare for the next morning’s session.
We began the fourth day by discussing our experiences, insights, and emotions from the previous day. Then it was our turn to lead a workshop on the contribution of physical activities to mental well-being. We started with a warm-up where we had to reflect emotions evoked by specific songs through dance. After the warm-up, we taught tai chi exercises, which helped in connecting with the environment, relaxing, and delving into ourselves. This was followed by an outdoor team competition organized by the hosts, with the winners rewarded with the most delicious local chocolate.
After a longer break, the Spanish team continued with outdoor relaxation exercises, and then the Hungarian team helped us fully unwind through guided meditation. The day concluded with an intercultural evening, where, besides our team, the Hungarian and Spanish participants introduced their countries, traditional foods, drinks, and dances, creating a great atmosphere for everyone.
On the last day, everyone felt that the time to leave was approaching, so the focus shifted to reflecting on the past days and looking towards the future. The morning started with each person talking with their usual partner, sharing thoughts and feelings. After that, the Spanish and Portuguese teams highlighted the values we should preserve even after the project ended. The next activity, led by the Hungarian team, focused on brainstorming project ideas in small groups that we would like to participate in and implement. Following this, everyone filled out their Youthpass certificates. The Estonians had saved an exciting treasure hunt for the last day, which got everyone excited for the evening farewell party.
Finally, it was our turn to lead a session, where we asked everyone to rate on a scale of 1-10 how deeply they engaged with the topics and how they felt throughout the week. The week was closed with a campfire conversation, a beer pong tournament, and board games. The last day was the perfect ending to the whole week.”
