From September 19 to 28, the youth exchange “Rooted in Nature” took place once again in the familiar Polish village – Płaczewo. The participants from Ukraine gained valuable experience and are now ready to share them with us.
Sofiia:
I must admit, this exchange exceeded all my expectations! When I applied, I didn’t expect anything interesting. Instead, I had a fascinating experience and made lots of new friends.
“I must admit, this exchange exceeded all my expectations! When I applied, I didn’t expect anything interesting. Instead, I had a fascinating experience and made lots of new friends.
The exchange took place in a very picturesque location — the trip to the lake and time spent outdoors felt like meditation. As a psychology student, I understand how important connecting with nature is for reducing stress, but here I felt it 100%. My mental health definitely benefited from this trip.
The most valuable thing, in my opinion, was human interaction. The participants came from different parts of Europe, but thanks to the well-thought-out sessions that were held from the very beginning, the barriers were broken down very quickly. In the evenings, we told stories and joked around the campfire — it was a real feeling of warmth and community. It felt like the cultural exchange was lively and sincere, not formal.
I was impressed by how organically the environmental theme was woven into the programme. We not only discussed environmental issues in our countries, but we also cleaned up the area and sorted rubbish together. This experience taught me that caring for the planet is also caring for ourselves.
I am grateful to the organisers for creating a space where we could recharge our batteries, broaden our horizons and feel part of something bigger. “
Tanya:
“My experience of participating in a youth exchange was an incredible opportunity to deepen my knowledge and discuss important issues of our time. We joined in cleaning up garbage in the forest, went to the lake together, held a yoga challenge – and each task inspired new ideas.
For me, meeting people from different countries was especially valuable. Together we laughed, played, worked in teams and even made applesauce together. Every day I learned something new, discovered other cultures and found like-minded people from different countries.
This experience left in my heart bright memories and a desire to move on, try new things and develop. I sincerely recommend Erasmus+ to everyone who wants not just to travel, but to discover the world and themselves at the same time.”
Anna:
“Hi! I was at the youth exchange “Rooted in nature” from September 19 to 28, 2025. I was very nervous at the beginning, but after meeting new friends it became easier. Every day we had a schedule according to which our day went, and at the end of each day, one of the participating countries had its cultural evening where we all learned something new about other countries, their culture, exchanged treats and played various games. One day was dedicated to cleaning up garbage in the forest, and after walking a short distance, we managed to collect 60kg of trash!
Overall, I am very grateful to the “Prostir Idey” organization for the wonderful opportunity to participate in the youth exchange 
This experience has currently become the best one!”
Ulya:
“After an interesting and new experience in Italy, I went on a journey for new impressions to Poland – it was my second youth exchange. The project lasted 10 days and its theme was ‘Rooted in Nature’.
For the first time, I was the group leader – a role that suited me very well, as my language skills and ease of communication helped me not only to be open to new acquaintances but also to help the girls with translation and a fuller understanding of all the nuances.
The real highlight of this exchange was the daily scheduling and the opportunity for each participant to contribute and propose their own event or activity – this allowed us to adapt the activities to the interests of the group.
There were also a lot of interesting icebreakers that made communication easier and more enjoyable for all participants. In general, there were a lot of exercises on speaking and getting to know each other, so we definitely improved our English (some of us improved not only English, but also Polish/French/Italian, and of course, foreigners learned some of our words)!
Of course, there was also some real “rooting with nature”! We had a wonderful hike to a picturesque lake, and another day we went for a walk in the forest, during which we collected >60 kilograms of rubbish, contributing to the preservation of the environment.
Every evening we looked forward to cultural evenings, which is one of my favourite things about the exchanges. It is interesting to learn about a new culture, learn new things about other countries and taste the prepared delicacies of each country.
We spent the last evening of our exchange in Gdańsk. We walked through the old streets of the city and enjoyed the last few hours in the company of our exchange participants, with whom we quickly became friends.
Youth exchanges are much more than just trips abroad. It’s a unique opportunity to meet new people and immerse yourself in their cultures and customs. It is a chance not only to explore the topic of exchange from different angles, but also to significantly improve your communication skills, develop leadership qualities and, of course, improve your knowledge of foreign languages. It is an invaluable experience and an opportunity that I recommend everyone to take advantage of!”
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