Youth Exchange "Show Off" in Ommen, Netherlands

In the context of the Erasmus+ program, a youth exchange took place in Ommen, Netherlands from October 7, 2024, to October 18, 2024. The following text describes the experience of one of the young participants.

"We had the opportunity to be part of the Erasmus+ project "Show Off" in Ommen, Netherlands. From 07th to 18th of October we were located in Ommen with people from Italy, Spain, Greece, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia and of course Netherlands. The topic was mostly about theater as well as comedy and body movement. We did lots of activities where we actually learnt useful tools.

During our Youth Exchange we had the opportunity to build up key skills such as communication, teamwork, and creativity through expressive arts methods. We learned how to tackle daily challenges by improving our problem-solving abilities, and we gained confidence by leading activities and making clear agreements.

As part of the national group, we helped organize and facilitate learning activities based on performing arts, which expanded our horizons and deepened our understanding of different cultures and traditions.

Additionally, we developed lasting friendships with people from across Europe. We shared our success through videos showcasing our learnings as a group, including performances such as theatre, improvisation, dancing, and comedy.

One highlight was engaging the local community in Zwolle through these performances. We were 4 groups, one was about comedy, the other about theater, the other about body movement and  the last one was “the magic box” that included everything. We did a flash mop in the center of Zwolle, one city near Ommen and the locals joined us and had fun.

Moreover, we had intercultural nights, we tried food from different countries. We learn traditional dances, and we played our childhood games. Last but not least, we hosted Eurovision night, which everyone enjoyed."

ERASMUS+ 

This project was co-funded by European Union, the Erasmus+ Program