And here we are! Finally, after two years of stop due to the pandemic that affected the whole world, the youth exchange program was resumed this year by the Lions Club Association.
Having chosen Spain, England and Holland as European capitals, I was drawn for two weeks in Spain. Fantastic experience. I was specifically in Benidorm, a seaside resort that is also called the Miami of Europe because of its skyscrapers and skylines that are so reminiscent of America.
As soon as I arrived, I met the director of the camp where I was going to stay: Alain, a super helpful and kind man, with whom I formed a wonderful relationship right away.
The camp was an international school called Lope de VEGA that also had hotel rooms inside, which were clean and neat.
During these days we toured several cities including: Benidorm, Alicante and Valencia.
My journey to the gates of Asia began on July 24th with my heart in my throat and with great expectations that during mystay have always remained so.
Seeing from above the country that would host me was the thought that kept me company throughout the long journey and when I began to fly over it I saw an expanse of many houses with brown roofs and I could not see the end of this great expanse. AsI looked at the city I began to realize that I was in another country far from home and with a different culture from mine so I was overwhelmed by a sense of inquietudine disappeared as soon as I met the family.
Arriving at Istanbul airport I was welcomed by my host-family, who hosted me in their house, an apartment located on the 11th floor of a building in the Ataşehir region of the Asian part of Istanbul.
Introduction
The aim of this report is to relay my trip to Norway, with all its strengths and weaknesses.
The Host Family
They were very lovable, kind and helpful, they were like true parents. They gave me a wonderful room where to sleep and stay on my own. Furthermore, they brought me to the capital Oslo, giving me a chance to visit it. We used to joke and to talk about interesting things. We will see certainly see each other soon when they come visit Puglia.
When I arrived to the Amsterdam airport (9th of July at 3 p.m.), Mr. Van Helden picked me up at the airport, where I met other guys which would then go to the same camp. But the Van Helden family wasn’t my host family, they just brought me to the Smeenk family, who actually hosted me. This is a family of 3: Jelle, the father, is a farmer, so I’ve been to a farm. Geke, the mother, is a notary and their son, Thomas is 13 years old. They also hosted José Castillo Pérez, a very kind Spanish guy.
Durante il mese di luglio di quest’anno, più precisamente dal 9 al 27, ho partecipato agli scambi giovanili Lions e come meta ho scelto i Paesi Bassi.
Ormai ho concluso il percorso scolastico delle superiori da un anno e infatti avrei dovuto fare questa esperienza ormai due anni fa e come meta avevo scelto l’Irlanda. Purtroppo, data la situazione epidemiologica, ho dovuto aspettare due anni per vivere questa esperienza... e ne è valsa la pena.
Ho passato la prima settimana in famiglia insieme ad altre due ragazze, e gli ultimi dieci giorni nel camp Lions. Essendo io una persona abbastanza riservata ed introversa, ho preferito il tempo trascorso in famiglia, dove eravamo meno persone e il clima era più tranquillo. In ogni caso ho apprezzato moltissimo anche il camp, dato che ho incontrato persone con cui rimarrò in contatto per tutta la vita: qui si sono creati dei legami indissolubili che mai potrò dimenticare.
It all began on July 18 in Rome’s airport where I met three travel companions, the best companions of the world that shared with me these initial moments both exciting and anxious. When I landed, I saw my name on a piece of paper between the hands of a kind woman, who gave me a ride home; we took a photo with her family which was published in the Finnish newspaper!
15/07/2022 Brindisi Airport , Puglia.
Me, a Lions Club sweatshirt, a suitcase, lots of excitement and in my hand a ticket to Finland.
After three stopovers and a night in the Airport, I arrived in the long-awaited Oulu.
After two years of waiting, due to Covid, I was finally able to fully enjoy this experience offered by the Lions Club as a result of a contest won and sponsored by my school, Amerigo Vespucci of Gallipoli.
And so began my journey...
Waiting for me at the airport some blond hair tending to white and eyes as blue as the sky:
Kati, my Finnish mom and Julia, the little one of the house, together with a friend of hers.
It is difficult for me to describe in words the emotion I felt at that moment, some things you just feel, and they made me feel at home right away.
In July 2022 I took part in the Youth Camp and Exchange program for the first time in Denmark Camp C (Sustainability and bringing people together) after winning a contest at my school.
It has been an incredible yet chaotic journey. I say this because before my departure I unexpectedly got covid, so I skipped the host family stay, but could still participate in the camp a week later. I arrived two days later than the others, so I wasn’t there when this picture was taken, but they made sure to include me by putting my face in a bubble on the right. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
The experiences lived and the emotions felt in those 2 weeks, and in general during my Exchange, are many, alive and engraved in my memory.
I had the opportunity to meet different cultures, to improve my language skills in English and above all to really realize that language and geographical distance are not a limit. That in the end we are all young guys with dreams and hopes for the future, with the desire to have fun, to grow and to fulfill themselves.
I fell in love these days, and when I say in love I mean by vocabulary that the mutual feeling of attention, desire to be together, emotional involvement was and is very strong.
L’esperienza dello scambio giovanile Lions è stata veramente ricca di insegnamenti, mi è andata di fortuna perché la famiglia in cui mi sono ritrovata era molto amichevole e affettuosa, conoscevano l’inglese per cui siamo riusciti a conversare senza alcun problema e proponevano iniziative interessanti per passare le giornate assieme visitando le città.
Ci siamo ritrovati qualche giorno anche con altri ragazzi che facevano lo scambio da altri paesi che avevano la famiglia lì vicino e che mi sarei trovata anche al camp, quindi ho avuto modo di fare amicizia fin da subito.
Ricordo ancora il giorno in cui ho ricevuto la telefonata, ormai un anno fa, in cui mi si chiedeva a quale dei diversi camp disponibili desiderassi partecipare.
Al tempo non conoscevo quasi nulla della destinazione da me scelta, ma, per qualche motivo, mi ispirava.
Si trattava della Danimarca.
Quest’anno ho avuto l’occasione di sperimentare per la prima volta uno scambio giovanile da parte dei Lions. Sarebbe dovuta essere la seconda volta, poiché nel 2020 sarei dovuto andare in Bulgaria, ma il Coronavirus ha fermato tutte le attività, compreso il mio viaggio. Dopo due anni da quell’evento pandemico mi è stata ridata la possibilità di poter viaggiare. Devo essere sincero: ero molto scettico sul voler andare via dall’Italia: forse perché in quei due anni avevo perso la curiosità di viaggiare, oppure perché non avevo una meta preferita. Con molta incredulità decisi come meta la Finlandia e non credo abbia mai fatto una scelta migliore di questa!
The experience at the camp in Portugal has been wonderful and one of a kind because we had the opportunity to get to know each other even though we were from different countries. We had a lot of fun together and, although there wasn't a well organized schedule, I visited several places and I could learn more about Portuguese culture too.
Sin da piccolo sono stato appassionato e affascinato dai paesi nordici e baltici, come è successo? Onestamente non ne sono sicuro neanche io. Indipendente dal come questa passione è iniziata non ho mai smesso di essere interessato ai paesi del Nord Europa, anzi, il mio interesse ha continuato a crescere.
On 8 July, full of excitement and joy, I embarked on my first solo trip to France, more precisely Rennes. My name is Marialucia Barbaro and I am 18 years old, and I was soon to have one of the most beautiful and formative experiences offered to me. I experienced the thrill of travelling alone, taking three planes, and learning what it is like without the constant guidance of an adult at your side. After landing in the Breton city, I spent the next 3 days in the city of Nantes, hosted and accompanied by the 2 daughters of the host family, who took me around the streets of the city.
Quest’anno, grazie al Programma di scambi giovanili Lions, ho avuto l’opportunità di vivere un’ esperienza unica in Slovacchia e in Repubblica Ceca, entrando in contatto con una cultura differente e portando a casa più di un semplice viaggio all’estero.
L’esperienza è durata 3 settimane, dal 31 luglio al 19 agosto, comprendendo 1 settimana in famiglia e 2 in campus.
La settimana in famiglia è stata sicuramente molto interessante e produttiva anche perché venivo ospitato insieme ad un ragazzo georgiano di 16 anni con cui mi sono trovato fin da subito molto bene. In una settimana mi hanno fatto fare praticamente tutto quello che avevo scritto nella lettera di presentazione che mi piaceva. Abbiamo fatto passeggiate nei boschi, giocato a calcio e a Ping Pong, fatto un giro in barca e visitato la cittadina di Heidenheim. Abbiamo fatto serate organizzate in famiglia con giochi e film, ma ho avuto anche del tempo per me stesso durante la giornata.
Non so nemmeno da dove iniziare a descrivere la mia esperienza. Sono stati 10 giorni che ho aspettato per tre anni (ho vinto questo concorso nel 2019, ma a causa del Covid ho dovuto aspettare fino a quest’anno per partire) e beh, sicuramente l’attesa è stata ripagata.