Theme: D.G.T. Association team participated in the “Do not Worry – Be Happy” Youth Exchange organized by the Problem-Based Learning Institute NGO in Vilnius, Lithuania, between 3-10 May 2017. The project brought together 32 participants from Lithuania, Portugal, Romania and Italy, and aimed at promoting working methods with young people facing depressive states. Emphasis was placed on emotional intelligence and self-confidence in discovering effective solutions.

The project was funded through the Erasmus + program. You can find more details about the project here : http://www.pblerasmus.com/news.html

Objectives of our training:

-To develop emotional intelligence;
-To promote working methods with young people facing depressive states;
-To promote self-confidence in discovering effective solutions;

Testimonials:

The project “Don’t worry- be happy” from Vilnius-Lithuania has been an interesting experience, definitely on my liking. I had a relaxing week, worries-free, in a peaceful and secluded environment, far away from the crowded city, surrounded by happy people always ready for fun. The highlight of this project was the easy going, flexible schedule, easy to adapt to and yet, very organised. The activities we took part in were carefully chosen, like: yoga, icebreaking games, dancing classes, sightseeing, sports, visits at the ‘Caritas Mother’s and Child’s Home’, place where we found out more about the condition of single mothers and how they can be reintegrated into the community- I must mention this particular experience was quite moving and emotional. Despite of all the planned activities, we had plenty of time to visit the bohemian city of Vilnius and its surroundings. During the week, I had a wonderful time, I found it relaxing, inspiring, with loads of fun and memories that will stay with me for a long, long time. Once again, it has been proven to me that Youth Exchanges represent the best way to travel, as it offers the perfect opportunity to socialise and develop new friendship. The vibe, the atmosphere you feel in these meetings and the whole experience are unique. I would repeat this experience anytime. (Viviana Priceputu)

Vilnius-a place where you worry that you don’t need to worry!

I always worry. When I pack, when I meet new people, while I’m there, far away from my family and from the people I love and finally when I leave a place, knowing I will may never see those persons again. In the project “Don’t worry, be happy” I had 3 worries from the ones I mentioned earlier. The first two and the last one, which was the strongest. I didn’t need to worry about the third one because the people I met in there were like a new family to me. I consider myself so lucky because I’ve got the chance to meet people from different cultures, whom I couldn’t met in a normal basics. And the fact that I know them now it made my world a whole lot bigger. Not only because now I have friends around Europe but because I saw in them different ways of thinking and seeing life, which made my view a whole lot bigger. The experience was so nice and Mikas was an awesome person, who really cared about us and about our ideas. The activities were about self-development, which meant a lot to me. I was never good at dancing or at painting, but I’ve always wanted to take time and try. I have never done yoga before this project, so it was a first for me, and I really had fun working with my body and clearing my mind. Also, I really enjoyed playing football and ping-pong and also learning new words in new languages!A thing that was really important to me was the visit that we made at a mothers’ house. There, the women who were in trouble and didn’t had a place to go (because they may had been abused) found a shelter and professional help in order to get over that trauma. I find this amazing and I’m glad that I’ve got the possibility to meet the persons who are in charge to take care of that women. The experience was amazing because we had free time in order to visit Vilnius, which is a great city. I surely want to come back and visit it again! I loved seeing Trakai castle also. In Vilnius I enjoyed our time visiting museums and I had really strong feelings while we visited The Genocide Museum.I will think about this project and about the people I’ve met in the future. It was something that really helped me, because I am a shy person and I had the chance to win that fear during that week and also worry less, and be happy more! (Gabriela Florea)

How not to worry and be happy instead in Lithuania

We think that we all know how to relax and have fun. While we usually study and work because of the expectations and norms that society teaches us, we pretend that the oposite, not working, is done naturally by human beings. Unfortunately, in a world of speed and instant communication, we have lost our ability to relax. We are constantly bombarded with information and instant demands. This, coupled with the lack of privacy due to the availability of audio-video recordings at a fingertip, have turned us into working robots. Due to all of this, a project on relaxation and leisure was more than welcomed. Over the years, I took part in more than 15 international projects financed by the European Union in different countries. I have learnt about many different subjects, some more relevant than others, but all imense important for my personal and professional development. However, who would have thought that I would consider a project on how not to worry and how to be happy as one of the most important for me. The range of acitivities was very high and included yoga, soccer, sauna, meditation and dancing. All of these activities taught me how to live life better and take advantage of every moment, a skill I had lost. All this, coupled with cultural visits to impressive historical sites of Lithuania, went a long way towards helping me not only relax but be more productive over the long time as I understood the importance of taking care of your mind and body. (Stoica Cristinel Popa)