Implementation

In this page you can find a brief description of our project day by day. 

Day 1, Monday – 14 of October 2024

Today was the first day of the programme and we met the participants from Bulgaria, Portugal, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Cyprus. The facilitators of the project introduced themselves, for the next days they are Bobbie, Ausrine, Erma and Xenia.

In the morning we played lots of different name games. Ball game - we threw balls at each other to find out their names. And then we swapped a lot to get to know even more names! It was really interesting to hear new names and their pronunciation. After we got to know each other, we drew secret friends. We had to draw their eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair and accessories.

Then there were lots of different stations, e.g. burger vs. pizza, mountain vs. sea, football vs. basketball, and we were divided into small groups to different stations and the fascilitators gave us a few minutes to discuss our preferences. We talked about expectations, fears, contributions and rules. After that we had a youth passport game. We were divided into teams of mixed nationalities. We learned 8 skills.

Later, after lunch and a break, we went to Pissouri for a scavenger hunt. We talked to locals, got to know our surroundings, famous places, restaurants and cafés. As we were in mixed groups, this was a great team building exercise. After this activity, the participants felt much closer together.

Day 2, Tuesday – 15 of October 2024

Written by the Polish team!

Another morning awakened us with the glow of the wonderful Cypriot sun. We gathered for a delicious breakfast, smiling at the thought of the events from the previous day. We had the opportunity to meet fantastic young people from different European countries. Shared activities and an incredibly interesting game that introduced us to the old part of Pisuri and its history allowed us to forge new friendships. After breakfast, leaders Bobbie, Erma, and Auśriné presented us with the detailed goals of the SPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH project.

MORNING GYMNASTICS

After the meeting, we faced the significant challenge of morning gymnastics. The instructor, Ivanija, set increasingly difficult gymnastic tasks. Only the most persistent emerged as winners. After gymnastics, all groups were invited to play Marco Polo. The name of this popular game, known as "Blind," is derived from the famous traveller. According to legend, Marco Polo once got lost in the desert while traveling with his family through China and thought he heard voices calling his name. The game was incredibly exciting for our young participants. But the real excitement was yet to come. The game of wolf and sheep, aimed at stimulating speed development, awakened amazing energy and engagement among the participants. The climax of dedication was the final tug-of-war game. The rope succumbed to the strength and energy of the young, and after a few seconds... it snapped!

COFFEE BREAK

Laughing, we headed for a break. We rewarded our efforts with cool drinks and iced coffee. A moment of rest in excellent company, and we were ready to continue!

EXPRESSING EMOTIONS THROUGH ART - PHOTOGRAPHY

The first task aimed at self-expression through art was taking outdoor photographs. Participants were to capture something that best expressed their emotional state and what health meant to them. Then, they paired up with someone they hadn't worked with before to explain the significance of their chosen photographs. This way, participants developed their social and communication skills, expressing themselves and their thoughts through images. A beautiful and profound experience for all!

LUNCH BREAK

After a delicious lunch, many participants, along with the leaders, decided to make the most of the break and enthusiastically welcomed the sea!

EXPRESSING EMOTIONS THROUGH ART - DRAWING MY HEALTH JOURNEY

In the next task, the young participants were to draw their life journey related to physical and mental health using a technique of their choice.

BOOK MAKING AND MEDITATION

After the break, we returned to take on new challenges. This time, we created our own books. We filled the first page with our life goals. Each subsequent day posed a new question that needs our answer. In the second part, we practiced mindfulness and concentration. The tranquility and beauty of surrounding nature fostered inner calm and helped us find our own harbor—a place within ourselves where we feel good and safe, a place we can always return to, regardless of external circumstances.

SUMMARY

After the exercises, we learned about the plans for the next day to prepare everyone for the most important and spectacular event of the day: the basketball tournament. We also heard about recent projects being implemented in Romania and Poland.

MUSICAL EVENING

We ended the eventful day with an evening filled with conversations and gatherings, accompanied by a musical backdrop.

Day 3, Wednesday – 16 of October 2024

Written by the Romanian team!

In this day we woke up earlier because we had to go to the basketball tournament at an elementary school so we used the facilities from that school and we were divided in more teams random so we can socialize with some other people that we didn't know already. And this activity was very interesting because we could get to know each other through a sport. We were very enthusiastic because at the end the winning team would choose some other players from other teams to build up a dream team which will play against the leaders so we had the opportunity to play with the leaders and it was memory that will last.

After the lunch break, we had the homework presentation, and we had the opportunity to present our projects which we did in the preparation phase at home and we had the opportunity to speak in front of the others and present.

After this, we had an activity with several work areas: stress zone, calm zone, anxiety zone, happiness zone and frustration zone. The perfect zone after some questions was the frustration zone because they had to be competitive, and the task was hard and had to use them skills to do it. At the calm zone they had a tense and relax exercise and a breathing one. At the happiness zone they had to dance with soap bubbles and that thing was very funny. At the stress zone they had to balance a ball and to cross a line without stepping outside at the same time. At the anxiety zone where they had to solve a puzzle and to throw some circles at some towers to get points. And at the end they had the reflection zone where they had to say what zone was the favorite one and explain why.

At the end of the day the most wanted the activity. It was the cultural night in which the teams from Lithuania and Cyprus presented their country and their traditions and music and food and I think it was one of the best activities because everyone enjoyed especially the party.

Day 4, Thursday – 17 of October 2024 

Written by the Lithuanian team!

Circle gym training and exercises

The day began a bit sleepy, but we were mentally ready for the morning physical activities. We formed a circle and pushed ourselves through nearly impossible exercises. Not only did we do bombastic routines, but we also tested our stamina. Two of our teammates led the session, showing us how to pump those strong muscles. We filled our bodies with love.

Trees and Travelers

In the second activity, everyone took on different roles. The "Travelers" were blindfolded, while the "Trees" guided them. Though it was a game, it showed how important trust is. It proved especially for those who struggle with trust. Most importantly, it gave us a deeper understanding of how blind people feel about the world.

Afterward, we sat back-to-back with a partner. One person described a picture while the other had to draw it solely based on the verbal instructions. This exercise highlighted the importance of effective communication and listening

Healthy you

Next, we set SMART goals and created action plans to achieve them. We then crafted vision boards using magazine clippings, which was not only relaxing but also helped us visualize our goals more clearly.

Pasta contest

In the evening, we competed in a fun challenge to build the tallest tower using pasta. The team with the highest tower won, and two members of our group took home the prize. This activity taught us valuable lessons in teamwork, creativity - especially in tough situations were adapting to circumstances is key.

Cypriot Traditional Night

The day concluded with a Cypriot traditional night. The audience was invited to join in, and the night ended by dancing and enjoying ourselves // Cherry on the top for Lithuanians – "Žalgiris" basketball team won!

Day 5, Friday – 18 of October 2024

Written by the Bulgarian team!

Our first stop from the trip was Kourio. We were all impressed that when you stepped in the centre of the amphitheater your voice can reach all the seats. Then we went to Limassol and visited Apollon sport hall and we met Boban(the coach) and Hristaki(player) that are part of the disabled basketball team. They told us about their history and the sport and big part of the group wanted to play basketball in wheelchairs. It was very interesting but very difficult. Even though they have some level of disability that don't mean they are less active than others basketball players. After that we have a lot of time to explore the city. We had a lot of fun at the museum of illusions. But we were most impressed by the beauty of the city and the beach alley.

Others groups were also impressed by the beach alley as they walked through it. Something that we all noticed was that there are a lot of active people that were doing different type of sports like jogging, swimming, skating, roller skating and cycling. Inspiration for everyone else. After we arrived back to Hylatio complex we were all very tired, but excited to meet all the rest of the participants and share with them our adventures.

Day 6, Saturday – 19 of October 2024

Written by the Cypriot team!

Today, we took part in several different activities that helped us express ourselves. These activities included World Café discussions, art therapy, clay therapy, and a session on stereotypes in society. Each one focused on something different, helping us to feel better emotionally, express our creativity, and think more about social issues.

World Cafe:

We started with a World Café, which is a way for people to sit together and talk about important topics. This activity helped us work together, share our opinions, and hear different ideas on social and personal issues. We moved from table to table, talking about different subjects, and building on what others said. The relaxed atmosphere made it easy to open up, and we discovered new insights by hearing other perspectives.

Art Therapy:

Next, we did art therapy, which is where you use drawing, painting, or other forms of art to express emotions that might be hard to put into words. Creating art without worrying about whether it looked good or bad helped us connect to our feelings and release some of our emotions. Art therapy is great for dealing with stress and understanding ourselves better. In this session, we were encouraged to focus on the process rather than the final result, which made it easier to explore our feelings in a safe space.

Clay Therapy:

Then, we moved on to clay therapy, where we used our hands to mold and shape clay. This hands-on activity felt calming and helped us focus on the present moment. Working with clay made us feel more grounded, and it gave us a chance to physically express our emotions. Shaping the clay felt like a way to shape our thoughts and feelings. This activity reminded us that working with our hands can be a powerful way to deal with emotions and reduce stress.

Stereotypes in Society:

We had a discussion about stereotypes and how they affect society. We talked about how stereotypes, about things like race, gender, and class can shape the way we see others and ourselves, often in negative ways. These labels can lead to unfair treatment and social inequality. By talking about stereotypes, we became more aware of how they limit people and how we can work to challenge them.

Day 7, Sunday – 20 of October 2024

Written by the Portuguese team!

We kicked off the day early with a refreshing hike at Cape Aspro. The views were incredible, the kind you see on postcards with the sea on one side and rugged cliffs on the other. It was a perfect way to wake up and get some exercise while taking in Cyprus natural beauty.

After the hike, we hit the beach to relax and cool off. Some of us swam, others just laid back and enjoyed the sun. It was a great chance to recharge before the afternoon activities.

In the afternoon, we switched gears and focused on the NGO Market. Each of us had researched the organization we're representing and got the chance to "pitch" it to the rest of the group. It felt a bit like a fair, everyone walking around, learning about different causes and projects from all over Europe. It was eye-opening to see the variety of NGOs and the important work they do.

After the NGO presentations, we sat down to brainstorm ideas for the final video of this Youth Exchange. We talked about everything we've done during the program, shared our thoughts, and started shaping how we want to represent our experience. It was a cool moment of reflection and teamwork.

We ended the day on a high note with a cultural night, where Bulgaria and Romania took the spotlight. They shared their traditions, food, music, everything! It was such a fun and vibrant evening, and it felt like a real celebration of our group's diversity.

Today was a perfect mix of adventure, learning, and cultural exchange. Every part of the day, from the hike to the presentations to the cultural night, brought us closer as a group and made the Erasmus+ experience even more special.

Day 8, Monday – 21 of October 2024

The day started with a simple but important talk from Bobbie about video-making. He explained how videos are a great way to share information and reach many people, making hard ideas easier to understand. Bobbie also talked about how videos are a key part of today's world, not just for communication, but also for teaching and spreading important messages. The videos were to be in horizontal mode, because they will be posted by the organizations in their social media platforms, notably facebook.

The videos were shot in the national languages of each group, with English subtitles. This is important to make the spread as much as possible, but just as importantly, to be accessible to people who may be deaf. Regardless, the videos focused on the importance of sport, mental health and the link between the two, as well as how activities, such as the ones we are taking part in this youth exchange, are able to make lives of youth better.

We spent all morning shooting, editing and subtitling these videos. In the afternoon, we went to the football field of Pissouri. Here, we did some streching exercises with Xenia, and then we got to playing football.

After some long and challenging matches, Team number 7 won, led by Miglė Gineikaitė. The players who won are -

• Maksymilian Szewczyk
• Airidas Ziupka
• Beatriz Carvalho
• Gafa Marius Iulian
• Ivayla Kostova
• Radoslav Vulkov
• Teodor Stoyanov

Congrats guys!

Day 9, Tuesday – 22 of October 2024

Written by the Portuguese team!

The first thing we did in the morning was aquarobics in the hotel pool. Doing this exercise in the water showed us that some exercises that seem easy to do on the ground are difficult to perform in the water. We felt good after the practice of the exercises; however the water was very cold, which made the experience a bit unpleasant at first.

Next, Bobbie was introducing and informing us about which projects we can enjoy and participate in, related to the ERASMUS program and what opportunities the European Union offers to each young European (13-30 years). This session was very enlightening and important because we were unfamiliar with all these opportunities, the ways to carry them out and the attributes necessary to be selected. We felt like this topic is not talked about too often and as Bobbie said many people only discover about these opportunities after being 18 or sometimes even later, having this in mind we were really happy and excited to know about all these opportunities that contribute for our academic and professional career.

In the afternoon the planning was changed, and instead of the trip to Paphos, we did the evaluation of YOUTH EXCHANGE "Sporty Mental Don't Bury Your Emoticons; Let It Flow", where we filled out forms about the project and its activities, and reflected with Nikolas about the program, our experiences, what it was like to be part of this YOUTH EXCHANGE and what we needed to do when we arrived in our countries of origin.

Lastly, we received our youthpasses! For many of us, it was our first, and we are excited to collect more and to attend more youth exchanges in the future!

Day 10, Wednesday – 23 of October 2024

The last day of the project! Whew!

The day began with us watching the videos that we worked hard making that we will show for follow-up activities. They were all well written, edited, humorous and very educational!

Afterwards we worked on our follow-up plans, meaning, what will we do to share the information further? Each team had different target audiences and places we will go in our local communities, somewhere schools, other were universities and others were youth centers. Right after that, we stuck a paper, and tape at each other's back and wrote sweet and fruitful goodbye messages to each other! After eating lunch, we went to Paphos for our cultural trip!

Here, we explored Petra tou Romiou, where Aphrodite came out from, the Tomb of Kings and the House of Dionisius. A very pretty city indeed!