From 2to 9 October 2014 we participated on a youth exchange in one of the Spanish Canary Islands La Gomera representing the Green Sun Association. The project Tribal Europe was organized within the Erasmus plus program, where five countries were represented: Finland, Latvia, Hungary, Romania (Székelyföld) and the organizer Spain. Photos from the event can be viewed on the Facebook page of the association.
The members of the team from Székelyföld were: the Green Sun Association volunteers Bartos Tímea and Bartos Beáta, XII grade students in the Nagy Mózes Theoretical Lyceum Mátyás Eszter and Opra-Kozma Rebeka and the team leader Györgyjakab Boróka, member of the Green Sun Association and drawing teacher in the Nagy Mózes Theoretical Lyceum. The exchange aims were that participating young’s to be more familiar with the different cultures, traditions, history of the ethnic groups from the European Union, making a step to a more united, cohesive Union. We started with great excitement and curiosity the journey during we use almost every means of transport. After the first days driving, bus ride, flight the next morning we continued by boat from the island of Tenerife to La Gomera. After a short wait we continued our journey by car, and after half an hour we arrived at the exchange location, surrounded by the beautiful mountains the forest campsite called El Cedro. This location hosted the acquaint games, a variety of craft activities, the presentation of cultures, quizzes and here we could taste typical food and drinks brought by the participants. We could try the Finns technique of felting, the Latvians songs which sounded very interesting for us, the clay beads and jewelry making techniques by the island’s ancient tribes and the local traditional dances. We could make self-designed t-shirts using the symbols of the island’s indigenous drawings. As part of this series with the Hungarian team (literally) we tried to teach the participants our national dance with moderate success. During the walks and hikes in the forest we got to know the wonderful beauty of the local landscape, the unique vegetation of the island, its climate. We visited Hermigua folk art museum, the archaeological museum in San Sebastian, which provided insight into the lives of the ancestors and their daily life. We could see from closer the other attraction of the harbor city: the bastion Torre del Conde, which was built by the Spanish in the XV. century as a protection against the natives. Here we could admire old maps, which as time passed drew faithfully the outline of the island. In the small village called El Cercado we participated on a traditional potter’s presentation, and we could try ourselves in shaping dishes without the potter’s wheel. Also memorable experiences were the swim in the ocean’s blue water and sunbathing on black sands and the creative team building games. On these occasions we could try out the “snorkel” (water snorkeling) and kayaking too. Charged with this experience, many breathtaking sights, we said farewell to our new friends and left for home. The days we spent on the island, the beautiful memories help us to forget the difficulties of our long journey home.
Author: Györgyjakab Boróka Translated by Derzsi Eszter
