Here we are sharing the reflections received from the participants in the TC MOVEmental, implemented in the period 1-8 November 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The MOVEmental training course for youth workers lasted 8 days including travel days. The topic was art and creativity, which was very much appreciated as we are actively involved in this topic. The program took place in a 3* hotel right in the centre of Sofia, which allowed us to explore the surroundings and the beauty Sofia has to offer.
The first two days were dedicated to getting to know the other participants and discussing topics with each other, such as: What inspiration means to us or how we perceive art.
On the third day, we visited the National Gallery of Sofia spread over four floors in a historic palace. The organisers also arranged a tour of the centre of Sofia with an accredited guide, which we appreciated as he could give us historical facts in a very entertaining way. In the following days, we participated in different activities focused on art and developing our creativity and personality.
One of my favourites was when we were designing the projects that we would like to implement. We also visited a local artist’s studio. The artist demonstrated the “press on” technique, and we could freely decorate our canvas bags, which we received as a souvenir.
We will remember this project very fondly and are incredibly happy that we were able to participate. The most important thing I took from this project is that there are no limits within art, and we should experiment and try until we find the desired outcome.
Nataša and Alexander, Slovakia
The training course MOVEmental was one of the best experiences in my life. First of all, I enjoyed the project’s program and the discussions about art and creativity. I have noticed that it helped me a lot in my working field, in marketing. Also, I met wonderful people with whom we had deep conversations about different subjects and art. Then we enjoyed Sofia, the National Gallery in Sofia and the opportunities to explore the city.
Konstanina, Greece
I was very pleasantly surprised by the MOVEmental project. As participants, we received a welcoming and creative framework in which to explore our ideas and experiment with new ways of expression and artistic creation. In particular, I enjoyed the visit to Sofia’s National Gallery, where we analysed paintings and explored them through various lenses. The accommodation, participants, activities and general logistics of the project were also very well organised and the trainers were professional and considerate of our needs. Overall, it was a wonderful experience!
Dainius, Lithuania
In the period of 2-7 November, we had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the training course MOVEmental in Sofia, Bulgaria, with the support of the Erasmus+ programme and with the support of our sending organisation MULTIKULTI.
As a result of this training, we created a community of creative people who generated ideas together through experiential learning, creative embodiment laboratory and NFIL methods and practices. Furthermore, we had the opportunity to exchange experiences, share best practices, and learn methods and exercises to come up in the end with new innovative ideas.
Moreover, we covered topics like Creative thinking, The Art of Seeing Art, the FLOW state of mind, and Creativity stages. Helping us to raise skills and competences, such as adaptability, creative thinking, interpersonal and leadership skills.
In the end, we spent an amazing week, starting with the arrival day, accommodation and meals, and the programme and ending with the departure day. Meeting fantastic people from Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Lithuania, Slovakia and Serbia, we exchanged knowledge and experiences, and most importantly, we became friends.
Cristian, Romania
I had many expectations for my first Erasmus+ experience, and MOVEmental surpassed all of them. I met a ton of interesting people, made new friends, discovered a beautiful city and also broadened my knowledge in a field I love.
The short week in November I spent in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia felt like a month – mainly because I experienced so many things. The program made by the organisers was packed, to say the least. Some of the highlights I’d like to mention are: visiting the large national gallery, city tour, linocut workshop, discussions about art and creativity, and learning about the creation process of Erasmus+ projects.
The goal of the program was to learn more about the process of creativity and art in general. We achieved this by participating in various practical exercises and discussions. I believe we all now understand our creative process a little better, whatever we might use it for, and that way is more efficient.
Participants coming from Czechia, Slovakia, Greece, Serbia, Romania, Lithuania and Bulgaria made a wonderful team, and I am glad to have met them. Each of them brought enlightening points to the discussions, and I will never forget their homeland’s introductions.
I must also mention our luxurious hotel with a sauna, a gym and a spacious room fit for experimenting, creating, playing games and dancing both during and outside our program. We are all grateful to the organisers to grant us such a wonderful place to stay. To sum it up, MOVEmental was a unique experience that I would recommend to all.
Organisers did their best to teach us new things about creativity and art, and I will never forget this rich week.
David, Czech Republic