My comment about the Comenius Project in Chambery,  France, 26.11-1.12.12

When I heard about the Comenius Project, I was interested from the start: young people from different countries discussing topics that affect every one of us, the whole thing sponsored by the EU, that’s a very intriguing concept I had not heard of before.  Even though I  kind of knew what to expect  after deciding to participate, meeting the teachers in charge and preparing our presentation, I was still very nervous. As the weeks went by and the week of the meeting came closer, many worries popped in my head (probably not only in mine): how can I overcome the language barrier? Will my host family be nice? What will I do in a completely strange country? Will we all get along?

Little did I know that all those fears were unnecessary. After arriving in Chambery and being picked up by my host family, I was welcomed into a beautiful home. Even though my French is close to horrible and the English of the Marcellins good but not sufficient for a complete conversation, we settled on a nice mix between the two of them, using gestures when necessary. After the first evening, I already seemed to be at home.

What I liked best about the week in France was the sense of unity the whole group had. It didn’t matter what nationality you were, everyone had fun together. Apart from the presentations and political discussions, the project mainly brought us all together. Because of the excellent organisation of our free time by the French students, we spent a lot of time together ice skating, playing laser game, skiing etc. The language only played a minor role in that week, laughter, music and fun came first. The week passed by so quickly, we did so much and were exhausted but happy at the end. Saying goodbye was difficult, it is hard to believe how quickly a person can become family.

Of course, the political aspect was very interesting, too. Each country did a presentation of youth unemployment, but the intriguing part was the debate. We heard many different opinions, discussed ideas, finally coming to one conclusion at the end through a vote. I loved it- normally you don’t talk about this kind of stuff with your friends.

Summing it up, I can only say that it was a week I will never forget. I made many new friends, learned a lot, brought home memories and souvenirs and strengthened my French skills. I would definitely do it again if given the chance.

Leila Funke