“When you step away from the familiar, you often return closer to yourself.”
Sometimes, a journey gives you more than just a new destination. It gives you space – to ask the questions you’ve been carrying for months, to hear voices different from your own, yet somehow so familiar. And that’s exactly what the Erasmus+ training course “Let’s Get Intercultural” gave me – an experience that lasted seven days in Slovenia, but continues to live within me far longer.
The theme – intercultural dialogue and social inclusion – invited us to dive deeper into how we can create truly welcoming spaces. Spaces where people from marginalized communities are not only included, but accepted and heard. Through workshops, open discussions, and team challenges, we learned how to recognize invisible barriers – and more importantly, how to break them.
Participants came from Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Germany, Italy, Armenia, and Jordan – and each country brought something unique. Diversity wasn’t just a fact; it was the essence of every day. Each morning began with a different cultural perspective, and each evening ended with a shared moment of understanding. In those small details, in what made us different, we found each other.
The Macedonian and the Croatian teams connected instantly. We spoke the same language, but more than that – we shared the same energy. That Balkan warmth that can’t be faked – it can only be felt. One smile, one spontaneous joke during a session, and we just knew – we understood each other. A friendship was born, and I know it won’t end with the last day of the project.
We stayed in a youth hostel in Velenje – a peaceful place with a warm atmosphere, perfect for new ideas and inspiration. One of the memories that stays with me the most is the walk along Velenjsko jezero – the artificial lake, like a blue mirror reflecting our thoughts and conversations. Somewhere by that water, I began to connect all the things I had been hearing and feeling during the week. I believe the deepest lessons didn’t come from the training rooms – they came during those informal moments when we shared stories by the lake or cooked meals together in our cultural groups.
As part of the program, we also explored Ljubljana. But this wasn’t just a touristy walk – we experienced the city from within: through conversations, street art, the scent of coffee from local cafés, and the music of street performers by the river. Every corner of Ljubljana felt like a quiet invitation to stop, slow down, and truly feel the present moment.
If I had to summarize this experience, I wouldn’t do it with numbers or a list of activities. I would tell it through the people. Through the new friendships I built – honest, deep, and real. Those conversations that begin with “Where are you from?” and end with “Come visit me sometime.” Those small gestures – shared chocolate, a hand on the shoulder, late-night talks about life – that stay with you long after.
This journey reminded me that when you step out of your comfort zone, you actually become more yourself. And when you open up to the other – culturally, empathetically, with respect – you open up to your own self as well.
“Some encounters are not accidental – they are the soul’s way of calling for what it needs, long before the mind understands.”
Anastasija Gjorgjievska
