9 days filled with fun learning, discussions, people of open mind, joy, fun and delicious food.

Six representatives from Northern Macedonia participated in the youth exchange "My European Passport", which was held from November 18 to 26 in Samobor, Croatia. he was inspired to learn more in every field, so when we saw the call for this exchange we had no doubt it was a great opportunity.

The topic of this project was the European Union , its characteristics, opportunities and the rights of every citizen. The main goal of the project is to motivate young people to raise their basic knowledge and awareness of the possibilities and competencies of the EU, and therefore develop a sense of a common European identity. We believe that everyone should be acquainted with the EU, in geographical, cultural and organizational terms, and with the fundamental rights and duties of EU citizens.

The house we were staying in was in the very quiet village of Vrhovčak, near Samobor overlooking the fields and local mountains, which we considered perfect for focusing on the topics we were discussing. Participants were from Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia. So many different minds and ideas that came together to build the perfect team. The organization that hosted us - Pozitiva Samobor was very well organized and creative.

7 cycles of workshops were conducted in the few days we spent on the exchange. Each workshop started with an energizer that awakened our creativity throughout the day, and the first one we did was a game to remember the names and hobbies of all the participants. Learning was based on non-formal education methods (discussion, simulation, role play, presentation). We presented the knowledge we gained through games, challenges and analysis.

Our contribution to the project was the first workshop where we addressed the topic of basic facts about the European Union and its characteristics. Through interactive activities, we developed the theme and defined the European Union and its main institutions. Some of us were presenters in the presentation for the first time, which was really exciting.

During each conversation we had the opportunity to learn interesting facts about countries, their cultures, sights and ways of functioning. The most fun activity was the simulation of voting for the project proposal in the city council, accompanied by an interesting debate in which everyone had the opportunity to get involved.

In the evening it was time for intercultural evenings . Feeling national food and hearing about different cultures was like traveling to each of the countries. Learning new facts through quizzes was a great way to memorize information.
Summing it all up, we realized how productive this experience was for us. We met people who broadened our horizons, taught us new skills, and practiced to be more patient, fun, and sensible.

We certainly want to emphasize that the people we met along the way made us appreciate the trip. We felt an incredible connection with the group that motivates us to participate in even more youth exchanges and thus promote the Erasmus + program.