In this project, which took place in Santiago de Compostela (Spain) last September, we discovered ourselves as listeners and storytellers. During this week warmed by Spanish sun, we learned not only how to tell stories, but also how to organize Human Library events, including those little aspects that we never notice: space organization, advertisement, registration, etc.
We worked hard, but also we always had some free time just for ourselves, when we shared stories about us personally and our culture, swam in the pool and enjoyed all benefits of being in Spain in the beginning of fall. Despite the fact that we lived outside the city in a villa, we had a chance to visit Santiago de Compostela, a wonderful city with interesting history, amazing architecture and a large number of pilgrims.
At the end of the project we organized our own Human Library event. It was an awesome experience to share your story and to get this warm and kind feedback from people, who see you for the first and the last time in their life. Acknowledging that you influenced someone and that they will take your knowledge and experience with them and that they will be able to use it to make right decisions in the future makes me feel that I made something important.
One of the most valuable things that I will take with me from this project will be that we always need to take care of ourselves, even if we do something very important. Because the only person who really understands you and knows what you need is yourself.
Our last day was dedicated to dissemination and evaluation. This was a very long day, because we all understood that the next day we would have to part. This evening we had an amazing BBQ. Most of the night we spent on writing letters to each other, silently talking and watching the stars. I think that we all took something important from this project with us and it will definitely help us in our future.
Aleksandra Matsuk
Participant in “To Be a Person is to Be a Story”
Check more pictures of the youth exchange and the official video RECAP.
Photo credits: Elisabeth Mägi
Video credits: Martin Raid