Teamwork. Endurance. Friendship. Three words that perfectly describe our experience with the ValiDE exchange program with students from Poland, Norway and Germany. This program was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with students from abroad and an enriching experience that will have a lasting impression.

As a group of students we visited our countries for one week each. A big part of the incurred costs was covered, so the exchange did not respresent a financial burden for the sudents. From the very beginning in Poland, the team-building activities helped us break down barriers and establish a sense of trust and cohesion. Although we had different cultural backgrounds and different levels of English language skills, the communication wasn’t a problem at all. Democratic principles and values united us and we could learn from each other’s perspectives and ideas. The goal oft the exchange was to gather ideas for value-based education and create teaching and learning materials. Therefore, we had time to work in our groups and elaborate our material on a specific value. Exploring historical sites, simply walking around the cities or listening to several presentations for example about school systems – the project offered many opportunities to develop our own idea of democracy and values.

But it wasn’t only about group work, excursions and discussions. We also enjoyed several social activities like morning swims and BBQ in Norway, having dinner all together in restaurants in Poland or a karaoke evening in Germany. This allowed us to connect on a personal level, sharing stories and traditions and building friendships. And although it wasn’t always easy to travel and work in a large group of students, we were able to handle difficult situations as a team.
The VALIDE program was an opportunity to learn and exchange ideas on how to participate in a democratic society, and it was an unique experience for all.

Text: Ronja Kreidler, University of Education Weingarten