Daily reports

Day 1

Our day began by answering the questions “Why are we here?” and “Where are we coming from?” where everybody had a possibility to share their own ideas, stories and find common ground.

After the individual introduction we moved on to create and share group energy by doing the body warm up. Slowly at first to be sure that everybody feels comfortable and then speeding up we were breaking the boundaries and passing and sharing the energy through dances, smiles and touches. And that was the point when we started building trust.

With trust built we went through the emotional stories circle. We were asking and answering questions in rotating pairs: on one hand, we were experiencing empathy, active listening and non-verbal communication; on the other hand, we were challenged about sharing stories of our personal lives and our innermost thoughts. That was the moment when we took off our masks and discovered that we can be different but in fact we are all the same.

Inbetween we were treated with Armenian lavash, waiving and welcoming us; along with hand-picked and home-dried fruits from Liana’s own backyard. On top of that, we enjoyed the delicious home-made traditional Armenian cake that Laura’s mother baked for us.

In the afternoon we had a spiritual walk to the hill with the view on the Mountain Aragat. To leave things behind us…silently… in nature, the things that we don’t want to carry on in our lives. We came back to a session of meditation and after that improv drawing to express the feelings we got overlooking the mountains. Each of us had time to reflect using different kinds of materials and self-expression techniques. While displaying them one by one we were sharing the process and making a collage. In the end our masterpieces were gathered together to form a totem to carry with us for the rest of the project days. We had mixed feelings about giving our drawings to the totem, because a part of us wanted to keep them like we tend to keep things in life. After debating it we agreed to build a totem and to learn to let things go.

And then it was the time to treat us with some sweetness and fill our stomach with the most delicious Portuguese dessert pastel de nata.

To make this day even more interesting and intriguing our trainers prepared a guided tour into storytelling. With the stories we thought of from our home countries we thought of synopsis, characters and phases. We also had to look inside of ourselves and answer the questions: why did I choose this story and how is it related to me?

We then got into the integration circle which was the perfect final part of the day. In candle light everyone at a time grabbed the totem and shared the feelings and impressions on the day and what we learned.

At night we continued our activities with non formal spontaneous talks and backgammon (nardy) playing just enjoying the presence of each other.

Day 2

The second day of the international training project, Tales We Tell, Bonds We Make, began with an inspiring sense of connection—both with ourselves and each other. Participants had the option to start their morning with a refreshing Pilates practice, setting a harmonious tone for the day ahead.

As the sun rose higher, we split into smaller groups to tackle our daily community tasks. Some participants focused on creating a welcoming atmosphere, while others attended to house care or took charge of documentation. Meanwhile, a few of us dedicated our efforts to writing articles and reports, ensuring that the essence of our shared experiences would be captured and remembered.

Awakening the Mind and Body

Our first gathering in the training room began with a calming yet invigorating meditation session. Through guided movements and breathwork, we awakened our bodies and minds, reconnecting with our physical selves and preparing for the day’s deeper explorations.

Erasmus+ and youthpass

Short presentation on Erasmus + and its opportunities was held. Afterwards participants worked in international groups in a format of simulated activity on key competencies of youth workers with the main focus on its self-assessment possibility.

Country realities

We were able to present the situations in our countries and the youth work realities and get to know about other participants.

Workshop on intrinsic motivation

One of the most meaningful parts of the day was a session on performance and the concepts of internal and external motivation. This included a profound exercise where we reflected on photos from our childhood and spoke to our younger selves. Through meditation and partner sharing, we explored core values, dreams for the future, and the journeys that have shaped us. The idea of the "hero’s journey" resonated deeply as we collectively acknowledged that each of us is, in our own way, a hero navigating life’s challenges.

Social Bonding and Shared Humanity

In a session on social bonding theory, we delved into its dimensions and discussed how it reflects in our lives as individuals and as a community. Sharing perspectives and experiences allowed us to see the threads that unite us, despite our differences.

Movement, Connection, and Creativity

The evening brought an embodied experience of movement and connection. Working in a large group and then in trios, we explored leading and following through guided physical processes. This was followed by a writing workshop where we visualized our personal journeys. By drawing lines on paper to represent our experiences and marking significant points, we gave these points names and turned them into the beginnings of personal stories.

Closing Reflections

As the day drew to a close, we gathered in a large circle to share our reflections. It was a moment of vulnerability and unity, as participants expressed what they had learned, felt, and envisioned throughout the day.

Day two of Tales We Tell, Bonds We Make reminded us of the power of connection—both with our inner selves and with the community around us. Through movement, storytelling, and meaningful discussions, we are not only building bonds but also writing a collective narrative of growth, discovery, and shared humanity.

Day 3

Day started with a very tough question “who are you?”. At first it was easy to answer but when you ask yourself this question again and again it may become very confusing to find your true personality. It’s there we discovered about the “Onion model of personality” which was basically explaining how different layers of our personality differentiate from each other. Starting from social roles and finishing with core values.

After very emotional first session we had a little bit lighter second one which basically was meant to bring out our inner child and get in touch with our playfulness. We did a lot of moment activities, like “Finger following, Zombie Gioco de mirada, Facing rows in couples interacting, one still while the other moving (2x)” And it let us feel like a child again. We didn’t care about how stupid we gonna look or what somebody will think of me. We were like child and we loved it. :)

Introduction to the Storytelling

Theory and context. Origins of the concept, the path that Oral Narration has done throughout centuries and how it has adapted to the changing of times;

Creation of the ’6 word memoir’: participant individual process of inner reflection in order to find the shortest story that tells something about each one. This introductory activity aimed to center participants in the context of Storytelling methodology and how one self-introduces using this method.

Day 4

The day began with a warm-up session. We started by lying down and gently moving our heads, eyes, and jaws. This activity aimed to help us focus on how we perceive the world and connect with our bodies.

The first session centered around music. We brought our musical instruments and shared them with one another. Each of us chose an instrument to play and then exchanged it for another, trying out different ones. Gradually, we formed an orchestra and followed various rhythm instructions. For example, we practiced listening and communicating without speaking, relying solely on music. We also recreated the sounds of the jungle during the day and night. This activity allowed us to express ourselves freely through sound.

In the afternoon, we participated in a workshop on rap and poetry slam. We started by dividing into pairs and sharing our emotions in our native languages with partners who couldn’t understand but simply listened. This exercise helped us release our emotions. Next, we engaged in individual free-writing. We formed circles and began reading aloud what we had written—first whispering, then repeating until we entered a rhythmic loop or trance.

Afterward, we split into three groups and, using what we had written, created poetry, spoken word pieces, and rap lyrics. In the end, we shared and performed our creations with one another.

Day 5

Today we met with local youngsters of Aparan community and implementated our prepared workshop, where we trained our facilitation skills with the help of project trainers' team. Different engaging activities were done with local youth including team buildings, interactive energizers, storytelling warm ups, theatrical, performative and artistic exercises. This was followed by a plenary debriefing.

Afterwards we had a self-immersion day – a break from the structured sessions to give everyone time to process the knowledge and experiences we’ve gathered during the first four days of the project. It was a chance to slow down and just be with ourselves.

Some of us decided to go out and explore the local mountains and enjoy the fresh air and nature. Others chose to spend some quiet time alone – journaling, resting, or simply reflecting. It was a very personal day, and everyone used it in the way that suited them best.

This pause really helped us reconnect with ourselves and gave us the space to reflect on what we’ve learned so far. It felt like a reset before we continue with the next part of the journey.

Day 6

On day 6 we started off with a warm up activity where in pairs one would gently guide the dancing movement of the other, whose eyes could be closed, with gentle taps or pushes. It was about trust and feeling each other's energy.

Also, we formed two lines facing each other and the people on one line would walk expressively towards the other according to the music and instructions: sharp, smoott, round…

We also had the Workshop on creative and poetic writing.

We started warming up with the game “dear, I love you so much, why don’t you smile/I love you too but I cannot smile”.

We carried on doing rounds of sentences as “I am a table” and the following person would have to add something to that as a continuation, like “I am the leg of the table”, and so on.

In sequence, we played “Yes and/yes but”, adding to an initial sentence.

“Even though I am, it doesn’t mean that I…, in reality I…” and tell something about one’s self.

After this there was an “imaginary box”, in the centre of a circle, where one would take out something that one was proud of in life, material or not, and enact it to the others, without words.

Thinking otherwise, something one would regret, we paired and one would shape a statue/sculpture representing that. The statues stayed still and the other sculptors would go around, observe and stick “post it” notes with metaphors with whatever came to their minds, regarding the statues. The sculptors exchange roles so everyone would get involved and could prepare the next stage. This next stage consisted of writing a “poem” using the proposed structure/sentences “this are the hans that/The hands that” combined with the metaphors collected from before. And the results were amazing!! We loved it!

In the afternoon we had the surprising Workshop on authentic movement. Everyone was out of themselves.

One would explore the room without seeing (eyes wide shut) while being observed by a witness and physically protected by the circle.

In the end we reflected and people shared their emotions as “I am doing”/as an observer

Other ppl keyworded what they gathered

Through out the day we had free writing: something that happened/is happening to me, the main question of the journey, what appears in my mind and hurts the most now.

Day 7

The seventh day of Tales We Tell, Bonds We Make was a journey into emotions, movement, and personal expression. It was a day that challenged us to step outside our comfort zones, embrace vulnerability, and explore the depths of our creativity.

Morning Warm-Up: Movement and Play

Our morning began in the training room with a silent warm-up session that gently drew us into the day's rhythm. Starting with individual clapping and transitioning to paired introductions, we connected with each other in quiet energy. The session took a playful turn as we were divided into groups to participate in a game of human chess—a dynamic activity that sparked strategy and camaraderie.

We later transitioned into free movement, experimenting with how our bodies could express themselves without words or restrictions. It was a moment to let go and simply be.

Exploring the Spectrum of Emotions

The second session focused on the profound theme of emotions. Standing in a circle, we built emotional waves one by one, allowing feelings like anger, joy, love, fear, and sadness to ripple through the group. The exercise was both cathartic and unifying, as we experienced the power of shared emotions.

In pairs, we explored excitement—expressing it through physicality and discussing its impact. This opened the door to a rich exploration of performance styles. We experienced singing without words, singing with words, competition, protest, dance, writing letters, Greek tragedy, and word flow. Each participant had the chance to experiment with these forms individually before gathering in groups.

One of the most moving moments was when participants stepped into the circle, choosing a style of expression and dedicating their performance to someone or something meaningful. Each performance, set in a chosen space, was a window into the performer’s inner world. Afterward, we reflected and shared with one another, deepening our connections.

Stepping Into the Spotlight

The third session was all about individual performance. Participants entered a room where two lines were marked, dividing the space between performers and audience. Facing away from the stage, the audience had the option to turn and watch or remain focused on the wall as each participant took their turn in the spotlight.

The stage was a space for personal expression, offering complete freedom. Some participants danced, others acted, some sat in contemplative silence, while others simply stood, letting the moment speak for itself. The room was filled with a powerful blend of vulnerability, creativity, and authenticity.

Closing Reflections and Storytelling

We closed the day by returning to our stories. Time was provided during lunch, and for those who needed more, the opportunity to write was extended after the final session. This gave everyone the chance to finalize their narratives, capturing the richness of the day’s experiences. In the evening, we gathered in a final circle of reflection, sharing insights and emotions from a truly transformative day.

Day 7 reminded us of the courage it takes to express who we truly are. Through movement, emotions, and performance, we discovered the beauty of vulnerability and the power of self-expression in building bonds that transcend words.

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