s a t u r d a y :'( 23.08.2014.

DAY TWENTY!

We started with early breakfast which was followed by the Serbs and Montenegrians leaving first. It was really sad. Everyone was saying goodbye the best they could. Most of us were crying and the those who weren't weren't left untouched by the others' tears. It was quite an emotional morning.

But, that was okay. We knew that we had made strong bonds in the three weeks we spent together in this magnificent place - Malteserhof. We learned how to overcome differences and stereotypes. Discovered that trusting others is hard but possible, and we now know that we can rely on each other. Also, in times of fear and difficult situations it is good to hug people. They can help you find comfort in hard times. While building rafts, we combined ideas, thought of new ones and believed in one another to accomplish the given task. On the first Wednesday, when went hiking, we chose to trust certain people to guide us through the forest to our destination even tho we didn't know each other that well, but we gave the chance. Throughout the workshops we got more confident in sharing our opinions that maybe didn't match the majorities'. We were thought how to respect others more and how to be listened to while listening to others.
The camp gave us a wonderful opportunity to learn, but also teach. To experience first hand how people from other cultures think, act and the way live. We got a real look into the way they deal with things and in the end found out that we're all really alike. It doesn't matter where we come from because it is about where we decide to go from there, as Stephen Chbosky wrote. It was interesting seeing how our homes influence our way of making decisions, but still coming up to the same solution in the end.
So, thank you everyone who participated in the camp somehow. The participants and teamers for making even the mornings special through the songs for waking up or the "If you're happy" songs, for planning everything or just being there to laugh with or to, for making this special because if it weren't for you, the camp wouldn't be the camp that it was. You made it this way - amazing, wonderful, awesome, fantastic, something to remember if not for the rest of our lives. Thank you to the staff for keeping up with us, to the cook for making magnificant meals (expecially the mushroom sauce!!!!!!!) or for giving us ice cream, to the people leading the Creative workshops or the ones helping with climbing, rafting and the ones who lead their own workshops. We learned a lot from you, and we are going to pass on the knowledge back home. From doing some rythms or clown act to making others laugh because of the modern version of the most famous tragedy 'Romeo & Juliet' or by showing them how to make their own paper. Thank you for now knowing how to try to make a stable raft or tying an eight knot. Thank you to NOT Mr. Simon, but Mr. Hubert & his wife for being wonderful hosts and giving us the chance to experience this amazing thing.

I will miss you all, and I cannot wait to see you at the Reunion (hopefully in Poland, no?)

                                                                                                                 

 Yours truly,

Commercial group (Haris, Đuro, Vujadin, Nemanja, Una, Bakira, Aleksandra, Marta Ž., Marta P., Sarah, Hannah, Karina & Vanja, but also Lisa and Iga)

F R I D A Y :( 22.08.2014.

DAY NINETEEN!



Who would've tought that we are here for almost twenty days? I can asure you, only the people at home reading this blog. We were having so much fun, we didn't even notice that the days were passing by so fast. But this day was an exception. We went to Bonn - the de facto capital of West Germany! That morning in Bonn finished really fast. Everyone will agree on that we could've had a little more time. The city is really beautiful and the University is a very good place to study in. Maybe some of us will be roommates here in Bonn while going to the University together. Who knows?

When we got to Malteserhof, we kind of had to start packing... That was the saddest part after the Fairwell ritual. We all went together to the plenery room for the last time. We sat in a circle and talked about our highlights on the camp, made rain sounds and also shared to whom we felt most connected to during the camp and why. It was a very emotional night and there were a lot of tissues used during the ritual. When the official part ended, everyone got their own envelope so others can put letters in them. This was a great opportunity to say a lot of things we didn't get a chance to. 

Some of us stayed till very late writing letters, while others were laughing in rooms when rememering all wonderful and amazing things about camp. :)

Thursday! ! ! ! ! 21.08.2014.

DAY EIGHTEEN! 

Or also known as the FINAL PRESENTATION DAY!

If you thought yesterday had a lot of running around, you didn't see this day. People were putting up decorations, rehearsing their speaches, putting finishing touches on their presentations, cleaning all the rooms where quests are gonna be in, and also cooking! Every national group had the opportunity to prepare a national dessert. The Malteserhof was the most wonderful place to be in at that time because in almost every building you could sent the beautiful smells of cherries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. Everyone wanted the dishes to be finished soon so we could all try the amazing specialities from Poland, Germany, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro & Serbia.

When the guests started arriving, everyone washed up, put on their nicest clothes and went outside to welcome them. We had an amazing greeting with Balkan traditions - salt and bread, and of course two girls wearing wonderful traditional outfits from Bosnia & Croatia.

When everyone took a seat in the Dining room, the presentations started. The first thing up was Mr. Hubert Simon followed by Mr. Voss who is a member of the European Union Parliament. Next up was the Commercial group presenting this blog, after them the Radio group who made us laugh with their RADIO BANANA. They were followed by the Newspaper group showing us their work through the newspaper everyone got a copy of. Last, but of course not least the Video group with the video we had to do a lot of dancing for. 

You could feel how we all were proud of each other. We have acomplished so much throughout these almost three weeks, and this was the final result of it.

In the end we all got up and sung all the contry participants versions of the song "If you're happy". Then, the real fun began - PARTY! :) We danced our hearts out.

WEDNESDAY 20.08.2014.

DAY SEVENTEEN!

We're so close to the end of camp. How sad;(
On this day we had a lot of project groups. The newspaper had still a lot of work to do as well as the video group. They were collecting final materials for their presentations. There was a lot of running around going on. Everyone was in a hurry to finish as soon as possible, while the kill game was still on.