Friendship, Growth, and New Perspectives - Project Friendship

Hi, we are Anna, from Armenia, and Trinidad from Spain. We brought positive energy and good
vibes to this project and to the local community. We always tried to be friendly, open, and
supportive with the kids and our teammates. One of our main communication skills was
listening. We learned to really listen carefully to the kids and teammates, to understand them
better, and respond in the right way. With the kids, we tried to be attentive and patient, and
create a positive atmosphere during the activities.

What is something you learned about Finland during
the project?

During the project, we learned many things about Finland. We noticed how quiet people are
and how their lifestyle is unique and different from ours. The food was also different from what
we have at home, so it was something new for us. The weather is much colder, and we saw
one of the most beautiful things in our lives, the northern lights, which we had never
experienced before. We also learned that people really care about the environment and
recycling. It was new for us to take off our shoes inside houses and schools. We also
experienced the Easter tradition called virvonta, where kids go door-to-door and receive candy.

Has anything changed in how you think, feel, or act?

Yes, some of my values and beliefs changed during this project. We learned to be more
independent and responsible, especially because it was my first time traveling alone. We also
became more open-minded and respectful of different cultures. Living with people from
countries like Italy, Ukraine, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Armenia helped me understand
different ways of thinking and living.
Overall, this experience made me more confident and helped me grow as a person.

What would you say to someone thinking about
joining a similar project?

For someone thinking about joining a similar project, I would say you need to have patience,
because you will be outside your own country and culture, living with different people who may
not fully understand you as your friends or family do at home. You should also be prepared to
work with kids who sometimes don’t talk or react, and not take it personally. If you enjoy
working with them, it can be a really nice experience. You will also have the chance to connect
with many people from different countries, which makes the experience even better. Finland is
a very interesting country with many traditions, and you will learn a lot of new things. Villa Elba
itself is a great place where you can try activities like canoeing, mountain biking, walking in the
forest, having picnics, going by the lake, swimming, and using the sauna.

Overall, if you like kids, fun games and activities, and communicating with different people, you
should definitely come and try this project.

What will you bring home with you?

One of the biggest things we improved was our communication. For example, some of our
English has gotten much better, because some of us have never spoken English this much for
such a long time. Before, it was only for short conversations, but here we used it every day for
a whole month.

We also developed a better understanding of different cultures. Not only Finnish culture, but
also each other’s cultures. Living and working together helped us see how people from
different backgrounds think, communicate, and live their daily lives.

Traveling alone was another big learning experience. For many of us, it was the first time
traveling without friends or family. It pushed us out of our comfort zones. There was a lot of
stress at first, like navigating airports, finding trains, or worrying about getting lost. For
example, Helsinki Airport felt very big and confusing, especially during a long layover. And
taking the train from Helsinki to Kokkola was something we were nervous about, too.

But in the end, we all made it, and that gave us more confidence. Now we feel like we can
travel more independently without being as afraid.

We also learned a lot from working with children. Many of us didn’t have much experience with
kids before, especially in a school environment. We worked with both younger children and
teenagers, which helped us develop patience and adaptability.

Another interesting part was learning about Finnish school culture. For example, students don’t
wear shoes inside the school, which was new for many of us. We also noticed that Finnish
people can be quieter and more introverted compared to what we’re used to.

Overall, this experience helped us grow in many ways. We improved our communication skills,
became more confident, learned how to adapt to different cultures, and made many amazing
memories that we will never forget