YE “EatinGood”
From 14th to 22nd of February, our Estonian team of five people spent time in Navas del Rey, Spain, to share our love for food with other European nations. Other participants came from Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Armenia, Turkey and Somalia, giving us a diverse look at different cuisines.
The project was built on the idea of teaching others how to cook each nation’s food, which would give us an opportunity to get to know others’ traditions and challenge our communication and teamwork skills. Every day, a national group was given a task to create a menu for others to prepare for lunch and explain some theoretical knowledge about their food-related traditions (of course followed by Erasmus+ projects’ usual culture nights).
However, something as mundane as cooking and cleaning together, brought out a lot more passion in the participants than any of us expected. For example, some countries are really specific about their meals, with no room left for improvisation, while others like to leave room for each person’s interpretation. Something that everyone agreed on, was the fact that food is probably the most important reason for families and friends to come together and that sharing our bread with others can be a very intimate experience.
Here are some thoughts about our group’s favourite moments from this project:
When someone shares a family recipe with you - it means not just that they trust you, but that they agree to make you a part of that family tradition. For example, learning about Italian cuisine directly from Italians (with all the hand gestures and emotions) felt like being accepted into this large family and I am forever grateful for it. The most important details of the dish can never be learned just from a recipe, that is why you need someone who has experienced it first hand.
I loved the moments in the kitchen when everyone knew what they were doing and things were running smoothly.
On the second day of the project we all went on a hike together. We were promised 30 minutes of walking, instead we walked for 2+ hours. But every single minute of it was worth it, because the view was amazing.
My favourite memories are of organising a workshop or culture evening with my Estonian team. I feel like moments like this really strengthen people's friendships and make you grow as a person.
Something I appreciated was the feeling of creating something together, whether it be food or music, and how by the end of the project it became so effortless.
The place itself had a huge effect on how the project turned out. The mountains and warm weather were a refreshing breath of air in the middle of Estonian winter and filled us all with some much needed energy. Spain is a captivating place to discover and so are the people who live there. Spanish people have such a different way of being – an energetic outlook on the world, being passionate about their society and its issues, while also being laid-back and knowing how to take time to enjoy themselves.
In conclusion, for anyone, who is still just thinking about applying to participate in upcoming Erasmus+ projects, we say: “Go ahead!”. These projects are a great way to find new like-minded, adventurous and interesting friends, while getting to travel and infuse yourself in different cultures. Of course, you get to advance your knowledge in different topics, but even more importantly, you get to become a part of this welcoming community of diverse people.
- Kirke, Eva Leena, Silver, Roman, Aleksei
