ČasorisHello, my name is Tavi.
I was part of an Erasmus+ exchange in August 2023, organized by Modri december, an Institute for Promoting Autism and Asperger’s Awareness.
We were a team from Slovenia meeting with a team from Latvia, for seven days, in the town of Ajdovščina, Slovenia.
This was my first group exchange experience, and also my first experience sharing a hostel room with five other guys.
Actually, it was Modri december’s first International Youth Exchange for Individuals with autism.
It was a great experience, being able to socialize in English, the orderly structure of the days, and various interesting trips.
For example some of us walked to an old 15th century metal factory, that was cool, where I found some arthropod amigos :).
As well as a neon green spider, and robber fly.
The excursion to Ljubljana was neat as well, the architecture of that city is quite impressive!
I took so many photos – but it didn’t stop there, the House of illusions was at least as memorable, even if being inside a somewhat crowded building isn’t typically my favourite activity …
The dizzying spinning and infinity room were well worth it.
Outside of excursions, another memorable moment: I was doing a presentation on bees, specifically Carniolan bees, the native species.
Now, this is noteworthy due to the fact that I typically don’t even talk to one person, and in school I loathed presentations in front of the class.
However due to one reason or another, perhaps the feeling of not wanting to let the others in the group down, I did it anyways.
And I suppose it’s a testament to exposure therapy, because proceeding that I was significantly more sociable.
I also made friendship bracelets, not something overly significant, but they’re my favorite reminder of the time there, so much so that I’ve actually added the blue, red, and white ones to a character of mine.
I don’t have the greatest memory, so stopping each day to write down the events of the day in a little book we made helped me remember the days more clearly, I really ought to keep a diary/journal …
There wasn’t a dull day, and with less digital distractions, I found myself drawing, a lot …
When I say a lot, I mean a lot, I filled half a notebook.
There’s a lot more I could say, but that’s the stuff that most stood out … also, never forget: good soup.
Overall, great experience, would do again, 10/10.
Tavi Ray Samara, Oxbridge College, United Kingdom
Mateja
Rebecca
