🇵🇹 From Türkiye to Braga: Leading with Purpose in a Youth Exchange About the Planet 🌍🍃

by Yasemin, 27, 🇹🇷 Türkiye → 🇵🇹 Portugal

Merhaba! I’m Yasemin, a 27-year-old youth worker from Türkiye 🇹🇷. I’ve been involved in Erasmus+ projects for several years now, but nothing prepared me for the joy, depth, and challenges of leading a team during an unforgettable 8-day youth exchange in Braga, Portugal. 🇵🇹✨

The topic? 🌱 Environmental Protection & Ecological Practices — something I’ve always been passionate about.
But this time, I wasn’t just a participant — I was the team leader of 6 inspiring young people from Türkiye, all curious, motivated, and a little nervous (just like I was on my first exchange!). 💚

We were joined by teams from 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇨🇿 Czechia, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇷🇴 Romania, and of course 🇵🇹 Portugal. That’s 8 countries, 56 participants, 8 leaders — and one shared planet to protect. 🌍🤝

Every day was filled with interactive workshops, eco-games, and discussions about sustainability, circular economy, climate change, and real-life solutions. We visited local farms, recycled materials into art, and even held an open-air “Eco Action” fair in a local park! 🍋♻️🌿

As a group leader, I wore many hats:
🧭 Guiding my team emotionally and logistically
🗣️ Translating and mediating when needed
🌟 Empowering quieter voices to speak
💪 Showing up — even when I was tired

One of my proudest moments? Seeing one of our shyest participants confidently present her upcycled art project in front of 60 people — and getting a round of applause. 👏 That alone made everything worth it.

But I also grew.
💬 I improved my facilitation skills
🌍 Strengthened intercultural communication
📣 Learned to lead with both structure and empathy

And let’s not forget the human side of this journey:
☕ Late-night herbal teas and team check-ins
🎶 Dancing to every country’s traditional song
🌧️ Getting caught in Braga’s unexpected rain — and loving it
📸 Watching lifelong memories form between strangers

This youth exchange reminded me why I do what I do: to connect, to empower, and to protect what matters — our planet and each other. 🌱🌍

So, to any youth worker or aspiring group leader out there:
Say yes to leading. Say yes to challenges. Say yes to Braga. 💚