10 YEARS OF BACK TO BASICS

I am really happy that I had to write something about B2B I always love talking about it! My journey with Back to Basics started back in 2022, and I’ve participated in it every summer since. When I first applied, my sister told me it would be a life changing experience, and she was 100% right. I’ve grown so much as a person, my communication skills have improved, and I’ve made lifelong friends whom I still talk to every single day and some I see as family. I’ve built truly unforgettable memories I mean, not everyone can say they slept in a tent after milking a cow and making a raft in the Netherlands when they were 16 haha! I could easily go on, but I like to keep some of those special moments close to my heart. Since that very first exchange, I have deeply admired the Team’s work. I always thought they were capable of something special and together they create something even bigger. Safe to say, joining them is a bit of a dream come true, as well as an exciting challenge. I can't wait to see how we will operate together and discover what I can bring to the Team. If I could give just one piece of advice to the new participants, it would be this: live every single day of the exchange to the fullest, because the time passes by in the blink of an eye. Nora, participant

If I could say something to my younger self before joining Back to Basics for the first time, it would actually be nothing. I would happily go in blind again, because discovering everything for the first time was part of what made the experience so special. Coming back, I'm looking forward to having a great time and giving something back to the people around me. Back to Basics turned out to be much more than I originally thought not only because of how much fun it is, but also because of the skills and experiences you gain along the way. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be surprising, because it constantly exceeded my expectations. Damian, team

Having already taken part in Youth Exchanges in the past, I know how powerful Erasmus+ experiences can be.They truly change the way you see yourself and the world around you. Right now, I feel incredibly excited about what is about to come with Back to Basics, the upcoming Youth Exchange by Cherry International Foundation. I’ve been volunteering with the organization for the past five months here in the Netherlands, working on another project, and this whole experience has already been incredibly meaningful and unforgettable for me. Now, this Youth Exchange feels like a natural continuation of everything I’ve been living here. It adds a new layer to an experience that has already been shaping me in so many ways. I’ve missed Youth Exchanges a lot (my last one was in February) and I can already feel how much I’ve been craving that energy, the people, the connections, and the learning process. What makes this even more special is that I’ve been close to the creation of this project, while still choosing not to know every detail, so I can experience it with genuine surprise as a participant. I want to keep that feeling of discovery alive. I feel extremely lucky to be part of this organization, to work with such inspiring people, and to now step into an experience that I’ve heard so much about, but haven’t yet fully lived in this specific context. I don’t know exactly what is coming next… but I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be right now George, future participant

Back to Basics is a project that will make you question yourself. From the very first to the very last activity you will think “what are we even doing with our lives right now” and when the most important part comes you will meet yourself again. And even if you don’t realize it at first it will come to your realization months after- how you have changed and what has really happened to you. It’s an experience that is definitely worth living through and something that cannot happen to you in normal life. For this year I expect to meet even more fantastic people with many new perspectives, challenge myself again and have the best time of my life (again). The only thing I’m hoping for in during the most important part of the project is to have less interactions with police and rain. Sonja, participant

Back to Basics was truly an unforgettable experience. At first, I didn’t know what to expect from it - my parents wouldn’t even let me go, so I kinda had to fight for it, and I’m glad i succeeded. There are a lot of fun activities, where you get the chance to meet a lot of people from different countries, which was key to change my mindset - I learned that we can challenge ourselves to do things out of the box. Although you have lots of fun during the exchange, it’s also an important step to grow when it comes to learning about communication and group teamwork, which gave me such abilities to pursue my dream of becoming a Cabin Crew member and join my first airline. Honestly, I would love to participate in B2B again and challenge myself even more and to be an experience that I’ll definitely be sad to leave (again), because the people that I met back then, are now friends for life. Caua, participant