Summary of Wed 19.10. & thu 20.10.

Wednesday

On Wednesday we started with Bulgarian workshop Voice/Movement on stage. For the Finnish participants, the approach to own body and voice was somehow new and therefore a good lesson. This sort of basic actor’s skills training would be most welcome to our daily routines, as well.

The second workshop was Smartphones in the Shadow of Nokia, where the participants made performances out of smartphones’ disadvantages and took pictures on a certain theme outside.

In the evening we learned about the interesting tradition of to martenitzas, traditional Bulgarian handycraft, and we all wear one self-made martenitza now in our wrists.

We tried to make the fresh air available for everybody, once it became an issue – and it’s true, we need it. The morning-shake up was outside, and the organized breaks outside worked quite fine.  It was a tough decision to make, but we didn’t have an option. The lesson learned was that this should have been solved before the camp.

Thursday

The day started with Voice acting/dubbing workshop. The three girls had done a great job and they kept the business tightly together.

We wanted to say thank you to the elder people’s centre, which made food for us everyday. We put together some Bulgarian and Finnish dances and National hymns, and performed to elder people in the afternoon. The showstoppers were of course traditional Bulgarian outwear and music, which the audience hadn’t seen or heard before. But Finlandia hymn also warmed everybody’s hearts and eyes. Cultural awareness was definitely spread to an audience who otherwise wouldn't have been able to experience it.

In the evening it was time to start putting bits and pieces of the workshops together, and make them as one entire show for the public. We rehearsed our most-loved opening, which was brought to us by the Bulgarian actor teacher, Dimitar. We leaders learned a lot about running the Youthpass sessions! The confidence, and the good practices were gained towards the end of the week. This is our first time to run Youthpass, and thinking of this, I think we can put a smile on our face. 

Summary of mon 17.10. & tue 18.10.

Monday

On Monday we had a day trip to Tampere. First we separated into two groups. One group went shopping and the other to walk a tour in Tampere. After that we went to eat to Rax -buffet. We walked from Rax to Tampere theatre where we had a guided tour as we had in Helsinki too. People seemed to like the tour even though everyone was a little bit tired. After the visit in the theatre we switched the groups so everyone got to see Tampere and go shopping. As leaders we thought that the day was just in right place in the program. It divided the camp nicely. The first two days we were accustoming to the system and after the day trip we could start really focusing on working.

Tuesday

First workshop of the day was cooking intercultural food at local restaurant premises. Participants were separated in three groups and groups made pea soup, korvapuusti (Finnish cinnamon bun) and baklava. In the afternoon the workshop was about making comedy on stage. People made short sketches in groups. Evening workshop was called ”first steps in classical & jazz ballet”. There participants could make a dance performance in groups. Most of the performances were wonderful if you think in how short time were they made.

On Tuesday there was also a little dissatisfaction episode with some of the participants. We leaders had tightened the rule about the permission to go out to have some fresh air. Before the participants had a permission to do that whenever they wanted, but now it’s possible only in one long break of the day and after that only with a leader. We tried to explain the situation that we have a responsibility of all the participants so if they are out on their own and something happens, it’s leaders fault. After a moment of discussion we all got in balance with the situation. This little episode was once again a good lesson for us as leaders. We have been very nice leaders and we have given a lot of more free time to the participants that they have usually had in this kind of projects and now we recognize that it might be more easy or reasonable to be a little more ”bossing” leader. Still we think that it is important to show participants that we trust them, that we want to treat them as responsible people. Once again, the middle road would be the best - we are still discovering it! But discovering yourself and your ways of acting never ends. :)

What did we learn about our countries?

Emilia, Finland

What I learned most about Bulgaria as Finnish young was the culture in Bulgaria. We have many differences with the society and the model of the family between Finland and Bulgaria. For example, grandparents belong to the nuclear family or are very important part of the family in Bulgaria. They aren’t often so nearly in the everyday life in Finland.

We cooked Bulgarian food and I tasted first time baklava which is a Bulgarian dessert. They eat baklava at Christmas time and I can see why. Baklava was very delicious and festal dessert. There are big sales in Bulgaria under the other international celebrity, Eastern. They also solemnize Grandmas day there. I’m not sure if it is like Mothers’ day in Finland or not, I have to ask. Anyway, I didn’t know about the tradition of Marteniza before. It was very interesting and beautiful tradition!

I heard the national hymn and language. Actually, I also learned couple words in Bulgarian. I can’t remember every word anymore but at least I would recognize the language if I heard Bulgarian. We danced their folkdances. I didn’t know how popular folkdances are there.

The theatre styles are different. Both traditional and modern theatre is more artistic in Bulgaria. The style of Finland is often entertainment, like summer theatres. Bulgarians told there are coniferous trees on mountains; we have these everywhere. I noticed they use more perfumes and make-ups in Bulgaria than in Finland. And ketchup is more popular too, some guys put ketchup almost to every food!

Can Finnish person learn anything about Finland? Or does everyone know everything about the home country? Of course not! I surprised because everyone didn’t know Finland for Nokia! I have always thought it’s one of the famous things which from people know Finland. The other interesting surprise was difference with shops. There are different shops in Bulgaria than in Finland. I have supposed that big Swedish companies (for example H&M and KappAhl) are over the world!

What else… At least I learned to dance cicapo. It is nice because I didn’t choose the course of old dances in the upper secondary school. It was like our own old dances with our international group.

Elena, Bulgaria

I learned that Finland have lots of woods,bricks and mountains.I learnt what is the traditional food and I really enjoyed it.I learnt how in Finland dance at their home.I learnt the system of finnish school. Now I know more for the Bulgarian Nestinarstvo and practice more rachenitsa. I learnt that Finnish are really great friends.

Summary of sat 15.10. & sun 16.10.

Saturday

The working actually started today. In the first workshop we learned about Finnish theatrical acting and directing styles and in the second workshop we learned about Bulgarian theatrical acting and directing styles. Those workshops showed instantly at the beginning differences and similarities in participating countries style to make theatre, especially the different tradition in visual and psychological theatre. In the evening we learned about each other’s folk dance traditions and got to try both Finnish and Bulgarian folk dances.

The whole day was a little bit unsure for everyone as they tried to find their place, and we all started to go through how this whole program and camp works. At least we all learned a lot of new things during the day.

Sunday

Sunday was a bit (too) relaxed day. We had a couple of more little breaks because the two workshops didn’t take the whole time that was planned for them. That meant that the participants got more free time. Youngsters themselves were excited about that, but we leaders realized that if there’s too much free time, people get lazy and don’t do their work passionated.

That was an important lesson for us as leaders. Even though one of our goals was to put more free time in the program that participants can have ”quality time” together (what they specially asked for), it didn’t work in practice like we thought it would. The time at the camp becomes more like holiday to participants and they forget that they still need to work hard on this camp too, even though our program is not that strict. Luckily we can try different variations of doing things at this camp, so we haven’t lost anything yet.

How did it feel to host the workshop?

I was really scared before we started the workshop but after a while it was kind of fun and nice. We had one problem and that was when people didn't understan the excercise. We solve the problem by explaining it more.

It was little bit scary to host the workshop but at the same time fun because we get to decide what is going to happen in our workshop. Our problem was that people didn't understand and they didn't listen everytime. We solve the problem by explaining it more and saying be quiet.

It was really nice be in others workshops because they all were different and it was good that the leaders didn't do everything so we get to decide.

- Laura & Ellis