The Manual

Last couple of words. Our project is about to end at the end of December. We have had fun. The whole project has been lovely and we hope that this is just beginning.

We leaders have made a MANUAL which has written by using comments that we have heard and read from participants.
You can find the Manual here.

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. 

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.

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

Summary of thu 13.10. & fri 14.10.

Thursday

Notification!

You can find pictures of our project in social media by using hashtag #themanual2016

Bulgarians arrived to Helsinki. We went to walk in Helsinki city center, where we went to see Senaatintori and Tuomiokirkko. After that we had a tour at the National Theatre of Finland. It was a great success. Everyone seemed to enjoy to see the theatre. When we came back to Loimaa, everybody was very tired (Bulgarians had started their traveling at 2 a.m. on Thursday night so they had been awake almost 24 hours without good sleep) so we just sorted out mattresses, duvets and pillows and went to sleep.

Friday

Day started relaxedly. People woke up at 9 and had breakfast. After that we went to see Loimaa High School. There the international group of the school had prepared an informative slideshow of Finnish education system for us. They also guided us a tour at the school. Bulgarians seemed to be very excited about the school and people there. After visiting at the school, we took a little Loimaa sight-seeing by cars. We went to see two summer theatres in Loimaa: Krekilän myllyn kesäteatteri and Kertunmäen kesäteatteri. Our guests were excited about those places too. Then we got back to theatre. Finns arrived and we could officially start the camp. We had ice-breaker games and got to know each other, at least everyone’s name. In the evening we leaders were so glad to see that Finns and Bulgarians started communicating and spending time together immediately, on the first day of the camp.

Today is the day!

Hello, it’s Lari and Mekku here again.

Wow. We came to theatre at 8 a.m. this morning. Just exactly 12 hours later than we leave the building yesterday. We were at the theatre the whole day preparing Bulgarians arrival, which is today! Oh dear, it sounds so surreal! But at the same time we have talked about that we’re not nervous about the coming week. We just have a good, peaceful feeling about this project now, still. We are ready to welcome our friends from Bulgaria to Loimaa! :)

The project has gone ahead quite smoothly so far. Participants have prepared their workshops actively and they have also been lovely conscientious writing blog posts about topics they’ve chosen. The communication between both participating countries have worked well too. We had an idea to have a Skype-meeting at some point, but it didn’t happen. And actually we think it’s not a bad thing. Maybe now the reunion will be more powerful when we haven’t seen each other live since last year.

What have we learned so far as facilitators/ leaders? We have noticed that it’s not a big deal if absolutely every little thing we planned haven’t been put in practice. On the other hand we have seen that there are really a lot of practical things that have to be solved before the camp. And that we have to solve them. But we have done well.

Now we’re just preparing to that that we can’t be prepared for everything that’s going to happen during the week. We’re learning to face every situation with approval whatever kind of the situation will be. We will enjoy every moment and we hope that all participants can do so too.

Thoughts about the project

Hello!

We are Milena and Ilia (from Bulgaria) and we are so excited for the project.
We can exchange experience and we are so glad about that. Also we are so happy that we can communicate through Facebook cause it's easier than e-mails and in that way we are improving our English. From the whole project we expect to get useful skills for both our work and life. Our common work - Bulgarian and Finns gives us only great experience.

Improving our skills in E+ projects

Hello everyone!

It's Marin and Bobby from Bulgaria.

At the previous camp we learned better how to work in a group and with other people, we improve our language skills and also we learned some new things about different cultures.

At this camp for us it will be easier to communicate and work because we already have some good experience and most of us once again will improve our English. And again we will have so much fun! :)

What would we like to learn?

Hello! I'm Aada L. from Finland. I'm wondering what I would learn during this project.

With this project I would like to learn to speak and communicate in English and possibly a little bit in Bulgarian too.

I would like to meet new people and learn how many different ways can you make theatre. I would also like to know what kind of differences Finnish and Bulgarian theatre have or how they are put into practice. What kind of different methods do Bulgarian and Finnish people have on stage? What are they thinking when they are acting?

- - - - -

Hello I’m the other Aada from Finland.

What I want learn about this project? I want meet new people and get friends. I want learn Bulgarian language and improve my English skills. I want learn new skills over all.

Bulgarian culture is too very interesting and I want see and learn a lot about it. I hope I learn Bulgarian theatre too ‘cause I know just Finnish theatre. I hope this project will be very interesting and fun.