Hello hello from Ethos MTÜ! We recently participated in an incredible Youth Exchange organized by My Madeira Island, and we want to share our experience. Together with participants from Portugal, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Georgia, we spent eight days in Funchal, the beautiful capital of the portuguese island of Madeira. This project was all about learning, connecting, and exploring new cultures around the topic of healthy lifestyle and hiking.
From the very first day, it was clear that teamwork would be at the heart of this adventure. We started with energisers and name games, which helped us get to know each other quickly. It was fun and a little awkward at times, but by the end of the first day, we already felt like a team. We even took on a "Mission Impossible" challenge that had us exploring the city while completing fun tasks like dancing with locals and recreating famous TV scenes. This brought us closer and allowed us to experience the local culture of Madeira.
One of the highlights of the exchange was the focus on intercultural learning. Each night, a different country hosted an "intercultural night" where they shared their culture through food, music, dancing, and even language lessons. We tasted traditional dishes, learned new dances, and gained a deeper understanding of each country’s history and customs. Ukraine, Georgia, Slovakia, Croatia, Portugal, and Estonia each had their turn in the spotlight, and every night was a celebration of diversity and connection. We were especially proud to share Estonia’s rich cultural heritage, fun facts about Estonian boulders and even taught everyone how to dance some traditional dances!
Nature played a big role in this project. We had the chance to explore Madeira's landscapes during two incredible hikes. The first hike took us to Ponta de São Lourenço, where we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the mountains and the Atlantic ocean. Most of us chose to complete the full hike, which ended with some relaxation on a black-sand beach—something unique to the volcanic island.
Our second hike, to Vereda dos Balcões, was equally magical, with lush green surroundings and the opportunity to feed birds at a scenic viewpoint. These hikes gave us time to reflect, connect with nature, and bond as a group.
Health and well-being were also important themes throughout the project. We spent time discussing healthy habits, both in terms of food and lifestyle. Varvara, one of the organizers, gave a great presentation on superfoods, and we even had a friendly competition to create budget-friendly menus. We shared our favorite health apps and came up with ideas for new ones, like an app to improve sleep quality. These activities were not only educational but also inspiring, encouraging us to take better care of ourselves in everyday life.
Teamwork was constantly emphasized, especially during the trust-building activities. We did exercises that pushed us to rely on each other, like being blindfolded and guided through a park by our "buddies". This helped us build trust and reminded us of the importance of supporting one another. We also learned about important life skills like first aid, which could be useful during hikes or other outdoor activities. Another highlight was the Estonian workshop about debate, where we practiced the art of discussion and argumentation.
The last day of the youth exchange we discussed how to reduce our carbon footprint. We learned how much carbon we emitted by flying to Madeira and back and explored ways to offset this impact, like planting trees in our home countries. This conversation made us more conscious of our environmental responsibilities and motivated us to take small steps toward sustainability in our own lives.
As the project came to an end, we reflected on everything we had experienced and learned. We received our Youthpass certificates, which celebrated our growth and achievements during the exchange. Saying goodbye was emotional, but we were all grateful for the friendships we had made and the memories we would carry with us.
We return to Estonia with a deeper understanding of other cultures, new friendships, and a fresh commitment to living healthier, and with the motivation to hike, plant trees and even hunt some boulders. Thank you to My Madeira Island and all the participants for an incredible adventure! 🌍
Text: Boris, Marem and Lucas
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