NOORTEVAHETUS
Name of the project: “BioHacking: Step 1’’ Youth Exchange
Date: 22nd – 30th April 2023
City/Country: Pärnu, Estonia.
What was the main topic of the event?
Ksenija Akimova – BioHacking as a way to improve your life balance and
as a tool to increase your performance. There were three subtopics that we all focused on: mind, physique and nutrition and each session was dedicated to one of those. Additionally, there were a lot of team-building activities that brought the group together.
Olha Haidai – BioHacking is about the ways to improve your lifestyle and to establish a life balance through influence on different aspects of it: nutrition, mind and body.
Anette Traus – Biohacking- four aspects body,mind,food,sleep. So how to bio-hack oneself to better our overall life balance.
Lysette Tint – The main topic was about how to self-improve by using healthy habits as well as listening to your own body.
Zoja Krasina – The main topic was about BioHacking as a way of living a healthy and long life.
What were the biggest learning moments of the event for you?
Ksenija Akimova – As for me, the biggest learning moment was when we all in some way started actually implementing the knowledge and practices in our daily life and seeing the positive change.
Olha Haidai – The biggest learning moment for me was when I opened for myself different ways of meditation and self-reflection. I added Wim Holf`s method to my list of daily routines as well as some physical practices that I learned during the youth exchange. I must admit in general, that the whole project was a huge learning moment for me.
Anette Traus – I had a lot of learning moments but the clearer ones were that I need to focus more om my breakfast and what it contains, as it is usually carb based so I feel bloated and tired after most of the time. I also learned more about different techniques to control my mind . through realizing and naming emotions to also reducing stress and anxiety trough breathing exercises, journaling etc. So overall my learning moment was to listen to my body and what it really needs.
Lysette Tint – I learned a lot about different breathing exercises, meditation styles, diet and different types of physical activities (like zumba and yoga). But the biggest learning moment was that by doing meditation for only 15 min I could refresh my self and feel more awake.
Zoja Krasina – For me this project was fully about improving my organizational, public speaking skills and developing stress-resistance. I had a lot of insights and personal learning moments, which I am grateful for.
Do you have any plans to continue being active in the field? If yes, in which way?
Ksenija Akimova – Definitely! I will keep going and taking part in various Erasmus+ projects but for me the key is to try different roles and find my place in this field.
Olha Haidai – Yes, indeed. As I’ve already mentioned I had already started to implement some of the knowledge in my daily life and also I’m planning to share it with my close environment first, and after then to act on a bigger scale: to introduce BioHaching as a tool of improving lifestyle for the local communities I`m part of.
Anette Traus – Yes, definitely. As a psychology student this is something I am passionate and curious about. I will use it for myself, to help out friends and maybe in future also as a practice at work. Furthermore Id love to write my own YE projects in future and I think this is a interesting and an important topic to know about.
Lysette Tint – I plan on using the tools, that I got from this project, to improve my health as well as share my newly found knowledge with others. I plan on doing yoga daily and invite others to do the same!
Zoja Krasina – Yes, my Erasmus journey began 1,5 years ago and I don’t see its end in the near future. I started as a participant once and now I had a chance to share my knowledge with people myself. I would love to continue my personal growth and to be able to facilitate more projects in the future.
Would you recommend this experience to your friends? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Ksenija Akimova – YES YES AND YES. I keep promoting various opportunities to my friends as this experience can be life-changing and undoubtedly helps people to discover their strengths and weaknesses by allowing them to step out of the comfort zone.
Olha Haidai – I would recommend this experience for sure as it’s a wonderful and memorable thing that in my viewpoint everyone should have in their lives. This project was a great opportunity to explore myself more and also to meet people from different countries and to know about their cultures. This experience is a good example of having fun simultaneously with learning and self-development.
Anette Traus – I will most definitely recommend it. Non-formal (in-formal) education is something I truly love as, you don´t feel the pressure of deadlines or grading so you can truly take time to enjoy and take in what you are learning through various activities and implement it for your own wants and needs to help out yourself and the community you are surrounded with.
Lysette Tint – Yes, absolutely. The project was very well organised and every subject that we touched was carefully selected and well presented. It was very informative, eye opening and fun at the same time.
Zoja Krasina – I believe everyone should try this experience at least once, it can be truly life-changing. You may experience totally new cultures, learn new skills, practice different languages and make new friends from all over Europe. Every Erasmus project is also an opportunity for personal growth. You may find yourself in a difficult situation during the project, but soon you will see that there are people around you, who are ready to show support and care, since for some reason you all feel like a family over the week 🙂
Other comments or anything else you would like to share? You can answer in your mother tongue if you want!
Lysette Tint – I would like to say special thanks to the main facilitators Zoja Krasina and Ksenija Akimova, because they worked hard on this project and the did an extraudenery job! Everybody felt comfortable, heard and educated on that project (I think we can all agree on that). Thank you!
