Step forward

In comparison with other three projects (Boldogkőváralja, Hajdúböszörmény, Czersk), this was universally the most perfekt one. It took place in Hungary, the coevals from other countries were the very nice and it will be hard for other projects to be better than this. :) My fifth and last project took place in Hungary too, in small picturesque village Hollókő („Ravenstone") which is signed on the World Heritage of UNESCO. The name was „Step Forward". I had alerady got the invitation to this project from the leader of EIE (Európa Ifjúsága Egyesület) Ági in my previous one in Pákozd. Although I had some some worse marks at school I decided to participate. I had four main reasons - 1) Hungary 2) Lithuanians in the project 3) National holiday on 23rd October 4) Autumn holidays at school (Gymnázium Čelákovice). The project was held from 23rd to 31st October and again participated the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy + also my favourite Lithuania. As in the previous project, the participators had meeting at Népliget Bus Station, Budapest and we were crossing on Hollókő. The first day we only introduced ourselves, the Poles arrived later, also with Jakub, my good friend from the Pákozd project. I fell asleep very quickly because I was very tired from the walking around rainy Budapest. On 24th October we were keeping introducing ourselves, dealing with organisational issues and had some activities or games. The first national night was the Hungarian one. It is always my favourite evening when the Hungarians are presenting something. On the next day we alerady started with the topic of the project - gender inequality issues. Our activity were role plays or presentation by means of them we were pointing the gender situation in our countries. The Czech Republic had "A working interview". Later we were discussing about gender issues in smaller groups. This evening had the national night the Czech Republic and Lithuania. I presented some facts about our country, arranged a quiz in Kahoot and altered the best nations by prizes. The winner was Hungary, the silver medal got Poland and bronze was for Bulgaria. By the way I didn´t expect that many people would even next day applaud for my presentation but I really appreciate. After us had the national night Lithuania, I really looked forward to that. Dovilė played on guitar a beautiful song "Aš tave myliu" (Eng. I love you), and after some videos or quizes, the Lithuanians presented their folk dances. The first was a bit touchy "Oira, oira!" and the second more lissom which was very similar to the Polish "Belgijka".

On 26th October we were walking up to the Hollókő vára ('Ravenstone Castle) and we could find ourselves in the history of Hungary or that region. I had a nice conversation with Júlia from Spain on the castle, it was very good compensation for my Spanish lesson in Gymnázium Čelákovice. :D And after the visit of the castle we had a guided tour in the historical centre of Hollókő which is signed on the World Heritage of UNESCO since 1987. Everybody bought some home-/handmade souvenirs in traditional houses which functionate for shops. In the afternoon every country presented a local situation of LGBT+ community. And the national night had Italy and Bulgaria. The Italians played some popular songs and video about thein homecity Torino and the Bulgarians also a short video about the country and folk dances by the main dance couple Denica and Miroslav.

The next day we were practising on our flash-mob which would have taken in Budapest one day later. It wasn't an easy work because everybody had to learn the lyrics of Imagine, John Lennon and the steps of a little dance on popular Danish song Saturday Night. We didn't have any national night because we had to get up the next day to Budapest. We traveled there on 28th October, arrived one and half hour later directly to Széll Kálmán tér (Széll Kálmán Square) where will the flash-mob take place. In the frame of the flash-mob: First, we pointed on three non-heterosexual pairs like they are shame, rubbish, etc., afther that we made a circle, lifted up papers with words like bisexual, lesbian, queer, drag king, etc. (on the other side was written "human") and everybody sang Imagine, our Lithuanian 'front-woman' Dovilė was playing guitar. And the last flash-mob activity was that dance of Saturday Night. Then we had six hours free time in Budapest, I was conducting the Polish group around the centre. And we had very delicious lunch in restaurant Magyar Gulyás in Váci utca. I ate csirkepaprikás for my first time. In the evening the bus drove us up to the Gellért-hegy (Gellért Hill) where everybody took pictures of beautiful nocturnal Budapest. I was posing with the Czech flag because of the 99th anniversary of the formation of Czechoslovakia. Then we alerady left Budapest and came back to Hollókő, we were glad to have the dinner. On 29th October we were evaluating the day in Budapest and also discussing about symbolization of Budapestadvertisments whose pictures have we taken. The last set of the national nights had Spain and Poland. Every country presented us the country, dances and also quizes. Of course, the national food wasn't absent at any night. :D

The 30th of October was the last day of project and we had almost as same as activities in Pákozd. The first was the preparation of songs about the project, I was in a group for the genre country. After our performances Réka created an envelope for every participant where the participators wrote messages one another. I usually write something for everyone and I did it at this project as well. I was also very glad for the messages which I've received to my envelope. And in the afternoon was the YouthPass ceremony and another funny moments like Réka's "Bőőm, csika-csika-csika, bőőm!" :D

My another tradition in projects is also singing of national anthems so this time I sang the anthem for Lithuania, Hungary and Bulgaria. After that we had fun in a local pub and spent 2 hours there. I kept talking with someone until 2 o´clock in the morning. I know I was very careless, we had to get up at 5:30, because the Spaniards and Italians had to be on time on the airport in Budapest. So I slept less than four hours and we departed from Hollókő at 6. Before that I had farewell with the Hungarians and awake Poles. Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye also for the Spanish, Italian and Lithuanian team on the airport, the Czechs, Bulgarians and Simone from Italy had more time in Budapest. But on Népliget Bus Station we said goodbye for the Bulgarians as well and the Czechs with Simone continued to the centre. We went to (my favourite) Anna café and were enjoying our last moments together. First we said goodbye for Jindřiška, then I escorted Hana, Jan and the group leader Taňuška on Népliget Bus Station, we also said goodbye for each other. After the farewell I traveled by HÉV to Szentendre, a town near Budapest with interesting history. I spent two hours there, bought many Túró Rudis :D, rewrote notes from maths and physics :D and came back to Budapest. I couldn't wait for lighting up of the Parliament Building. That is always a beautiful view. I also went to Gellért-hegy and Hősök tere (Heroes' Square). Last two persons from the project which I met for the last time were Nikola and Simone. They waited for me in a Thai restaurant and then we rode on Kálmán tér where Nikola had an accommodation, Simone and I said goodbye for her and Simone also left me because he went to the airport so I also escorted him to Népliget and he continued to Kőbánya-Kispest and to Ferihegy. I had last two hours in Budapest and alerady was waiting on Kossuth Lajos tér under the beautiful Országház. I went to Keleti pályaudvar for my luggage and then by green line M4 to Kelenföld where I got on the RJ bus to Prague. I arrived in Prague on 1st november, at 6:30. Then to Čelákovice at 7:20 and went to school two hours later. :D

I also enjoyed very much this project in Hollókő which was held in the frame of the same Hungarian organisation - Európa Ifjúsága Egyesület (Youth of Europe Organisation) - as in Pákozd. I find these two projects as my best from all five which I participated in. I met and made new friendships with very nice people around Europe (not only - in the event of Mariam) and I hope it wasn´t the last time of our meeting. The Hungarian organisation, leaders, places and activities were the most perfect.

Daniel Paál, participant

Fotogalerie