Hello, I’m Bonnie from Taiwan. During this 4-day youth camp in Germany, I met wonderful people, learned more about Servas, explored nature, and discovered local history!
How did we start the youth camp?
To my surprise, our accommodation was in a medieval castle! The historical ambiance suited me perfectly. Through the icebreaking activities, we got to know more about each other, such as our common interests, hobbies, travel distances, the year we joined Servas, and so on. One of the most memorable moments for me was our discussion on how to ensure everyone got along well during the camp. We talked about respecting personal boundaries, making others feel included, and understanding that English is not everyone's first language, so being supportive is essential. This small yet significant effort helped me feel comfortable being myself and allowed others the space they needed for “me time.”
What are Servas' core values and how did it start?
To better understand Servas in terms of its history, core values, events, and volunteering, we had two sessions: an online meeting with the insightful Servas member Mr. Amir Levy, and an introduction to Servas events and volunteering presented by the Italian member Ester. Most of us had joined Servas for just a year or less, and for some, this youth camp was their first Servas experience. These sessions provided us with an opportunity to learn about Servas' background and ask questions for further understanding.
to ask questions for better understanding.
What activities do we have in Servas?
Thanks to Ester’s introduction, we gained a better understanding of SYLE, the Peace Secretary, the interviewer role, SICOGA, and more. This inspired us to identify roles we might be interested in, develop our talents, and contribute to the value of peace that we all cherish. Following this, we had group discussions where we shared ideas and interests about being young interviewers, participating in SYLE, creating podcasts, organizing regular meetings, managing social media, and more.
Lovely Servas trip experiences and fun facts about our countries
We also had delightful moments sharing our beautiful Servas trip experiences and fun facts about our countries. Although our experiences differed in terms of cultures and sceneries, we all enjoyed conversing with local hosts to learn more about different cultures, introducing our own, and gaining different perspectives on familiar things. I was amazed by how everyone presented their countries, for instance, Korean characters, food culture, coal towers in their cities, military parades, and more. The moment Ayushi sang an Indian song without musical accompaniment was serene; her voice was pure, and every single word was clear. It was a lovely, sweet, and peaceful moment. In contrast, Anna led us in traditional Portuguese dancing with music, filling the room with laughter and joy.
Discussion on sustainable traveling
While exploring the world is important, we also need to be concerned about our environment. Therefore, we had a workshop on sustainable traveling and discussed climate-friendly travel. We talked about various energy sources, including wind power, solar power, hydraulic energy, and nuclear energy. Although our opinions differed, we exchanged our viewpoints rationally and discussed how to balance exploring the world and conserving resources.
Field trip to the Nazi party rally grounds
Outdoor activities were also a big highlight, including a guided tour of the Nazi party rally grounds, hiking, and a city tour. The presenter of the Nazi party rally grounds deserves special recognition. He provided in-depth details about the perfection Hitler aimed to achieve, discussing aspects such as the weather, materials, building shapes, park design, the choice of Nuremberg as the rally ground, the location of the military camp, the size of the ground tiles,
propaganda efforts, and more. It was a valuable experience to immerse myself in history and impressive to see how the German government has transformed this site into an educational and meaningful place for visitors.
Immersing into nature
After time traveling through history, we then immersed ourselves in nature. The woods, caves, and rivers accompanied us along the way. Touched by nature, some of us climbed trees and hills. When we reached our destination, people were either lying beside the pond, taking a nap, swimming in the pond, or playing spiral balls. I felt like I was living in a Studio Ghibli film, like “My Neighbor Totoro.”
Free time, city tour
How can we visit Germany without having some beers and sausages? During our free time, we explored local food and sightseeing. Two moments particularly impressed me. During the first free time, while some went for coffee shops and food, I chose to return to the hostel to rest, prepare some paperwork, and because I wasn’t hungry yet. Normally, I would rather spend time to explore the city, but my instinct told me to rest, and I expressed my boundary to my teammates. This reminded me how important the agreement and discussion we had on the first day were. I felt secure expressing my true feelings and knew the community would respect them. After resting, I joined the group for dinner. It felt natural, and people welcomed me to join.
During the second free time, some of us played Viking games and spiral balls in a city center park with music playing from a speaker. Suddenly, a neighbor opened a window and asked us to lower our voices. To my surprise, it was an open space, and only 5:30 in the afternoon! Then I realized it was Sunday.
Although I had heard about this rule before, experiencing the culture firsthand was still a shock.
Party time!
The last night of the youth camp was party time! To be honest, I am not a good dancer and even feel awkward while dancing. However, Ayushi started teaching Indian dance moves, and Emmelie showed us traditional Danish dance steps. The joyful vibe was contagious, and soon we were all moving and dancing with the flow. Ludwig’s playlist added a funk and 80s-like vibe,
and everyone danced freely.
What did the youth camp bring to our lives?
Compared to online contact, the offline connection with people was invaluable. The youth camp brought us together, helped us build bonds, exchange perspectives, and come up with potential projects to collaborate on in the near future. Having the chance to spend time with these proactive, supportive, thoughtful, sweeties was an honor. A moment that melted my heart was when everyone gathered to say goodbye, and Antoine suddenly exclaimed, “I need a hug!” He then gave everyone a big hug, and we naturally hugged each other and expressed our thoughts. Thank you to the German organizing team: Manuela, Ludwig, Alma, Ester, Fin, and Paula , for your dedication and effort in making this youth camp a memorable and enriching
experience for all of us.
Some additional notes from Bonnie’s murmur: There was also early morning yoga at 7 am, which was something I wanted to join, but I never made it.
player, while Emmelie decided to stay awake all night due to her train leaving at 6 am.
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