Before the start of the youth exchange project

Dear learner,

Now it is time for the real preparation phase! We call it “preparation”, but it is actually already the beginning of your youth exchange journey. As the learning does not wait for you to pack your suitcase, neither does the reflection on it!

In some ways, the preparation phase is one of the most fruitful periods for you as a learner, as you can reflect on your learning habits and preferences, things you would like to learn and even plan how you would like to approach your learning during all those amazing moments with people from other countries.

Because, once you arrive at your youth exchange destination (even if it is only a few streets away in your town), the excitement will overtake and learning might, at least for a moment, take the back seat. But if you are well prepared for it, you will still manage to make the most out of the learning aspect of the excitement as well :)

Here are the key reflection questions for this phase:

• What do I hope to discover about myself during this youth exchange? (Something new about who I am, what I’m good at, or what I want to grow)
• What excites me most about meeting young people from other countries - and what makes me a little nervous?
• When do I usually feel confident, and how can I bring that confidence with me to the exchange?
• How easy or difficult is it for me to share my opinions in a group? When does it feel easier, and when does it feel harder?
• How do I feel about communicating in English or another language? What helps me, and what worries me?
• What am I curious to discover about other cultures and what do I already think I know? Where do these ideas come from?
• What do I already know about the topic of this exchange, and what would I like to learn or understand better?

So, fasten your learning seatbells and let’s embark on this adventure!

Purpose	Method	You will need:
To reflect on my confidence and how to develop it	My Confidence Suitcase	or
To understand how to approach possible challenges	My Problem-Solving Compass	or
To understand my communication preferences	My Communication Mood Board
To set learning goals and expectations	Crossing Assumptions - Voice Reflections
To explore my connections to the topic of the exchange	My Connection to the Topic