The exchange started with a rich and emotional program at the Ukrainian cultural center, followed by a workshop of candles making. The following day, participants made presentations about the use of alternative energy in their countries. Later on, the international evening took place, where each country was presented with delicious traditional meals and drinks. The Ukrainian songs and dances made the first part of the project extremely warm and cozy. Next day started with a trip to the biggest hydro-power plant in Estonia, as well as to the power plant in Narva.
After the participants spent two preparatory days in Tallinn, they were ready to experience the life without energy in practice. The second part of the project took place in a scout lager Kauksi on the lake Peipis, just 40 km away from the border with Russia. The first night was spent in wooden houses. The following day, the group moved deeper in the forest, following the safety instructions of surviving in the forest. Sleeping in tents, preparing food on the fireplace, using only light from candles and trying different kinds of handcrafts were the essentials of the days.
The life in the forest was well organized in working groups, following the scout experiences in self organization and team work. Every participant put lots of effort in making his own wooden spoons under the instruction of the project manager. Through gathering of wild fruits participants learned how to use the resources of the forest for their basic needs. The night on the lake was music-filled with guitars and beautiful Ukrainian songs.
On the following day, orientation by the sun and simple techniques for filtering water took place. Afterwards, the group was divided into teams to search for certain points on the map, the so called "Treasure hunt". Last but not least, every team had to make a short movie on "Life without electricity" with the assistance of a professional camera-man, present at the camping.
Ukrainian spirit among all the participants made the project extremely successful and positive experience. “The simple lifestyle among so many nice people, combined with the strong Ukrainian spirit made the project a unique and unforgettable experience.” agreed the participants. The calm and warm evenings with a never dark Estonian sky were when all the participants sat in a circle with a single candle, passing it from hand to hand whilst sharing their emotions and feelings of the past week; a week which will stay as a precious memory for a long time.
