Yellow Shirts yellow_shirts_ro@hotmail.com Facebook: YellowShirtsRomania coordinated and edited by Andreea Cplescu Rural-Urban-Nature, 2014

Contents

Yellow Shirts .............................................................. 4 Erasmus + ................................................................. 5 Rural-Urban-Nature .................................................... 6 44 methods of spending the free time ......................... 12 To sum up with... ...................................................... 36 Thank you ................................................................. 37 Useful links ................................................................ 38

Yellow Shirts Discover the world with us...

... the world as you haven't seen it!

Yellow Shirts Association has been founded in April 2010 with the purpose of facilitating the integration and to sustain the youth in the society. The organization is led by young people, these having the ability to understand easier the problems which the nowadays young people are confronting with.

The activities that we are implementing are organized at the local, regional, national and international level through projects developed by our association, but also by our collaborators.

These activities consist of training courses, youth exchanges, study visits, public debates, language courses, informative campaigns, working camps conferences, competitions, seminars, social meetings, exhibitions, etc. in domains such as art, culture, environment, human rights, sport, active citizenship, health, etc.

Starting with 2013, our association is

also accredited to coordinate, host and send volunteers in European Voluntary Service projects, under Erasmus+ programme.

So far, our association has organized 7 international projects on topics such as car accidents, abuse of narcotics and alcohol (My life has priority! Would you let me live?), partnership building (Creating New Bridges), team building (All for one and one for all), wedding traditions (The Fellowship of the Cultures), project writing (Taking the First Step), protection of the environment and recycling (Reuse or Lose) and last but not least, the present project, Rural-Urban-Nature that aims at offering to youth diverse alternatives of spending the free time away from the online environment. We participated as well in more than 100 projects all around Europe.

Nonetheless, we have sent more than 500 young people abroad and hosted over 200 in Romania.

Erasmus+ The new EU programme for education,

training, youth and sports

Erasmus+ is the EU Programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014-2020. Education, training, youth and sport can make a major contribution to help tackle socio-economic changes, the key challenges that Europe will be facing until the end of the decade and to support the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy for growth, jobs, social equity and inclusion.

The Erasmus+ Programme is designed to support Programme Countries' efforts to efficiently use the potential of Europes human talent and social capital, while confirming the principle of lifelong learning by linking support to formal, non-formal and informal learning throughout the education, training and youth fields. The Programme also enhances the opportunities for cooperation and mobility with Partner Countries, notably in the fields of higher education and youth.

The Erasmus+ Programme shall contribute to the achievement of:

the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, including the headline education target

the objectives of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), including the corresponding benchmarks

the sustainable development of Partner Countries in the field of higher education

the overall objectives of the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018)

the objective of developing the European dimension in sport, in particular grassroots sport, in line with the EU work plan for sport

the promotion of European values in accordance with Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union

Rural-Urban-Nature From theory....

Rural-Urban-Nature is a youth exchange that took place in several locations of Romania (Muncelu de Sus, Duru, Scel and Baia Mare) in the urban and rural areas, with the main activities implemented between 26th August and 9th September 2014 with 8 Romanian and 8 Turkish high school students.

The aim of our project is to help the young people discover that the offline life brings more benefits than the online one. To obtain this, we focused on promoting the socio-cultural activities, offering alternatives of spending the free time and encouraging the young people to take part in and create new activities in their communities.

The potential longer term benefits are the changes that these teenagers can bring firstly in their life and then in their activities' circle, promoting more the socio-cultural activities inside their community, thus becoming active in the development of their society.

Among the activities implemented during the project we remind games team building, city hunting, handicraft workshops, environment presentations, cleaning the surrounding places, cultural trips, Erasmus + and Youthpass presentation, photography, hiking on mountains, project drafts, life in the country side, workshop on how to spend the free time, visits to other youth NGOs, debates on the urban-rural difference, cultural nights, workshops on jobs and careers in urban and rural area as well as interactive nights with karaoke, movies or games. The activities were done in rural and urban areas as well as in the nature.

The chosen working methods use the non-formal tools such as games and energizers, presentations, working in teams, cleaning and recycling activities, handicraft workshops, discussions and debates, outdoor sports and games, cultural events and expression through photography.

Rural-Urban-Nature

... to practice

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;

getting to know each other

indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Coming together is a beginning.

Keeping together is progress.

working together

Working together is success. Henry Ford

I've always enjoyed travelling and having experience with different cultures and different

people.

learning new cultures

But it's also a wonderful thing to be able to benefit and enable research, not only in our

country but around the world. Laurel Clark

It's all about having fun and smiling

having fun together

and shaking hands.

Tone Loc

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another:

and so much more...

What! You too? I thought I was the only one.

C.S. Lewis

Methods of spending the free time

We got to live in an era where the technology has an important role in everyone's lives. Sometimes these lives are dictated by what is happening in the virtual environment while we forget to enjoy the real life we live day by day.

Everybody, but in particular the youth of 21st Century have the tendency to live more and more in the virtual world. They often use the so called 'social networks', to the detriment of the real world, without realizing that, actually, the real social network is the one that survives without internet. The young generation has gained unwillingly the powerful, yet potential destroyable tool of human relations.

Although the technology plays an important role in our life and we use it to ease our tasks, house choirs or solve our work faster, we shouldn't forget that it will never replace the role of the human beings in our lives.

Have you often asked yourself what else could you do in your free time when you're bored?

Have you asked yourself what could you do so you can use your time in a useful way?

Have you asked yourself what other skills you could develop?

Have you asked yourself how would it be to discover a new hobby?

If 'yes' is your answer, than this brochure might be a good place to start!

This brochures aims to promote the socio-cultural events that the young people can organize and attend to, thus socializing with people with similar interests and detaching themselves from the virtual world. Also, it is offering several alternatives of spending your free time in a social, cultural, educational and fun environment.

Be the one that controls technology and not the way around. Use it in your advantage!

Cooking Sports

Discover new flavors, combine different spices, prepare healthy and fresh meals - you have the possibility to spoil yourself with anything you'd like to eat!

If you like cooking or you would like to try it, this is your chance: waist no more time and start preparing your favorite childhood recipes or even create new ones on your own.

You may not want to become a professional cook, but that doesn't mean you can't search for new recipes, join diverse cooking groups and exchange recipes, advices and tips or attend to a cooking class.

Ask your family or friends to join you and be sure you'll enjoy not only the cooking part, but as well your delicious results.

Look for recipes, buy or prepare your ingredients and let the cooking begin!

Practicing sports it's not just useful for your health and body care, but it also develops your team spirit, coordination or way of thinking.

Choose the type of sport fits you the best and try to do it regularly. You'll see it's benefits quite soon as it will give you a good mood and you'll feel more energetic, enthusiast and of course healthier.

There are sports that you can do on your own like jogging, going to the gym, swim, cycle, climb, do yoga, practice karate, skate, fish, dance or ski.

Ask your friends to join you in a group activity and play all together basketball, volleyball, football, tennis, badminton, handball or go karting.

Combine them, check them all and decide on the one you like the most. The important thing is to always enjoy what you do!

Reading - literature Reading - development

Reading develops your vocabulary, creativity, imagination, way of thinking and may even change the perception you have over life in general or your own person.

Discover your inner child by reading your favorite childhood books, train your brain through police novels, challenge your imagination through adventurous books, check your cold blood with thrillers, see the beauty of life in romantic novels and poetry, dream about future with science-fiction ones, search someone's biography, research historical events, laugh through comedies.

The type of the book it doesn't even matter as long as it keeps you captivate in its inner world. Don't let the books you start unfinished as you may never find out the faith of your favorite character, discover new places or join adventurous trips around the world!

The more we get older, the more we want to develop ourselves. Be the best in what you do, enjoy every single minute of it and you will never feel like you are actually working.

Achieve higher steps in your career by reading books, researches, articles and every single thing you find interesting and connected to your job. Invest in yourself as no one will do more than you can.

Although the career can bring us lots of benefits, the personal developments matters as well. Mind your soul and spirit, feed them with knowledge, take them to upper levels. Develop your patience, communication skills or learn to meditate.

Become a better person, change your bad habits, improve your qualities, try to always bring a better and improved version of you at the surface. And most important, let the others see it too!

Volunteering Movies and TV

Volunteering allows each individual to identify themselves with a good cause while you help and get helped at the same time. Volunteer and you are going to get in return the things you need; it's an exchange in a win-win situation.

The benefits you gain are the new friends, the wonderful experiences, the happy memories, the smiles and joy that you will always cherish.

In some countries the volunteering system is not yet so well developed in formal terms, but yet you can always find a place where you could be useful: churches/mosques, orphanages, day care centers, asylums, hospitals or educational institutes. There are so many opportunities you can find in an association or foundation.

It doesn't matter how old you are, where you are from or who you are. Volunteering is for everybody!

If it is to use the technology, than do it in your advantage. Watch TV not just for entertainment, but look also for the ones with a message worth listening to.

Movies are an easy way to understand better the literature or history, but they can also give a different perspective on life. Documentaries, art performances, travelling advices, cooking, carpentry or diverse skills developing shows are just few of the things you can find on TV and that can help you escape the daily routine.

Fan of serials? Don't go for the whole series, episode after episode as interesting as it may be. Enjoy it, but don't forget your other chores.

Fan of movies? Leave the TV and the computer at home and go out with your friends to the cinema. The feeling the cinemas give you and that atmosphere can not be created at home by having a headphone on.

Society/board games Meet your friends

Playing such games can be a fun way to spend your free time. Use the society or board games when you are at parties, in a rainy day, during holidays, or while travelling.

Many of them, besides their entertainment purpose, can help you develop certain aspects about you like the team work, drawing, verbal, gestures or mimic communication, counting, reaction speed, movements' coordination, creativity and imagination or logics. Playing with your friends will bring you guys closer to each too.

Spend time with your family members, especially with the younger ones, by playing together. You will have the good mood activated guaranteed and they will be happy to be spending time together with you.

Don't miss the opportunity to play new games. You may discover things about you and your friends!

There aren't too many better things to do in your free time than meeting with your friends and spending it together.

Call them, text them or even better: establish a meeting with them regularly.

Meeting with your friends improves your social skills, keeps you updated with the news in their life and of course, they guarantee you the good mood and entertainment.

Try different places each time until you find your perfect spot. Don't always go for big meetings with all your friends at the same time. Save some time for your relationship with each one of them. For sure you have different friends with different interests, not to mention the attention you are giving to each and one of them.

Go out for a coffee, play bowling or go to movies; it doesn't really matter what you do as long as you are with your friends!

Events Do It Yourself

There is always something new happening in your town. Somebody is launching their book, your friend is opening a bookshop or your neighbor is making a public debate on local environmental aspects.

It doesn't matter what's the event about nor that you didn't have even the minimum contact with the topic before. You may never find out if you don't go and see, isn't it?

Such events are perfect occasions to discover new passions or interests, new people, hang out with your friends or go out more often.

Being always updated with the events happening in your city is giving you an inner update of what is going on around you socially, economically, educationally or culturally.

Don't say no to such invitations as you may never know what you're about to find out!

Do It Yourself or handmade objects start to gain a lot of advantage in front of bought items.

Besides being a good way to fill in your free time, it gets more interested and careful with the objects that you use.

Maybe you're not the best carpenter in town, but if you do handmade objects often, you will find a creative way to fix that broken chair you have.

When we talk about handmade items, we talk about every item you see in your house around you from food, furniture, body care lotions or soaps to clothes, decorative objects, toys, jewelry and accessories.

There are so many tutorials to show you how to do your own broche, a soap or how to sew.

Soon enough you won't be spending your money on already made things, but rather on materials to do them on your own!

Concerts and cultural events Hobbies

The first image I get in my mind when 'concert' is mentioned, is with a lot of people coming together and singing with the band/singer. Never miss the opportunity to see my favorites when I could. If this is your type of concert that you are up for and your favorite band or singer is in town, buy your ticket and prepare your voice.

If you're the type of person that prefers rather less noisy places, search for a symphonic music or a classic music concert, opera, theatre play or a ballet show.

Needless to say that if you're in a town that can't offer these soul enlighten, you can have a ride to the closest city that offers such events. Use this opportunity to get out of your daily routine and grab some friends with you. For sure you will have a nice time even if you don't spend the night over there.

Feed your soul once in a while!

We all have hobbies that we'd like to have fun with every once in a while. Take advantage of your free time and explore your hobbies.

No matter what your passions are, find the right amount of time for them at least once per week. Your free time is not to be spent on house choirs, family duties or work related.

Spending our free time in a convenient and pleasant way is not only a relaxing activity, but it also allows you to expand your knowledge it in that domain, improve the skills connected to and more important to enjoy yourself.

Search for people with common passions and you will have lots of things to share with them, exchange information and learn from others. Look for forums or practical courses related to it.

Develop every interest you may have and it may turn into a hobby!

Help your family Get involved, participate

House choirs were never fun to do, especially when you were in your early stages.

We all know how important they are and especially how essential they are. Look at this duties as an opportunity to spend the time with your family.

Share the tasks among you, involve everyone in with as much as they can do, but most important: make it as fun as it may get. Turn the cleaning into a competition or think of more hands in the kitchen may come as useful.

Visit your grandparents and help around. Ask them in return to share with you their childhood memories or remind you more of your own. Get to the countryside relatives that you have and remember the good old times you had while picking up fruits or playing in the fresh hay.

Turn the duties into something fun!

Nowadays there are so many opportunities for your self development as they may never were before. Conferences, exhibitions, international meetings, debates, projects, anything you want!

Take advantage of the events organized by others. You may learn a lot of things from them as well as you may get the chance to travel, visit new places, meet new people, get a totally new cultural experience.

Take as an example this project. It may not have been life changing in terms of a career, but they now have friends from a different country, got to know their culture better and enjoyed the other's, had a great time together as well as developed several skills.

Departing with tears in their eyes is a good to express the best the way they spent their summer!

Dance Music

If you're a fan of listening to music and dance around your house, than you should definitely spend your time with rhythm.

Be it that you dance with your friends or alone, it creates lots of joy and gets your body moving (especially if sports are not your favorite thing).

Search for 'how to' courses online, join local classes or turn on the music and start dancing. Try to learn different styles of dances and practice them with your friends or family. Once you learn a new technique share it with the others.

If you have a big enough group of friends, create together your own dance. Pick up a song that suits you the best and try lots of moves to fit in. Not only that you'll have fun preparing the choreography, but this will be another special thing to be connecting you all.

Dance like you've never danced before!

It is said that the music influences your mood through their lyrics, rhythm or style.

Listening to music is a relaxing way to spend your free time especially when you manage to detach yourself from your daily life.

A lot of people listen to the music according to their state mood. If you have a lot of energy, go for a music type that will get you dance around while if you need a quite time go for classic, slow or meditative one.

No matter the type you are listening to, enjoy every second of it. If the lyrics get you thoughtful, look for their deepest meaning and connect it with some of your life moments. Each time you'll here that song, you'll get a smile across your face while remembering that memory.

The music you listen to follows your heart beats!

Internships IT

Most of the youth nowadays confront with the same situations when wanting to get employed. Freshly graduated from university, with no experience we look for our chances in obtaining a job.

While you're still a student, sure you will have fun, but try to get involved in as many working experiences as you can.

The internships give you the possibility to learn the job you are about to do when graduating from a very practical point of view. Not only that you learn from experienced people in that domain, but you also have the chance you to do the things.

A job experience is something that we gain, but more than that is something that we 'steal' from those that are already doing that job for quite a while. Take advantage of it.

Do your job good and your internship place might be your first job as you graduate!

If you are passionate about computers and IT, spending your free time in this field may be a pleasant work to do.

Take advantage of this time to research more about that web designing you wanted to do a while ago, check the new encoding programmes or join a IT forum.

Search for online courses that can help you specialize in what you want or go to classes that run in your city, research about your topics online or go to libraries in the search of IT thematic books.

Meeting new people from your domain may turn to be productive for your knowledge as well. Not only that you will find other people with same passion, but you will have for sure a person with whom to exchange trials or test each other's products.

If IT:=your passion than go for IT!

Travel Visit and discover

Travelling allows you to get to know the people in their own habitat along with their customs, traditions, language, art, handicraft, clothes and daily life.

Take advantage of every travelling opportunity you may get. Save money to visit the places you dreamed. Take your friends and the next train to a new destination. Get in your car and start driving. Don't underestimate the beauty of your country by desiring to reach only foreign countries.

Nowadays there are many possibilities to travel on a low budget - coach surf before you leave so to have a place to sleep, hitch hike or share the gas expenses, be even more brave and get on your bicycle and start cycling. There are endless possibilities as long as you look for them.

You don't need to have a big budget to travel. Pack your bags and no excuses. Allow yourself to discover!

When was the last time you went out in the town? Not for a meeting with your friends, not to work or school, not to shopping, but to visit your city?

If you live in a place that has a history behind, for sure it has a old center, historical buildings and museum.

Start seeing your place from the perspective of the tourists. Where do the go? What do they see? What has that museum to offer?

Eat out in a different place every time. Check the museums once again even if you saw them all as a child. Ask for guidance and for sure you will discover new things about your city!

Get rid of your GPS and start walking on the old streets without necessary knowing where you go. Cause it doesn't even matter.

Get to know your town from a different perspective by discovering it!

Photography Drawing

You don't need to have the latest camera model to take good pictures.

There are 3 main type of pictures: landscapes, steady nature and portraits. If you like to play with the camera, don't waist more time and pick it up!

Get to know your or your friends' traits better by shooting portraits, define your city's beauties or express your feelings through country side landscapes.

Photography is an easy way to express your feelings and your point of views as you need to analyze the shot subject: check the angle, the light, the surroundings, your position towards it, everything that could help you express what you see through a photography.

Register yourself for an online course or look for a local one, read some books about it or sign up to a photography group.

Get the beauty in a picture!

While the photography can offer you a possibility to show to the others what you have seen and how it is from your perspective, drawing has the advantage of allowing you to model your view as you see it.

As a beginning you may try with the imitation of some objects or pictures, but as you learn the basic tips and tricks, you can allow your imagination run to start working.

Same as the photography, drawing offers you a wide freedom to enjoy the combination of colors and shapes, angles, lights and shadows.

There are plenty of online tutorials or books from where you can learn how to draw certain items. Use them to get the technique and perfect its steps and then let your imagination go wild.

You can draw anything you want as long as you keep trying it!

Tailoring Writing

Be it a boy or a girl, you had for sure moments in your life when you wanted to buy a piece of clothe, but you couldn't - not enough money, there wasn't your size or you didn't like the colors.

Search for the model of clothing you would like to have. Can you find also its sketch? Seek for the best materials that you also like. What is it going to be: blue or white? green or yellow?

Once you have the sketch ready, materials by your side and a sewing machine you can start creating the clothes you want as you want.

Go to tailoring classes if you're a beginner, look up for advices and tips, ask your parents and grandparents. Eventually you'll figure it out and your clothes will look amazing on you.

There is no better pleasure than using the things you created yourself!

Writing is an easy way to express your feelings, ideas or states of mind. The letters won't judge the way you combine them and definitely won't mind expressing your sadness, happiness, exciting news or the great new ideas you lately had.

If you do have talent for this, give your friends the pieces of writing you have. Create for them for special occasions like their birthdays or holidays. They'll enjoy having something done by you rather than bought.

Mother nature skipped you from getting a writing talent? You don't need to be as talented as William Shakespeare was in order to write something. Note down your ideas and your thoughts even if they're just for yourself. You may find it amusing to read your thoughts from previous years.

Writing is just another way to keep an open communication with ourselves!

Foreign languages Hiking on mountains

Filling up the spare time with learning a foreign language might be useful not just as a fun activity, but it may be also for your professional career or while traveling.

There are so many online courses that you can subscribe to. Even more, the big majority of them offer forums and chat groups where you can practice the selected language.

In addition to that, listening to music, reading books or watching TV in that language can help you a lot with improving the vocabulary. If you're a beginner, go for the children destined items: comic books, children stories, cartoons, etc.

You may try the local courses also, be them private or in a group. By having a tutor nearby, you can get help correcting your grammar or speaking mistakes as you learn.

Get international!

Hiking on mountains can get you more than just a trip outside, but it can get you closer to the nature, fresh air and quiet moments.

The beauties that you encounter on mountain are not the same as a walk in the nature. You must enjoy discovering let yourself mesmerized by the beauties it has to offer.

Before you plan a hike, bare in mind the track you are to chose. If you're a beginner try the easy ones as you get more experience to get to more spectacular ones.

Be careful to always have the necessary equipment that suits the track you follow, the season or the weather conditions. Nevertheless, be sure to have enough supplies, especially water.

The mountain is very friendly and open to receive new guests all the time, don't make it an enemy of yours!

Clean Donate

As unattractive as it sounds and sometimes it has the best reasons to be so, cleaning your house is a must.

Although is nothing shameful to have a messy way of being, we all like to have a clean house, tidy rooms and a bit of order through our stuff.

Once in a while, go through your old clothes or things, check your kitchen's pots and plates or bathroom's towels. Every once in a while these items need to be replaced.

You bought so many new clothes during the last sale season, but you don't have any space for it in your closet. Check your old things and decide which to keep and put aside the ones you'll give up on. Do the same with all your house and you will also feel a refreshing of the air as well as you'll now have space for your newly bought items.

Don't let the house holds take the space you deserve in your own house!

You finally decided to make that big house cleaning you were planning for a while now. You know for sure that you will have lots of things you didn't use them for quite a while now and probably you won't use them any more from now on either.

Instead of throwing the things that can be reused, donate them or exchange them.

There are sites and even places (bazars, season sales) where you can either give away, exchange or sell your stuff.

Having a mountain of clothes in your closet that you no longer need won't help you. Give them to the less lucky ones. If you don't know where to go or time to search, go to a religious institution (church, mosque, association, etc.). They will take your stuff with pleasure and give it further to the ones in need.

Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Walk Try something new

Walking, same as the sports do, has a benefic impact on your body and health, as well as on your mind state.

Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of movement per day. If you're not such a big fan of sports, walking is a good replacement that does magic to your body.

Through walking you get your heart pumping and improve the general blood circulation. You will enjoy it especially after a full day of sitting on a chair in front of a desk or having to do your job while standing.

Walk back home from work or school, go in a park, visit new places, get some friends along with you and walk together. You may take advantage of this time to talk about your daily events, plan future ones or just to enjoy the walk itself.

Walking won't get you stuck in a traffic jam!

Did you get bored of the same old things you do everyday? Try something new!

There are so many activities that can be done in the free time, but you just need to discover or rediscover them. Are you a fan of hand made objects? Are you a fan of art performances? Are you an active person with lots of energy?

Spend a little time with yourself and make a list of the things you are interested in, regardless you have tried them so far or not.

If you have, look at it from a different perspective. Do you enjoy doing that? Does it need any improvement? Is there anything you haven't tried about it? What if you change the way of doing it or the people that are around you then?.

If you haven't, then don't waist any of your time and get to it! You can 'update' your old hobbies or get new ones.

Set up goals Gardening

Don't set up goals just as a new year resolution, but do it all the time. Use your time efficiently by planning something new each time you achieve the proposed aspect.

For sure you have something in your mind that you're thinking you would like to have done, but you never actually did something to achieve it.

Take a piece of paper and a pen and write your goal down. What is that you want to achieve and until when? What am I eager to give to reach my goal? Will I need help from other people? Do I have all the sufficient resources? Once finished, put the paper with the goal somewhere visible and start acting according to your plan. Make sure you read it every day.

You may feel like making baby steps achieving small goals one after the other, but at the end of the journey you may realize just how far you went!

Plants might not be so time-taking as a pet therefore gardening may turn to be a good way of spending the free time for those that don't have so much of it.

You don't need a lot of space for doing this activity as you can take care of some plants even in your apartment. Make sure they have sufficient sun and place to grow. Don't forget that same as you, they need to be 'fed' as well so water them regularly.

Gardening may help you relax and takes all your negative energy away. The good part about it is that it doesn't even require so much time on a weekly basis.

A plant is also bringing a fresh atmosphere to the house by the oxygen it gives, not to mention the flowers that spread their perfume and enlighten your room or garden with their vivid colors.

Green power mood activated!

Pets Get new people around

Your pet needs you as much as you did when you bought/adopt it. Take it out for a walk, pet it, make or buy new toys for it and then play together, talk to it, anything that will have you spending time with it.

A pet is not a toy or a knick-knack; it's a living thing as you are. It has the same needs as you do and the most important is that it will be there for you no matter what. It offers you unconditionally love and for sure will find a way to repay you for having it around you.

You don't own one? If you haven't thought of taking one or you cannot afford to keep one from different reasons, don't worry, you can still enjoy your time with a pet. Go to a pet shelter and 'adopt' one from there. You may not have the possibility to take it home, but you can make sure your 'adopted' pet has food daily and you as a friend to play with each time you'll visit there!

The man is a unique creature not only through it's ability to think, but also due to its need of being surrounded by other persons.

Meeting new persons can bring a positive influence in your life. They're like the fresh air you can breath in when going outside or opening the window. They can come up with ideas that you didn't think of so far or didn't have the chance to make them come true.

The more people you know, the richer you are on the inside. Ever thought why beauticians or hairstylists have so many acquaintances? They meet new people every time they go to work and they take that opportunity of turning these people into their friends. You may never know what a person can bring with itself or the help you may get because you 'know someone that...'

Meet new people, get new friends, but don't forget the others either!

Keep a diary You with yourself

Keeping a diary is a good way to spend your free time and to a self-evaluation while writing.

You can use the diary to keep the track of your days by writing, drawing or posting pictures with all the events that happened, describing each one of them as detailed as you wish.

The best part of having a diary with detailed activities is that it allows you to think as well at your learning process. Maybe you did nothing special by going to the market today, but how did you handle when you wanted to buy more vegetables from the same man and you bargained for a sale?

Keeping track of the small things we do every day can help us follow our evolution in time in terms of how we manage in different situations.

Write down each thought you have as it can bring you a nice memory later!

There is no other person in this whole wild world that can know you better, make you feel good or be your best friend than yourself.

Take some time during the day to spend time with yourself even if you're happy, even if you're sad. Once in a while take the whole day just for yourself. Do whatever makes you happy, brings good mood and a smile across your face.

Check your diary about your evolution, ask your friends for things they like and dislike about you. Analyze them and do the changes that suit you the best.

Meditate as it can get you to have a 'conversation' with your sub-conscious. Listening to yourself is most of the times the answer you are looking for. Spoil yourself once in a while because you do deserve it.

If you don't look after yourself, who else will?

Health and body care Family

As you're having some free time with your inner self, it's also good to spare some for your body.

Take advantage of a free day at least once in a year and go do some health check up. Run some blood tests, let the doctor check your body's functionalities, organs and systems. Not only that you can prevent in due time if a serious illness is about to appear, but you also won't end up in a crisis situation and not knowing how to solve your health issues. Don't let any disease or illness pass by wrongly or not treated at all as it can bring with it many other 'naughty' parts.

Turn that daily 10 minutes shower into a bath, go out and eat once in a while instead of cooking, go to spa and sauna, keep yourself fit and go to gym, do anything that would help your body revitalize, gain tonicity and look good.

If you feel good, you look good too!

Regardless you are from a newer or elder generation, your family will always be a good way to spend your free time with.

Visit your relatives as much as you can. Take advantage of having people close to you that can support you in everything you do. Revive childhood memories or even better, create new ones.

Play with your children, take your parents our for dinner, take your children to a thematic park, surprise your parents occasionally with something you made, talk to each other, laugh together.

Consider going on a holiday with them at least once per year. It doesn't have to be very far from home or expensive, but a place where you can enjoy them with no disturbance from outside.

Enjoy it as much as you can, anytime, anywhere: you only have one family!

Contact your old friends Get rest and relax

We all have people in our lives that at a certain time we stopped the contact with. You moved away, they went to a different high school, you decided on a different university city, they got a job or simply the circumstances stopped you from continuing that relation.

Search your friend's phone number, pick up the phone and set up a meeting. It can be a good way to remind yourself of the good old times you spent together and establish back the connection with them.

As the time goes by, we all develop our life perspectives and people change. You may not know so many things about that old friend now, but it's the best place to start reconnecting. Catch up the lost time and you may regain a new old friend back!

Don't be afraid to accept challenges that the life gives, but neither be afraid to challenge the life in return!

The routine we're spinning around every day can bring your energy level close to zero, change your mood or stress you out. We need to take decisions every day at work, to always be alerted and ready for any new opportunity, face problems and all sorts of situations.

Once you step outside your office and leave from job to home, you need to leave all this behind you, right where you left them. You will find them the next day in the same place. Don't bring your work problems with you at home.

If you travel a lot till your home, use that time with yourself. What would you like to do? What's your best way of relaxing and resting? Take advice from your body and do the first thing that comes to your mind. Care for a bubble bath, dinner our, sleeping or watch a movie?

Go for it!

Brain games Plan your working time

You might not have been the brighter kid in your class when it came to math or science subjects in school. And you don't even have to be!

The best part about the brain games is that while practicing them you are spending your free time in a fun way and can be played alone as well. As a result for your hard work, your skills concerning attention, coordination, task distribution or your memory will improve.

Give your brain a workout by playing fun games that sharpen your mind. Challenge yourself and your reactions in different scenarios. Begin a inner journey of discovering your way of thinking, reaction time, intuition and brain connectivity.

You may be surprised what the human body and mind is capable of if they're put to work!

Why use your free time for work-related things? Because as better, concise and detailed as you plan your working time, the more free time you may have.

Being systematic 10 minutes in a day can save you so much more during your working time and bring you more benefits in that matter.

Working by a earlier established plan will help you being more strict to the way you're working and the time spent and, at the same time, you will be able to track it for further similar tasks.

Was the time I planned enough or did I need more? Knowing beforehand can help you honor your responsibilities better, will leave you more time to take new tasks or in return, giving you more free time to spend it as you wish.

Be as efficient as you can be and you will enjoy your free time as well!

TED Talks Plan a party

The 'TED Talks' are a nice way to spend some time at home taking advantage of your cozy spot and get different perspectives on so numerous topics.

TED Talks are short videos of 5-15 minutes with a famous person invited to deliver a speech, while the topics are diverse. The speeches will touch the issue from the speaker's point of view, sharing at the same time their lifelong experience.

Did something catch your attention? take a pen and paper and note it down. It may give you further ideas or make you think about you with an 'outside' eye. Worth trying!

Follow the speakers' public speaking skills, presence on the scene, gestures and postures. You can learn few tips and if you're brave enough, you can even practice it in front of a mirror.

Get inspired!

A party is good once in a while: it animates you, you have fun and spend your time with the people dear to you.

Start by planning all the details about it: the thematic, costumes, house design and decoration, music and the dance floor, food and beverage, games to be played, anything that can help you set a great mood and enjoy your time with your friends.

Ask everyone to contribute with something (food, decoration, etc.) and you won't have to work too hard for it. It's not just your party in the end, is it?

If you're not the big party type of person, don't worry! Plan a small dinner or some snacks and invite fewer people. Spend some time together over a coffee or tea. Call some of your friends for a sleep over.

No matter what you're up to, plan it together with your friends and enjoy it!

To sum up with... Methods to spend the free time...

... and choices we do

Enjoy every minute of your time, regardless it's a working one or not. You will never face that second, that minute again as we can't turn back the time.

Be perseverant and aim up to bigger goals once you achieve them.

Choose whatever method you like or even better, come up with yours.

Be conservative with the things you like, but at the same time, don't be afraid to try new ones. Explore your inner self and define your limits far up.

Enjoy!

Thank you! Participants and...

... the help we got

Participants ALTU Ahmet SESCU Flavia

ALTU Sleyman MUSTERE Raluca

SEVEN Aye BALAN Diana

EVK Ayenur BE Iulius

AKGL Esra BLJU Eduard

AKBA Hseyin ANTONIC Robert

GLE mer GRJDEANU Adrian

GL Selin HUIDAN Andreea

Leaders YAMAN Ekrem BALAN Petru

KAYA Grhan BALAN Maria

Coordinators BALAN Georgiana CPLESCU Andreea

Thank you, CLIN Anastasia, for joining us!

Main funder Erasmus+ through A.N.P.C.D.E.F.P.

Partners

'Bogdan Vod' High School, Hluceti

Anatolian Pedagogical High School, Gnen/Turkey

Accommodation

DJST Iai and Fget Camp, Muncelu de Sus

DJST Maramure and Mara Camp, Baia Mare

Exhibitions

Children's Club, Pacani

Butchers' Tower Baia Mare

Support for activities

History and Archeology County Museum, Baia Mare

DEIS Association, Baia Mare

Mansio Association, Baia Mare

Useful links Do a bit of research...

... find out more!

Yellow Shirts Association

facebook.com/YellowShirtsRomania

Rural-Urban-Nature

facebook.com/ruralurbannature

Rural and Urban Photography Album (Rural-Urban-Nature)

slideshare.net/deeuta/rural-and-urban-photography-album

Reuse or Lose - Do it yourself ideas

facebook.com/Reuse.or.Lose

slideshare.net/deeuta/brosura-final-poze

Visualize my language! - a mini audio-illustrative dictionary with 2000 words translated in Romanian, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish and Russian

visualizemylanguage.webs.com

facebook.com/visualizemylanguage

All for one and one for all - games

issuu.com/yellow-shirts/docs/ or_one_and_one_for_all_games

Erasmus+ programme ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus

Romanian National Agency - Erasmus+ programme

erasmusplus.ro

Salto Youth - practical online tools for youth workers and trainings

salto-youth.net

Training kits - skills development

youth-partnership-eu-coe.int/youth-parntership/publications/T-kitsT_Kits

Books

readanybook.com

Cooking recipes

bbcgoodfood.com/recipes

IMDB - Internet Movie Data Base

imdb.com

Gardening tips

gardening.about.com

... and so many others

Free time is a terrible thing to waste

E.A. Bucchianeri

This project was funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme. This publication reflects only the views of the author and the funder cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the

information contained therein