I don’t know where to start… I am Gencay but you can call me Django. A 24-year-old boy graduated from university and looking for some new adventures to begin. I started looking for opportunities and after a few emails to the organizations, Jitka was the one who commenced my journey to the Czech Republic! At present time, I have been volunteering here for more than 2 months and I started to understand the relative of theory, time is passing so fast in Tisnov 🙂 Volunteering at Kaluznicek has been truly inspiring and fulfilling. Each day spent in the forest with the children has allowed me to witness their natural connection with the environment. Starting our mornings with hugging and catching up. Then I continue the day with walks in the woods, listening to birds, and exploring the changing beauty of nature has been an enchanting experience for both the children and myself. Engaging in games and organizing nature-based activities has brought immense joy to all of us. This experience taught me valuable skills but also contributed significantly to my personal growth. I have learned patience, and flexibility, and gained a deeper understanding of children’s world. Inspired by this experience, I hope to continue focusing on children’s education and their relationship with nature, aiming to contribute more in this field in the future.

I am Danai, a 28 years old preschool teacher, coming from Greece happily curious to meet you! From a young age we liked with my family to go trips in the nature and until now in my free time I try to spend it there, walking, chilling and discovering new places. These memories and interest led me to choose my master studies being specialized in education for sustainability, given emphasis on outdoor and environmental education. So, after working two years in the public greek school, I decided that I need a break and that I want to experience something different! By different I mean that I was looking for an opportunity to convert my interest for the outdoor/forest education into practice. But why learn outside in the nature…? …Because nature is an environment full of experiential learning opportunities that can support children’s spontaneous expressiveness, empathy, creativity and their endless curiosity and willingness to learn. Also a playful learning with the provision of suitable tools – what kids don’t like to play, explore, get dirty and role playing? – is meaningful for them. A meaningful learning for them I believe that can strengthen their skills for living as thoughtful and active members in tomorrow’s society. So, when I found your website I felt that your community can provide this general educational context. Apart from these, I like to go hiking or riding the bike, I do rock climbing and I try to find ways to get creative during my daily life such as linoleum engraving, cyanotype printing or taking pictures with analog camera. Also it is important for me to find time to relax and spend time with my friends and closest people. That’s all, looking forward to share the rest of it in person! 🙂