My name is Ethel Chimenya. I am 20 years old. I am a young woman whose passions are working with young people in discovering our dreams, talents and ways we can use them to build our future. I am also in a journey of discovering ways people can engage in fruitful conversations that help change our world so that we can move from being ego to becoming ecological.
Less than a month ago, I arrived at Youth Initiative Program as another step for me to take on my journey.
When I arrived in Sweden at Jarna , I felt really excited to see my new home and meet the people I would live together with for the next ten months. My intention when I got to YIP was to find different answers and maybe also ask different questions than I had before. I was looking forward to meet the 24 other people with which I would share this experience together.
When I arrived in Tallevana – the Official Yippie-Basecamp – I found the house empty everyone was in the White House learning. I enjoyed the silence and the possibility to orientate myself in the place a little, and try to get used to the new environment.
After some rest my roommate came to take me to the house where we had dinner and I felt so overwhelmed to meet the whole group. Later after dinner my welcome was that we were going to watch the sun as it set in a room called the sky space. It was amazing to see how the sky changes from different colors before it finally sets
During my second week of arrival I came to discover my love for the nature. I would use every free moment to take a walk, to go and listen to the flow of water and sometimes I would be deep in the forest.
This made it easier for me to feel that I have a home.
I also discovered that I had so many things that I was carrying with me, which I feel are not serving me any more and that I need to let go of, so as to create a space for new things in my life.
I am hoping to learn a lot of different things that concerns our everyday lives.
I hope to bring change to my life and the life of others in a way that does not compromise the future generation.
Thank you to everyone who has made my coming to this place of learning possible.