Youth Exchange – You Got Talent [RESULTS]

Journey

Let me take you on a journey. Journey that happened out of nowhere, surprising like a jack in a box. Journey that changed one life. This story happened to one little boy, from far east country of Europe, land of crazy.

He was sad, kinda depressed at the time before this big journey. But he wasn’t always like that. Usually he is cheerful and happy boy. Everybody around him knew him like that. Cheerful and happy. But at the time he was different. He was feeling as something was missing from his soul. He knew that, but he didn’t do anything about it. He just kept on living, even if he wasn’t sure if that was living at all or just pure surviving.

One day he got a call from his best friend, unexpectedly. In his head pass the thought “Oh, just another call for beer”. But that was not the case this time. This time he was called on a journey. Journey? But where? This journey took part on imaginary land, far from comfort of his bed, far from people he knew. Far from himself. He was indecisive. He didn’t want to find himself far from his comfort. But also he knew that something that was missing from his soul could be found on this journey. He said to his friend “I’m in” even though he wasn’t sure if that’s the right move. Days passed. Weeks passed. He was more and more anxious. Will he fit in? Will he find that lost part? Will he stay strong enough? Those questions struggled him every day. He didn’t know answers to them.

The day has come. The journey has began. He felt alone but he felt stronger than those days before. He was ready.

First thing he realized was that that imaginary land is close friend with a sun. It was burning mercilessly and steady. But he enjoyed it. Salt in the air excited him as the wind cool him off. That land was different from the one he was coming from. This one was drier, warmer and welcoming. Smiles of little children on a playground made him forget about sadness and unsettling feelings inside his chest. He was walking, listening to the music from 80s and smiled. Little boy asked himself how can this small change of surrounding transform his emotions. How can simple “I’m in” change your mood for 180 degrees. He was happier.

Next couple of days changed him. Little boy wasn’t the same boy that arrived at imaginary land. This little boy was cheerful and happy. Yes, just as everybody knew him before. Cheerful and happy. You maybe wonder how he got those old feelings back? Did he found hidden chest? Or maybe got EU passport? Or even won a lottery? No. Non of those things happened. Boy didn’t care about them. Well, maybe he cared about passport but that’s another story. Than, what made him happier? People. Kind and loving people. Kind of people that change your life.

This is not a story just about the little boy. This is a story about people that changed him. Who are these people? Well, first of all let me introduce you to Nerd Team. This team gathered around one simple thing. Being nerdy. They loved movies, animes and series of all kinds. They shared songs between them. Black humor was their power. Creativity their escape. Sharing those things made them closer to each other. Saying goodbye was not hard for them, because they knew that new meeting is near.

One of the closest teams to little boys heart, with a flag that represents sky, earth and snow, was made of different people. There was a girl, looking like a boy, with strong sense of humor and creativity. She was their leader. Not only their leader. She was leader of us all. Next to her stood a boy, strong hearted. We called him Barefooted. Legend says that once upon the time Barefooted climb a mountain faster than you can see, fought blue people and came back to his village without a scar. He was marching with a song in his ear. Song that his friend made. Friend called Euterpa. She was musical prodigy. She could make music from anything. She was real muse. Next one of this team is a girl, that fascinated little boy with her energy. Her name is Palmtree. Why that name? Well, her goal is to see every palm tree that exist and to be amazed by it. Last one, but not least one of the group from the north, is shy and quiet girl. We called her Strong. She got through big difficulties during this journey, but she was stronger than any of them. She was brave to take time for herself and come back even stronger. Little boy was inspired by her strength.

Next team was from the land of islands. Those people are crazy and little boy loved them. Every time little boy thinks about them he thinks of dance and high fives. Teammates of this land are: Dance and Movement, those two are twin sisters. They were main characters in dance gatherings. Those two changed little boys view of his body; next teammate in land of islands is small quiet girl. Her name is, believe it or not, Quiet. She is kind of girl that you don’t notice, but once you do, her cuteness overwhelms you. She was teaching little boy about Japan and their language; her friend, Panatanaikos, was strong boy. He furiously loved sports and sport teams from land of islands; in the end you have one small, cute girl, called Shy. For her, this journey was kinda the same as for little boy. She was trying to find herself, to break through. She did goddamn good job at it. She is as strong as she is shy.

Little boy called next team simply Neighbors. They come from the land next to his. Their leader was one of elders of the village. Her name is Brave. For her is told that she can walk for days, in foreign lands, without water just to find her loved one. All by herself. That’s brave! Next to her was a girl, that stood tall. Her name was Mapmaker. How strange, huh? Well, she was better than any technology of today at making maps. She is true guide. Only boy from their land was guy, called by others as DAMN. You would think his name is rude, but he loved it, so did people of the village. He is real player. For the next one I’ll use just her name do describe her. Her name is Kind. Go figure out by yourself. Last one, dearest to little boy, is girl called Inspiration. Well, her name was Movie, but little boy called her Inspiration. She made little boy think, a lot. They talked, a lot and about everything. She is one of Nerd Team members. Little boy thought of her as an awesome friend.

For next team I’ll explain to you, welcoming nation. Nation of imaginary land. Little boy went to their land to find himself. Biggest and smartest man in this land was also our host and head of elders of the village. His name was Charming Jesus. Why Jesus? Well, he had hair same as Jesus. Why Charming? That’s kinda self explanatory. He is the brain, the fun, the man. One of people that little boy was most impressed by. His right arm, also part of elders of the village, was boy called Funny. I called him Girly Hands. He is funny, friendly, and had girly hands. That was enough for him to enter Nerd Team. He brought with him his friend. His name was Sister. I know, I know. That’s not name for a man. Story of his name is known by small number of people. Maybe it’s for the best to stay that way. Sister was a good friend to little boy, almost like a brother, that’s why he was consider as one of the best Nerd Team members. Representation of girls power from their land is girl called Spanish. Little boy learnt a lot from her. She made him understand ways of their land, language and culture.

There was two lonely wolves in this journey. One came from island land, one from east Asia. His name represented his background. Lonely Wolf. That was his name. He represented his island and nation in a way that amazed little boy. He is true prince of island land. And other lonely wolf was a girl. Her name is Haka. She is really funny, and she danced haka. She is amazing companion. Little boy trusted her with his life when he was blind.

Last team was little boys team, little boys nation. They are as crazy as it can be. They won all the fights and debates. They are good representation of land of crazy. Leader of this team was a girl, little girl from far east of the land of crazy. She was strong and gentle at the same time. Her name was Voice. Wonder why? If you heard her voice, you would think angels came for you. Her team mate from the north of little boys land was really smart. Can you guess what’s her name? Yeah, it is Smart. She was articulate like no other. I wish you not to go in fight with her, because she got arguments for everything. She is real gold. Last two of the team, besides little boy, are once that left biggest changes on him. First one, his friend, his companion, was strange boy. He was clever, funny, chill… He’s name is Storyteller. He is one of little boys best friends, even before this journey. Now even closer friend. Storyteller has 8 cats and he is in need for love, that’s why Nerd Team accepted him as one of them. Last one on the team was beautiful girl that hugged little boy like no other. Her name was Love. Little boy had his one name for her. He called her Little Girl, because they were so similar. She entered his head, heart and thoughts. She did not leave them yet. Little boy did his best not to fall in love as hard as stone from the cliff. He failed. But Little Girl made him happier than anything, so he didn’t mind that. Hearts of both of them still wander together through the galaxy. Grateful for having each other. They are last teammates of ultimate epic cool Nerd Team.

Those people, from all the lands, made little boy happier than ever before. Did he find missing piece from his soul? He doesn’t know. All he knows is that he found motivation to change something about it. He realized that he is missing something and that he can change it. Little boy got strength of all the people and all the lands. He will search for meaning, hope and future with smile on his face. Because he knows his friends are with him in his heart!

Love you all,

Denis.