DC - no not like the comics

Besides trying to get the entire American experience to fit into one week (burgers, hot dogs, pop tarts, baseball game, monuments, etc) which was impossible by the way, we did some learning too.

We were initially asked who was interested in studying business; one out of 14 raised her hand. We were then asked what we wished to pursue; biologists, music teachers, international affairs majors, chemical engineers, lawyers, let’s not forget presidents… We were asked the same question at the end of the course, more people raised their hands this time, lastly who has to seriously reconsider their career path, I think we all raised our hands. It only took one week to become interested in a study that for most was a completely new direction. Then of course it was easy to fall in love with it because of what it had at its core, societal impact. Although we found we’re all driven by different values, we all want to make a difference in our own way.

So I think a great takeaway would be, for one not to be too stuck in their own cast of mind and breach outside their comfort zone once in a while. Being adamant about something without accepting another point of view can counter learning and personal growth.

(Also learnt: When on the subway & someone says “we're getting down in two stops”, that means on the second one, not two stops further)

It took 2 flights, a 3 hour stop and a lot of patience to get to the US, approximate 20 and a half hour journey. But all the minor inconveniences at the airport, between Special Security and Visa checks, and the long hours were all worth it in the end because our experience with this program was completely and totally remarkable.

*WARNING: THIS IS ABOUT TO GET EXTREMELY SENTIMENTAL AND CHEESY, SO READ AT OWN RISK*

It’s a shame to think I wouldn’t have learnt all I did if not for this program and wouldn’t have met the people I did. We got to work with incredible individuals who guided us through our journey both figuratively and literally. I’d like to thank them for their hard work, patience, kindness and commitment to us. And to my friends, I’d like to thank them for being amazing and for captivating me with their questionable humor, unbelievable weirdness and spectacular energy. I was inspired by them; some were outstanding in the physical world, others in the intellectual and others in the spiritual; but one thing they all had in common was a kind heart, thank you for accepting and embracing my weird personality and quirks. I will always cherish the memories we shared, I hope you will excel in everything you do just as you did at the program.

All my love,

Lia xx

                          

Memories Of D.C.

Ten days at Washington D.C. was an unique experience about studying, travelling, learning about different cultures and establishing new friendships.

In my time during the program, I learned many things about entrepreneurship, teamwork, communication and especially American culture.

The lectures were really informative and fun. We presented our presentations and learned about other famous social ventures and entrepreneurs. They separated us into four groups and every single group had a project to work on. Our project was ''Safe Space''. We created a cafe where people can discuss their problems and learn about self-improvement.

Another good thing about this program was making new friends. It was my first time meeting with Greek-Cypriots and this was an unique opportunity.

But the best part was being in Washington D.C., the heart of United States of America and American culture. I have done many things there that I have never done before in my life like eating american style hot dogs, eating burritos , watching a match of a baseball game and visiting the famous monuments those I always see on movies.


It was ten legendary days of my life and I will never forget these ten days.

-Erol Kahraman

One of the Best Experiences In My Life

My time at United States with 13 great people was truly incredible. We all had great time and unforgettable memories. A moment that I will never forget is how the fire alarm started ringing when I was almost ready to sleep. It was scary, but I have a smile on my face when I’m writing about it.

The seminars and the lectures that we had with Professor Stuart Levy were really inspiring for me. I learnt what social entrepreneurship is and how to start your own company. The reason why I got inspired is because I never thought that timing is important to create your own business. At the end of the week, we had a final group project which we had to prepare, and it was the first time that I enjoyed working on a group project.

The places that we visited were all remarkable. We went to many places and I really enjoyed all of them but two of the places really touched my heart which were Newseum and Peace Players International. Newseum was a museum about journalism and as I was walking through the museum, I was getting more and more emotional because my parents are also journalists and i realised how hard being a journalist is, and how hard it is to capture a moment. Our visit to Peace Players International changed my perspective about sports. I never thought that sports can change so many teens’ opinion. We watched a video about two girls, which were from countries that are in a conflict and they had to chance to get along because of the Peace Players.

I want to end this by pointing out that it was an experience which helped me to develop myself in many ways.
-Ilke

A Trip To Remember

Traveling to the USA had always been a dream of mine and I am very thankful I achieved that aspiration whilst creating new friendships, meeting new people and accessing the plethora of knowledge the USA has to provide. This was certainly my most unforgettable experience! 

Despite our limited time there, we visited so many interesting places such as the Lincoln Memorial, taking pictures with the big guy, the higly anticipated on my behalf the Smithsonian museum departments of American History and Air and Space, my favourite museum - the Newseum and a mesmerising gallery.

An experience I most remisce was on our first full day where we embarked on a journey of trust, participation and cooperation amongst each other through some very fun games involving blindfolds, rope and balance. It was so much fun learning from and about each other and I firmly believe that those activities established friendships! Another most memorable incident was a wrongly heated poptart in a microwave that sent everyone in a fit of frenzy at a weekday’s midnight. Despite the confusion, fear and chaos of that hour we got to meet other pre college students realising their academic interests. 

There are a few things I have learned in this trip - both inside and outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, I have learned that there are so many different ways to help people and improve their lifestyle by providing them the resources to sustain themselves (infinitely better than being given everything). I have learned the value and importance of trust and cooperation with each other and mingling our ideas together to create the perfect model for anything - business, brand etc. Outside of the classroom - I have

 learned more on the states’ overall culture. I have also realised - something which should not have been a shock but actually is - how so very alike all of us are with each other no matter which side of the island we were born in. 

Being with some amazing people has taught me more about Cyprus, its variable inhabitants and everything bigoted that was ingrained in us since birth. This program helped open up my eyes to new people, new prospects, new lifepaths and new friendships. I am forever grateful that I was granted this opportunity and will eternally hold it dear. 

Andreana xx

I mean, THAT is a trip to remember!!

      The "Cyprus Summer Youth Entrepreneurship Institute" program was an utterly beneficial experience, regarding both the personal (alongside the social), and the educational background, through which I was developed as a person, and managed to evolve a vast variety of skills.
     It would be my great omission not to pertain to the capacious impact the super-positive atmosphere that surrounded me had not only on my mood, but also on my performance. I must confess that from the moment I entered the campus, I was absolutely fascinated by the boundless vibes of positivity that the locals have been transmitting consecutively throughout our stay. Their benevolence and energy would automatically make me happier and more energetic without me even realizing! But most importantly, I got to experience that a positive environment can make each day less tiring and more productive, something proven beneficial on both people individually, and the community in a general level. Considering the great way this mentality influenced me, I am definitely going to promote it to the Cypriot community, as it will certainly change peoples' lives for the best!
     I should also admit that my experience in this program contributed in altering my prospective when it comes to certain values, such as cooperation. As a person who scarcely belongs to a team, I considered working by myself a fundamental factor to a successful project. Well, these seminars managed to convince me that the opposite holds true. Many times, I found myself in a position where I had to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal. I had to share. I had to communicate. I had to trust my team. And I am so pleased to say I did not regret it, because not only did I have a great time being interactive and creative with them, but the results were way better too! Ultimately, celebrating an achievement with a team is certainly more pleasant than celebrating alone, thus I aspire to experience it as much as I can!
     This program constitutes a life changing experience, giving anyone the chance to comprehend the importance of numerous values, such as cooperation and diversity, attend a series of introductory seminars to the world of social businesses, and, of course, meet the American society! Who wouldn't wanna do that?! I mean, THAT is a trip to remember!!

 Andy.

   The trip to Washington DC was awesome, from the moment we met at the airport i was sure that we were going to have a great time.

 Time confirmed my feeling as the group bonded through exploring Virginia and learning about being on time. USA lived up to the hipe as it is a place where cultures unite from all over the world to form a unique culture on its own which can be a great example for us. The classes at the GW University were a great opportunity for us to cooperate and learn about entrepreneurship that is lacking in Cyprus. By being away from the country that constantly reminds us our differences, we were able to find our similarities. The thing that will stay with me from this trip is how much i evolved as e person by just changing my perspective. I have some great memories and stories from this trip that im sure that i won't forget. I hope that we will be able to preserve the friendships that we formed. 

Living and Learning: 10 days in Washington D.C.

This might sound sentimental or cliché, but finding the correct words to reflect on this experience has never been so difficult. The ten days spent at Washington D.C. were easily the best ten days of my life; truthfully, was more than just a thought, but a feeling. My ten days in Summer Institute introduced me to a plethora of new experiences, both academic and social.

Our schedule was packed with a wide range of unique activities. At GW, I was exposed to a field that I might never have gained exposure to until I was working in the real world: Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship. We had the chance to explore and examine the main components of creating, developing, sustaining and leading a new social venture. Rolling up our sleeves and developing our own social venture idea in teams was a transformative experience. Having to work closely with my peers in the classroom pushed me to step up my leadership and communication skills while simultaneously keeping up with rigorous coursework. Prof. Stuart Levy who brought his positive energy and dedication into the classroom every single day made our classes even more engaging and exceptional.

Besides the classes, we visited multiple places. Among these places, two of them really stood up from the rest with their lasting impact on me. First one is the Halcyon House, which is also referred to as “Incubator”. In this incubator we met with Mike Malloy . During his speech he mentioned that their aim is to give more, not to give back because to “give back” could be objectionable to some of us as it implies that we have previously “taken something”. Furthermore, Halcyon opened so many doors to diverse groups of change makers no matter how successful their projects would be in the future. It was obvious that failure is inevitable and the most important takeaway I have learnt was to stand up and smile, and always be ready to convey passion for our bold ideas.

When I heard that former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden visited Dog Tag Bakery just one day before us I was upset that we missed them but I acknowledged that there should have 
been something special about this bakery that made Obama go there. From the outside, Dog Tag Bakery seemed like a typical pastry and coffee shop. But when we stepped inside, I quickly realized that this cafe was offering more than a hot cup of joe. Dog Tag Bakery’s mission was to offer an ecosystem of living business school and hands-on experience to veterans and military families once their service uniform comes off for good. After having a look inside the bakery we were lucky enough to have the chance of having conversation with veterans, all of whom made tremendous sacrifices in service to their nation. They all said that for so long, they just followed the orders of the nation but now they wake up one day and get to do whatever they want to do. 

In conclusion, while I'm beginning to miss waking up to such a breathtaking campus, I find myself appreciating the smaller moments shared among friends and classmates the most. GW Cyprus Youth Summer Institute is truly an invaluable, once-in-a-life-time experience . It has claimed its place in my heart and will do so for a good long while. 

Tugce, 2J :)

A Trip to D.C

It’s obvious that learning is a non-ending process starting from birth to death. The opportunity in Washington D.C give me an unforgettable experience.

Initially, we were thought some key points about how to make a social business plan. While doing presentations it gave me great pleasure to share my ideas with peers. We could come to a conclusion more easily comparing with the individual work. When we were working as groups, our group’s presentation topic was ‘Cleanfest’ and we shared the topic into the group members. By doing this we were able to finish our presentation more easily and efficiently. It was a bicommunal program and I worked with the students from the south part of the Cyprus which was so surprising and exciting for me to work with them in a friendly atmosphere. And at the end of the course we became real friends.

 

Moreover, America has always been my dream country to visit. I was born and grew up on a small island and visiting a huge country like America has always been my destination. When I went to Washington D.C, firstly I was impressed by the beauty of the environment with lots of trees around. During my stay in Washington we visited many places like monuments and museums. I really liked the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and I could imagine the animals I saw with a great interest in the documentaries and movies. I am so happy and satisfied with the visit to Washington it was the biggest experience for me and the first step to fulfill my dreams.

-Mert