I made friends, but real friends. People I still meet up with and sometimes we go on trips together. But also, I saw first-hand that I have a lot in common with people who seem nothing like me. That pain isn’t just mine, that others also share it. It might sound strange, but one of the most important things I learned then was that it’s possible to have completely diverging views, but still maintain civility. For example, during the workshops I often got into conflicts with one girl. These weren’t just arguments, they were conflicts. But during the breaks, we functioned normally and we are still in touch. There are now times when she is the one standing up for me when someone attacks me on social networks.
I don’t know if you need this in your life, but this training will take you out of your comfort zone. At least it did that for me, an introvert. Being stranded for 10 days at a training (when you’re not entirely sure how it’s going to turn out) and with 20 people (none of whom you know) sounds scary to start off with. But in reality, it’s great because you discover new aspects of yourself. At no point during those 10 days were we made to sit and listen to lectures, instead we were constantly playing games and doing tasks, and then analysing them. Some things were quite painful, to be honest. There were moments I felt like my flesh was being torn from my bones. And yet, it’s a training I would gladly do all over again.