In May 2024, Proactive Network gave us the chance to take part in the Terra Viva training course in Peñalba de Santiago — a tiny mountain village in the El Bierzo region of Spain. What started as an Erasmus+ trip quickly became one of those experiences you remember because of the people, the place and everything that happened in between.
My friend and I travelled to Spain as participants sent by Proactive Network. Our destination was Peñalba de Santiago, a medieval village surrounded by mountains and nature. We stayed in rural houses right in the village, which made the whole experience feel very different from a typical training course in a city. The location itself was part of the project — a real example of how entrepreneurship, tourism and community initiatives can help bring life and new opportunities to rural areas.
The project, Terra Viva, was focused on social entrepreneurship and the future of rural communities. During the week, we explored how young people can become more active in their communities, how entrepreneurship can work outside big cities, and how youth workers can use new methods to support local ideas and initiatives. We also talked about sustainability, active citizenship and how international cooperation can bring new inspiration to places that are struggling with depopulation.
What I liked most was that it was not just sitting in a room listening to presentations. We were sharing ideas, working together, learning from people from different countries and seeing how differently everyone approached the same challenges. The project was built around exchange, initiative and practical youth-work methods, so there was plenty of space to contribute our own experiences instead of just absorbing information.
And then there was everything outside the programme. The people were great, which honestly made the whole week. We went for walks through the surrounding mountains and forests, explored the village and even headed into town together. The infopack had already warned us that we would be living in a tiny rural village for a week — and that ended up being one of the best parts. Being away from the usual city environment made it much easier to actually spend time together, talk and get to know people properly. The programme also included time outdoors and a hike through the area.
For us, Terra Viva was a mix of learning, travelling, meeting people and experiencing a completely different part of Spain. We came back with new ideas about rural entrepreneurship and community work, but also with new friends and a lot of good memories. Without Proactive Network, we probably would never have ended up spending a week in a tiny village hidden in the Spanish mountains — and that is exactly what made the experience so special.
