It all started with this message.

You are overcome with a mix of contradictory emotions as if you were driving on a highway and suddenly a truck overtakes your car. In the beginning, it was all about adrenaline (since we haven’t been travelling for a long time because of the pandemic), then you’ll make space for happiness, bliss and frenzy, as well as anxiety and a bit of a panic. Will my teenage children be capable of staying alone for six days, I repeat six days, without setting the house on fire?

At the same time, a thousand thoughts came to my mind, as it usually happens. Jordan, Petra, the Arabic world, the Dead Sea. Will I ever have the same chance? Another culture, a great learning opportunity, new friendships becoming stronger. I started thinking I would turn 16 again when I used to leave for a field trip. Food.

I am aware of that.

My brain is an entangled yarn; feelings and thoughts are inextricably intertwined; when I am happy, I cannot correctly manage everything that comes to my mind.

Then everything is finally ready. We’re ready to leave.

After a long journey filled with expectations, we arrived tired on the shores of the Dead Sea. Tomorrow will be a wonderful day.

The hotel we are staying at is a triumph of colours, smells, and sounds. All the people are incredibly kind and condescending. After a dive in the Dead Sea and a regenerating meal, we get to know the training programme.

We become aware that the experience will be both tiring and kaleidoscopic at the same time!

Our inner growth has just started, our cultural baggage becomes richer, we turn into better and more beautiful people, we learn to rely on each other, and we give and receive strong emotions.

Jordan is a beautiful country, and our Winter Camp was a wonderful experience; I created relationships that I am sure will stay strong in time.

It is not easy to describe what this experience gave to me, but I am sure I left a piece of my heart there.

Francesca