YEP Reunion 2011 – Day 2

Following the tradition of Selection Camps, the second day of the reunion camp also started with a morning exercise. At 6.30 we reluctantly crept out of our warm sleeping bags and were greeted by a cold gust of fresh alpine air… Setting off at 7 from the camp site, we made our way up the steep slopes, into the forest and over bridges for a refreshing jog. For those of us from countries with level terrain or at lower sea levels, the run was extremely tiring…

After a simple breakfast of bread, muesli and tea as well as a warm shower, the 20 YEPs walked up to Hotel de Ville for some Act project presentations. It was great to hear from other YEPs about other successful environmental projects in other parts of the world: Inspiring each of us to go back to our own communities to do our part for the environment.

A major aim of the Reunion Camp is to plan and implement new Pangaea Act projects around the world. Thus we shared our ideas about a new Green Wave project, that YEPs from every continent can take part in. This lead on perfectly to a presentation made by Nespresso about ecolaboration and their experiences with Mike on the Pangaea. It is fantastic to have a company supporting the Young Explorers Program that is so passionate about creating a sustainable future. The Young Explorers are thoroughly looking forward to collaborate with Nespresso…

This rewarding and fun day was completed with a 45min walk to a farmhouse. The trek up the steep slope was throughly rewarding: the view from the top of the mountain, looking into a breath-taking valley and rocky peaks in the distance, was worth all the effort. At the farmhouse we were pleasantly surprised by a tour of the dairy farm, the production of cheese and of course the cheese tasting. Eating home-made cheese on a mountain is not comparable to eating Swiss cheese bought from a supermarket… Spoilt by a sumptuous meal of raclette and potatoes, we were all throughly grateful to the farmer, Pipo, for his generosity