At the LAKMA conference last year, I was lucky enough to win one special prize in the lottery – an invitation to the SOL Summer Retreat in Sremski Karlovci, Serbia. During the Retreat, I realised that it was not only a lucky coincidence but also one of those opportunities that life unexpectedly offers you.
On August 9-16, I found myself in a group of 26 colleagues from 12 countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Lithuania. Where else could you find this kind of intercultural mix in one place? Perhaps only at the SOL Summer Retreat.
Life during the Retreat was intensive and communal. From morning yoga sessions before breakfast to evening social gatherings, we shared the experience fully, with a good balance of structured sessions and free time. Mornings were led by internationally renowned trainer Thom Jones, while afternoons combined workshops, excursions, collaborative activities and time to unwind. Evenings were reserved for socialising, including, as I soon understood, the traditional and much-loved International Evening, where participants shared and celebrated their cultures together. In fact, I felt that celebration all through my stay there.
I came back home with experiences and feelings I had never had before – and with plenty of food for thought.
I would sincerely recommend finding the time – and whatever else it takes 🙂 – to have an experience like this yourself. You can visit the SOL website https://www.sol.org.uk/ or contact Sanja Čonjagić, European Manager, at sanja@sol.org.uk for more information.
