Postcards from Transylvania
31 of us are participating in the Transylvanian History camp with the 10th grade students of the groups Szeged 2 and Kaposvár 2, taking place between July 14-20. The journey started well, at noon we were welcomed with pizza by the group in Szeged which made the long journey to Torockó much easier, which is the first stop of our programs.
In addition, to the two mentors, there are six junior mentors, and we will help make the programs happen in the best mood possible. Our tasks include will informing about our trips on the website, additionally, we will be hosting historical and fun quizzes, teambuilding activities and we can not wait to see the joyful conversations it will bring.
After our arrival, our camp leader, Péter Mikics described the rules of the camp and its’ diverse programs. Our hosts welcomed us with delicious dinner and comfortable rooms.
Needless to say, after taking our rooms – or more specifically, after “dropping” our luggages off – the sport loving part of the group watched the UEFA final game together.
Tomorrow we will begin our day with a hike, we will conquer the famous Székelykő (despite the hot weather), in the afternoon we will visit the castle in Torockószentgyörgy. We will visit the Torda Cleft as well as the salt mine. We can’t wait to go boating on the Red Lake, and visit the Segesvár-Berethalma fortified church. Foreseeably, the chimney cake making will be the favourite program of many campers, after that we will go around the Korond Hill by horse carriage and have lunch at local families. We will be posting on the website of our everyday adventures, in the form of postcards from Transylvania. After our long journey, everybody is feeling tired, but we can’t wait to see what the upcoming week has to offer.
On the first day of the camp, Monday morning, we hiked to the Torockószentgyörgy Castle. Although the heat and the long journey made progress difficult, most of the team persistently climbed the hill. Although only the ruins are left from the castle, this did not detract from the experience. We were presented with a picturesque view from the top of the mountain that impressed everyone. After a short rest, we agreed that the difficult journey was worth it for the beautiful view.
We arrived back at the accommodation tired, where a refreshing lunch and rest awaited us. Everyone spent their free time in their own way: some enthusiastic young people played football, others played board games, some played ping-pong or simply talked. During the afternoon, one-half of the team explored Torockó on foot, which is a village inhabited mostly by Hungarians. They toured the center of the village, where they admired the uniqueness of the local architecture and the harmonious lifestyle of the village.
The other half of the team embarked on a heroic endeavor and climbed 600 meters to the top of Székelykő. Those who completed this challenge received a certificate bearing their name in the local pub, making them honorary Szeklers. The whole day was full of experiences, and everyone was proud of their performance. In the evening, after the joint dinner, we recalled the events of the day and talked cheerfully, sharing our impressions of the tour and the village.
If every day will be as good as today, I think for many of us, the camp will be labeled as unforgettable.
Fekete Lilla és Sárközi Eszter