A spectacle of orange, purple and pink colors – the sky shows its most beautiful side. Pleasant, even waves somewhere off the coast of France. On one side of the sky there is a breathtaking sunset, on the other side the full moon is rising. In the middle, a group of young people on a catamaran. From there you can hear them singing to the music and see them dancing. You can feel solidarity and gratitude.
Suddenly the music stops, everything goes quiet and everyone runs to the bow of the ship. They watch intently as two fin whales pass a good 20 meters from their boat. All you can hear now is the blowing of the fin whales. What sounds like a scene from a movie is reality. And Rahel was there. She is 20 years old and was part of the Ocean Camps.
What makes her optimistic
“Especially when I’m here in the Balkans and see how people think about sustainability, it’s hard to remain confident.” But Rahel is by no means hopeless or negative. On the contrary: there are many things that make her confident. She draws the most hope from the solidarity of her generation.
At the Ocean Camp in particular, she dealt intensively with the topic of confidence and gained courage: “You realize that you’re not alone with your worries and that you want to change something together.” A sentence that shows how Rahel thinks.
And what does she do when she lacks confidence? “Just stop and take a deep breath,” says Rahel. However, this can be difficult when the fast-paced world leaves no room for it. But this is precisely where her strength lies: recognizing when it is necessary to pause and consciously take time. Accepting that you sometimes have less hope and then taking targeted countermeasures – that’s what Rahel is all about.
What Rahel took away from the camp
Rahel has taken away experiences from the Ocean Camp that no one can take away from her. She snorkeled, gained insights into marine biology, and learned exciting things about Polynesian sailing with catamarans and their culture and traditions.
Meditation and yoga were part of her everyday life during her time at the camp. These practices not only helped her to calm down, but also to develop a better sense of when she needed a break and how to consciously organize it.
Above all, she has grown in her mindfulness – not only towards her surroundings and her fellow human beings, but especially towards herself. The question “How do you simply switch off?” was a recurring theme for her.
Another lesson Rahel took with her was her deep connection to nature. She sat on the Vaka at night, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and the endless expanse of the starry sky. “At that moment, the wind felt like a big hug.” Rahel felt small and insignificant at the same time, but also “somehow special and important” because she was able to experience this exact moment.
What does Rahel do with the knowledge from the camp?
Rahel now writes regularly in her diary. “It helps me to gain clarity and process my experiences,” she says. Yoga continues to be an important part of her life, as does consciously setting achievable goals and listening to her inner voice.
Together with other camp participants, Rahel now wants to record her experiences in a book to accompany the Vaka. Among other things, she plans to collect recipes that can be cooked on board.
Above all, however, the camp has taught her how important it is to share experiences with like-minded people. This exchange always gives her new strength and hope, because she realizes that she is not fighting alone.
What can you learn from Rahel?
Rahel is inspiring because she radiates confidence in times of crisis. Her advice on how to get through times when you have little hope is particularly valuable. But the realization that it is completely okay to have these phases is also what makes her message so special. “Because it’s completely normal to have these phases. But the important thing is how you deal with them,” says Rahel.
