What impact has YPMM had so far on participants??

When young people travel they often return home saying they had a "life changing experience" however it is always hard to pinpoint the moments that define change within us. Over the next few months the impact of this experience will be explored with the international participants and the local communities.

Here is one story that defines a moment that impacted positively on one of the international participants.

I am a marketing student back home and this year I am an intern with an organisation that mainly deals with image, creation and advertising. As a result I am required to talk alot of the time. Being a salesman (sort of) the idea is to sell the product but most of the time people don't actually buy the salt they buy the person so the person has to be good. I get involved in alot of films and events that often involve me ordering people around. I did alot of the talking
It had got to a point where I actually did a lot of hearing but less listening as I tuned out to what other people were talking about.

For the past ten days of YPMM I had been really listening to other people. I have understood a lot. But I also realised a change had occurred within me on the 7th October in a session that was run in the sports centre.

We did an exercise where we stuck some paper on our backs and everyone had to write something positive about our feelings or thoughts of each person on their sheet of paper.

When we were finished and I looked at the paper on my back someone had written. You are an ok guy but too quiet. Wow this was a first for me. I was shocked. When I thought about it I realised how true it was. I had been really quiet. Not because I was shy but the chance to get away and have some time out had been really significant for me. For the first time in a long time I had started to listen again. A meditation at the Tent of Nations also reinforced the fact that you can learn so much through silence and you do not just have to talk to communicate.

For me this signifies a personal growth I am tuning into people more often and having more meaningful conversations. I am learning to be in the moment and to understand and be comfortable in silence. I also feel people will understand me better when I talk because I am more clear on why I choose to talk when I do.