By Katarina Vargova, Gymnázium Šrobárova
For one unforgettable week, students from across Central Europe gathered in the lakeside town of Tiszafüred for an international environmental camp that combined science, adventure, culture, and friendship into a truly life-changing experience.
Among them was a group of students from Slovakia, proudly representing Gymnázium Šrobárova in Košice. What began as a delayed train journey soon became a story filled with canoe expeditions, late-night conversations, volleyball tournaments, international friendships, and memories that would last far beyond the summer.
The Journey Begins
The Slovak group’s adventure started early in the morning at the railway station in Košice. Although their train departed nearly an hour late, spirits remained high — especially after discovering that one participant had almost overslept and barely made the train in time.
After transferring in Füzesabony and meeting students from Romania along the way, the group finally arrived in Tiszafüred, where participants from multiple countries had already begun gathering for the camp.
Despite travel delays affecting the opening schedule, the atmosphere quickly became energetic and welcoming. Students explored the town, played volleyball, swam in the summer heat, and met new people from different countries before the official opening ceremony began.
Participants were divided into international teams, ensuring that students from different nations would work, travel, and canoe together throughout the week.
Science in the Heart of Nature
The environmental focus of the camp became one of its most rewarding aspects. Students collected water samples from rivers and lakes, studied microscopic organisms, and analyzed local ecosystems through hands-on field research.
For Katarina, who had a strong interest in biology, the activities felt especially inspiring.
“I really liked it, because I am very interested in biology.”
The camp transformed scientific learning into something practical and exciting. Instead of simply reading from textbooks, students experienced nature directly — observing it, measuring it, and learning from it together.
Canoes, Rivers, and Endless Sunlight
One of the most memorable experiences was canoeing through the beautiful Hungarian landscape. For many students, including Katarina, it was their first time in a canoe.
What initially seemed difficult soon became one of the highlights of the entire trip.
The calm rivers, rich wildlife, and peaceful scenery created moments that participants would remember long after returning home. Even though some trips proved exhausting under the intense summer sun, the natural beauty made every kilometer worthwhile.
Meanwhile, volleyball became the unofficial sport of the camp, with students gathering almost every afternoon for friendly matches between activities.
The Nights Nobody Wanted to End
As evening arrived, the camp transformed completely.
Card games turned into international gatherings. Conversations lasted until sunrise. Students sang, laughed, exchanged stories, and slowly formed friendships that ignored borders and languages.
One especially memorable evening involved a visit to a nearby Hungarian disco led by Slovak group leader Joko Vrabel, whose patience and support earned enormous appreciation from the students.
While most adults might have insisted everyone return early, he stayed with the group until deep into the night, ensuring everyone remained safe while still allowing them to enjoy the experience fully.
Katarina later wrote a heartfelt thank-you message describing him simply as:
“You are great.”
The Unofficial Mascots: Mosquitos
No summer camp would be complete without a shared enemy.
For the students in Tiszafüred, that enemy came in the form of relentless mosquitos.
Despite candles, strategies, and endless attempts to escape them, the insects seemed determined to join every evening gathering.
Still, even the mosquito attacks became part of the camp’s humor and identity — another shared experience everyone would later laugh about together.
Discovering the Hortobágy Region
One of the camp’s final excursions brought students into the famous Hortobágy region, known for its traditional Hungarian culture and vast natural landscapes.
Participants visited museums, observed local animals, and explored the famous Hungarian puszta. Many students purchased traditional Hungarian whips and enthusiastically attempted to master them — fortunately without any serious accidents.
The excursion offered not only entertainment, but also a deeper understanding of Hungarian traditions and rural heritage.
The Last Evening
On the final night, the atmosphere became emotional.
A campfire was lit, scientific results were presented, and students received a small surprise: a glass of wine shared together beneath the evening sky.
Then came the farewell disco — organized largely by the Czech and Slovak students themselves — which became the perfect conclusion to the week.
For one final night, nobody wanted to think about departures.
Saying Goodbye
The next morning, the weather reflected everyone’s mood. Students exchanged addresses, promised to write letters, and said difficult goodbyes to the friends they had made in only a few short days.
Soon, trains and buses began leaving in different directions across Europe.
Exhausted after a sleepless final night, the Slovak group eventually returned to Košice — carrying with them not souvenirs, but memories.
More Than Just a Camp
What made the experience special was not only the environmental program or the activities themselves.
It was the atmosphere.
The feeling of discovering new cultures, building friendships across borders, and realizing how quickly strangers can become unforgettable parts of our lives.
For Katarina and many others, the camp in Tiszafüred became more than just a school trip.
It became a memory they would carry for years.
