Cheerful Thursday. In these interesting and shifting times, I am writing to you from Ytterjärna, where the YIP community has settled again after the Outpost in Scotland and the International Internships. Nature and the land around us are slowly transitioning into spring season, wavering between chilly early spring days and sunlit blue skies. I am excited for the abundance of tulips, little flowers and greens that are ready to sprout, for the life and joy of this blossoming season …

Greetings from Ytterjarna.

As the Yippies travel across the world to meet their internships in Brasil, Canada, Egypt, Nepal, the Phillipines, the USA and Zimbabwe, the organizing team returns our beautiful campus in Sweden.

For the Yippies its a time of expanding horizions, learning about new organizations, and practicing new ways of working and being.

Here in the Findhorn Foundation eco-village on the sea coast of Scotland we have been adjusting to new and old rhythms, finding our way.

We wander through permaculture inspired gardens and witness the interplay between colossal cabbage leaves, shy rose buds, brave tulips, and root vegetables ready to be picked.

Cheerful December. As the first frost blankets the Isle of Hoy, YIP 12 is finishing the Personal Awareness Block and transitioning into winter break. We say goodbye to our neighbours, the shy sheep and fuzzy cows. We embark on lingering last walks…

Dear friends of YIP,

Can you believe that it’s only a month ago since you read our previous newsletter? Meanwhile, the seasons have changed and so we enter the next chapter of YIP. After seven weeks of Global Realities, YIP and the Yippies now turn inwards for the next course block on Personal Awareness…

Dear friends of YIP,

Happy Wednesday. I am writing you from the Hive in Ytterjärna, where nature is treating us with vivid yellows, oranges and reds, where the fjord greets us on misty mornings and the days are slowly getting shorter.

Dear friends of YIP,

We all arrived with a bag
We all leave with a bag
Some travel light
Some stuff suitcases
of clothes, books, memories,
bottles of tears

Dear friends of YIP,

Another month has passed since we last shared our stories with you.
I’m writing this introduction sitting at the picnic tables outside the Galley, the sun as warm as the people around me, chatting with a coffee in their hands.

Dear friends of YIP, Initiative Forum – Roots to Routes, has been and gone! Thank you to everyone who came to make this week so special. The locals here said that with your coming, or thoughts and support from far away, the sun and warmth returned, and therefore also the start of spring. We ate delicious meals outside, we sung …

Greetings from Ytterjarna as we transition into what feels like spring. The snow has melted and the sun is shinning. With the Yippies away on internships, the organizing team has been reviewing YIP11 and looking forwards to YIP12. We are excited to see the program take shape as we interview and accept the new people who will make the next YIP year …