Sydney Dinopol

I grew up in Manila, Philippines, where I studied at a Steiner school throughout my primary and secondary education. After graduating from high school in 2023, I decided to take a gap year and come to YIP. This decision was driven by a large feeling of not knowing what to do next, not particularly feeling pulled towards anything, and feeling like I hadn’t experienced enough of the world beyond what I knew. It felt like YIP was a place where I could experience a bit of what’s out there in the world and encounter new possibilities for the future.

To me, YIP was like coming to this place where I could be free from the cultural behaviors and ways of thinking that I grew up with or probably didn’t even know existed within me, and at the same time, a place where I could see them so clearly. I saw parts of myself that I’ve never seen, and I was seen in ways I’ve never been seen before. It gave me a chance to consciously say yes to the qualities in me that I want to grow and see those that I want to try and let go of. At YIP, my love for making food, singing, and working with my hands found a place to be.

I’m quite excited to see another YIP year and another cycle of the seasons in Sweden – from a different role and through a different group. And I look forward to living YIP again – through its highs, lows and alrights; to cooking with Yippies; working in the garden; singing; and to supporting the group and the team in all the ways that I can.