map around

Aims of the tool

1. To get to know each other.
2. To learn more about participant's countries and cultures.
3. To improve and observe the group dynamic.
4. To entertain participants.
5. To get to know the project venue.

Description of the tool

Before the game each participant to write on a small paper one interesting fact about his/her country, which is typical, but not so easy to guess.

Ask the participants to create a map of the world/Europe. After they settle down and say hello to each other put all small papers with interesting facts into basket and ask each participant to pick one paper. Then asked them to find out by asking Yes/No questions which country is decribed on their paper and let them travel to the new countries. If the group is very creative you can ask them not to use verbal comunication and not to show the papers. As soon as they find proper new countries make a short presentation of participant's learnings.
Next step is to give the participants in new groups some tasks, which includes discovering the local sourrundings and preparation of some sketch or presentation of the new country.

This excercise aims to integrate the group and to increase participants intercultural learning process as well as to show how they percive each others cultures.