Christmas is here!

Dear friends, beautiful strangers, accidental wanderers, warm-hearted beings, and all of you! May this time, whether you celebrate it or not, be soft and cosy, filling your hearts with joy and peace. Let your dreams unfold and bloom, and have courage to make steps toward them. Trust in yourself, because you can do more, than you thing. Give yourself love and patience. Listen to yourself. And set of for an adventure. Yes, going abroad is scary, it's also quite a big think, but if you fall, we will catch you.

Lot's of love and big hugs from dream team,

Agnes, Jorge & Emile

Step 4: On-Arrival Training

On-Arrival Training in general: 

 

The main objective of the on-arrival training is to introduce the volunteers to the host country,  preparing them for the service period and the EVS experience. On-arrival training helps the volunteers adapt to cultural and personal challenges. It allows volunteers to get to know each other and to build a network. Volunteers also received guidance on conflict prevention and crisis management. At the same time, this training equips the volunteers with communication skills, including aspects of intercultural learning. It helps them become aware that cultural differences require different models of behaviour. The training is also a time for the volunteers to plan the coming months and to develop their own personal goals for their period of service, in line with the non-formal learning philosophy of EVS.

(Source: description of one of the projects on SALTO-YOUTH) 

It happens once, most likely somewhere on the beginning of your stay. It depends of the country (or region, as the best of my knowledge some partners countries like Turkey have their OAT with other countries in Georgia - or they had when I worked in Youth Centre in Turkey, so basically you may be surprised of the place where your training is organized, don't worry though - they'll have it covered)... So it depends of the country, but they will take care of you. By 'they' we mean National Agency of your host country. 

To not bore you to death, our training was in Braga, 9-14.11.2015, in more or less 6 weeks after our arrival. What I like about places like that is... first evening you meet all those people from different countries, is a little bit awkward, maybe uncomfortable, you're strangers one to another. But by the end, whether or not you gonna ever meet again, they become a piece of your heart. And it happened this time again. So many (60!) beautiful people, 4 great trainers and very little time to sleep. A lot of activities and content to cover, all in atmosphere of creativity. We got a little bit of everything: what EVS is (or is supposed to be), communication, cultural issues, Youth Pass, exploring Braga, building network and exchanging thousand smaller and bigger things, and much much more.

As much as I love my project, it was a bit hard to go back to the reality, but from other hand, I came back with open heart and new, bright energy and ideas. And well... maybe some of those other volunteers would like to share something also with you, here.

Now, just enjoy the photos, and if you have any questions, just write them down in comments! 

Lots of love!

My volunteering experience in Estonia

Last spring, I got to go in a Youth in Action project in Estonia. I'm still wondering how could it happened, but it did. An email arrived to my inbox, asking if I was interested -silly question- and in a minute I sent my CV and motivation letter. One day later I was in the project, and two weeks after that I was in a plane going into the North.

My project was called PAPER, which stands for "Planning, Analysing, Preparing, Evaluating and Repeating (for life). It lasted one month (this means it was a short term project) and took place in Tartu, the second most populated city in Estonia, supposedly well known for its famous University.

There I joined with the people who was going to do the project with me. We formed a pack of five: Adriana and Sara, from Portugal; Grega and Ziga, from Slovenia; and me, from Spain. We lived all together in a small village -Vana Kuuste- in the countryside near Tartu.

All of us were going to work in some of the projects that our Hosting Organisation, Öökull (which means owl in Estonian) was developing in Tartu and its district. More or less, we would working two weeks in the Lastekeskus -children centre- they have in Annelinn neighbourhood, one of the most troubled in Tartu, and another 2 weeks in a Work and Rest camp that was taking place in Kambja, a small town near our house.

But just before arrive, our HO asked us if we would like to volunteering too in an international festival that was going to take place in Viljandi (for some and my mentor Agniezska, the most beautiful city in Estonia). None of us said no to this different "meta" experience: a volunteer been a volunteer. So we all worked there too.

Our work in the child centre was pretty nice. We had to prepare the decoration and the food for their Spring Festival, which was the official closure of the year. Also, we prepared a little presentation about ourselves and what was we doing so far away from our home. As the centre was going to close for summer holidays, we did some repairing and cleaning works too.

But that wasn't all our work there. We played with the children too, even without speak a word of Estonian or Russian. Here we got some help from the workers of the centre and from our mentor Agneszka, who translated almost everything they were saying. Before we go, some of us worked in prepare a peddy paper or treasure game for them, to play during Children's Day.

Then, we moved to Viljandi for a long weekend (4 days). There took place the 35th International Hanseatic Days, where we volunteered by cleaning the main stages and streets of the festival. It was a bit difficult, for the task to do (we even hadn't the proper equipment) and for the lack of information about what we had to do. Every paper, every contract, every timetable was in Estonian, so we were "lost in translation", literally.

After that we went back to Tartu. Our new workplace was going to be the Youth Centre of Kambja, where the Work and Rest camp was. We had to prepare some activities and games for teenagers who were working in the morning in the local factory or cleaning the local graveyard. Although we had to face some communication problems and misunderstandings with the management, we got to do everything nicely and solve the problems.

I don't have the feeling we worked that much, maybe because it was only for 30 days. But the thing is that we did. Actually, I think we spend more time knowing Estonia and its culture than working. And that's good!

Thanks to our mentors, Jane, Agnieszka and Ragnar, we travelled along the country (and even abroad!) and we had the chance to live an authentic Estonian experience. They introduced us to the ritual of Estonian sauna, which I miss so much. With them we got lost into the wilderness of Estonian nature, sleeping in the forest with only the moonlight and sailing the rivers with our canoes.

I can't forget all the beers, wines, ciders and Vana Tallinn hot shots we drunk, and which introduced us to a lot of nice talks between us. They gave us almost everything we needed, translated every single word (because Estonian is one of the hardest languages to understand and learn) and tried to introduced us into the local community.

Sadly, it lasted only one month. When we wanted to realise we were there, we were already evaluating our days there. As soon as we arrived, we had to go back home. But we did it with our backpacks full of memories and teachings.

Happy Volunteer's Day!!

Tomorrow is United Nations International Volunteer's Day. A day to celebrate the spirit of people who gives altruistically its time, work and love to help becoming the World a better place. Like us, working here in Portugal in something that fascinate us: photography, entertainment, arts & crafts, culture, education and communication.

Congratulations if you are a volunteer!! Thank you very much for your amazing work, wherever you are and whatever you do. We all are changing everything, by doing little works everywhere we are.

Congratulations too if you are thinking you become a volunteer. Come on, don't be shy; just take the step. You can volunteer almost in any field you want. For example, this year the UN International Volunteer's Day is dedicated to those who promote sustainable development between citizens and governments. That's my case: in Spain (and I guess everywhere too) I'm a volunteer promoting the use and the improve of public transit systems.

Your help is very welcome in everything to decide to do. If you know something, share your knowledge. If you are talkative, share your conversation. Or simply, if you are a happy person, just share your smile. 

I'm not going to lie: it can be difficult sometimes. You may have to stand there during good situations and also during the bad ones. You may have to support people which may have lost everything and they need to rebuild their entire life. You may find very hard stories.

Anyway, that's nothing to be scared about! Being a volunteer is, above all, very satisfying. You will learn a lot, sometimes will be for your career, but most of the times for your life. Also, you will meet inspiring and interesting people, who will open your head and heart. Don't forget all the good memories you will get: volunteering is also about have fun doing a thing you love.

And the most important: you will be part of an amazing experience which is going to change your life. Maybe you won't realise at the beginning, but anything is going to be the same after you start volunteering.

Never forget: a little effort can do a big change.