Poi balls, flyers and contact juggling: one hour in Porto career fair.

Picture it. First sunny and warm day in almost a month. Blue sky, birds tweeting, and grass calling you to lay down over it and sunbathe. It was a perfect spring day, to enjoy. And I don't have any better idea than go "working". But it was worthy: you already know that 'working', here, equals to 'fun'.

A couple of weeks ago, our association attended to a career fair, Qualifica, which took place at Porto Exhibition Center. We went there to promote our activities and, especially, our work as sending organization for the European Volunteer Service.

Attending to this event had three great advantages: first, learning some handmade and DIY crafts; second, knowing some places of Porto we never have been before (as, for example, the port; you never know if it can be useful some day); and third, we wouldn't need to pay for our trip back to Arcos (Agnes, Emile and me were traveling around Portugal during that weekend, and it was something important for our economy).

All three of us, Agnes, Emile and me, were there, plus Hélder, our coordinator friend, and Anita, a collegue & friend from the Youth Center. Our work was easy: just do something within the IPDJ -Portuguese Institute for Youth and Sport- stand, during one hour (or so). This had sense, because IPDJ takes care about volunteering in Portugal, as well of the EVS program.

What we planned for that "something" we had to do? To give away some homemade 'poi' balls, out of bird food, baloons, crepe paper and strings. We were making them 'live', there, on the space they gave us. Everyone could learn how to do it, but they mostly prefer to come and choose their favourite colors for their ball.

Also, we were delivering some flyers with information about EVS, which, if you didn't know yet, it's a great way to improve your career and, above all, broad your live. That's why we were in a career fair: EVS is a great experience in every way, and it's good for them to know they have this chance when they need it.

Emile and me were handling the flyers to the people, and explaining them how are we doing as European volunteers in Portugal. I've never done this kind of work before and, being the first time, I think I did it quite good. At least, some of the people seemed to be interested in do EVS too.

Besides, Emile brought his contact juggling apparel and he perform some tricks for all the presents. Everybody who passed by the corridor stared there to look him perform, enchanted, while discussing whether he was touching the ball or he had an invisible string between his hands.

I have to say that our spot maybe wasn't the best, but our will it was! People were seeing our smiles, despite, we didn't had much energy after the weekend. And we gave to all of them the best of us, in order to contagiate them with our spirit, during the hour and a half we were there.

Lately, and especially since Agnes published this video, some people is telling me how pleased and happy we seem to be here in Arcos. And I can tell you it's exactly like that (and not a video effect): I feel happy, glad, pleased, lucky, and still excited with this adventure. That's the spirit; it's that strong that you can feel it.

If you are jeleous of how fun look Hélder and Anita in the pictures, I have good news for you: it's really easy to do! Do you remember the materials you need? I remind you: bird seeds, baloons, crepe paper, strings/thread, scissor and tape.

1.  Fill a balloon with bird seeds until you have something slightly smaller than a tennis ball, then tie it. 
2. Cut another ballon, and cover the ball with it. 
3. Prepare three ribbons of crepe paper, with the colors you want, and stick them to the knot of the ball with tape. 
4. Cut a piece of string, tie one end to the knot, and do a loop in the other end, so you can hold the 'poi' with your fingers. Knot it to the string and you are done!