My first weeks of EVS in Lisbon

A few days ago, while talking with a friend of mine at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, one of my favorite places in Lisbon, she turned irritated and exclaimed:" Tiziano you have been  in Portugal for 20 days and you still make these mistakes: it's Percebo not Percebisco!!" 20 days? She was right, I arrived on 4  September and it seems like yesterday! In less than 2 days I have known all the volunteers arrived with me including my small but great roommate Enric from Spain. There are volunteers from every part of Europe: Croatia, Hungary, Italy, and many from Spain. Different people, different reasons with a great will to do something good for themselves but especially for others.

What I'm talking about? The European Voluntary Service program of the EU for theinternational mobility that allows us to get to know young people with different cultures and gain new skills and abilities useful to our personal and professional development. I was selected for a project promoted by the Associação Mãos do Mundo - Animation Social and Psychosocial Support. This year there will be many projects to be realised: visit disadvantaged people and prepare strategies to resolve their problems and give practical answers, cooperate with partners in the social network of Carnide (is a zone in the municipality of Lisbon)  organizing events and entertainment during the major festivals all through promoting new channels of communication of the Association. 

In these first days we are dealing with entertainment for children and young people in the Feira da Luz under the coordination of our tutors Mafalda and Marta. I'd like to take advantage of this post to thank them for giving me this chance and believing in me.

I obviously have fantastic collaborators, Valeria, another Italian volunteer and my first real teacher of Portuguese language. The other volunteer Giulio was here only  for a few days but I was really pleased to get to know him (don't worry, he's doing great: he just left because he had a very good job opportunity back in Italy...one of the few lucky employed …good luck!). 

Do you really believe that we only work? Naaaaaa if you want a party every night here is possible! There are concerts every night, festivals of all types, especially wonderful evenings organized by volunteers. I will always remember the party of "Bem-vindos" organized by the group of volunteers who arrived in Lisbon several months ago. Thanks guys de Rua Cidade de Cardiff!! 

Thanks to them I learned the most useful Portuguese words: PRONTO, POIS, and finally my favorite FIXE!!( Please Aneta I need your help) 

Sorry but now I have to say goodbye..I’m going to listen and feel the Lisbon autumn!

Tiziano