O testemunho do Nicolò

"Well ... how did I get here?" the Talking Heads sang in Once in a Lifetime, and it's basically how I felt lately, my life has changed so quickly that I did not even have time to think.

Hi, I’m Nico, 27 years old, from a really small town in northern Italy, I consider myself mainly a musician even though I have had many different jobs in my life cause unfortunately music does not pay bills. 

After a 1-year volunteering program in Mozambique i returned to Italy and immediately realized that something was wrong, something was missing and the time only confirmed the need to change and live again that feeling of confusion that accompanies living unknown situations. Lisbon immediately seemed a good choice, I already knew Portuguese and after having lived 26 years in the countryside in Italy plus 1 year in a small village in Africa my desire was to experience life in a European city so within a couple of weeks I chose an EVS project, took part in the interview and after a while I was traveling to Lisbon.

This happened 2 months and a half ago (as usual I’m late) and since the first days i immediately fell in love with this city, a really multi-cultural environment, music, art, lot of concerts and events… I practically found everything I was looking for when I applied for the EVS

The theme and the direction of the project in which I participate with Spin is very similar to the one in which I participated in Mozambique, in that case I was in a school, here in a library in Bairro Padre Cruz, a working-class neighbourhood really far from the centre of Lisbon, the main part consist in a lot of cultural activities with children and maintenance of shared computers.

I spent the first month, as expected, trying to find my role in the library, understand the city and struggling with the Lisbon accent but as time pass everything started to stabilize a bit, in July the summer activities with the children began so every Tuesday I have to organize a music-related activity like dance games or how to built rudimental musical instruments, in the meantime, with the staff, we started to plan a free basic digital literacy course for the people living in the bairro which will most likely take place in October, this will give me the opportunity to stay in contact with the community even more!

So, after these two months, I feel very lucky to have an opportunity like this. Hope for the best in the future with new and exciting projects!

O testemunho da Nerea

And it’s been two months since I arrived to Lisbon… This adventure began back in May and I, Nerea, am the protagonist. I come from Valencia (Spain), a beautiful land bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, full of light, gunpowder and sound. I’m 24 years old and I’m a young biologist, a nature and bird lover. 

 Rio Douro ao seu passo por Miranda do Douro, durante o trabalho de campo com SPEA

In May I found a EVS vacancy in Lisbon to collaborate with the Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, an environmental NGO dedicated to the protection and conservation of wildlife birds. Very excited to work in an association that defends these natural values, I put all my efforts to get that vacancy. With just two weeks in advance they chose me and I accepted without thinking. On June 1, I was on a plane whose destination was LISBOA.

New goals, both professional and personal, made their way when I arrived to Lisbon for the first time. Although also fears and insecurities. The first days were a little harder: I felt out of place, I missed my city, my home, my family… With the passing of days all this was disappearing and I was finding a thousand and one new things and reasons to enjoy this great experience. 

  Pratos típicos de Portugal: sardinhas assadas e bacalhau à brás

I didn’t know much about Lisbon or Portugal; I had only been in Portugal on one occasion. And it could be said that it was love at first sight. The city has an incredible charm. During these two months I have had time to know many places and enjoy the city. And not only the city, the history behind each monument, the art on the street, the fado, the traditional food, and so many things that captive you. Being in SPEA has also allowed me to know other regions of this beautiful country. During these months I visited the northern area of Portugal and I have been doing field work in Miranda do Douro and surroundings. I have also visited Seville, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, and Malaga and reconnect with friends that I had not seen for a long time. A childhood friend also came to visit me for a few days and, in a couple of days, my family will come to enjoy the holidays with me for a week in this awesome city. 

  Foto na escultura do artista Bordalo II de Cais de Sodré / Visita da minha amiga da infância 

The city isn’t the only good things about this experience. I have met very “fixe” people, as the Portuguese say. Flatmates or workmates, other EVS or other Spaniards, who temporarily or not live in Lisbon. A special mention to my workmate and EVS friend Alicia, companion of battles and adventures during these two intense months.

                           Foto com outras EVS, Alicia e Esra, uma noite por Bairro Alto / No Miradouro das Portas do Sol, aproveitando o                                                                                                 tour que um amigo espanhol fez antes de sair da cidade

So, after these two months, I feel very lucky to be able to live and experience like this. I really want to squeeze the months until I leave Lisbon, continue learning Portuguese, meet people, soak up everything I do in SPEA and continue discovering the culture and magic of Portugal. 

                 No Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, conhecendo a cidade / Praça de Espanha, um dos pontos mais emblemáticos da                                                   cidade de Seville

O testemunho do Sébastien

After 11 months it’s time to make the bilan of my EVS. 

In september when I arrived in Lisbon I didn’t know what will really happen to me. I had learn I was selected to the EVS in Lisbon 10 days before to come. I left France quickly and everythings were going faster. It was the first time I will leave in an other country.  I knew nobody in Lisbon, I didn’t speak any Portuguese words and my English was bad. It was a year rich of emotions. I met many news persons and share a lot of cool moments with them. I hope to stay in contact with some of them. I will try to come back in Lisbon in few months to visit them. 

 I also created a new daily life. I restart to play football often during this year, I discover surf and spend a lot of time to different nice place in my district or in the city in general. I visited  many museums and monuments. I discover the portuguese culture. I took part of many events. 

Lisbon is a wonderfull city. So beautifull, with a particular soul and a rich history. Portuguese people are very nice, kind, simple and welcoming. I loved the sweetness of life. 

I felt me well in Lisbon and I realise my adaptabily in a different context. I know me better and I think I learn a lot personaly. 

It was also very interesting to participate to the project of Boutique Da Cultura. Open the “Livraria Solidaria de Carnide” was a very good experience profesionaly and humanly. I worked with my partner José, a volunteer from Spain, and we were included in a large team. The result of our work is fantastic and we share this experience all together. 

At the end I’m very happy to have participated to this EVS. 

I’m proud of all things that I realise from september until now. I’m a little bit desapointed to finish this adventure but every good thing have a end. Mine is now and I have news projects to realise in an other country and I’m impatient to do it. 

Agosto no Crescer a Cores

No ùltimo mês antecedente o encerramento de verão da creche tivemos alguns acontecimentos interesantes. Participamos numa reunião com os pais (ha uma reunião pelo menos cada 3 meses) e uma com as psicòlogas do centro de recursos psicopedagògicos da associação.

Pude esclarecer algumas dùvidas que surgiram com a minha tutora coordenante e com a organização coordenante voltamos a propor o evento de acolhida dos novos voluntarios que chegaram em junho: demos-lhes a bemvinda brindando com ginjinha.

Na semana entre julho e agosto eu e a minha colega voluntaria participamos nas colonias de ferias das crianças utentes do Centro de Recursos PsicoPedagogicos (com por volta de 10 anos de idade) nas que eu aprendi muito sobre essa idade.

De manha fomos para a piscina ao ar livre e nas tardes fizemos diferentes atividades como o arvorismo no parque da freguesia. Eles assistiram uma peça de teatro, uma sessão de cinema, puderam lanchar os bolos duma das mais antigas padarias de Lisboa, parceira da nossa associação. Organizamos uma caça ao tesouro pelos pontos mais representativos do bairro, uma aula de varias danças, e eles tiveram uns espaços de tempo para jogos de tabuleiro.

Jà que eles tem uns pequenos problemas de atenção e agresividade, tambèm reservamos alguns minutos ao dia para o relaxamento e foco na respiração.

O dia 5 de agosto participamos, com as minha colegas, à festa do migrante do bairro ao lado do nosso, no que a nossa associação desenvolve atividades de integração social para a melhora da qualidade da vida e da convivência entre as diferentes etnias.

A maioria dos habitantes vem de Cabo Verde e do Brasil. Escutamos mùsica tradicional, a Morna, similar ao fado português, e comimos comida tìpica, a cachupa, de Cabo Verde, com feijões, gordura de porco e molho.

O evento contou com a presença do presidente da Junta de Freguesia de Carnide (da que fazem parte o Bairro Padre Cruz e o Bairro Horta Nova) e um Vereador/Eurodeputado da Camara Municipal de Lisboa e foi organizado pelo Grupo de Acção Comunitaria, associação parceira da nossa.

A ùltima semana celebramos o aniversàrio da minha colega voluntaria e levamos comida tipica dos nossos paìses para almoçar com as outras colegas da creche. Comimos bolos, dançamos e cantamos.

Atè setembro!