Testemunho final Giulia: Growing Together (ESC - Traineeship)

Here we go again!

Desta vez estou a escrever da minha terra, Sicilia. Vim passar o Natal com a minha família e possivelmente amigos, apesar de termos muitas restrições aqui por causa do Coronavírus.

O meu estágio IEFP e projeto do corpo europeu de solidariedade - estágio, acabou no fim de Novembro e felizmente estou ainda a continuar a trabalhar na Spin, agora como trabalhadora - técnica de Inclusão Júnior!  

Fiquei agradecida com a oportunidade dada pela associação Spin para continuar o meu percurso e trabalho que comecei em março. 

Em Outubro, Novembro, Dezembro recebemos na Spin mais voluntários CES e tivemos que dizer adeus a outros voluntários e amigos :(

 

Agora sinto-me mais confiante e integrada no mundo CES, percebendo o que significa também estar do outro lado como técnica e coordenadora.

Estou ansiosa e curiosa em acompanhar o grupo dos novos voluntários começando das seleções até o fim do projeto na esperança que tudo corra pelo melhor e que desfrutem da oportunidade de participar nos projetos CES!

O testemunho no. 1 da Angela (AAMA)

My name is Angela, I am an italian girl in love with the world. I come from Barletta, in Puglia, the famous heel of the boot. 

I left Italy at the end of September to take part in an European volunteering project in Lisbon.

After I came home from my Erasmus experience and I graduated last July, I thought the ESC program could be for me the right chance to enrich my skills and repeat an abroad experience that, we know, inevitably extends perspectives and personal ambitions.

I already was in Lisbon but I have to admit that each time I walk around its streets or I just sit looking at the views from its different "miradouro", I fall in love one time more. 

This year I will be volunteering in AAMA, a non-profit association dealing with people with special needs promoting their social inclusion. In particular, I will be a support for the practical activities they organize inside and outside the school for kids from 2 to 6 years old with autism. 

I know, it could be difficult but I accepted this "challenge". 

AAMA reflects my ideals and I hope it can help me to grow as a person and as professionist in the field. At the same time, I hope to give my best to them and to all the people I will meet during this experience!

I dreamed a lot about what will happen and now, that I'm in, I'm ready to live it step by step!

O testemunho no. 1 da Perrine (Crescer a Cores)

 

Hi, my name is Perrine I am from a little town in France right next to the german border and i will be volunteering in Crescer a Cores this year. I left France on the first of november just a few days after the beginning of the second national lockdown wich is kind of a weird feeling but I am happy to be here and curious about this year! Arriving in my new home I was welcomed by my new flatmates Clara and Angela from Italy and Polina from Russia. I rested a bit because I arrived pretty early in the moring and afterwards we walked a bit around our neighbourhood and went for a drink with other volunteers in the city center. Back in the apparment we met our new flatmaye Lucia from Italy.

After this first long and nice day I taught I will directly begin to work the day after wich wasn't the case and a nice surprise. We had a few days to discover the city and settle down in our new home.

Clara, Lucia and I explored the different neighbourhood as Alfama, Bica, Bairro Alto, Baixa etc.

We walked a lot, enjoyed the sunny days, took the old Tram and I tried my first pastei de Nata. 

The first impression of the city was lovely, I really like the architecture, the feeling you have while walking trough the little streets and of course the weather! I am pretty sure I will fall in love with this city.

After some days of exploring the city we had our welcome day at the Spin's office where we met the other new volunteers. We had a delicious vegan lunch, got all the needed information from Giulia and could explore a little the neigbourhood of Bairro Padre Cruz where I will work. 

After the weekend I had to take a Covid test in order to begin to work, the test came out negative and i could get to work at the creche! In the first days I met my coworkers and the kids, tried to get a picture of where I will work the next year and wich tasks I will have. The atmosphere at work is nice and I am getting into it step by step, for now I enjoy working with the children and I am curious of whats gonna come my way the next months!