Testemunho da Miríade - França, Projeto ''Have Less, Live More''

 O projeto Have Less Live More me permitiu expandir a experiências e poder desenvolver diferentes competências durante o tempo que aqui estou, escolhi fazer um projeto short term devido a fatores pessoais, mas pude perceber que apenas dois meses acabam por ser pouco tempo no que toca a criar laços e a habituar ao espaço.

Estou a viver num mobilehome que partilho com outras raparigas no camping de Bevedere em Lastours, e uma vez por semana no apartamento que existe para os apartamentos na cidade de Carcassone. Estou a fazer de tudo um pouco no que toca às tarefas, algo que não estava nas minhas expectativas antes de aqui chegar, faça tanto trabalho do parque de campismo, como cuidar dos animais, jardinagem, às vezes e também quando vou para a cidade o trabalho na produção de cogumelos.

As minhas tarefas em relação ao parque de campismo são ajudar na preparação de mobilehomes para clientes, em relação aos animais estou encarregada de alimentar os burros e póneis, e na equipa dos cogulemos todo o trabalho que é exigido para a sua produção.

Também é importante salientar o sentido de comunidade que é preciso existir para a vida com os outros voluntários, desde a confeção de refeições, a limpeza do espaço e o respeito aos mesmos, algo que faz toda a diferença.

Não eramos muitos voluntários, em meses anteriores estes passavam dos 20 devido a outro projeto, ao que posso contar menos de 10 voluntários durante o tempo que estive a desenvolver este projeto, e que acredito que tenha sido benéfico no que toca à criação de laços. Nos tempos livres, sempre que era possível, saíamos para explorar outras cidades e vilas, ou fazer algo diferente, durante os tempos de trabalho sempre existiam grupos para a realização de tarefas.

Posso dizer que desenvolvi um melhor sentido de comunidade, resiliência, aprendi sobre sustentabilidade, tudo o que diz respeito ao trabalho que desenvolvi e muito mais, e a lidar com diferentes perspetivas. Também me inspirei em histórias de vida de outras pessoas.

Gostei muito da minha experiência, que também foi um desafio que lancei a mim mesma uma vez que nunca tinha trabalhado nestas áreas, mas que é possível que alguns dos próximos voluntários achem muito diferente das suas realidades e zonas de conforto, posso dizer também que eu pessoalmente sou uma pessoa muito calma e centrada na resolução de conflitos, nunca tive nenhum, mas ouvi falar de histórias de antigos voluntários com diferentes personalidades que tiveram.

Posso finalizar dizendo que vale muito a pena sair da nossa zona de conforto e fazer algo diferente que no desafia e nos faça crescer, e fazer grandes amizades! 

 

Cumprimentos, 

 

Miríade Martins

Testemunho do Mauro - França, Projeto ''Have Less, Live More''

''A minha experiência aqui tem sido incrível, acima das expectativas. Basicamente o local onde me encontro é um camping com imenso espaço e tem alguns animais (burros, poneys, galinhas, porcos e cães).

A ideia geral é sustentabilidade ambiental, onde tentamos consumir o mínimo possível de recursos (sem ser alimentação claro, mas dieta maioritariamente ou no meu caso 100% vegetariana, porque assim decidi), e a máxima reutilização possível de desperdícios, daí o nome Have less, live more.

A primeira semana foi de habituação e conhecimento do espaço, pessoas e hábitos da comunidade bem como preparação de certas coisas para a receção de um Youth Exchange. Também comecei a tratar da manutenção dos animais especificamente dos burros e dos póneis, que acabei por ficar responsável durante 4 semanas.

A segunda e terceira semana foi para trabalhar na organização da Youth Exchange, desde fazer almoços e jantares, limpezas de manutenção do espaço e participação em certas atividades nos tempos livres.

A quarta semana foi para descansar basicamente. E na quinta voltamos à nossa rotina pré-Youth Exchange.

Esta semana mudei de projeto, por assim dizer, e juntei-me à equipa de produção de cogumelos a partir de borras de café colhidas nos cafés de Carcassone.

Tive de mudar as minhas malas para o apartamento que a associação tem na cidade de Carcassone para ficar mais perto dos pontos de recolha do café. E venho ao camping de 3 em 3 dias para monitorizar os cogumelos em crescimento numa sala "especial".

Para já está tudo a correr bem, estou super motivado e espero que assim continue. Também só me restam mais 3 semanas.

Espero que esteja tudo bem por aí.

Beijinhos

Mauro Soares''

O testemunho final da Cynthia (Boutique da Cultura)

 Olà todos ! 

A week ago, I said goodbye to my office, my tutor and the amazing team of the Boutique da Cultura. We all went to eat an ice cream after work and talk about those last 9 months and having to say goodbye to everyone was a really emotional moment. 

 My journey with this association started on the 1 of November. It has been maybe the most fulfilling months of my life, full of personal growth, drinks and parties with amazing friends. I will be forever grateful for the chance I had to do my project here, in this incredible city and association. Lisbon is a lively city, every day you can find something to do. I will never forget that experience and everything it brings me: the skills I learned, all the people I met, the place I visited.

After 9 months in Lisbon, I can really say that ESC changes lives, it open your horizons, offers new perspectives of life, and created amazing memories. It’s an out-of-the-ordinary experience that I will cherish forever. 

Thanks to the Association Boutique da Cultura, I learn so much personally but also professionally. I had amazing opportunities, like going to theater and even be part of a play, doing workshop and meeting new peoples from all age. My colleague always made me feel like I was part of the team, part of the family. They made this experience so much easier and also fun and for that I wanted to say thank you. 

Now, I have had to say goodbye to some amazing friends I met along this journey: my flatmates from Casa B, my friends from SPIN or from others associations in Lisbon. It’s always sad and hard but that’s how life works. I will never forget all the moment we spend together, all the trip and all the giggle ! I hope we will have the chance to meet again someday and I can't wait to see what life brings me and to them. 


Thank you and até a próxima !

O testemunho da Carla

Em Outubro, a organização para a qual colaboro em Bordeaux, informou-nos de que deveríamos realizar um vídeo que servisse para nos apresentarmos. Para isso, deveríamos frequentar uma formação audiovisual onde seriam dados alguns conceitos que nos iriam ajudar na realização do vídeo: correcto manuseamento de todos os equipamentos necessários, atenção à luz, diferentes enquadramentos, recolha das imagens, escolha das mesmas e, por fim, edição. Uma das condições para a realização do vídeo era organizarmo-nos em pares, sendo que os membros do grupo deveriam pertencer aos diferentes programas que constituem o projecto (European Voluntary Service e Service Civique).

Formados os pares, eu e a minha colega marcamos uma reunião para decidir o que iríamos fazer e rapidamente passamos à acção. Infelizmente, a ideia do vídeo partiu de mim (inspirada num vídeo de que gosto bastante sobre Coimbra realizado por estudantes estrangeiros) e era bastante ambiciosa: de forma resumida, a nossa intenção era recriar um dia das nossas vidas em Bordeaux até chegarmos à organização para a qual colaboramos, ao fim da tarde, onde nos encontraríamos. O guião estava escrito: ambos saíamos de casa, caminhávamos, eu seguia de barco, ela de tram, visitávamos diferentes praças e museus, almoçávamos, passeávamos mais um pouco, eu comia um pastel de nata, ela comia um cannelle e seguíamos para a organização.

- Quanto tempo achas que precisamos? Uma tarde para filmar isto tudo?

- Sim, chega de certeza.

O primeiro dia de filmagens foi, como seria de esperar, uma chapada de realidade: percebemos que íamos demorar mais tempo do que imaginamos, fomos confrontadas com o facto de que o nosso plano inicial era demasiado ambicioso e percebemos também que, por muita boa vontade que tenhamos, há muitos factores externos que nos podem condicionar (nomeadamente, as condições meteorológicas). A juntar a tudo isto, ambas temos uma certa tendência para o perfeccionismo – para quê gravar uma cena só uma vez quando podemos gravar três ou quatro vezes, certo? É difícil imaginar que mais alguma coisa não decorresse de acordo com o planeado, a não ser que perdêssemos todas as imagens que demoraram imensas horas a gravar. E claro que foi isso que aconteceu!

Partimos para o segundo dia de filmagens com uma atitude mais firme: deveríamos deslocar-nos aos diferentes locais e fazer a cena, que gravaríamos apenas o número de vezes necessário até estar aceitável. Saída de casa, caminhar, tram… Vamos andar mais uma estação no tram porque aquela senhora olhou para a câmara… Barco, Place de La Bourse, Place de La Victoire… A história começava a compor-se. Precisamos de outro dia de gravações para filmar alguns locais importantes para a história que ainda não tínhamos conseguido filmar, desistimos de outros e… voilá! Demos as gravações por terminadas.

Finalmente, a parte que eu abomino: editar. Peçam-me tudo, mas não me peçam para editar. É daquelas coisas de que eu não gosto mesmo. Para mais, um vídeo com o formato que desejávamos: o ecrã dividido ao meio para deixar ver as duas histórias a decorrer em simultâneo. Estilo videoclip versão amadora. Acabamos por pedir ajuda a um colega, que teve uma paciência de santo para ouvir as nossas ideias e as fazer cumprir, e a quem já agradeci para cima de 30 vezes. Entretanto, a escolha musical não foi a mais feliz...

Enfim, espero que gostem! 

O testemunho da Elise

Here I am. Almost 9 months passed and it’s time for me to think and to do a resume of all my EVS. My association SPIN said to me, when I arrived, to take some notes during my EVS to not forget what happened, what I learned, what I experienced. Well, I didn’t do it because I didn’t take the time. But it was so incredible that now, in front of my computer, I have any difficulties to remember. It's strange to think that it’s my last month, I’m feeling so comfortable here. “Casa Anjos” is my home, Lisbon is my city, Portugal is my adoption country. I remember the first day I arrived in Lisbon, the 1st of June, the first day of Santos Populares. I had a very festive first impression of Lisbon. I just arrived, put my luggage in my new room and went out with my roommates to discover Lisbon for the first time by listening Pimba, trying Super Bock beer and eating Sardinhas no pão. This first day would describe my entire EVS: always doing something, always discovering something, always with my friends, always drinking vinho verde (Viva Gazela!!). 

My main goals when I came here were,“to discover a new culture, learn a new language”, “to be more creative”, and over all, to “learn more about the others and myself”. Well, the last one seems a bit exaggerated but yes, after 3 years the head in the studies, in the rush, I needed a break to raise the head up and to see more clearly my situation and the world. So let’s see if I ticketed all the boxes.

First let’s talk about Casa Anjos and how I learned more about the others. The first day, I arrived in this flat full of pictures and photos left by the former volunteers. It’s a flat quite old, with carpet all over the floor, a disposition a bit strange with a living room smaller than my room. I didn’t feel so comfortable the first days in this flat where, according to my roommates, there is the spirit of “Menino Morto”. Yes, dead child, the story is a bit long but this ghost seems to be the keeper of our flat. A strange flat, but the people inside are just amazing. We are a mix of so much nationalities and I learned more about other countries as Hungary, Armenia, Italy, Spain, Poland, Belgium, Macedonia, Croatia. To live with so much people allows you to have a vision of the whole world without moving from home. When I started my EVS, my goal wasn’t specially to make me “friends for life”. But as sentimental as it can be, it happened, and now I could say I have brothers and sisters of different nationalities. It’s a human experience, you grow together, you live together, you share your room. So we developed a family spirit, and even “Menino Morto” seemed to be one of us. 

  

    

Thanks to Casa Anjos and my EVS family, I discovered the world and plenty of different cultures. But I had also affinities with some local people who became my closest friends and a big support. They allowed me to discover the portuguese culture deeper than I would never imagine. The music, the food, the celebrations, the traditions, the habits, the situation of Portuguese people. I didn’t stay on the surface with a touristic image of Portugal but I learned what are also the daily preoccupations, difficulties, concerns of Portuguese people. Gourmand as I am, one of my main goal was also to try all the specialities of Portugal. I can say that it’s a goal almost achieve. Almost because of course I didn’t try the one hundred ways to cook bacalhau. But I did the list of what I ate since I arrived and, well, it’s a lot, really. For me, discover a culture goes specially through the food, and now I can say that the portuguese culinary culture is very oily, with maybe too much french fries but appart of this, really tasty. I could even say that I’ll miss my favourite portuguese dish, the “Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá”, or even the “Bola de berlim com chocolate” that we were used to eat “às quatro da manhã” in Cais do Sodre after a crazy night (reference to one of my favourite portuguese song: “Devia ir” of Wet Bed Gang).

Besides my personal life, I evolved through my job as a monitor for kids in the CAF São Vicente. I lived two different period in the children’s life: the first part was during the vacation period, the second part was during the school period. These two periods were different in their rythm, activities but also because I had two different team and tutor. It was a bit disturbing at the beginning, you know to change your habits, to meet new people while you just arrive 3 months ago and you just got used. But finally, this change was a good opportunity to share my time and to see the different organisation of two centers. In my old testimonials, I said I had some struggle with the portuguese and to learn this language would be an indispensable factor in my development at work. It was totally true. At the beginning it was difficult to understand what the kids were saying to me. After 5 months, I improved and the portuguese started to be easier. For a person who didn’t know one word of portuguese, I’m proud to say that after 9 months, I speak quite well the language of the “shhh”.

  

This EVS was also a good opportunity to develop my creativity between my work and the project I was part of at SPIN. I stopped drawing or painting at High School and I totally gave up at the university to concentrate on my studies. At work, drawing with kids or for the CAF allowed me to develop my artistic skills. I drew the entire schedule of the CAF, I helped with the decoration for Halloween, Christmas, São Martinho, São Valentim. Plus, with the other volunteers of SPIN who were part of my project “Change +”, we had to create an exposition about the Human Rights. I realized an artistical activity with kids to expose some draws at the exhibition. We did a big job to create an interesting exhibition with content. The inauguration was really nice and I’m proud to be part of a project like this!

This EVS was, for me, the occasion to think about my future, to take some time to discover what I deeply want to do after my double bachelor. Because I don’t forget why I did this gap year. It was maybe 9 months really intense in travels, experiences, parties.. but I never forgot that I had to reflex about what will be the next step of my life. During my EVS, I found the field in which I want to work and I started to apply for some masters. I’m feeling a bit confuse because almost all my friends already finished their studies and they can stay in Lisbon after their EVS. It’s something really tempting but I know I must stay focus: to do my master for maybe after, come back in this country.

  

E para acabar da melhor forma, eu vou escrever em português, para vos mostrar o quanto eu amo este idioma. Com certeza vou ter muitas saudades deste lugar, destas pessoas, desta cidade, deste país. Mas vai ser apenas um até jà, porque eu pretendo voltar ao país do bacalhau, da pimba e do vinho verde muito brevemente.

Até logo Lisboa, beijinhos grandes 

Elise 

O testemunho da Romane

“Why the hell am I doing this, again?” I asked myself few days before taking the plane to Lisbon while trying to pack a year of stuff in a 20kg suitcase. It was still a bit sunny there in Bretagne, my cat looked at me moving all over the house without understanding what the hell was happening and my mother kept remembering me to print that damn boarding pass. It feels ages ago but it just has been two months that I left France from Lisbon, ready – as much as I could – to start my EVS. 

There are a lot of answers to this initial question. Maybe it’s because I’ve always dreamt to carry catfood in a cup for a whole day by 30°C (true story). Maybe it’s because I wish to expand my resistance to the sun. Maybe it’s because Lisbon is a cheap way to get strong legs – damn, those dear stairs! Maybe I wish to start a Youtube channel on how to survive winter without central heat. Who knows. The answers are quite infinite. But the real question was: “What do you want to do?”

I was there, I, Romane, 24 years old, on my working desk in Paris, struggling to know which EVS project I would choose. Right now, the sky could be rainy, the streets would be flat and there would be no red bridge on the horizon. Dublin or Lisbon. Bright accent or scary new language. Well-known Celtic country or brand new sunny land. I had very few time to decide, barely a day to choose which path I’d give to my life. And then, a friend asked me: “What do you want to do?” And this is what led me there. Because it wasn’t about the language, the culture, neither about that guilty feeling I’d have withdrawing my acceptation for the first offer. It was about communication or culture. And here I was. For once in my life, I took back my words, I declined the first offer even though I already accepted it and this was the first step of that life-changing experience I quite expect EVS to be. Few days after, I got a Portuguese language manual for my birthday. Because this is what I want to do: to get more involved in the cultural field and discover, learn, explore it, as much as I can.

Those past months in Lisbon have been… Incredibly fast. First there was fear. Will I get along with the other people? Will they think I am too shy? Will I be good enough, will they regret to have selected me? Thousands of new questions dancing around my head while I was just moving in my new accommodation. Until the beginning. The real beginning, this first time I met the other volunteers on the metro station at Anjos on the way to the welcome lunch. Slowly, the questions faded away. It was still there but it wasn’t my principal thought. One day you’re alone in a new country and the day after, you suddenly know around ten people. I started to feel better and the amazingness of all these new people, places, activities, overcame the fear very quickly. I started to feel at home in my new flat, I get used to switch between languages and not end up with a headache, I memorized the way to go home, I helped a Portuguese people to take the right metro and the three floors I have to walk up to my flat are almost easy now. I started bounding with people and making friends, enjoyed sharing time with all of the volunteers, got to know the dysfunctions of my home and enjoyed more and more being the night talks in the kitchen with my roommates. I had a good time at some of the last Outjazz festival in Lisbon and happily met my mentor, cursed about the hotness for the Bretonne I am, loved the atmosphere of Lisbon. I went to Cascais to enjoy a bit of the last summer time at beach, I saw Belém again, I located Bairro Alto and Baixa-Chiado, I ended up in Almendre and wondered if I really left Bretagne or if the menhirs just followed me, I got almost lost in Sintra with friends trying to not get killed by some ghosts or creatures or whatever is in those woods, I met people from countries I’d never thought I’d meet and I felt at home in another country while being in Seixal. And, most of all, I discovered Boutique da Cultura, the cultural association of Carnide I am going to work with for 12 months.

From the moment I arrived in Boutique da Cultura and met my tutor, all the people working or volunteering here, I really felt soothed. I might have not met all the Portuguese people and, of course, generalization is never an everlasting truth, but it is a fact that all the people I met through Spin or Boutique da Cultura have a kindness and a warm welcome that I hardly found elsewhere. So, even though you are miles away from your home, you are still a bit lost and keep feeling a bit lonely, you can count on the generosity of Portuguese people to relieve your anxiety. Thanks to the incredible welcome I received here, I was able to feel ready to start the EVS adventure. 

And there was no time to loose! The Feira da Luz of Carnide was about to begin for Boutique da Cultura and with very few knowledge of Portuguese, I was already on the stand of the Incubadora da Artes, trying to memorize which word was used for “magnet” and what is a “cadeira” again and where is the “lixo”? It has been a very interesting month and it is probably the best way to get to know the environment I was working in. It helped me a lot to feel comfortable and be more peaceful about my stay here. I met all the people involved in Boutique da Cultura, I could name things in Portuguese and make a full sentence – especially the very useful “I don’t speak very well Portuguese, wait a second I am going to call someone” – and, most of all, I enjoyed my time at Feira da Luz. 

But the amazing thing with Boutique da Cultura is there is always way more to discover! I spent few time in the Livraria Solidária where secondhand books are sold at a very affordable price and my booklover heart couldn’t be more delighted. Couldn’t be, really? Actually I was wrong. I still hadn’t met the whole potential of Bento Martins. This is where Boutique da Cultura gives theatrical representation and this is where I went from being all cheered up to get really, really excited. Going back to theatre is all I dream for years and it is highly part of why this EVS project kept my attention, beside the Livraria. So when I had to help for the first time to set up the lights for a future theatre play, I was sure that I did the right choice. Books, I know. Theatre too. But not in this way. And this is the kind of things I want to go in deeper, this is why I applied for EVS. The best part was when our tutor asked us, I and my Italian EVS colleague Simone, to be part of the Christmas play. I mean, I can learn about setting up theatre play AND enjoying to be back on stage too? Of course I sign in for it! Even though the scary side note is “you will have to perform in Portuguese and, hey, French girl, you have a lot to learn”, I was highly elated. And I am still am. Being part of this theatre play is one of the best opportunity to, not only fulfill my will to reconnect with theatre, but it is also a great way to learn Portuguese, to get to know better how Boutique da Cultura works, to meet the people involved in the structure… And to feel well, simply. Actually, I was still joyfully shouting to my friends in France “I’m going to be part of a theatre play! I’m gonna do theatre again!” when another great news completed to make me sure I was at the right place. I still remember being at the Livraria Solidária with fresh bookmarks done when being asked if I was able to work on the publishing of a book. Sure, I am. This is exactly what I studied for some years and this is what I quite gave up on starting an EVS project. Guess what? I don’t have to give up on this. I am working on the publishing of a book. A whole book, made by myself – even the cover! This I could never imagine. I expected the library, I expected the technical theatre part (good things I know what I am applying for, eh), but publishing was a tiny little thing I thought I would have to let down for some time. But Boutique da Cultura gives me the opportunity to work on every single field I am interested in. And there are still so many other things that I have done being here I am not writing down! The vivid and swirling life of this place is awesome and I am sure I will keep being amazed during the months to come.

I can barely imagine that some month ago, I was having the worst experience of my life and living one of the most struggling moments I had. Working under time pressure, hierarchical, social and personal pressure, in a place where the excellence was the only thing accepted and time the most treasured thing. I remember when I was writing over and over motivation letters to EVS projects, looking almost every day at the database, following the new posts on an EVS Facebook group, waiting for answers, preparing for Skype interviews, this feeling of hope and excitement when you are selected, the disappointment when the European Commission does not accept the project, the tiredness of doing it all over again, and then once more the joy, the excitement… 

And the final happiness when you are told that yes, it is sure, you are selected and you will go. Here I am. Among all the projects I have applied for, among all the paths I could have chosen, among all the possibilities who could have occurred, I truly think that right now, right here, is the best EVS project I could have done. I find here everything I want to do, I am surrounded by lovely people, I am extremely lucky to be in such a great city, I am in the best professional environment I have ever been to and I am not scared anymore. Or maybe a little. But I mostly know that I can try. I can talk and being listened. All I have to do is making efforts on my own. And this is up to me. EVS won’t change my life if I am not working on it too. But, look: I already had small victories. I declined an offer to be here. I go make tea on my own without any anxiety on the work space – and believe me, the girl I was three years ago could never have done that. I try to push myself to go towards people. I might still don’t know if I’m good enough. But I know I feel good here, with all these people. And there is so much more to come!

O testemunho da Elise

After 5 months in Lisbon, I can say that I’m a real portuguese girl. No I’m joking, I ate a lot of pastel de nata but I’m not yet portuguese even if I fell in love for this country, maybe quite little in size but really deep in term of culture and history. I remember in my first testimony, I joked saying that my main goal would be to try every speciality. It’s an objective still in progress, there is more than one hundred ways to cook the “bacalhau” so it will take me time.

These last 5 months were really intense, I travelled a lot in all the country. The Portugal is very different from the North to the South, about the portuguese language but also the mentalities and the landscapes. I keep a particular memory of Alentejo and Algarve. I had also the chance to travel to the islands of Açores, such an adventure! The EVS leaves you the opportunity to travel in so beautiful places. Travelling is a way to discover yourself, to evolve, to share particular and unexpected moments with friends or even strangers. 

I discovered also deeply the city of Lisbon, by day and by night. Lisbon is very rich culturally with a lot of museums, expositions, concerts, but also with an intense nightlife. I still keep some struggle with the portuguese language. The pronunciation is quite difficult to understand for the French girl I am. But with time, the “shhhh” that I only was able to understand, begin to seem like real sentences. To have local friends helped me a lot to improve and understand better this totally new language, which I discover, can be finally very musical and deep in meaning.

I’m feel like at home here because my roommates are my friends and our house, “Casa Anjos” as we could traduce “Angel’s house”, is full of energy, love and happiness. We are used to meet in the kitchen and discuss about our life, our dreams, our goals, our expectations. It’s all about sharing real moment with people as open minded than you but from so different countries and cultures (8 exactly). The EVS community is kind of a family and she is very active. We do a lot of things all together like the Clube de Literatura, the Portuguese classes, the International dinners... Plus, with the people who are part of my project, we must create an exposition about the Human Rights. It’s the occasion to work more together, putting all our ideas in order to create something interesting about this subject.

About my main work with kids, I could say it’s always in evolution. I was supposed to work only in one children’s center but finally I go in two different centers, Vicentix and Fradix. It’s the occasion for me to work in two different social environments, with two different teams, two different tutors. I had a certain time of adaptation, it wasn’t easy every day but now I found my marks and I have really great time in these places.

It’s strange to think that I already did more than the half of my EVS. I’m not the new one anymore. The EVS experience is completely up to you. I choose to discover deeply the portuguese life and now, I’m feel like at home so far from my own country. For the last months I have, I hope to share more moments with my EVS family, with my portuguese friends, experiment more and more things in Lisbon which is still full of secrets. Because at the end of my project, I want to have a lot of good memories maybe to understand better what is to have “saudade”, the portuguese word which has any translation in other languages.

My first two weeks as EVS volunteer in Lisbon

You know this feeling that you are lost and no doors open in front of you. Well, I was in this situation just after my final exams in France, I didn’t know what I wanted to do: take a gap year ok, but what to do during this free time? I applied for an EVS volunteering because I wanted to go abroad, to be part of a concrete project and to learn more about others and myself. I’m just 20 years old so I need this kind of experience which allows you to evolve. I remember I was with friends when I received a mail from Spin telling me I was choose for this EVS volunteering, and I screamed because I was so happy. I know I’m very lucky to have been chosen.

   
I arrived in Lisbon two weeks later. Two of my flatmates came to pick me up at the airport the 1st of June. I had just put down my suitcases as we went out to the streets to party. In fact, I arrived at the right time because it’s Santos Populares now, the biggest celebration in Lisbon. During all the month of June, every night it’s party in all Lisbon. This situation permitted me to discover a Lisbon very festive, colourful, with a smell of sardines in all the streets. Yes, sardines, but do not stop at the visual, it’s very good with bread. This festive environment allowed me also to meet other volunteers of my EVS project. I met wonderful people from so many different countries. We all speak in English but it’s very interesting to discover the culture of everyone, to share our own life experiences.
     

My roommate was also a big support for me during the two last weeks to discover the city and surroundings. Lisbon is a city where you can try a lot of things whether in terms of sports, museums, concerts, beautiful beaches. I have already tried kick-boxing, surf, yoga, zouk dance. Yes, I love to try a lot of things 😊 And for me, discovering a culture is first and foremost about cooking. I’m French but I agree to say that Lisbon is excellent for its pastries. My goal is to try almost every specialities, it makes really a lot but I have 9 months !!

I began to work in Vicentix one week after my arrival. It’s a recreation center after school. I was impressed because they do so various activities with kids. Not only sports, but also cooking, coding, activities with the elderly. I felt immediately at ease in this environment, surrounded by young children full of energy and joy. I need to improve my portuguese to be able to talk with children, so this experience permits me to improve two languages in the same time!

   
I feel the 9 next months will be very intense, whether in Vicentix or in my everyday life. When I arrived, the weather was a bit too much windy and cold but now the sun is pointing the tip of his nose. I continue to discover this city so alive, where people are of an incredible sweetness (like pastries 😉).  I know this is just the beginning of my adventure but after these two crazy weeks, I know I will go out transformed from this experience.

O testemunho do Sébastien

Olà, my name is Sébastien, I come from Montpellier in France. I arrived in Lisbon in September. I´m doing an EVS of eleven months in the association "Boutique da Cultura" an association that aims to promote culture in all its forms. 

I wanted to do an EVS to live a unique experience on the personal but also professional level.  At 26 years old, this is the last adventure I want to live before starting my career. I chose this project to have a complementary experience in the cultural field and thus be able to find a job corresponding to my expectations.

I’m very happy to be a volunteer in the Boutique da Cultura association. The projects we are doing are ambitious and of public utility. I am pleased to be able to contribute to improving access to culture. We recently opened a solidarity bookstore in the Carnide neighborhood. Project that saw the day after several months of preparation in an incredible team and in a great atmosphere.

Doing an EVS is also an adventure with other volunteers from other countries. The meetings that I have been able to do since then have enriched me and allowed me to discover other cultures through them. 

Since 6 months I had the opportunity to visit several cities in Portugal and discover the raw beauty of this country. I have the chance to do my EVS in Lisbon, a beautiful dynamic and authentic city. Through this adventure I have the opportunity to learn Portuguese and improve my English. I still have 5 months of adventure I still want to see a lot of things in Lisbon but also in Portugal, including Porto and the Algarve.                                                                 

O testemunho da Carolina

Chamo-me Carolina, tenho 21 anos e, desde setembro do ano passado que vivo em Bordeaux, França, para fazer o meu SVE na Maison de l’Europe. Somos um total de 27 voluntários, 16 oriundos dos quatro cantos da Europa, e 11 franceses. 

Em julho do ano passado concluí a minha licenciatura em Ciências da Comunicação. Entrar no mercado de trabalho tão cedo nunca foi um objetivo. Na verdade, enfrentar o desconhecido, viajar, descobrir, eram sonhos por concretizar. Um dia, estava no autocarro e ouvi uma conversa entre duas senhoras acerca do voluntariado. E nesse momento deu-se o clique: Voluntariado Internacional. Era o ideal porque conciliava tudo o que sempre quis: conhecer novos locais, emergir em novas culturas, aprender novas línguas. Pesquisei e acabei por encontrar o projeto do qual agora faço parte. 

Confesso que o que mais me cativou foi, não só a diversidade cultural inerente ao mesmo, mas também o facto de representar Portugal, de ter de dar a conhecer a minha cultura e o meu país.

Trabalhar [e conviver!] com 26 pessoas tão diferentes entre si revela-se um desafio diário. Ser fiel à minha cultura, e ao mesmo tempo adaptar-me não só à cultura francesa, mas também à cultura dos meus colegas europeus nem sempre é fácil. Por vezes, aquilo que é aceitável numa cultura, não é aceitável noutra. Saber lidar e ultrapassar essas diferenças é algo que requer jogo de cintura. Mas é também uma forma de conhecermos os nossos limites e de reflexão sobre as nossas tradições. E a dinâmica do grupo é excelente. Foi muito interessante a forma como nos conectamos e passamos rapidamente a amigos. Nem sempre estamos de acordo, mas respeitamo-nos e tentamos ultrapassar as diferenças.

Relativamente ao facto de representar Portugal confesso que foi algo que me assustou. Estaria eu à altura de tal desafio? Lembro-me da minha primeira intervenção – tremia de nervosa que estava. Assim que disse que era portuguesa o entusiasmo deles foi notório. Perguntaram-me se conhecia o Ronaldo e quantas vezes por dia comemos bacalhau. Ri-me, obviamente, expliquei que comemos muito bacalhau, sim, mas que temos outros pratos. 

Dar a conhecer a minha cultura, as nossas lendas e também a língua portuguesa [até porque faço questão de lhes ensinar palavras básicas!] é algo que me dá imenso prazer e que faço com imenso gosto. Por vezes, existem barreiras linguísticas – não domino de todo o francês, mas, como boa portuguesa, desenrasco-me bem. E nunca faço as intervenções sozinha – estou sempre acompanhada por alguém de nacionalidade francesa. 

Algo que não está diretamente associado ao projeto, mas que acabou por vir como uma espécie de arrastamento foi a aprendizagem de muitas línguas. Quando aqui cheguei falava português e inglês, só. Atualmente falo francês, espanhol, um pouco de italiano e tenho-me aventurado na língua estoniana. 

Em suma: candidatar-me a este projeto revelou-se a melhor escolha da minha vida. Existem dias complicados? Sim! Saudades de casa? Sim! Mas não voltaria atrás nem por um segundo. Porque não podemos fugir de novas ideias. Nem de novos começos. Porque no final de tudo, não podemos fugir à vida.