O testemunho final da Melissa (JFC - Culture)

 SPIN – last testimony.

For the past few weeks and days, I have been stubbornly postponing writing this last testimony of mine. I did not want to write it because that would mean that I would have to admit to myself, that my time as a volunteer is coming to an end. A lot has been happening, and if I would need to summarise everything, the first word that comes to my mind is „home“. I still feel a bit overwhelmed trying to put a full stop behind this experience and wrapping it all up. I would not know where to begin and where to stop but let’s try! 

During the past months and weeks, covid restrictions have been mostly lifted, and not only has the library become more alive but also our nights on the still-warm streets of Lisbon. For me, it was amazing to finally welcome children into the library and to see my colleagues cheer for me because they were super happy for me too. We also went on a walking tour through the Bairro with school kids, walking past all the amazing street art and graffiti of our beloved neighbourhood. On the last working day, I went to have a shared dinner with my colleagues, who definitely have become more than just colleagues. I am super happy about their support, because all they ever wanted, was for me to have a good time. I remember, that when I was a bit sick, they brought soup for me.

I am happy to say that, even though I finished work, I still have some days left in this most beautiful city. I will spend them with all of my friends, fresh Superbock, and vegan pastel de nata. Looking back at the past year, makes me feel grateful beyond expression. I am grateful for all the people I have met, especially for those, that I will take with me in my heart. I am grateful for the miradouros, for the food and the drinks. I am grateful for an experience, that changed me for the better, that made me consider different perspectives and learn more about myself by learning about others. 

I will carry the Spin spirit with me wherever I go and I will for sure never forget about the warm-hearted people, which I will without a doubt, come to visit soon.

O testemunho no 1. da Melissa (JFC - Culture)

I am Melissa, a 23 year old German girl and as of November 2020 officially one of the lucky volunteers in Lisbon!

I already lived in Lisbon in 2018/2019 and I completely fell in love with the city. For me, taking part in a volunteering program was a way of giving back to the city and the community that brought so much joy to me.

I arrived one week before the first meeting with the other (lovely!) volunteers and staff, and so I had some time to see old friends again, visit my favourite spots of downtown Lisbon and most of all: enjoy the view! Of course I noticed that the streets looked emptier than before, because the ongoing pandemic keeps tourists stuck in their home countries. However, the bright atmosphere of the city still gets me every time.

After moving in to my flat and starting to feel home again, Spin hosted the welcoming day at their office! Together with the other volunteers, we shared an absolutely delicious vegan meal prepared by Spin, shared our ideas and expectations, and challenged each other in a team rally around the neighbourhood of Bairro Padre Cruz. Giulia provided us with all the information we could have needed and all in all I really enjoyed this warm hearted welcome at Spin!

On Wednesday, 11th of November, I had my first day of work at Biblioteca Natália Correia. Giulia met me at the entrance of the library to introduce me to my new colleagues. We were welcomed by Rosário Cotrim, my new boss which whom we would go on to share a nice talk and many laughs. After she showed us around in the library, I decided to stay until closing time to spend my first day at the library. Due to the pandemic, the library is only open to the public for three and a half hours per day and social projects are mostly on hold. Nevertheless, I really enjoy going to work everyday, to share thoughts, many many laughters and my first Portuguese sentences with my colleagues.

After roughly two weeks into this new life, I can say that I am looking forward more than ever to the upcoming months. To everything that me and my team at work will achieve and to every drink shared over a good view with my new volunteer friends!

 

O Testemunho de Fran Rosell

Depois de duas ou três semanas de terminar o EVS, tudo aquilo parece-me um sonho longe. Já acabou? Passou tão depressa que não acredito que eu estive lá, em Lisboa, um ano inteiro a fazer um voluntariado. A gente diz; “se o tempo correr depressa, é que foi um tempo feliz”. Neste caso, foi assim. Não posso, só num resumo, falar de todas as experiências que vivi, de todas as pessoas inesquecíveis que conheci, de todas as situações que sobrevivi. Um ano de EVS não pode ser encaixado em uma página word.

Eu fiz o meu voluntariado numa universidade para pessoas da terceira idade. Lá eu ensinava espanhol e inglês aos velhotes, tinha um club de filmes, ajudava com passeios por Portugal, fazia trabalhos de administração, atendia aos utentes na recepção... Sei que nunca vou ter um trabalho que goste tanto como gostava do meu EVS. Adorava meu dia a dia.

As aulas de ingles com meus alunos

Lisboa é a melhor cidade em qual tenho morado. Eu já vivi em Bilbao, Nova Iorque e Madrid e nenhum é melhor que Lisboa. Lisboa é uma cidade jovem, uma cidade viva de dia e de noite, uma cidade que cheira flores e mar, uma cidade com música nas ruas... Já escreveram mil poemas de Lisboa e deveriam ser escritas outras ainda mil mais. Lisboa é uma cidade para ser descoberta pessoalmente porque nada que alguém pode dizer vai fazer justiça. 

A noite em Lisboa é mesmo engraçada

Spin como associação foi muito legal. Desde o primer dia eu fiquei como em casa. Os trabalhadores de SPIN são tão fofinhos e queridos. Eles vão fazer tudo o que esteja nas mãos deles para te fazer sentir como em casa. Em especial Inês, com a qual sempre tive uma relação mais estreitinha pelas aventuras iniciais no hospital.

A malta do mid term

O resumo geral da minha experiência como voluntário de EVS com SPIN em Lisboa foi cinco estrelas. Se eu voltar um ano atrás eu faria tudo como eu fiz e voltava a Lisboa a fazer o voluntariado com Spin. Desculpem-lá pelo testemunho tão chato e pouco original. Para compensar, deixo cá um link com música em português para quem quer começar a aprender português.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5oJAuEIcxwYEpi321wXJGf?si=a2a29ZNRQCSsyAB0-zciyg

O testemunho do Fran

The people over at Spin asked me to write a blog post to “to share my personal experience with others, as this might help them be aware of the program and get involved”. So I was thinking about what to write about to make you, the reader, involved in an EVS. There were so many topics that came into my mind; I could write about my personal experience, I could write about what EVS consists of, I could describe Lisbon and living in Lisbon, volunteer life, what it feels to leave your hometown for a new place abroad or I could even have the audacity to tell you what to do with your life; do this or do that, how dare you not do this or how dare you not do that! But I will not write about these things. I feel other volunteers have written about all these in a manner and fashion (and enthusiasm) I could not dream of matching. There isn’t much of a point in adding one more to the tens of similar posts in this blog. Scroll down (or up) if reading about the aforementioned topics is what you seek.

But, I have to write about something, therefore I would like to give you a small piece of advice. I strongly recommend you, volunteer in potency, to do your research before joining an EVS. Before engaging in a project like an EVS, which usually implies having to move far away from your house for at least 3 months and up to a whole year, try to understand what becoming a volunteer implies. Get a clear understanding of conditions, tasks, responsibilities and expectations (both yours and from the people you’ll be working with). Go through any information available about the project you are applying for and talk to the people working there to inquire about any doubt you may have. If there were any older volunteers contact them to get a clearer image of the whole picture. Doing and EVS can be a good decision, but shouldn’t be a lighthearted one. 

I might have made it look a wee bit grim, didn’t I? But dread not. I did not mean to scare anybody. In fact, I hope the opposite! EVS is (or at least, can be) such a wonderful experience in one’s lifetime that it is a pity when people do one without really knowing what they were up for and end up having a subpar experience because of this. 

The bottom line is; EVS can be a great option but get to know where you getting in before doing one. If you are interested in doing one, do your research. If you feel the whole thing fits you and what you want to do, go for it! 

Anyway, here goes the third picture.

O testemunho do Nicolò

5 months of Lisbon dominated by 2 states of being, late and busy, especially in the last 2 months, September was particularly challenging for 2 things:

the Feira da Luz and the On-Arrival Training

The first is a traditional festival in the Freguesia of Carnide lasting one month in which there are folkloristic performance, activities related to the Portuguese culture and concerts with both traditional and modern artists, it was the first experience in which I worked in close contact with the staff of Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, I dealt with the reception of the artists, loading and unloading instrumentation and sometimes even taking some pictures. I was very excited to participate, especially because it would have been an excellent opportunity to meet new artists and discover new music, it was very fun but also very tiring, especially on days when there were many activities to keep under control ( Sundays in particular). 

Every weekend for the entire duration of September there I spent working at the Feira except for the week from the 16th to the 22nd, where I was in Gêres for the On-Arrival training with other EVS volunteers currently in Portugal.

 This experience was really refreshing, until then I had not traveled a lot in Portugal yet, so it was an opportunity to get out of Lisbon and be in touch with the nature (The Pousada da Juventude where the training took place was in the middle of Gêres natural park), especially at that time, between the feira and work in the library, I was really tired. 

Also knowing the other volunteers was very interesting and inspiring, a lot of interesting people from many different countries (from India to Thailand to Liechtenstein) with whom we have formed a close-knit group very quickly, the days have been stimulating and varied, I really appreciated the non formal approach and the arguments treaties (perception of other cultures, stereotypes, team building, problem solving) that often led to discussions and debates. In particular, an activity that we have done in the last days and that I appreciated a lot was the one on the workshops: Some volunteers had to propose and organize a 30 minute workshop based on their knowledge and what they could bring to the group, the others could then choose what take part. The workshops were very varied (from traditional dances to cooking to therapy methods on boredom) and they gave me a lot of creative ideas.

The remaining part of September was spent between the last visits to the beach before winter and the final part of Feira da Luz.

October has been less stressful but still full of stuff to do, i returned full time in the library and as I mentioned in the last post, I started giving computer lessons that took place 3 times a week throughout month, at the beginning the subscriptions were not many but within a week I had 5 students! It was not easy, some people did not even know what a computer was, I tried different approaches to teaching trying to find the most suitable and I admit that I was amazed by the improvements achieved by everyone in just 2 weeks. Unfortunately, many people discovered about this training too late and so they could not take part but since the answer was so positive, i'm thinking of re-proposing something similar in the new year. In addition to the EVS I tried to carry out as many personal projects as possible, I continued to compose since I arrived in Lisbon and I managed to release 2 EP of original music and I'm now working on other music to be released for the end of this year I continued to attend the jam sessions in the city, trying to be part of the scene as much as I could, always meeting new musicians, with some of these we decided to form a  I've never been a "traveler" but after the on-arrival I stayed in touch with the other volunteers and I took the opportunity to move a little from Lisbon to see other parts of Portugal and also host people who wanted to come to visit Lisbon.

In particular, one of the projects that most struck was the one in which Costance participated, a French girl, located in the north of Portugal in a small village called Uva in the district of Bragança.

The situation was similar to that in the On Arrival period, I really needed to get out of the city and go to a place more in contact with nature and spend a weekend there was very relaxing and interesting I'm roughly half of my experience here in Portugal, for the future I have other projects that I hope will be able to complete (more in the video area) that I would like to combine with music

We'll see

O testemunho da Maria

Um ano da vida só parece muito antes de começar. Depois passa em piscar de olhos. A minha experiência SVE está quase a acabar. Valeu a pena? Valeu! 

Antes de chegar ao Portugal, o meu estado podia ser descrito pela letra da música de Peggy Lee “Is that all there is?”

Tinha um bom trabalho, um namorado, uma casa, amigos, mas sentia-me como se constantemente remasse contra a maré. Então, a vida adulta é isso? – perguntava a mim mesma e ficava cada vez mais frustrada. 

Depois vim a Lisboa e... mudou tudo. 

No primeiro momento o sentimento foi de pura felicidade: “O meu Deus, estou aqui, na minha querida cidade de Lisboa!” Foi o sentimento de liberdade, de possibilidades sem fim. Ainda não havia rotina, podia moldar os dias duma forma completamente diferente e conforme as minhas necessidades. 

No segundo momento dei-me conta como mudou a minha atitude em relação às pessoas. A irritação foi substituida pela curiosidade. Não conhecendo todos os códigos culturais, deixei de julgar as pessoas que encontrava na rua, nos meios de transporte, no trabalho. Eram apenas seres humanos, diferentes de mim e por isso interessantes. O meio social, educação, convicções, tudo isso deixou de ter qualquer importância. 

A partir do terceiro momento começou a aprendizagem à sério. Houve altos e baixos, mas sabia que, como cantou Gloria Gaynor, “I will survive”.

Havia momentos quando senti-me mal psicologicamente e fisicamente (malditas mal aquecidas casas portuguesas!). Havia momentos quando voltava da Junta com dores de cabeça de tanto me esforçar para acompanhar longas reuniões sobre assuntos até então desconhecidos. Havia momentos nos quais questionava as minhas maneiras de trabalhar, que até então tinham funcionado para mim, mas neste novo contexto estavam inúteis. E os momentos mais frustrantes eram aqueles em que sentia- me incapaz de me expressar plenamente. A solidão, o sentimento da isolação, a superficialidade de contatos, tudo isso faz parte da experiência SVE. E tem também as suas consequências físicas. A maioria dos voluntários ao passar pela inevitável crise psicológica, luta também contra o seu próprio corpo (que reage duma forma violenta contra as mudanças do clima, novos habitos alimentares, etc.) 

Felizmente a experiência SVE não é só doenças e mal estar. O corpo cura com o tempo à medida que se descobre novos modos de pensar, novas maneiras de resolver problemas, de trabalhar, de se comunicar e, pouco a pouco, cria-se novos laços, novas amizades, novos costumes. 

Quais então são as minhas conquistas deste ano? Tendo como coordenador o Eduardo, Técnico do Gabinete de Desporto e Juventude, sempre cheio de trabalho, decidi ser a mais independente possível. E isso soube-me muito bem. Criou-se entre nós um sentimento de confiança, do reconhecimento, do entendimento que fez me acreditar mais em mim própria e enfrentar com sucesso os novos desafios. O Eduardo reconheceu logo a minha área de interesse e estimulou o meu desenvolvimento. Ao mesmo tempo dou-me muita liberdade que fez o processo de aprendizagem muito mais agradável. Graças a sua atitude não tinha medo de cometer erros e propor coisas que, provavelmente, muitas vezes não faziam muito sentido. 

Os meus problemas com a coluna passaram a ser mais uma lição. Ao acabar o meu SVE vou a ginásio pelo menos 3 vezes por semana e faço regularmente exercícios em casa. Descobri também meditação que ajudou-me imenso em lidar com o estresse e pus todas as experiências numa perspectiva. Volto a Polónia mais calma, mais independente, mais contente comigo mesma e mais em paz com o mundo ao redor. Volto como um “vencedor”. ;)

Neste textinho falei só de mim mesma, mas o SVE não é uma experiência solidária, muito pelo contrário. São as pessoas de cá (outros voluntários, mentores, coordenadores, a equipa da Spin, a equipa da Junta de Freguesia, moradores de Carnide, treinadores de cursos de chagada e mid-term, desconhecidos encontrados aqui e ali – dezenas de nomes que eu não vou enumerar por ter medo de me esquecer de alguém) que me apoiaram neste processo de descobreta e de autoconhecimento. Sem cada um de vocês, a minha experiência não seria tão enriquecedora. À todos que encontrei pelo caminho dedico esta famosissima canção polaca de Czesław Niemen “Sen o Warszawie/Sonho sobreVarsóvia”. Obrigada por terem-me acolhido. Agora é a vossa vez! Venham a minha terra, estou lá a vossa espera!

Tradução: 

“Sonho sobre Varsóvia” 

(…) Se quiseres ver 

Vístula ao nascer do sol, 

Parte comigo hoje para lá. 

Vais ver com os teus olhos 

como Varsóvia 

nos acolherá. 

Eu como tu, 

Tenho a minha cidade, e nela 

O meu mundo mais belo, 

Os dias mais bonitos, 

Deixei ali os meus sonhos coloridos (...).

O testemunho da Roberta

It’s already my 10th month here in Lisbon. My heart is full of emotions, someone already left, someone else is almost leaving, but right now I’m pretty sure to be in the right place to grow up in different ways. Volunteering in the Junta de Freguesia de Carnide is allowing me to discover what I really want to do in my life. Volunteering at Junta de Freguesia means that you pass through really different kind of works. What we prepared, and planned during autumn and winter became “real” starting from Spring. We realized many many projects and events in different neighborhoods that belong to Carnide, in partnership with other organizations of the area, and always with the involvement of the whole community.

For example, we organized 3 community moments, the “Dia do Vizinho” to celebrate one simple thing: relations between people. Each day of the “Dia do vizinho” took place in 3 different neighborhoods. In all these three moments we worked in synergy with a lot of association with theatre shows, traditional dances, children activities, sports activities and of course traditional foods! We also had an event for children and families, “Feira de Expressões”, making sure they were having a lot of fun, while wearing traditional and also mascots costume (You can’t imagine how much you can learn being a mascot, giving love and hugs to children). We realized four different “Caminhadas solidárias”-solidarity walks- to promote a healthy life style with a 4 km footpath in Carnide area and to involve participants in solidarity actions. During the organization of events, we ask for the participation of inhabitants and for the participation of all the entities. In august we realized the "Festa do Migrante", to involve all the different cultures present in a same neighborhood . During reunions with our partners we collect experiences to understand potentialities, necessities and to find strategies to motivate all the people to participate, with the collaboration of each organization/association of the Freguesia. We try to give education of citizenship, articulate plans and dynamics to create contacts. We created moments of sharing, moments of solidarity. Each action is a participative action based on cooperative and social responsibility for a sustainable development to support social programs in different areas and make impact in the quality life of the community.

I received a lot of trainings in the social area, having formal meetings with some social assistants, psychologists. You never stop learning in Carnide! I’ve been also mentor in the “Animações de verão o”, a program organized by JFC for children and young to pass summer days having fun at the beach, swimming pool, radical activities, parks, museums. I realized how much important is playing games in our life. You learn how to work in teams, you better know yourself and the others and all of this having so much fun! All of this working side by side with my tutor, who is also a Social Assistant. There is one day per week where we give free social care to people of Carnide area, providing people with bad living and/or working conditions, people who suffer of isolation, with information that helps them to get out of a sticky situation, and get back to being themselves.

Even if sometimes can be really frustrating to be in this role, my tutor has been there for me every day, I never felt alone, she gave me a strong basis of formation in each area, she explained me since the beginning what seemed to be simple for everybody and for me was really difficult to understand due to differences in the language, in the culture and in the organization. She gives me daily support, she gives me a hug when I need and some strict rules when necessary 😊 We create a great relationship to work together and to spend a lot of hours together making fun also in demanding situations.

Also, I really like being in such a collaborative environment with people who also care about people wellness. All the workers in Carnide do such a challenging work that to achieve important things for the sake of the community, they never stop to give me support, to smile every day, and a nice environment where to learn, and having fun at the same time. I learnt from all of them the power of values such as the community responsibility, solidarity, involvement of the community, participation, perseverance.

But EVS is much more, EVS is full of experiences. I met wonderful people thanks to my project, and thanks to Spin. I feel lucky to have met these wonderful people that shared their stories with me. We visited together so many beautiful places, and travelling around helped us to deeply know each other, to build a strong friendship that won’t end with the end of the EVS, because you can’t forget who you share this wonderful experience with. The EVS is a self-growth learning phase, and a way to deeply meet diverse cultures, a way to build bridges. EVS experience, with its ups and downs has been a great challenge and an amazing opportunity to expanding my roots as a bridge from one side to another, trying to embrace two different cultures, to accept differences and leaving those differences. It helps you learn to look things from a distinct perspective, choosing to see those differences to learn. EVS offers to aid you in finding how you can contribute in making the world a better place. And of course, thanks to the great “Associação Spin” for helping and making my year a wonderful year 😊 

Roberta

Nossa nova EVS: testemunho da Paola!

Sometimes the life chooses for us, and often it chooses suddenly. 

Everyone of us knows, at a certain point, when the change time is arriving, it is something that you feel, you don’t know how to explain to the others, and maybe you don’t know what you are looking for neither , but you know that you need it. I was looking for a change, I wanted to go to Spain, a country that I have always loved for its culture, language, food, I was planning everything  to move, and instead my change has been different, and it is named Lisbon.

We start a little bit before! My name is Paola, I’m 30 years old, and I come from Naples, one of the most beautiful cities of Italy, but I haven’t felt it as my home, for me “house” is another beauty city, Rome, where I have studied and worked for 11 years. There, I have found friends, I have experienced opportunities and every kind of situations that have changed me, but after all these years I was tired to do the same things every day, without enthusiasm, creativity, or no ideas to put in my job. I was literally alienated. 

I was unsatisfied and I didn’t know what to do for changing my life, and suddenly I have discovered an opportunity: the EVS project. 

It was no clear what it consisted in, but there was written two interesting things: Lisbon and sport, the last one, my huge passion. I thought: maybe it could be what I’m looking for, even though I thought to be “too old” for being take into consideration really, but in the past I had lost the opportunity to participate to the Erasmus project for several reasons, and now I didn’t want to lose another one.

I had almost forgotten my application form, when a day I have done an interview and  I have been selected to move in less of 10 days, and so, I have upset my previous life and my new house has become Lisbon, a city that I knew yet, because the last summer I was here on vacation, and my new job’s place has become Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, a dynamic place, in which is clear that everyone works with passion because they believe in what they do for the citizens, a place where there is always a space for my ideas.

I have to admit that the first days have been terrible, because I needed to find a house in few time and I have discovered soon that it is not so simple because of lot of people who search at the same time, but  for me it was necessary to find a comfortable place where to live in, I mean, Lisbon would become my home, and I wanted to stay in a good way.

Fortunately, I have been able to deal with this first obstacle, and I have found a cute house in Moscavide, where I live with a kind and untidy landlady who teaches me a lot of new “palavras” and way of doing by Portuguese people, and I have to say that I consider her my first friend here in Lisbon.

I like the neighborhood, because it is full of shops, and I feel as I stay in my old quarter; it is comfortable and there is everything that I need.

I have appreciated three things in this first month: the efficiency of public transportations, Lisbon’s atmosphere, and  I have met new people.

The first is one of my obsessions, I like taking metro or buses because it’s my favorite way to discover the city and new places that people often ignore, and in addition, it is rewarding when you pay for a service that works!

The second point is tough to explain, but Lisbon, for me, is a strange city, with a surreal atmosphere, where old and new are mixed, where some things are at the forefront, and others are remained motionless over the time, as if the change did fear. Sometimes, I feel as this equilibrium could break suddenly and to generate chaos, but it is just my impression, because here everyone and everything has a slowly rhythm, where the is no place for the anxiety. 

The last point is very important for me. I have met other volunteers as me, they come from several countries; I know them a little, because we don’t work at the same place and I have few opportunities  to see them, and I feel that they are so different than me, my habits, and way of doing, but I hope that we can spend more time together, I’m not sure that we will become friends, because for me my friends are irreplaceable, but I would like to  find someone with which to share this important experience, where it happens something of good or bad, where I think that I want to come back home, or when I fell alone or enthusiastic for this opportunity.

 I have met also people who work with me in Junta, and I have to say that they speak a terrible english, but at the same time they are so kind and I appreciate their efforts  for teaching me the Portuguese, that I can forget their English! I believe that to find good people to work with, it’s a good way to start a new life. In addition there is always music in the office, and I really love; every job’s place should have music all time.

Honestly, every day I ask to myself if I have done a good choice, if to leave everyone and everything it has been right for me, I have left an entire life that I have built with huge sacrifices and efforts. People say always that the changes are good, but I say that everything depends on our choices, our feeling, and what make us feel good. 

For now, I’m happy of my choice, I’m glad to live in a charmed city as Lisbon is; I’m here to challenge myself, because I had lost trust in myself, and now I feel that I have a new opportunity to prove who is Paola, most of all to myself. 

I’m here also because I want to understand what kind of person I may be, what I want to do in my future. I have always lived following my duties, and I have never heard my desires or necessities, because for me the others were more important the me, and now, for the first time I have done a choice only for me, for my well-being; I feel free. 

I have always had few certainties in my life, but what I know now is that I will learn Portuguese, I will live in Lisbon for one year, I will visit new cities, I will study, I will change myself a little bit more, and who loves me, they will support and stay by me.

Liberdade e desafios!

Chamo-me Maria mas aqui chamam-me "a menina que vem do frio" como sou da Polónia. Já não sou uma miúda que acabou de tirar seu mestrado.  Em 5 dias vou fazer 30 anos. Na Polónia deixei toda a minha vida - trabalho numa agência de marketing, família, namorado, amigos. Vim aqui para tentar algo novo. Conhecer de perto o trabalho da Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, praticar língua, revisitar a cidade que já me acolheu várias vezes. 

Nos primeiros dias da minha estadia foi convidada a participação no XV fórum de geração co-organizado pela Junta. Numa das primeiras palestras uma professora reformada falou de processo de integração de crianças dentro do grupo. É o mesmo pelo qual têm de passar todos os voluntários no SVE. Conhecer o seu ambiente, adaptar-se à situação, ser aceite pela comunidade. E disfrutar de coisas boas e novas amizades que se encontre no caminho.

Marysia

My first SVE month in Lisbon

Almost one month since I am here. 

Time passed by so fast, and I've been doing so much that I could hardly sleep. No, it's not all about work, even though I felt really commited to my project.

What I can already say is: this is so challenging and exciting. I am now working in the organisation of cultural events and activities. It looks like something I was born for. I am feeling home and I am in touch with people from several other countries.

I speak portuguese quite well, but an intermediate/advanced level course has been set up and I really want to attend in order to learn more and more and improve my working skills. Lisbon is a great place, the weather is amazing, the views are stunning, the sea is freezing. It is definitely the place where you can say "summertime, and the living is easy". 

Im not going into more worke details, 'cause I have just started and I feel like there is still so much to know before I ll be able to depict my experience properly. But I have to be honest: I am full of energy and my team is great, I feel unstoppable and I am sure the best is yet to come!

Paolo

Os primeiros dias de SVE na Junta de Freguesia de Carnide - Erica

O meu nome é Erica, eu venho de Pesaro (Itália) e sou uma nova voluntária!! I just started learning Portuguese so, for now, I think it is better if I continue in English!!

My adventure as a volunteer in Lisbon started almost two weeks ago and it’s been a surprise every day. The first days I’ve been welcomed by amazing people, volunteers as well, and I found myself completely at ease with the new environment (special thanks to my new casa portuguesa and my great flatmates!). At the same time, both the great company and the discovery of the city let my excitement and enthusiasm grow more and more. As you can see from the pictures I’m enjoying Lisbon’s panoramic viewpoints –miradouros-, street art and graffiti, flea markets, musical and cultural events. Moreover, according to what I experienced so far, the city seems to love lights so much! Indeed, during these days many events have been dedicated to lights... Awesome!

Concerning my project here, the beginning of the volunteering has been quite a challenge! I am volunteering in the Department of Education of Junta de Freguesia de Carnide and, in particular, in a jardim de infância (literally, ‘childhood garden’). This name comes from the idea that children have to be grown and cared in the same way as gardens take part in plants’ development process (I like the metaphor very much!). The first week among ‘buds’ I experienced the extraordinary resources children have to remove linguistic barriers. Their patience, sensitivity and intelligence touched me so much!

During my EVS, I hope to be able to teach them as much as I learn from them! So, I am really happy about the way the project started and really excited about walking through the path in front of me.

Beijinhos,

Erica