O testemunho final da Katarzyna (Spin)

 My volunteer adventure has come to an end. I can't believe these six months went by so quickly. This time has been incredibly valuable to me. At SPIN, we organized several youth exchanges, and although there was a lot of work, I had a great time. It was exciting to be involved in these exchanges from an organizational perspective, and sometimes I even got to participate in activities with the participants, such as learning the Brazilian martial art Capoeira. I also really enjoyed painting a mural. Although I had initial doubts, I ended up enjoying being a guide and taking groups on cultural visits, like to the castle. I experienced many memorable moments at SPIN that will stay with me forever. The team is fantastic, and we had a lot of fun together.

In early May, I had the chance to spend a week in Chaves for on-arrival training. I loved it and met volunteers from all over Portugal. We shared our experiences and learned valuable things that helped me make the most of my volunteer time. Additionally, I got to see a part of Portugal I wouldn't have visited otherwise, and it's truly beautiful there.

In mid-June, I had the opportunity to go to Marseille for the Youthful project, which focuses on creating a guide for immigrants arriving in Lisbon and Marseille. I really like the concept of this project, so I'm glad I could be a part of it and share my ideas. I enjoyed meeting another organization and their volunteers, who welcomed us warmly. Marseille is really amazing, especially the beautiful beaches nearby that look like paradise.

Living in Lisbon has been an amazing experience for me. The city is beautiful, and I felt grateful every day to live there. As a resident, I could visit various monuments for free every Sunday, which helped me get to know Lisbon even better. The Portuguese people are very kind, making me feel at home. Additionally, I explored nearby cities, which also captivated me.

Although there were some tough moments, in the end, I only remember the good times. I met many interesting people from different countries. Moving to Lisbon and this six-month volunteer experience changed me a lot. I feel like I've grown so much. This is a precious life experience that no one can take away from me. If I had to decide again whether to go, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

Beijinhos 💋💋

Kasia

O testemunho no. 1 da Katarzyna (Spin)

I am Katarzyna and I am from Poland. I have been volunteering at SPIN for a month now. I will be here for 6 months. I decided to do this project because I wanted to experience something new in my life and live for a while abroad. I work and live with people from different countries and I really like it because we can share with each other customs and traditions. Everybody here is very friendly so It was very easy for me to make friends here. 

Lisbon is a very beautiful city. I love walking down different streets, there are many viewpoints where you can admire the view of the city and watch beautiful sunsets. I also really like Portuguese food and especially pastel de nata. The beaches near Lisbon are beautiful and the weather is really good here. It’s warm here and there are many sunny days. 

I love traveling and I already had an opportunity to spend a few days in Algarve. It was really amazing and I felt like I was on a small vacation. The weather was really good, it was sunny all the time and very warm. The beaches there are the most beautiful I have ever seen. There are plenty of cliffs and rocks with a beautiful view of the ocean. 

I am very excited for the next months here and what else will happen! 

O testemunho no. 1 da Weronika (Spin)

 

Moving to Portugal has always been my dream. I really wanted to get to know the Portuguese slow life, learn about the culture, the language and learn to surf. This week  was my first week od my Portugal life and i can say it has been an incredible adventure. From the moment I arrived, I was captivated by the charm and beauty of this country. The people are warm and welcoming, and there's a certain sense of tranquility that fills in everyday life.

The breathtaking landscapes, from the lush vineyards of the Douro Valley to the stunning beaches of the Algarve, have left me in awe. The food is an absolute delight; I can't get enough of the world-famous Portuguese custard tarts, pastéis de nata.

Exploring the historic streets of Lisbon has been like stepping back in time, and I'm constantly discovering new hidden gems around every corner. The architecture, with its intricate tiles and colorful facades, adds a unique character to the cities.

But what has impressed me the most is the strong sense of community and the rich cultural traditions. The Portuguese people know how to celebrate life.

I've only just begun my journey here, and I can already say that Portugal has a special place in my heart. It's a place where old-world charm meets modern living, and I'm excited to continue embracing all that this beautiful country has to offer. See you around 😁

Weronika

O Testemunho final da Hanna (Spin)

 

I came to Portugal for the first time a few years ago, to start my first Camino de Santiago from Porto. And then, sometime later, I came back again to start a new chapter, this time without any arrows I could follow. I´ll repeat what everyone else says at this point - I wasn't expecting time to pass that fast, but here I am, at the last steps of my stay in Lisbon. 

The time I spent here was full of new experiences, new people, new histories. I saw beautiful places, spent Christmas on a beach, drank countless amounts of coffee and ate pastel de nata almost every day. I tried new dishes, cooked my favourite ones and shared them with others. I discovered a new city and have my personal map filled with nice spots I'll want to remember. I'm happy and satisfied that I managed to travel a lot and explore. 

Throughout the implementation of my project I had a lot of opportunities to learn new things and improve other skills. I worked individually as well as a part of a team. We carried a nice tradition of intercultural lunches, which gave us a chance to integrate as a team and get to know our cultures. And learn new recipes :) 

All good things must come to an end, so this chapter of my life is also about to finish. Goodbyes always make me feel a bit nostalgic, but I can also feel glad and grateful for what I got to experience. I'd like to thank a lot to Spin's team for inviting me to join them, it was a pleasure to work with you! Muito obrigada!

Hanna

O Testemunho final da Magda (Spin)

I knew it would happen, but I didn't expect it to be so soon. My project in Lisbon is coming to an end and I would like to share some thoughts and experiences about it, because the last few months have been full of adventures and new people.

What did I do at Spin?

-I gave 12 Portuguese Language lessons to other volunteers. It was challenging, but also a really valuable period for me. I was able to see how other people started using the language with my help, and watching them interact was something I really enjoyed;

- I experienced my first Youth Exchange and met people from several European countries, including my own - Poland;

- I helped organize the interns from La Vibria organization first days in Lisbon.

What places have I visited?

- I visited many places that were on my bucket list:

*The Alentejo region with a rented car,

*Serra da Estrela Natural Park,

*many beaches

*Guadiana River from Vila Real de Santo António to Ayamonte.

*Andalusia

..... and much more

What I learned?

-Living with people from different countries can be difficult, but you can learn a lot at the same time, which makes you grow as a person;

-People can have REALLY different concepts of time;

-You don't have to choose between a smaller, strong coffee (uma meia de leite) and a large, lighter one (um galão), but you can just order um galão escuro :D

Honestly? I'm really glad I made the decision to come to Lisbon. I've learned a lot about myself, grown as a person and experienced things I hadn't thought of before. The people I met will always hold a special place in my life. I recommend you to take this step and enjoy volunteering in Portugal.

 

Magda

O testemunho no. 1 da Hanna (Spin)

 

Hello everyone,

      My name is Hanna, I`m from Poland. I came to Portugal to work for Spin having already had experience with an ESC short-term project. It gave me so many beautiful memories and ideas that I knew I had to repeat it. Unfortunately, due to the 2020 pandemic that made us all cancel or postpone our plans, I had to wait for a new opportunity to engage in a ESC project, but finally I made it. 

Me and other volunteers started our shared adventure at the beginning of November. We got to know each other and our organization during the welcoming meeting, which accept of first information and instructions gave us also  a chance to learn a bit about the local district and its history.

Further sessions introduced us to our association`s tasks and encouraged us to take individual initiatives in order to harness the time we will spend working here.

Besides the office job, I would also love to learn about Portugal, its culture and history, so I'm very enthusiastic about Portuguese classes we will start soon. I also hope to be able to explore and travel around the country. 

O testemunho no. 1 da Magdalena (Spin)

                                                                        

                   

     Hello everyone,                                                                      

 Olá a todxs! Sou a Magdalena e tenho 24 anos. Comecei o meu projeto de voluntariado “Feel the Flow in Lisbon” em 4 de novembro. Encontrei esta oportunidade graças à Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Przedsiębiorczego (FRSP) e decidi vir para Lisboa.

Os meus primeiros dias cá têm sido fantásticos. Em 4 de outubro almoçámos todos juntos, fizemos passeio pelo Bairro Padre Cruz e conhecemos várias informações sobre a Associação Spin. No fim de semana finalmente comi um dos meus pratos preferidos da cozinha portuguesa- bacalhau com natas- e junto com os outros voluntários bebemos um café em Estoril.

                                                                              

Adoro o ambiente no nosso apartamento (Casa Bernardina). Todos os dias são diferentes e nunca ficamos aborrecidos. Gostamos muito de passar o tempo a beber chá ou café, passear pela cidade e conversar até bem tarde da noite. 

 

 Acho que ser um voluntário na Spin é uma oportunidade única para todos os que queiram ajudar os outros e contribuir-se para o bem-estar da comunidade local. Estou muito contente de poder estar aqui. Lisboa é uma cidade pela qual me apaixonei já há três anos e desde então tem ocupado um lugar especial no meu coração <3

O testemunho No.1 da Monika (Spin)

 

Hello 

I am here today to share with you my first impressions of being in Portugal, but before I do that, I would like to shortly introduce myself. My name is Monika, I am 24 years old, and I come from the city Wroclaw in Poland. I am an animal and human rights activist, art appreciator, with a special passion for interior design.

Last year I was entering a new chapter in life, right after graduating my master’s in education, beginning my very first educator job in a children and youth daycare. I was facing a lot of challenges, but at the same time having the fulfilment from working with the most amazing staff, and causing impact on young people with special needs. It was a safe space for me, especially living in my hometown, near my family and friends. At the same time, I felt the need to start in a new place, since moving abroad was something that I wanted to do for a while. I began searching and I found the SPIN Association, all thanks to the European Solidarity Corps website. My current daycare was working beside an association as well, therefore I felt like this experience might be similar to what I am doing now, but with a fresh feel, far away from my home. 

 Now it has been almost two weeks that I am in Portugal, and I must say that it has been quite an adventure. It has all started in Nazaré, from which I will be unfortunately moving this weekend. The view of the ocean, beautiful architecture, and overall calmness had made me appreciate my decision to come here. I live one minute away from the beach, which makes it easy to enjoy the sun and the breeze of the water. 

On the 4th of July I had made my first trip to visit Lisbon. Shortly after I realised how different it is from Nazaré, more vibrant and lively, therefore similar to my hometown. A day later I arrived to the SPIN office. I got to have a tour of the Bairro Padre Cruz neighbourhood, which has an artistic and alternative feeling to it. I especially enjoyed the colourful murals on the buildings and incredible city view. I am looking forward to getting inspired by learning more about this area! I also had a lunch with the staff and volunteers, which gave me an opportunity to learn more about them before we start working together. I am very excited about my journey which is only about to begin, at the same time hoping to get the most out of my time here. 

O testemunho no. 2 da Julia (SPIN)

 Hello, I’m Julia, and welcome to my second testimony.

I know that you had to wait for a while to see it finally, but to be completely honest, writing this was super difficult for me. I found it super hard to summarize all these experiences in just a couple of sentences. Every time I was starting writing this I was in a different mood and another big feeling in my heart that I wanted to express. 

Sometimes, I wanted to write how heartbroken I get whenever I have to say goodbye to someone too soon. At some point in my volunteering time, I turned from newcomer to one of the oldest volunteers, and that means that in the meantime a lot of people finished their projects and left Portugal(luckily some stayed also). Recovery doesn’t come this instant. After a hard period of grieving, you begin to feel happy for them- happy that they figured the next step on their path of life, but you still let yourself miss them sometimes, and hope to see them anytime soon. 

Sometimes, I wanted to write how happy I feel for taking part in my association daily life and being a volunteer, connecting with people, and discovering the strength of the volunteer community. I am really glad about this, it was something I truly wanted to do and since day one I knew that it was a good choice. 

Sometimes, how scared I am to miss a thing because time is relentless and passing fast, and you always want to get more and more out of this experience, because you know that before you notice it’s going to be over. But then what you also realize is that being chill, warm and cozy is a very pleasant part of it.

And sometimes, how blessed I feel to live in a climate with weather that allows you to spend time outdoors during wintertime. I even managed to throw my birthday party in the park in November, take on the most cycling in January, not to forget swimming in the sea on the 31st of December!. As a person coming from Poland, where none of those things are possible in this period because of the freezing cold, I really appreciate it.

All-time I wanted to write about amazing people that feel like home to me and the big city that very often feels like a small village.

About how grateful I am for all the expected and unexpected. All the cheers, laughs, meetings, festivals, gatherings, coffees, beers, dinners, random meetings on the street, breakfasts, sunsets, visits, smiles, sunrises, lunches, trips, DJ sets, jam sessions, walks, hangouts, concerts, hikes, parties, games, workshops, after dinners, street parties, dances and anything else there is, all the magic that happened and all the magic that will happen.

And for the beaches, I’m very thankful for the sea, the sun, and the beaches. And for all the love and all the hugs. I’m very thankful for way too long hugs.