I arrived to Lisbon on a sunny Friday afternoon. Raquel came to pick
me up at the airport and for that I'm really grateful to her. Especially
that she had to hurry to the airport right after work, so thank you
Raquel!
The first thing I noticed about Lisbon were those beautiful purple trees
called jacarandas. I wanted to see flowering jacaranda trees for a very
long time and I didn't know that Lisbon's streets were filled with
them, so it was a really great surprise. It is a silly notion, but it
felt like Lisbon was welcoming me. :)
Lisbon is a beautiful historical city and it is very easy to fall in
love with it. Sometimes I find myself wandering the streets completely
enchanted by the loveliness and the atmosphere of the city. At these
times I find it hard to believe that I will have 9 months to enjoy all
that Lisbon has to offer. Its charming old houses, its green parks, its
interesting culture, its great atmosphere and its hospitable people all
make Lisbon an incredibly captivating and extraordinary place.
I also enjoy spending time at the office. Sara and Rasa make us feel
very welcome and they take a good care of their volunteers, helping us
with any issues we have, from opening a bank account to resolving
problems with the telephone company. The projects of Spin are all very
interesting. We are still in the training period, but I believe I'm
going to enjoy working for Spin a lot.
We also got an admirable mentor, Marta, who showed us around in the neighborhood and helps us to integrate to the city.
All in all, I am really happy to be here and cannot wait to find out what new experiences await me in this wonderful city.
“Can I ask you something?” - ”Posso fazer uma pergunta?” é um projecto internacional e inter-geracional que tem como principal temática a Democracia e Participação activa na sociedade.
Este projecto envolve parceiros de Itália e de Portugal que têm como pano de fundo comum o dia 25 de Abril como o dia de liberdade.
Tanto jovens como idosos Italianos e Portugueses são convidados a partilhar o que entendem por “democracia” e por “participação” e de que forma estes conceitos e práticas fazem parte do seu dia-a-dia e da sociedade em geral, tal como a presença da ‘sombra’ da ditadura que ambos os países viveram. O produto final será o resultado dessas partilhas e actividades materializado num vídeo com todas as entrevistas efectuadas.
São três os principais objectivos desta actividade internacional:
• Promoção e o estímulo da participação activa dos jovens na vida democrática, envolvendo os idosos como uma fonte de conhecimento/sabedoria viável para as novas gerações;
• Alargamento de possibilidades de sociabilização e de convívio inter-geracional tendo a democracia como principal tema;
• Oferta da oportunidade aos jovens de comparar/confrontar a sua situação com a de jovens provenientes de outros países europeus no que concerne a estas temáticas.
Este projecto irá desenvolver-se em várias fases:
1. Registo em vídeo de entrevistas a jovens e idosos portugueses seleccionados para conhecer a sua percepção de Democracia e de Participação tal como a forma como a praticam;
2. Acolhimento de alguns jovens participantes italianos em Portugal para uma troca de ideias e resultados das entrevistas;
3. Encontro entre os jovens dos dois países em Itália para uma reflexão conjunta sobre a democracia e como esta é encarada em ambos os países.
Não percas a oportunidade de participar neste projecto e contribuir para a democracia em Portugal e no Mundo! Posso fazer uma pergunta?!
Para mais informações e inscrições, contactar: intercambios.spin@gmail.com, 914519264, 217145520.
In the midsts of spring this year, 20 young Europeans came to the most western city within their borders in an attempt to acquire new and share old knowledge of the life of nature in today's world, its destruction and preservation.
Doing so, they perhaps discovered more of themselves and others as well. I dare to say so because the ecological crises is obviously provoked by humans and not by nature itself, so the problems of ecology has mainly anthropological character. Therefore, I believe, solutions for these issues should be searched for within personalities and their crisis in relation to themselves and nature as a constitutional part of their being.
If we take a peek at the etymology of ecology, it reveals it self not only as a study of living things and environment, but also as a relationship between the two. Or similar, Okologie derived from the Greek oikos, has a meaning of a house, habitation. So here, as the name of this youth exchange ECO young suggests, the idea of such a gathering was that participant's views on the environment they inhabit grow younger, are renewed, refreshed, regenerated and even reconstructed, so that, with a certain change that hopefully will occur in their relation to it, the world, the nature itself could become young and new. Eco young, at least for me, is the return of the regenerating power that nature lost because of the human dominant rule over it, and so the return to being eternally young and forever new. Perhaps this romantic view on the preservation of nature was more actual in 17 and 18 century when ideas of environmental protection were given a start, more of an aesthetic preservation than anything else. So, we agree that these ideas are not new at all. The difference is that today, and this exchange helped us reconsider and remember, people are aware of their own self-destructive power which is the result of the instrumentalisation of science in service of human life stile and the realization of the modernism's program of ruling over nature. Aesthetics is no longer the case.
Different debates during this green week provoked many discussions and reflections, and the individual contribution of participants sharing their own views were highly productive for it showed the group how various are the standing points depending of the cultural, historical, political and economic backgrounds that influence how others perceive and treat their environment. To make things clearer, several field activities were performed where persons involved in this exchange had opportunity to "RE" a lot, that is to REmake, REmix, REdistribute and in this way to REfresh their consciousness of our surroundings, whether this be urban or not. I think these young people recalled that environmentalism is not exclusively far in the hills, mountains and seas, but also in our houses, streets and cities. Ecology is also defined as “The study of consequence.” (Frank Herbert), so humans being the only beings to consciously act they provoke changes that produce consequences that we are used to ignore as abstract and far from us, and therefore not worthy to deal with any time soon.
This postponing of our responsibility towards nature led us to a point where making damage is inevitable. Not only that it prevents environment in its natural cycle of regeneration, but it somehow, ironically, became a part of this cycle. Human impact is now needed, otherwise nature becomes overprotective and its destructive powers are manifested in ways we are about to witness.
Many of the workshops of this youth exchange made clear that the abstract "raising awareness" is not always the answer in making changes. I would rather say that it is more helpful not doing than doing if we wish to aid nature to get back on its track. It is choosing the smaller evil and researching for alternatives of how to reduce damage that we are making anyways. Honestly speaking this is the best we could do in my opinion. Fooling ourselves with over excessive involvement and environmental activism (which is becoming more of a trendy fashion than realistic engagement) is simply not doing the trick if we wish to take things seriously. It is good for entertaining the masses and feeding the society of banalised spectacles. We should accept our weakness and inability in making things better, and understand that sometimes nature's message is "please stay away".
I truly hope that ECO young helped us see that the human emancipation with the help of growing sciences perhaps sometimes went in wrong ways: instead of liberating and developing it led to a form of enslavement.
In my subjective opinion, and from my humble knowledge in this field I dare to conclude that our mistake is in nurturing our instinct of power over things and this is where we go against ourselves. I believe that it is not in the human nature to own things, but instead, we should attempt to enter in a dialog with them, if we wish to understand them better of course.
“Dance along: culture shock teraphy” é o intercâmbio juvenil internacional que junta todos estes elementos num só local e tempo! Jovens da Roménia, Eslováquia, França e Portugal vão reunir-se em França na semana de 25 Junho a 2 de Julho e tentar perceber como se interligam dança, cultura e terapia.
Pode a dança ser um espelho da cultura de um povo? Pode mostrar-nos semelhanças e diferenças entre os Povos? Pode ser uma terapia? Pode ser uma forma de harmonização? Vem passar uma semana em Redon (França) com mais 25 jovens e descobre a resposta a todas estas questões e muitas outras que irão surgir!
O intercâmbio internacional juvenil inclui alojamento e alimentação cobertos a 100% e viagem ida e volta coberta a 70%. O alojamento será em tendas de campismo e todos os participantes terão a oportunidade de cozinhar e organizar todas as actividades em conjunto. O programa inclui jogos de apresentação, quebra-gelos, momentos de dança e canto, criação de um video-clip, jantares/noites interculturais, várias actividades relacionadas com o diálogo intercultural e sobretudo a partilha das respectivas culturas e o derrubar de estereótipos.
Lisbon takes a lifetime to be explored and understood, with all its faces and masks that might appear to be from heavenly beautiful to monstrous. 24 persons from 5 countries gathered here just for a short 6 days tasting of a different, less known Lisboa. On this dawning bus awaiting to the airport I'm not saying farewell to the last one that remained. This one, I believe, walked the city streets a bit more than others could, so we allowed ourselves to imagine blossoming Lisbon as our home. The rest, nothing less, wished sincerely to return soon.
What was it in this gathering that marked their personal histories? Was it the spell of the city itself? Was it the successful (read fortunate) combination of persons? Were the issues and discussions that we touched during the exchange?
I will here, briefly and subjectively try to understand this week that passed. Friends from the exchange are invited to contribute with their own views to this short testimony.
Once people were introduced to their new Lisbonian environment, they felt comfortable to introduce among themselves and the things they are about to do in the next days, together. Through games, dances, silly walks, songs, drinks and food, persons got to taste a bit more of other's persons and cultures. They achieved to function well as a temporary community that celebrates diversity and knowledge by learning from the context they found themselves in and from each other. Interesting about the birth of this 6 day tribe was that they all silently agreed on several occasions to circle around the rules so to surpass obstacles. You can call it cheating yes, but for me it proved a sign that it is not about rules or tactics to get people to do something together, but an agreement, a mini democratic revolution.
Some were already more immersed into Africa's past and present some less, but to all it was of great amusement and interest the most useful introductions presented by our very own africonologists Cátia Lopes and Andreyna Caires. The whole story culminated with the role playing game through which they were brought even closer to African-Portuguese historical and actual relations.
We felt that without moving more and even sweat a bit over some African rhythms persons might miss out some points, so maestro António Tavares stepped on the scene demonstrating traditional moves which everyone gladly followed.
But just adjusting their bodies to the rhythms wasn't enough, so our participants had the chance to also create with their hands, sounds and sculptures. They were guided by experienced masters, mestre Kabum and Malenga.
Friends were left for themselves the night, to process well all the input they received the day. No notes were taken for these activities.
On this day that passed people could better understand the myths and realities of African communities in Lisbon, to prepare their minds and spirits to take the experience from theory to practice, and finally to cross "the bridge" and to encounter the folks of the bairros, their homes.
Afterwards, many issues concerning the answers they collected were discussed, demystified and deconstructed. Having this as a comparison point, they than briefly presented the presence of African culture and history in their own countries. The day finished with the screening of a new documentary "Nos Terra" by Anna Tica, Nuno Pedro, Toni Polo in the Centro Cultural de Carnide, which reflects on the lives and lifestyles of a generation of daughters and sons of African emigrants in Lisboa. Each experienced this day in a particular way, but what I believe was a common impression to all was the saudade that for one interviewed person meant joy, and the cry of the slaves that meant singing and song, as we heard from one of the people of the documentary.
So far, the African face of Lisboa was perceived by our friends in a rather, indirect way, how observers and persons familiar with the situations saw it, or how it was seen by itself and its subjects, which became in fact, the objects and objectives of this exchange. On the fifth day, people went out to observe, absorb, mingle and learn by themselves, so that the tales they are about to tell, are authentic tales of African Lisbon as seen by their own eyes, filtered through the diversities of backgrounds each carries within.
After all those images, sounds, odors, discussions and emotions, participants searched for a way how to canalize and materialize their impressions. What other way than creating something is better to confirm and mark the existence of all these experiences? We agreed to create postcards. Why?
Postcards are capable of summarizing a view and telling a very short story that is more inviting than explanatory. The image or message standing on it might have some aesthetic value, but the true aesthetics is in the act of giving and receiving it. This provokes pleasure and seduces the receiver to the story. When sent from Lisboa It also conceals a symbol of saudade for the place it originates from more than for the place or person it is designated for.
To celebrate the success of this gathering a Festa Africana took place in the Centro Intercultura Cidade, where traditional African food and drinks were tasted. Followed a very relaxed and pleasing concert by outstanding musicians Yaw També, José Brazão and António Tavares.
When one sees the programme of this (or any) youth exchange on paper and numbers the days, it is difficult to imagine where and when all that happened fits. What persons took with themselves from Lisbon in terms of knowledge, friendships, emotions, is out of any possible time frame, conserved as a memory of an experience that brought a change. To each one a different one. And this of course, expands even further in time and space, for now they now one person more, one more reality, one more space. And it will all call them back, just like the postcards they made.
We are grateful to our friends, the wonderful people from the Centro Intercultura Cidade, Centro Cultural deCarnide and Rossio Patio Hostel, without whom, non of this would have been as it was! Thank you Raquel Carvalho, Sara Segurado, Hugo Curado and Cátia Lopes for Аssociação Spin that brought us together. Thank you Rasa Verseckaite for creating and realizing this idea from the beginning to the very end. We are also grateful to António Tavares, mestre Kabum and Malenga for their amazing workshops. Thanks to Yaw També, José Brazão and António Tavares for the beautiful concert they gave to us. Thanks to the Portuguese group of participants for all the support they gave. Thanks to all the participants that they were as they were.
Lisboa leva uma vida inteira para ser explorada e compreendida tendo em conta todas as suas faces e máscaras, desde belas celestiais a monstruosas. 24 pessoas de 5 países reuniram-se por cá para um curto período de 6 dias de “degustação” de uma Lisboa diferente, uma Lisboa menos conhecida.
Nesta espera matutina do autocarro para o aeroporto, não digo adeus ao último que ficou. Este acredito que andou pelas ruas da cidade, um pouco mais dos que os outros, permitindo-nos imaginar Lisboa como a nossa casa. De resto, pouco mais, desejando apenas regressar em breve. O que marcou neste encontro as histórias pessoais do grupo? O encanto da própria cidade? A bem sucedida (leia-se sorte) combinação das pessoas? As questões e os debates realizados durante o intercâmbio?
Brevemente e subjetivamente vou tentar reflectir sobre esta semana que se passou. Convido igualmente todos os participantes do Intercâmbio a contribuir com suas opiniões para este curto testemunho.
O grupo foi “introduzido” no novo ambiente lisboeta, sentindo-se confortáveis uns com os outros e com as actividades que estavam prestes a realizar juntos, nos próximos dias. Através de jogos, danças, loucos passeios, bebidas e comidas, os jovens “provaram” um pouco mais destas pessoas e destas culturas.
Eles conseguiram funcionar bem como uma “comunidade temporária” que louvou a diversidade e o conhecimento adquirido através da aprendizagem encontrada neles mesmos e nos outros.
Um aspeto interessante no nascimento desta “tribo de 6 dias” foi o fato de todos concordarem silenciosamente em várias ocasiões, aquando de momentos de reflexão. Pode ser considerada “batotice”, mas para mim prova que não são as regras que fazem com que as pessoas atuem de certa forma, mas sim o conseguir-se chegar a um acordo, uma espécie de mini revolução democrática.
Alguns jovens mais imersos no passado e presente africano outros menos, mas para todos foi interessante e divertida a apresentação realizada pelas nossas africanólogas Cátia Lopes e Andreyna Caires. Esta culminou num role playing, que levou o grupo para o seio das relações afro-portuguesas ao nível histórico e ao nível actual.
Sentimos que sem ritmos africanos e até sem transpirar um bocadinho, o grupo poderia perder alguns aspectos primordiais nesta vivência. Assim o maestro António Tavares entrou em cena, demonstrando ritmos tradicionais que todos seguiram alegremente.
No entanto, apenas combinar corpos dançantes com ritmos, não seria suficiente para os nossos participantes. Desta forma tiveram também a oportunidade de criar manualmente, os sons e as esculturas, guiados por dois experientes mestres, Kabum e Malenga.
Foram deixadas as noites livres para os nossos amigos, de modo a processarem todas as ricas informações recebidas durante o dia. Não há registos de notas para essa actividade…
Num dos dias o grupo pode entender melhor os mitos e as realidades das comunidades africanas em Lisboa. Puderam preparar suas mentes e espíritos de modo a viver a experiência da teoria à prática e, finalmente conseguirem atravessar "a ponte", encontrando do outro lado as pessoas dos bairros, as suas casas, as suas vidas.
E lá foram eles numa viagem pelo nosso Carnide, onde se fizerem entrevistas e tiveram-se conversas aleatórias com emigrantes desconhecidos, reunindo preciosas reflexões que ficaram gravadas nas suas memórias, blocos de notas e câmaras.
Após isso, foram discutidas, debatidas, desmistificadas e desconstruídas as respostas recolhidas e tendo tal como ponto de comparação, fizeram uma breve apresentação da presença da cultura africana nos seus próprios países. O dia terminou com a exibição de um documentário "Nôs Terra" no Centro Cultural de Carnide, que reflete sobre estilos de vida de uma geração de filhos e filhas de emigrantes africanos em Lisboa. Cada um dos nossos amigos viveu este dia de forma particular, mas acredito que houve uma sensação comum a todos ao ver este documentário: o sentimento de saudade que para um dos entrevistados significava felicidade e o clamor dos escravos traduzido em músicas cantadas.
Até agora, a face Africana de Lisboa tinha sido compreendida pelos nossos amigos de uma forma algo indirecta, como observadores e pessoas familiarizadas com as situações as encaram, ou como eram vistas por si mesma e seus sujeitos, o que se tornou de facto, no objecto e objectivos deste intercâmbio.
No quinto dia o grupo saiu para observar, absorver, integrar-se e aprender por si próprios, para que as histórias que mais tarde irão contar, sejam histórias reais sobre a Lisboa africana vista pelos seus olhos, filtrada pelos vivências que já trazem consigo.
Depois de todas estas imagens, sons, odores, discussões e emoções, os participantes procuraram a melhor forma materializar e divulgar as suas impressões. Que melhor forma, senão criar algo que confirma e prova a existência de todas estas experiências? Concordámos que poderia ser criar postais. Porquê?
Os postais “conseguem” resumir algo observado e contar uma história muito curta, que é mais convidativa do que explicativa. A imagem ou a mensagem do postal pode ter algum valor estético, mas a estética verdadeira é o ato de dar e recebê-lo. Isso é prazeroso e alicia o receptor para a história.
Quando enviado de Lisboa, também encobre o símbolo da saudade do lugar que o origina, mais do que para o lugar ou para a pessoa para quem é dirigido.
Para comemorar o sucesso deste encontro teve lugar no Centro InterculturaCidade uma Festa Africana, onde a gastronomia tradicional africana foi saboreada. Seguiu-se um descontraído e agradável concerto pelas mãos, voz e ritmos dos excepcionais músicos Yaw Tambe, José Brazão e António Tavares.
Quando se vê o programa deste (ou qualquer outro) intercâmbio de jovens no papel e com os dias propostos para a sua realização, é difícil imaginar onde e quando tudo o que aconteceu se encaixa. O que as pessoas do grupo levaram consigo a partir de Lisboa ao nível de conhecimento, amizades, emoções, está fora de qualquer estrutura de tempo possível, conservado na memória de uma experiência que trouxe uma mudança. Para cada um, uma experiência diferente. E isso, claro expande-se ainda mais no tempo e no espaço, pois agora este grupo conhece mais uma pessoa, mais uma realidade, mais um local. E tudo isso irá trazê-los de volta a essa realidade, assim como os postais que fizeram.
Agradecemos aos nossos amigos, às pessoas maravilhosas do Centro InterculturaCidade, do Centro Cultural de Carnide e do Patio Hostel Rossio, sem os quais, nada disto teria sido como foi! Obrigado Raquel Carvalho, Sara Segurado, Hugo Curado e Cátia Lopes pela Аssociação Spin que nos uniu. Obrigado Rasa Verseckaite por criares e realizares esta ideia desde o início até o fim. Agradecemos também ao António Tavares, ao mestre Kabum e ao mestre Malenga pelas suas surpreendentes oficinas. Agradecemos também ao Yaw Tambe, ao José Brazão e ao António Tavares pelo bonito concerto que nos proporcionaram e ao grupo português de participantes por todo o apoio que nos deram.
Obrigado a todos os participantes por serem quem são.
For all the expectations I tried to avoid, before returning to a place I already come to love once in my life I stayed focused on my wish, not just to leave home again, but to come back, it felt like me and Lisbon have some unfinished business. We got our second chance and as time passes you turn back making a temporary inventory of events, thoughts and reasons that sum up the present moment, it all makes sense. While the résumés we make in our lives change and evolve according to our growth or rather rational needs to make sense of the present, I can feel this was no coincidence, and feelings are something you can not contest or change; they are the essences of our memories, as sounds and smells – triggers that tell us who we were – who we are… Lisbon smells like home and has been part of me for a long time now.
It always happens, when landing in a new place, it usually is a rainy day, with a somehow dark and gray horizon, an atmosphere that leaves you in suspense, as someone telling you: Well honey, you will have to make something of it! But I know Lisbon’s sunny days and how fast the clouds move through the sky driven by the open oceans winds – as 500 years back in time it feels like the last stop, for now things have fallen into place.
When you have the opportunity to experience something you in part already know and love again, can bring you only more – this time, more than coming back home, meant getting a family. In this short time people, I guess I was lucky to encounter, resonate what this experience means to me. As I was trying to figure out, if this is only me, my state of mind or our basic need to connect, to fight the remains of what is unknown and new, I concluded it is all of it, but most importantly it is what we, who live this together, all feel like. It might be a glance of my rationalizations, but it’s the only way to make sense of it.
For me this is the heart of the EVS experience – people brought closer because of our sameness and the circumstances of detachment from what is safe. From what I feel, the strong connections care and love towards and from everyone I have around, is not only a basic way to survive, but a wonderful human tendency that brings communities and groups together – as a sane, constructive collaboration.
I would just like to thank all of you that apparently know what we live and make this journey so much easier for us. Friends and family is what I make of it for now, at home and at work. As the bases are set and firm, adding some creativity and action in the next step should come easy. I will keep avoiding all expectations, as things and feelings evolve, since I have learned this is what makes more space to change it for the better.
I arrived in Lisbon one month ago to begin a European Voluntary Service Project at the Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, working with retired people in the Gabinete do Idoso. Even though I know the city very well after having done my Erasmus here, my first month has been a mix of the unexpected and the unusual…but in a positive way!
When I arrived, I had a few days to settle in to my new home in historic Alfama, to get to know the other international volunteers and to refresh my Portuguese vocabulary. Then it was time to start work, beginning with a meeting with the President of the Junta. We learned a bit about how the Junta is organised and how the different departments work together, and everyone gave us a very warm welcome.
I am working principally in the Academia Senior, which provides older people with lessons in languages, history, art, IT etc. The first lesson I observed was about “advanced Facebook” and I was surprised to see that some of the students know more about social networks than I do! My hometown in the UK doesn’t have any centres like this so it has been both interesting and inspiring to see just how active the older people in Carnide are, and to be welcomed into their environment despite the differences in our ages and backgrounds.
I was invited to spend my second week in the Algarve, accompanying a group of 100 old people on their annual “acantonamento”. This was a great opportunity to get to know everyone but it was also a challenging way to start my EVS: it was often frustrating not to be able to communicate and participate in the way I wanted, and it was strange to spend so many days without seeing anyone of my own age! Nonetheless, it was a very funny group of people and I feel that I saw another side of Portuguese culture. Highlights included the fashion show, gymnastics on the beach, learning some traditional dances and singing karaoke in a local bar.
Before I came to Portugal, I wasn’t really sure what my EVS would entail but I was confident that it would be a worthwhile experience. So far I am enjoying the variety of my work and feel that I am learning more about Carnide and its residents every day. EVS is a chance to try new things and I have already experienced my first Flashmob and my first political demonstration. I already know that my nine months here will fly past too quickly, but I can’t wait to see what other surprises EVS has in store!
