My year of European voluntary service is almost over and it has been full of important changes. Despite a year that made everyone's life different and that for a period even blocked it, I will focus on what were the personal and inherent changes in my year here in Portugal. It was a slow and not immediate path, made by moments of waiting, reflection and action. I started and probably learned to love myself more, to look inward and take care of myself. All this was made possible by starting to do a bit of physical work out every day, talking more than one language in one day, choosing people that made my time better and created a small reality that I felt comfortable in.
Due to the lockdown I was only able to resume the project at the kindergarten at the beginning of September, but despite this, even if the time was less, it was nonetheless formative. In this time I realized there was more balance between responsibility and voluntary work, I felt more useful and integrated, both as regards the relationship with the children but also with the educators. Even if we hadn't seen each other for a long time, we immediately re-established an even more confidential and playful relationship, probably also thanks to the improvement of my Portuguese language skills. I felt really comfortable and I found on their part a great willingness and generosity towards me. My project colleague and me are very grateful for the lunches time shared with them during special celebrations. The moment I appreciated the most and in which I found the most connection with the children, was when I put them to sleep during the afternoon nap, taking off their shoes, tucking them in the blankets. I think I have grown fond of them and that I will miss them all.
Lisbon wasn't love at first sight, I needed my time to love it. I think it was a feeling related to how I felt. The better I started feeling, the more I started loving it. Long walks through the city, trips out of town to discover new paradisiacal places, art visits, have made this feeling stronger and more solid. Although it has been an uncertain and worrying year, this EVS and Lisbon have made it safer and have given me time to reflect and manage time in alternative ways.
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