O testemunho no. 1 da Hanna (Spin)

 

I am sitting at my desk in the Spin office, writing my first testimony. I have been in Portugal, Lisbon for over a month now and I can put my hand to my heart and say - it has been the best decision of my life to come here, change myself including the community around me for the better.

Hi, I am Hanna, originally from Estonia, a country where most of the time it is cold and cloudy, but I am enjoying the sun here in Lisbon, taking every last piece of it in.. I am just 19 years old, the youngest volunteer right now in Spin  Association. Freshly graduated from high school, I chose to turn my life upside down and do something different, outrageous. Looking for a job I came across an opportunity to volunteer in Spin  Association for a year and I knew it was something I have been looking for. 

 In my first month I already had to work with my first ever youth exchange (which was the coolest experience ever) and had to manage our organization's own spin hostel. I never had a job before, that means it's my first time working in shifts, doing paperwork and helping with different projects. I was really excited but also scared, if I can manage this workload, and if I will do everything right. Despite my fears my coworkers are the sweetest people on earth, guiding me through my first weeks, months, giving me time to settle and learn from my own mistakes. 

I also would like to give attention and show my appreciation to my flatmates, who I have lived with for some time and will have to spend my whole year with. Living with complete strangers is a new experience for me, but something I hold dearly in my heart now. It's amazing how you can become so close with people in a few weeks… Months. Strangers have become my little family, who I can always count on, and who I can share this amazing experience with.

This is my first testimony, but not last. I can only imagine what great things I will see, work on and experience. I am only at the start of my journey through Portugal and my volunteering in Spin and I could not be more excited and happy to be here and bring  you with me through my adventures.