O Testemunho da Matilde

Ciao! I’m Matilde and I’m from Tuscany, Italy :)

I have been in Lisbon for a few months already, and at Spin for just slightly less, and now it’s time for me to look back on everything that has happened so far.

When I arrived here in the winter, the weather was rainy and cold, yet I could already feel the warmth of the city, the very same warmth with which Spin’s team welcomed me to the office.

Lisbon is full of surprises that I’ve been discovering little by little: climbing up the steep hills to reach the incredible views of the miradouros, heading down to the beaches for a dip into ice-cold Portuguese waters, or stepping into one of the very many cafés, restaurants, social clubs, and neighborhood quiosques. I fell in love with the melancholic yet joyful energy of the city. You feel it everywhere, welcoming you and inviting you to lose yourself in the maze of tiny calçada streets, only to find your way again when the scenery opens up to a sunlit square.

With that same curiosity, I’ve been discovering everything that Spin and its community have to offer. The association and everyone working or volunteering here are incredibly dynamic, almost no two days ever look the same. I’ve been doing all sorts of tasks, meeting all sorts of people, and learning all sorts of skills. Between navigating projects and picking up new routines, I’m constantly encountering new perspectives that make this whole experience feel like a true shared adventure.

It’s a continuous process of learning and growing, and I can’t wait to see what else this city and this project have in store for me!

O Testemunho do Alvaro

 

Aloha! It’s Alvaro, saying goodbye.

Entering deep in the rhythms of the city, creating my safe space, experiencing sad goodbyes and fresh welcomes, investing time in things that matter, receiving friends' visits, growth personally, professionally and work on self-regulation are some of the best inputs I can mention of volunteering with SPIN.

It was a dreamy combination of new experiences where the human exchange has been the main currency. Not happy and not sad to close this experience but yes with a feeling that i will remember as a sweet phase of my life, where i will come back to from time to time. Ready to go and hoping to come back one day. Lisbon and SPIN showed me the path more clearly where I want to direct my life, but also taught me that it´s not gonna be easy! 

The diversity of this volunteering made me more aware and critical with the different realities that we are living. The people I shared moments with during these months really woke up something inside me. Overall, I just can be grateful for all the support, patience, jokes, hard moments, and shared thoughts that now belong to me somehow. 

I can not finish this without mentioning the inspiration I have received from the SPIN team. I really think that there is something special that I can not describe with words, that's why you should come and experience it by yourself.

Love and gratitude, but overall;

Peace.

Álvaro.

Youth Exchange “The Edge Effect"

 

We asked our participants from the youth exchange “The Edge Effect” organized by ICSE & Co. between the 20th and 26th of July in Florence, Italy, how their feedback regarding this experience was. Here is what they had to say:

Maria Inés:

I will always cherish my experience in the “The Edge Effect” exchange program! The topic was one I didn’t feel comfortable with at first, but that’s exactly why I embarked on this experience, full of curiosity and of a desire to learn. I’m very grateful for the work of everyone involved because I think it was a super interesting and dynamic program, something I believe is essential to the learning process!

Thanks to this project, I had the opportunity to learn about new realities and sustainable practices, in addition to developing my critical thinking skills regarding these topics. I also had the chance to meet several people who contributed to this project and to our shared learning experience. I hope to have similar experiences in the future! 

Joana: 

The one week exchange program was wonderful, we had the chance to deeply explore the concepts of permaculture and how to build a permaculture project while being immersed in a multicultural environment, which enriched the program immensely. Villa Morghen was also beautiful and I loved its different spaces, from a game tavern and a library to a beautiful garden.

I especially liked how varied the activities were. We were able to express our ideas not only through words but through drawing, sculpting and even acting, which I felt reflects the out of the box creative nature of permaculture projects. The visit to the community center Lumen was very helpful in demonstrating how one of these projects can come to life and enrich its community.

Overall it was a wonderful week and I hope the “The Edge Effect” program can continue for other future attendees to enjoy.

Guilherme:

My experience on this youth exchange program exceeded my expectations.

It was an intense week, I got to spend time with a group of people from four different countries, share my culture and learn about theirs.

I also decided to make the whole journey by train to use more sustainable transportation, which in itself was a unique experience. The trip took four days and I used 13 different modes of transportation, which allowed me to understand the overland route and the gradual changes in the landscapes and architecture.

This experience taught me that we can do a lot with very little and that we all have so much in common, even though we come from different cultures and places, an important lesson in a world where the rhetoric is increasingly focusing on division and differences.

I really enjoyed learning about the principles of permaculture and seeing them put into practice at a cultural/community space in Florence.

I also had the chance to talk about sustainability projects in Portugal that I’ve been involved in and to learn about various projects undertaken by the participants.

I feel privileged to have been able to participate in this youth exchange and to have met such unique people with whom I hope to stay in touch.

Inés:

During a memorable week, I had the privilege of participating in a transformative project in Italy called “The Edge Effect,” which focused on the intersection of permaculture and sustainability. This project was more than just a training session; we delved deeply into the topic through a dynamic approach that combined games and moments of reflection.

We attended presentations from various countries that allowed us to cross borders without leaving our seats, learning about examples of how sustainability is being implemented in other European countries. We were also challenged to conceptualize and structure our own projects, moving from theory to action and designing sustainable solutions for the future.

We were introduced to Lumen, a cultural space that perfectly exemplifies successful urban regeneration, demonstrating how it is possible to transform a site and return it to the community, creating a true haven of culture and harmony with the surrounding environment.

In addition to the rich thematic content, we also had the opportunity to visit the city of Florence. The city’s art, history, and architecture served as a backdrop for the true essence of this project: human relationships. These cultural exchanges allowed us to forge friendships without borders that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Mariana N:

It’s amazing how just one week can bring together so much learning, sharing, and friendship. The Edge Effect was an experience that made me not only look at cities, sustainability, and communities in a different way but also at the importance of learning from others.

One of the things I enjoyed most was the way the activities were facilitated. I never felt that there were right or wrong answers, or that our creativity had any limits. On the contrary, we were always encouraged to share ideas, ask questions, experiment, and build solutions together. That atmosphere was also reflected in the group. Although we came from different countries and not everyone had the same level of English, I never felt any pressure to speak perfectly. The important thing was to communicate, listen, and participate. A space was created where everyone felt comfortable contributing, regardless of their experience or confidence in the language, and that made all the difference.

Throughout the week, it was also very inspiring to learn about the P’orto project. Hearing the story behind that space and seeing the impact the facilitators were able to create in the community made me realize that permaculture goes far beyond theory. It’s a way of looking at places, at people, and at the potential that exists even in the most overlooked spaces.

On top of all this, I also had the opportunity to explore Florence, making this experience even more special. I’m returning home with new perspectives, friendships I’ll carry with me, and the certainty that small ideas, when nurtured together, can lead to truly meaningful change.

Mariana R:

For a week, I had the opportunity to experience a unique project in Italy about permaculture and sustainability. We immersed ourselves in the subject through games, reflections, national presentations that allowed us to learn practical examples from other countries, and we even had the chance to devise our own sustainable projects. Our exploration of the topic culminated in a visit to Lumen, a cultural space that, through an urban regeneration project, provides the community with a place to meet and socialize.

Visiting the city of Florence was another highlight of the project, as well as the human connections that were created and the friends I made across borders who I will never forget.

The "The Edge Effect" project was special from the very first moment and will remain forever etched in my heart.