O testemunho final da Isa (Junta)

Last Testimony

Hi there! I am Isa and I am 24 years old and I am coming from Spain. Almost one year ago, I decided to take one

of the best decision in my life: Being a volunteer in Lisbon, I´ve always wanted to do such a volunteering, so searching the opportunity it wasn´t difficult to me. Now, with all the memories I have in my mind, I feel grateful and first of all I wanna say thank you Spin for selected me, without you it would not been the same Since the very first moment I contact Spin I feel this could be a good association, and I was sure at the end.

Being abroad one year is not easy, specially the first
months without really knowing someone. You start dating some volunteers, start seeing them more frequently
(hey, let´s go for a coffee, let´s go for a walk…), and then they became your friends and your family here.

Also, I would like to thank them all because you were one of the best important parts of my volunteering. Starting from the first person I met till the last one. Lots of trips, lots of laughs, lots of sunset in beautiful miradors…. What can I say? If you are planning going to Lisbon, do not think twice!! You want regret it.

Moreover, my time in the school has been also nice (not always to be honest) but being with such a fantastic group of kids that everyday they see me coming from the door, going to hug me is one of the best feelings ever, it makes you feel comfortable , happy and the most important thing: loved. 

Teaching Spanish to kids and teenagers it was also a good opportunity of improving my “teaching skills”, as it was for me the first time with that age. Nevertheless, CAF Quintas dos Frades, you will always be in my heart.

So, as I said in my second testimony, I guess it is my time and say: “Be happy and see you other time in the future”. 

Love you and kisses,

Isa

O testemunho No. 2 da Isa (Junta de Fregusia do Lumiar)

 9 Months already in Lisbon!!

I really can´t believe they all passed. I´ve just read some other testimonies, and I completed agree about their feelings: (happiness, sadness, surprises, brave moments…)So, having a look at my experience here, I just decided to choose a picture of a moment that represents every month. I know that choosing one photo from 30 days is difficult, but here we go!

- April: Just arrived, new feelings, new adventures, first steps in the streets, and also new flatmates.

- May: My birthday. Confess that in the morning I was super sad because I was new in the city, meeting new people, and I didn´t feel I

had good/real friends already. Anyway, It was amazing, and all of the people that were good I become my family. Thank you so much for

that day, you really made my day.

- June: Viana do Castello´s trip. We were invited to one of the EU events there and it was so fun!!

- July: Spanish dinner in my second house!! Love these two women.

They are amazing, we have almost arrived the same month and we´ve been meeting since the first day! Looooove you.

- August: Because of Covid, my first training was online butttt, one

association in Amarante organized a camp and I could meet some of

them in person!! That was amazing.

- September: I went to Azores!!! I knew this was the time, I knew if I wasn’t going there, I won´t have another chance to go there in the

future. The Azores was beautiful and being 7 people in one car was also funny! Because being a volunteer means more than doing the work at your association, means meeting new people and exploring also the country.

- October: Finally, I could teach some Spanish to my kids. I am

teaching ages 6 – 17. And I love it! Every time they have my classes, they know it because before getting in the classroom they have to choose a movement!!

- November: Saying goodbye is getting hard. Volunteers that they´ve been here before you, they have to leave Lisbon and at the same

the time you are feeling grateful for being part of theirs lives and all the good moments that you´ve spent but feels also sad because you

never know when you will see them again…we just say: Be happy and see you there in the future.

- December: New family in Casa Bernardim. Right now feeling grateful for the family I have in my house. We are 7 people, 7 nationalities and yes, the house is clean!! This was my biggest fear but everything is going fantastic. I love the way they are, everyone is different and we spend so much time together. This picture was taken at our Christmas Dinner.

See you in the testimony final.

Isa

O testemunho No. 1 da Isabel (Junta de Freguesia do Lumiar)

A dizer verdade, não sei por onde começar, só estou aqui há 3 semanas e estou a adorar, todos os dias levanto-me feliz, contente e agradecida pela oportunidade de poder viver esta experiência.

Comencemos por o inízio...Olá a todos!!! Chamo-me Isabel e sou uma rapariga espanhola, tenho 23 anos e acabei os meus estudos de Business Administration em Madrid. Antes de terminar os meus estudos, tinha uma certeza, não queria começar numa empresa 8 horas todos os dias, triste, sem vida...queria fazer um voluntariado!!! Onde? Tinha 3 destinos bem diferentes: Irlanda, Itália e Portugal. Nestes três foi selecionada mas estou tão contente de ter escolhido Lisboa, acho que no profundo do meu coração sabia que ia ser a minha cidade, que ia estar aqui a conhecer muitas pessoas, a falar portugues o portunhol porque ainda não "falo portugues".

Os primeiros dias foram ( estão a ser) muito fixe, conhecer outros voluntários e ex-voluntários ver que todos gostam da cidade e que alguns deles ficaram...as vezes tenho medo de querer ficar aqui também...e lembro te querido leitor ou leitora que só estou aqui há 3 semanas...

O meu voluntariado na escola Quinta dos Frades School com crianças é muito tranquilo, costumo preparar as actividades com os meus colegas e são muito simpáticos, ainda não tive a oportunidade de conhecer a todos mas com certeza terá oportunidade. Também o meu tutor (o Zé) é muito simpático e fixe, gosto muito dele e sobretudo veio que preocupa-se pelo pessoal, perguntando o tempo "tudo bem?", "tá fixe, ottimo", "bom trabalho Isa". 

Nesta foto pode- se ver alguns dos projetos que tenho de fazer: "O jornal semanal do CAF (Componente apoio familiar), cada semana tiramos fotos e escrevemos o que estávamos a fazer nesses momentos, aqui estava a explicar o jogo espanhol chamado "bomba". 

Pois, pelo dia da mãe tive de fazer o cartaz e ficou bem bonito disseram os meus colegas! O que é que acham? 

Adoro a cidade e as pessoas, a minha colega do quarto, chama-se Ana, também é espanhola e não conhecia antes de vir aqui, não pensava que seria uma pessoa tão importante aqui, é como a minha irmã. Também, conheci a Emma, ela é italiana mas como se fosse espanhola, vivemos juntas no mesmo prédio e chegamos às três o mesmo dia, então temos as mesmas impressões da cidades e oportunidades que Lisboa pode dar. Ela também é a minha irmã. 

Nao sei o que vai acontecer nestes meses mas eu estou a adorar, jantares com amigos, praia no fim de semana, voluntários extra, cafezinhos com boas pessoas...só posso dizer uma coisa para Spin.

Obrigada por me escolher porque a experiência só está a começar e já está a ser marcada no meu coração.