Mostrar mensagens com a etiqueta Italia. Mostrar todas as mensagens
Mostrar mensagens com a etiqueta Italia. Mostrar todas as mensagens

05 março 2024

O testemunho No. 1 do Riccardo (ANFR - Bola p'ra frente)


Volunteering for the ESC was an opportunity that I was extremely excited to take. Having the possibility to travel while doing experience helping a community is an incredibile chance, and I was very enthusiastic to do it. 

I decided to come in Lisboa because I have a background in sport and the project I am taking part with the Associação Nacional Futebol the Rua (ANFR) is using sport as a mean to bring positive values in a disadvantage community. I felt that in this project I could have been an active part with my knowledge and experience. I have never been in Lisboa or Portugal before, so I didn't have many expectations about the environment I would end up living.

After the first month here I am really happy about my decision. The project I am taking part is as I expected, the association is an incredibly important resource for the community of the area they are working. It is, before anything else, a gathering place for many teenagers who enjoy to spend time in a positive and safe environment. The sport activities are the main ones to catch the attention of the youths, and their enthusiasm is extremely high during these activities. 

As I expected I can be an active part in this project. Even though in this first period I have a marginal role because I don't speak Portuguese yet, I am very motivating to learn the language and build strong connections in the community. 

I didn't have expectations regarding the city and now I am so positively surprised. Lisboa has an incredible cool atmosphere, with a lot of cultural and artistic events happening every week. From the first impression, it looks like a city that really values human beings, with many opportunities to share and develop interests. 

I am very happy about the decision to come here, I am enjoying this experience and I am excited for the next months I will spend in Lisboa.




01 setembro 2022

O testemunho final da Silvia (Bola p'ra frente)

 Olá malta! Here is Silvia from Italy!

The word that sounds more in my head in the last weeks is: GRATEFUL.

I am grateful for what I have learned, for the person I am, for all the experiences I made, for all the people I have met and all the discoveries made. Everything will always stay with me, because now I see a completely new version of myself, more mature, more determined, more self-confident, more open-minded and more tolerant. Now I see that all the difficult moments I faced this year were worth it, because I have learned and grown a lot through them and now I am feeling really satisfied with all the experience that Lisbon has been for me. I know that I lived it to the fullest and I did my best both in my volunteering and in my personal life and path. I look at these streets and I know them and they know me.. I am feeling at home, I am feeling in a place where I am comfortable. There is a mixture of known and unknown that surrounds me everyday, and it gives me the comfort of being home, but at the same time the curiosity to discover more.. Until the very last day I never stopped discovering new corners of the city.

Actually, every month of this year was a new discovery. These past 9 months passed so quickly that it seemed like a glimpse of an eye, but, at the same time, they left me with so many emotions, connections, memories and life experiences that it seems more like years have passed. There have been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of beautiful moments,  a lot of moments where I felt lost and in confusion, but I am so glad for everything and everyone... Everyone left me something, teaching me to see things in different ways.

I have learned so much about myself and I will always remember this year as a changing point from the 'old version' to a completely new and grown version of myself. I've learned to leave behind old habits and ways of seeing the world and learned more about tolerance, compassion, taking care and loving. I look back to everything I managed to do, to create, to realize and to overcome in my life, both professionally and personally and I am really proud and glad for every single moment.
In the Association I managed to create different activities and to help in the organization of different projects, both from other associations and other collegues. I was thinking, creating and carrying on every week one or two english games, using the tools of non-formal education, helping them to understand how to learn a new language in a funny and relaxed way. Besides, in May I started some reading sessions of ‘O principezinho’ to think and talk with them about topics such as love, friendship, emotions and respect. Moreover, I helped in the organization of the event ‘Living Library’, aimed to overcome some prejudices and discriminations, for example we talked with our guests about depression, homosexuality, neighborhood stigmas, the war from a Russian point of view, veganism, etc.. In this event I contacted some of the guests, I dealt with them during the day, I helped with some translations and I have been the reference point for both guests and youngsters. Finally, I did an afternoon of cooking lesson to prepare an italian dinner with all of them, in a way to say goodbye to everyone.

In my personal life: I made a lot of new friends and created connections all over the world; I traveled around Portugal visiting new and old places (Porto, Mafra, Lagos, Madeira, Aveiro, Viseu, Ericeira, Sesimbra); I made new experiences, such as partecipating in dance and music events; I discovered and learned how to respect new cultures, such as Arabic or Orthodox culture; I have learned words and sentences in different languages, like Estonian, Turkish, Russian, Moroccan; I expanded my music culture with songs from different countries. Lastly, I have learned to enjoy every single moment with every single person, because it’s not forever: I had to say a lot of bye byes especially in the last 2 months. 

Even if this is the end of this experience and the last weeks in Lisbon has been full of bye byes and last moments, I want to remember that these past 9 months gave me also a lot of first times. For example: first time sharing a room, first time working with kids abroad and in another language, first time teaching English to kids, first time sharing an apartment with people from 6 different nationalities, first time facing a serious illness for months (on my own, in a foreign country), first time living in a big city, first time taking the metro every day, first time listening to some languages (estonian, basque, ukranian, georgian etc.), and so on... All of these new experiences showed me the world from another perspective: I will never be the same Silvia, now my horizons have widened.

I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I know that this experience changed me a lot and, facing some wonderful and some difficult moments, made me stronger and more self-confident. As I read in a book: life doesn’t get easier, it’s about you becoming stronger and more powerful, so this experience will be a teaching and inspiration for everything that is going to arrive for me in the future and now I know that I am more than ready to start a new chapter, wherever it’s going to be. I wish all of you the best and I thank again everyone that made this experience incredible and life-changing!






Beijinhos,
 
Silvia.

22 fevereiro 2021

O testemunho final da Angela (AAMA)

 

Yes, my SVE experience is already over and, even though it wasn’t as long as anyone else’s, I’m so proud of it. I spent in Lisbon three very intense months, the best way I could, and that’s way I left that poetic capital city with a smile and with no regrets.
 

From the mountain to the coast, It was a full immersion in the Portuguese tradition, enjoying typical food and music, and the breathtaking landscapes as well. In Lisbon I met new friends, I improved my language skills and I learned more about myself. 
 

I experienced both moments of waiting and action. I generally prefer dinamism, that’s why at the first I felt a bit sad, but then I realized that sometimes we need to slow down to reflect and have self-awareness.

I spent lot of time observing the activities made my colleagues from AAMA for the kids in the “sala vermelha” of the school, taking notes about their methods of approach and asking for clarifications.
The most amazing thing was seeing how even the simplest activity could be effective for the learning and growth of the child. And, do you know why? 

Because many times we use to take for granted the life and its aspects, so much not to consider that what for us can be ordinary (for example standing on our own feet or identifying colors, forms or our parents), for others it is not.



I listened to a little girl asking for help to get up off the floor, since her left leg, being weaker than the right one, did not let her to do it easily. At that moment I was moved and I started thinking about all those who can stand and move on their own but prefer to sit…

From the observation time, I also got some ideas about the ways to associate cognitive and motor aspects in the same educational activity, but the moment when I found the biggest connection with the kids and the deep meaning of the volunteering service, was when I put into practice, certainly thanks to the support of my tutor and colleagues, some activities I had planned.

My heart was full of joy and seeing the kids having fun thanks something I had done for them, made me feel really satisfied and happy. 

“Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have” J.R. 

Today I feel more resilient and motivated. Even though the activities didn’t met my expectations, the time I spent in Lisbon played an important role in my personal growth, making me clearer about my aspirations and goals, that’s why, after all, I strongly recommend it to another young person.

Sometimes leaving can be the best investment for yourself.

As for us, my dear Lisbon, 

até breve!

14 fevereiro 2021

O testemunho no. 1 da Lucia (Viver Telheiras)

 



Hey there!

My name is Lucia, I’m a 25-year-old Italian girl and at the beginning of November I moved to Lisbon to take part in an ESC project. 


In the last years, many friends of mine have participated in some ESC projects, and all of them gave me very positive feedbacks about their experiences. This made me want to be personally involved in a volunteering project abroad. So after finishing my university studies, I started looking for such initiatives and sending applications. 


One summer day, as I was checking out some vacancies, a project in Lisbon caught my attention, I applied, went through the selection process and luckily here I am!



I arrived in Lisbon at the beginning of November and it was love at first sight with the city and its people. I had never been to Portugal before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I felt welcomed from the very first day. Moreover, when my plane landed at the airport a member of the Spin’s crew was there waiting for me and helped me to reach my accommodation, an apartment which I share with other five international volunteers. 

As me and the other new volunteers had some free days during the first week, we decided to take advantage of our free time and the lovely sunny weather to enjoy Lisbon in a “tourist mode”. 

Then from the second week I started volunteering in Viver Telheiras, which facilitates community dynamics in a neighbourhood of Lisbon. In this period many of the social and cultural activities that this organization used to promote got suspended due to Covid, but the hope is that the situation will get better in the next months.

In the meantime, I’m learning how do the members of the association work together and how do they implement their projects and initiatives for the neighbourhood. Step by step I’m getting more familiar with this new environment and gaining new knowledges.

These first weeks in Lisbon have been awesome and I can’t wait to see what the next months have in store for me. 

30 novembro 2020

O testemunho No. 1 da Clara (SPEAK)

 

My experience in Portugal started on the 30th of November. I moved from Italy for the second time in my life and headed to the sunny Lisbon. This was not my first time in the Portuguese capital, but I have to admit that I fall in love once again with this magical city and that I couldn’t be happier. 



This year I will be volunteering in SPEAK, an organisation which brings together newcomers and locals living in the same city through community-led language groups and cultural exchange events. Working within an international community and being engaged in an important mission such as integration and inclusion is motivating and inspiring at the same time. I started working only three weeks ago, but I already had the chance to be involved and I got tasks that will surely help me in developing new skills. 





Nevertheless, doing an ESC also means to be in contact with other volunteers. In the latest weeks, we had the chance to hang out together and discover the city. I found out new spots I have never been to, such as Jardim do Torel, Parque Eduardo and Feira da Ladra. Despite the restrictions introduced by the Portuguese government we still can go for walks and meet people. Thus, I am ready to discover a new place and I am looking forward to the next months.  









03 outubro 2019

O testemunho da Hassana: A Itália através dos meus olhos.

As viagens de carro para mim são uma das melhores partes do dia, desde que eu possa me lembrar eu viajo com a minha família e sinto uma liberdade enorme, o vento sobrando no seu rosto, a música tocando no rádio, as pessoas tentando acompanhar no fundo. Para mim não tem nada melhor, e aqui na Itália com essas paisagens de tirar o fôlego, com as suas enormes montanhas, as casas que parecem estar isoladas do resto do mundo, os inúmeros ciclistas que não tiram um dia de descanso, as pessoas que estão a espera do autocarro ou mesmo aquelas que tem a coragem de fazer o percurso a pé, o que não é nada fácil já que o sol italiano não tem misericórdia de ninguém.

Tem pessoas que não aguentam ficar trancadas o dia todo tão limitado, por se sentirem presas e com pouco coisa para se fazer. Mas, o que elas não percebem ou não conseguem enxergar é que apesar de estarem condicionadas num pequeno espaço a mente delas não poderia estar mais livre. Por exemplo, sempre que temos de fazer uma pequena viagem para Rimini, eu me imagino numa das infinitas casas que podem ser vistas, vivendo uma vida simples ou como seria seu eu tivesse nascido na Itália em vez do Brasil? Qualquer coisa pode acontecer se você deixar a sua imaginação correr livre. Para uma pessoa tímida como eu, falar com um largo grupo de pessoas num espaço aberto não é uma tarefa fácil, mas, já no carro ouvindo uma boa música, já começo a me sentir mais confortável, e sinto vontade de falar de tudo e mais um pouco. E são nessas pequenas viagens quer quando vamos ao supermercado ou fazer qualquer outra coisa em Rimini que eu começo a conhecer melhor cada uma das pessoas que habitam CasaMondo.



Quando fomos a um concerto em Rimini em celebração ao “Dia Mundial dos Refugiados” (20/06/2019), a agitação e a animação na minivan era papável e não era para menos, foi um dia fantástico, com muita dança e gargalhadas. E na volta para CasaMondo, mesmo com as nossas poucas energias, fizemos o nosso próprio concerto na minivan, talvez um pouco desafinado e fora do ritmo, mas, o importante é que estávamos entre amigos e a festa tinha de continuar nem que seja por poucos minutos.

Um outro dia que foi guardar na minha memória foi a nossa ida para as Cascadas, e mais uma vez, o nosso dia começa na nossa querida minivan, colocamos as nossas malas no bagageiro fechamos as portas a marcha é iniciada e partimos para mais uma aventura. Antes de chegarmos ao nosso destino nos deparamos com panoramas incríveis, mais uma vez as montanhas embelezam a nossa jornada as pequenas vilas que podem ser vistas ao longe e os rios que dão vida a essa bela paisagem.


Uma grande viagem que fizemos foi para Veneza, a cidade das máscaras, e para isso o nosso dia teve de começar cedo, tínhamos um longo caminho pela frente. Já na minivan, se inicia a nossa jornada e, como não podia deixar de ser, tivemos de romper o nosso dia com uma selfie, e logo a seguir, como era de se esperar, tiramos uma deslumbrante soneca. A minivan se torna a nossa segunda cada por severas horas, algumas pessoas conversam, outras ficam mexendo nos seus telemóveis para ver as novidades do dia, e tem aquelas que precisam de um pouco mais de repouso. Por fim, depois de inúmeras horas, é possível avistar Veneza, uma vista de corta o fôlego, que com certeza vou guardar na minha mente para o resto da minha vida.

A viagem de volta para CasaMondo foi tranquila e sossegada, todos estavam esgotados com o evento do dia anterior, com a extensa caminhada que fizemos pelas ruas e becos de Veneza. Apesar de termos ficado lá só um dia, foi um dos melhores dias que tive nos meus 25 anos, por ter sido um dia repleto de risadas, sorrisos, conversas, selfies, e apesar de ter sido de um dos dias mais quentes nem o sol, nem a infinita multidão que cerca Veneza podia estragar da nossa grande família em CasaMondo.


A essência deste projeto é integrar os voluntários com os moradores de CasaMondo, e apesar dos obstáculos, um deles a língua, já que nem todos sabem a língua inglesa, aos poucos com conversa aqui e ali, jogando jogos de tabuleiro, fazendo uma sessão de cinema, estes obstáculos são quebrados. CasaMondo é uma casa de diversidade, com as suas várias nacionalidades, etnias, religiões, costumes, culturas, indivíduos com as suas próprias características, o que torna a integração quase que espontânea.

No meu primeiro mês em CasaMondo, eu não vou mentir, me senti um pouco deslocada, perdida, não sabia muito bem o que era suposto eu fazer, o que era normal, por ser a minha primeira vez fora de casa, longe da minha família, dos meus amigos, de tudo aquilo que eu conhecia e me era familiar. Mas, com o passar do tempo, com a ajuda e apoio de todo mundo na casa fui começando a me sentir mais a vontade, e CasaMondo, situada nessa pequena vila em San Savino na Itália, acabou por se tornar a minha segunda casa.

21 dezembro 2018

O testemunho do Nicolò

5 months of Lisbon dominated by 2 states of being, late and busy, especially in the last 2 months, September was particularly challenging for 2 things:
the Feira da Luz and the On-Arrival Training

The first is a traditional festival in the Freguesia of Carnide lasting one month in which there are folkloristic performance, activities related to the Portuguese culture and concerts with both traditional and modern artists, it was the first experience in which I worked in close contact with the staff of Junta de Freguesia de Carnide, I dealt with the reception of the artists, loading and unloading instrumentation and sometimes even taking some pictures. I was very excited to participate, especially because it would have been an excellent opportunity to meet new artists and discover new music, it was very fun but also very tiring, especially on days when there were many activities to keep under control ( Sundays in particular). 
Every weekend for the entire duration of September there I spent working at the Feira except for the week from the 16th to the 22nd, where I was in Gêres for the On-Arrival training with other EVS volunteers currently in Portugal.


 This experience was really refreshing, until then I had not traveled a lot in Portugal yet, so it was an opportunity to get out of Lisbon and be in touch with the nature (The Pousada da Juventude where the training took place was in the middle of Gêres natural park), especially at that time, between the feira and work in the library, I was really tired. 


Also knowing the other volunteers was very interesting and inspiring, a lot of interesting people from many different countries (from India to Thailand to Liechtenstein) with whom we have formed a close-knit group very quickly, the days have been stimulating and varied, I really appreciated the non formal approach and the arguments treaties (perception of other cultures, stereotypes, team building, problem solving) that often led to discussions and debates. In particular, an activity that we have done in the last days and that I appreciated a lot was the one on the workshops: Some volunteers had to propose and organize a 30 minute workshop based on their knowledge and what they could bring to the group, the others could then choose what take part. The workshops were very varied (from traditional dances to cooking to therapy methods on boredom) and they gave me a lot of creative ideas.

The remaining part of September was spent between the last visits to the beach before winter and the final part of Feira da Luz.

October has been less stressful but still full of stuff to do, i returned full time in the library and as I mentioned in the last post, I started giving computer lessons that took place 3 times a week throughout month, at the beginning the subscriptions were not many but within a week I had 5 students! It was not easy, some people did not even know what a computer was, I tried different approaches to teaching trying to find the most suitable and I admit that I was amazed by the improvements achieved by everyone in just 2 weeks. Unfortunately, many people discovered about this training too late and so they could not take part but since the answer was so positive, i'm thinking of re-proposing something similar in the new year. In addition to the EVS I tried to carry out as many personal projects as possible, I continued to compose since I arrived in Lisbon and I managed to release 2 EP of original music and I'm now working on other music to be released for the end of this year I continued to attend the jam sessions in the city, trying to be part of the scene as much as I could, always meeting new musicians, with some of these we decided to form a  I've never been a "traveler" but after the on-arrival I stayed in touch with the other volunteers and I took the opportunity to move a little from Lisbon to see other parts of Portugal and also host people who wanted to come to visit Lisbon.
In particular, one of the projects that most struck was the one in which Costance participated, a French girl, located in the north of Portugal in a small village called Uva in the district of Bragança.


The situation was similar to that in the On Arrival period, I really needed to get out of the city and go to a place more in contact with nature and spend a weekend there was very relaxing and interesting I'm roughly half of my experience here in Portugal, for the future I have other projects that I hope will be able to complete (more in the video area) that I would like to combine with music
We'll see


06 novembro 2018

O testemunho do Simone

Hello everyone! My name is Simone, I am 25 years old and I come from a small village in the north-west of Italy. Last year I graduated in Primary Education and I became a primary school teacher, soon after I started working in a school near my hometown, in short my life was going according to the plans I had set for myself years before. The problem is that I started to feel that this life was not for me, at least for now. I felt the necessity to change my habits, to grow, to extend my mind. I discovered EVS talking about this with a friend and I thought it was the right experience for me.
I remember very well the moment I discovered I was chosen for my EVS: it was about midnight and I had just returned home from an evening with friends, before going to bed I decided to open the mail and with my surprise the Spin e-mail was there, ready to be read. I remember that the only thing I wanted to do after receiving the result was screaming and jumping of joy but it was night and I tried to keep the enthusiasm in order not to wake the whole neighborhood. So I went to bed, I wrote to my best friends to tell them the good news and then I tried to sleep but I was so excited that I think I fell asleep at five in the morning!



 I arrived in Lisbon on the first of September, despite the initial enthusiasm I started almost immediately to feel strange. I felt lost, I didn’t know how to hold on, I walked around the city and the only thing I thought was that I wanted to see my home, my friends and my family. Fortunately, this feeling didn’t last long, as the days passed, the same places that I had been watching with fear began to be familiar, and what I started to love in this city is that every day I got to know something unexpected and interesting.


Another thing that certainly helped me to overcome my initial fears was the knowledge of the other volunteers and those who will live with me for the next twelve months. In my apartment we are 9 with only one bathroom, or rather a bathroom and a half, it may seem crazy like that, but for some strange reason we manage the situation very well. Sometimes this can be chaotic, but honestly I would never change my life here for something more comfortable, because after all what makes this experience special are the people that share this with you and in "Casa Anjos" I found really nice  people and with them I’m sharing thoughts, dreams, travel and above all food!


Even my job, the Boutique da Cultura association, is really a beautiful environment: all the people who are part of it have been very nice with me since the beginning and at the same time we never miss the opportunity to joke together and work with a smile. I'm really happy to work here, art, especially the performative one, is one of my great passions and working with it all day  it’s a kind of a dream for me.

After two months of EVS I can say that what I'm experiencing here is better than any idea I had before leaving, what I hope at the end of this year is not to have regrets, i really hope to be able to travel as much as possible and to discover all the beauty that this country has to offer me. Last but not least, I wish myself to find what I have been looking for some time, however, first I have to understand what it is! =)


30 outubro 2018

O testemunho da Elena

Quando estava escrevendo o primeiro blog,com as primeiras impressoes  gerais nunca tinha imaginado que estes 12 meses iam correr tao rapidos.Aqui è sempre a Elena que fala,mas esta vez com um ar mais melancolico porque o EVS acabou e tenho que voltar na minha cidade:Milao alias Gotham City.
Foram meses  incriveis: eu foi muito sortuda porque conheci pessoas fantasticas na minha casa e tambem no Caf onde trabalhava,sem esquecer a cidade de Lisboa,agora entendo porque nosso escritor Antonio Tabucchi nunca mais quis voltar na Italia depois ter vivido na cidade da Luz.

Cheguei no CAF na ponta dos pes(humildemente),com a sensacao de estar no projeto certo,com o passar do tempo os colegas tornaram-se amigos,as atividades desportivas praticadas no Caf correram sempre bem,treinei os miudos do grupo “Estrelinhas do Mar”(adorei trabalhar com este grupo,foi um desafio para mim tambem,porque nunca tinha treinado jovens NEE,sempre agradacerei o Josè e a Milena para  esta oportunidade),minha ajuda nos TDC era uma grande ocasiao para melhorar meu portugues e conhecer mais os miudos do 5° e 6°ciclo,consegui nestas missoes e estou muito feliz para ter alcancado meus objetivos iniciais.Gostei muito conhecer as realidades do APCL e do Centro Comunitario de Telheiras,adorei ver como os miudos se tornavam cuidadosos, os idosos se riam quando chegavamos,porque sabiam que ia ser uma tarde de alegria dos pequenos misturada a sabedoria e simpatia deles,juntos conseguiram fazer candeeiros com plastico reciclado e desenhos de animais usando so tampas, o resultado foi fenomenal e foi exibido no Festival de Telheiras.

Os miudos ficaram muitos contentes e criativos quando fomos na Assosiacao Spin,gracas ao Michael,voluntario da Republica Checa,que precisou da nossa ajuda para crear a floresta do seu Castelo de Alienos,projeto feito utilizando so material reciclado,o resultado foi incrivel e o Castelo ainda està na escola Sao Vicente.


Vivi o 25 de Abril,dia da Revolucao,com meu cravo na mao como se estivesse em Milao no dia da Resistencia,achei interessante que as duas datas corrispondiam na Italia como no Portugal,senti-me em casa pela primeira vez.
Nos dias seguintes  tive a ideia de explicar e contextualizar historicamente aos miudos do 5° e 6° ciclo e as “Estrelinhas do Mar”  nossa musica da resistencia: “Bella Ciao”,eles ficaram muitos curiosos sobre o assunto e tambem quiseram saber o significado das palavras,com a ajuda tecnica da monitora Geny ensinamos tambem a musica,eles gostaram muito e no ensaio do fim de ano eles cantaram a musica ,foi emocionante.
Depois comecaram as aventuras do Verao no Caf,fomos em todos os cantos possiveis e imaginaveis da cidade(desde o Museo Nacional do Teatro atè ao Museo Bordalo Pinheiro,desde  o Castelo de Sao Jorge atè ao projeto MARE,desde o Oceanario atè as costas Caparica(visitando varias praias)desde os estudos da RTP,atè ao centro APEDV,desde o Parque Monteiro atè o Monsanto e mais...)sem esquecer as atividades no Caf. Cada dia para mim era uma descuberta fiquei muito entusiasta das saidas e das aventuras que viviamos. 


Sai do Caf,com uma consciencia maior sobre minhas competencias na area da educacao nao formal,aprendi muitas coisas neste ano a traves dos meus colegas do Caf,voluntarios e workshops.
Um obrigado especial a Casa Anjos, pessoal foi um ano incrivel!
Serei sempre grata a Associacao Spin para esta grande oportunidade: “O Voluntariado è uma forma de melhor entederes o mundo e apreciares ainda mais a tua vida!”


Viva o CAF Vicentix(so para aventureiros) e Viva Lisboa!
Atè logo
Elena

13 setembro 2018

O testemunho do Dario

Eu não gostaria de fazer o clássico discurso romântico de final de experiência cheio de agradecimentos, mas vazío de significado. Claro, vou agradecer, mas só mais tarde. Primeiro, queria dizer-vos o que esta experiência realmente foi para mim, mesmo que ainda não tenha acabado.

Ser voluntário não é uma coisa assim tão fácil. Não me refiro, nesse sentido, ao fato de morar em outro país, com outra língua e novas pessoas. Estas, pelo contrário, podem ser até mais motivações para lidar com esses tipos de experiências. Pelo contrário, refiro-me essencialmente ao papel do voluntário em si. Mesmo que aqueles que decidem fazer esse tipo de experiência já comecem com a vontade de encarar o desafío, temos sempre que lidar com o projeto real. É claro que, não fazendo parte dum contexto de trabalho formal, o voluntário não tem uma atividade fix(ics)a, mas, pelo contrário, as atividades mudam de dia a dia. Neste sentido, a dificuldade está em encontrar um papel, um pontos de referência, para tentar encaixar num esquema, com a consciência de que própria influência dependerá apenas de si mesmo. Neste sentido, cada um é quem decide se ser ativo ou passivo, se vai participar constantemente ou ocasionalmente. Não sendo mesmo um verdadeiro emprego, muitas vezes faz-se o erro de não sentir a necessidade de fazer o máximo, e admito que eu também às vezes senti esse sentimento, mas quando percebi que o principal destinatário dos meus esforços era eu mesmo, compreendi que ser voluntário é um trabalho feito para os outros, onde è o próprio voluntário o que mais ganha.


Nesse sentido, devo dizer que eu tive muita sorte. O contexto associativo em que me encontrei não foi o tradicional. No sentido de que não havia apenas uma associação para realizar as atividades internas, aqui há muitas realidades, cada uma delas especializada no seu setor. Gostaria de agradecer ao Luis, que como excelente coordenador da parceria, deixou-me a liberdade de escolher em qual projeto me envolver.

Por isso gostaria de agradecer ao Manuel com quem trabalhei no projeto creativo e de formação sobre a poluição du plástico. Foi a primeira vez que me vi a trabalhar ao mesmo tempo com crianças e idosos, devo dizer que foi uma emoção única ver e tocar a curiosidade e a energia das crianças ligar-se com a sabedoria e bondade das idosos. O projeto terminou com uma esplêndida exposição artística durante o festival: ver as pessoas apreciarem o trabalho feito com muito empenho e dedicação por parte de todos realmente animou-me.

A Ana foi um ótimo ponto de referência. Estivemos a  organizar um projeto conjunto, que infelizmente tivemos que interromper. E’ com ela que muitas vezes me encontrei a desabafar em alguns momentos difíceis. Obrigado por ser útil e compreensiva, foste muito uma grande ajuda.


Com a Maria João, eu toquei talvez a parte mais divertida, e ao mesmo tempo desafiadora, entre todas as atividades. Nascidos por acaso, os dois jantares vegetarianos, uma com workshop, foram um sucesso. Por isso, gostaria de agradecer à Maria João por me dar a oportunidade não só de deixar as pessoas conhecerem um pouco da minha cultura, mas de me darem a conhecer diretamente a muitas pessoas em Telheiras.
Então gostaria de agradecer a todas as pessoas que trabalham com o refood, especialmente a Susana e a Paula, que oje nao esta, as duas senhoras com quem estivemos a recolher alimentos no continente às sextas-feiras. Nem precisa dizer que honra  foi realizar esta atividade, tão simples, mas realmente fundamental para o bom funcionamento das empresas. Este foi certamente o projeto eticamente e moralmente com maior impacto que espero continue a servir em outros contextos semelhantes. Thanks!
Finalmente tenho que agradecer ao Luis, que agora é amigo antes do que tutor. Com ele além do trabalho de escritório clássico, trabalhei, ou melhor, apoiei a organização do festival. Eu aprendi que organizar um evento como esse não é fácil, porque de fora ele não parece, mas quando de dentro, entende-se quanto trabalho há a fazer. Devo dizer que o Luis foi impecável, como de fato em todo o meu projeto. Apesar de um período cheio de compromissos, não apenas para o trabalho, mas também na vida privada, ele estava sempre disponível. Sempre pronto para me encontrar em qualquer necessidade e sempre tentando me envolver em todas as atividades. Digamos que desde aquela entrevista via Skype para as seleções já faz um tempo, agora posso dizer que encontrei um grande amigo. Muita sorte para a sua esposa Clara e para o que está prestes a chegar e para o futuro deles. Vocês serão uma família maravilhosa.


Um agradecimento geral a toda a parceria local de telheiras, a todas as pessoas com quem também entrei para um poquinho contacto, àqueles que me deram um sorriso mesmo sem saber quem era, àqueles que tiveram paciencia com o meu portugês, àqueles que me deram o seu carinho.

Obrigado, senti-me em casa!
Eu sempre vou guardar uma boa lembrança de vocês.
Um abraço, Dario.
obrigado