O testemunho No. 1 do Nacho (SPEA)

Although I arrived in Lisbon three months ago, it still feels like I just got here.

The day I arrived, I felt very sad. I've lived away from home for many years, but never outside of Spain, far from my family and friends, without a strong support system nearby (even though Portugal is very close to Spain). Because of this, the first few weeks were tough. But as I started to adapt to this new city and my new life (and as they adapted to me), I realized the incredible opportunity I had in front of me.

I’m doing my volunteer work at SPEA (Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves). Within my professional field, it’s an absolute privilege to work here for a year. Any ornithologist would be thrilled to have this opportunity. Honestly, this job has been my greatest motivation throughout this new experience. Because of everything I learn every day and everything I know I still have to learn, I feel incredibly lucky to work in something I’m so passionate about. Bird conservation involves many different tasks, like fieldwork, environmental education, or office work. I enjoy every single one of them.

Beyond my work, I’m experiencing many new things socially. Building a circle of trust from scratch was very challenging at first. But soon enough, I met amazing people, and I’ve never been more open to new experiences than I am now. I feel like the best is yet to come.

O testemunho final da Katarzyna (Spin)

 My volunteer adventure has come to an end. I can't believe these six months went by so quickly. This time has been incredibly valuable to me. At SPIN, we organized several youth exchanges, and although there was a lot of work, I had a great time. It was exciting to be involved in these exchanges from an organizational perspective, and sometimes I even got to participate in activities with the participants, such as learning the Brazilian martial art Capoeira. I also really enjoyed painting a mural. Although I had initial doubts, I ended up enjoying being a guide and taking groups on cultural visits, like to the castle. I experienced many memorable moments at SPIN that will stay with me forever. The team is fantastic, and we had a lot of fun together.

In early May, I had the chance to spend a week in Chaves for on-arrival training. I loved it and met volunteers from all over Portugal. We shared our experiences and learned valuable things that helped me make the most of my volunteer time. Additionally, I got to see a part of Portugal I wouldn't have visited otherwise, and it's truly beautiful there.

In mid-June, I had the opportunity to go to Marseille for the Youthful project, which focuses on creating a guide for immigrants arriving in Lisbon and Marseille. I really like the concept of this project, so I'm glad I could be a part of it and share my ideas. I enjoyed meeting another organization and their volunteers, who welcomed us warmly. Marseille is really amazing, especially the beautiful beaches nearby that look like paradise.

Living in Lisbon has been an amazing experience for me. The city is beautiful, and I felt grateful every day to live there. As a resident, I could visit various monuments for free every Sunday, which helped me get to know Lisbon even better. The Portuguese people are very kind, making me feel at home. Additionally, I explored nearby cities, which also captivated me.

Although there were some tough moments, in the end, I only remember the good times. I met many interesting people from different countries. Moving to Lisbon and this six-month volunteer experience changed me a lot. I feel like I've grown so much. This is a precious life experience that no one can take away from me. If I had to decide again whether to go, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

Beijinhos 💋💋

Kasia

O testemunho final da Marta (Spin)

Hey everyone,

Marta here, wrapping up my volunteer journey in Portugal. As I reflect on the past eight months, it's been a tornado of experiences, challenges, and growth. While I didn't get as involved in youth exchanges and project planning as I had initially hoped, I still treasure every moment spent here.

My travels took me to some of the most stunning destinations in Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores. I was mesmerized by the "stairway to heaven" in Madeira and the volcanic baths in the Azores. Each place was a beautiful experience in its own right. Throughout my time in these beautiful destinations, I found solace in nature and a sense of wonder in exploring new landscapes. Although I didn't have as many opportunities to connect deeply with locals, I still appreciated the warmth and hospitality they extended to me during my stay.

During my volunteer experience, I had the opportunity to make some wonderful connections and form strong bonds with fellow volunteers. These relationships have been a highlight of my journey, and I hope to maintain them even after the project ends.

Though my volunteer experience didn't unfold exactly as planned, I'm grateful for the lessons learned and the memories made. Portugal will always hold a special place in my heart, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of this vibrant community. 

As I move forward, I can confidently say that I've grown as a person. I've gained clarity on what I want and what I don't want, both in my personal and professional life. This journey has been transformative, and I'm excited to see where it leads me next.

Until we meet again,

Marta Alethe

O testemunho final da Maryam (Spin)

 

Reflecting on my journey through the ESC program in Lisbon, Portugal fills my heart with an indescribable warmth and gratitude. Over the course of 12 transformative months, I not only explored the enchanting streets of Lisbon, but I ventured further into the heart of Europe, discovering the hidden gems of cities beyond my imagination. From the historic marvels of Rome and Florence to the vibrant energy of Spain and beyond, each destination left an indelible mark on my soul, enriching my understanding of the world and igniting a passion for adventure within me.

While my primary focus during the ESC program centered around social media management and logistical support, it was my personal project that truly broadened my horizons. Delving into the intricacies of project management and gaining insights into the inner workings of NGOs, I emerged with a newfound appreciation for the tireless efforts of those dedicated to making a positive impact on the world.

And let's not forget the culinary delights that Lisbon bestowed upon me – from the heavenly Pastel de Nata to the savory Cod fish dishes that tantalized my taste buds, each bite was a journey unto itself. As I prepare to bid farewell to this enchanting city, I carry with me not only memories but also recipes to recreate these mouthwatering delicacies and share them with loved ones back home.

But beyond the sights and flavors, it was the people of Lisbon who truly captured my heart. From my neighbors who welcomed me with open arms to the street cat I befriended and the friendships forged along the way, each interaction filled my days with joy and laughter. As I reflect on the friendships formed and the bonds forged, I realize that it's the people who truly make a place feel like home.

Indeed, Lisbon has become more than just a destination; it's a sanctuary where I found solace, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. Though I may bid adieu to its cobblestone streets and pastel-hued facades, the memories and lessons learned will forever be etched in my heart. As I embark on the next chapter of my journey, I do so with a newfound sense of purpose, gratitude, and an unwavering belief in the magic of new beginnings. Lisbon, you will always hold a special place in my heart. Obrigada for the memories, the laughter, and the love. Until we meet again.

O testemunho no. 1 da Maryam (Spin)

 

Hey there,

I´m Maryam Odat, soaking up the vibrant vibes of Lisbon, Portugal, as part of the ESC program. Trust me, this place works its magic fast! ✨ Just two weeks in, and I'm already captivated.

The heartwarming people here remind me of home in Jordan – their hospitality is a universal language.

And the food? Let's just say my taste buds are on an adventure.

Exciting news: I´m joining the Spin team for nearly a year! I'll be jazzing up mobility programs and adding my touch to Bairro Padre Cruz. The energy here is contagious, and I can't wait to dive into all things SPIN.

Cheers to new adventures,

Maryam

O testemunho no. 1 da Katarina (Spin)

 

Hello, my name is Katarina and at the moment I am doing my ESC project in Lisbon. My host organization is SPIN, and I'll be spending 11 months in total on this volunteering position, helping them to organize and implement their projects in Barrio Padre Cruz, where their office is located.

I first visited Lisbon back in 2018. and I fell in love with the vibe of this city. I promised myself that I would come back sometime, but thinking about it right now, if someone told me that I would be spending almost a year in this magnificent place, I would not believe them for sure.

In the first months I was just wandering around, getting to know places and admiring all the beauty Portugal has to offer: amazing beaches, parks where I can rest and enjoy the nature, I even climbed Serra de Estrella, the highest mountain in Portugal, which for me was a great achievement and adventure, considering I didn't have a similar experience before.

People in Lisbon are very friendly, there are also a lot of people from different countries, so you can say that Lisbon is a very multicultural and open minded place, with lots of amazing places and events to offer.

I am also very happy to have other volunteers around, to share their experience upon arrival, because they have already went through their first encounter and cultural shock, so you feel less alone in the adaptation process. Team at SPIN is also very welcoming and helpful, and also easygoing, which I figured is also a part of their amazing Portuguese mentality.

Time is going by so fast and I am constantly learning new things and getting more experience of living in Lisbon. I am still not brave enough to speak Portuguese, although I understand a lot, but I promised myself that I will work on my skills in the months to come.

Lisbon is kind to me, so far it brought me many amazing experiences, great people and moments to remember, and I hope it will remain being generous with new adventures for me in the next months of my project. Until now, I am grateful for all it has offered so far.

Until the next check in, and more updates,
K.

O testemunho No. 2 da Dina (Bola p'ra frente)

Half a year has passed since I came to Portugal. During this time at the association where I  volunteer, we were super busy because of the many activities that were going on. Apart from that, I was occupied by so many opportunities that Lisbon is offering and spending time with my lovely flatmates and dear people me.

By collecting the food and necessities for the people of the neighborhood where the association is located, we made bags from reusable materials to put all these together. Later, together with the kids and colleagues, we visited around 20 families and distributed presents and wished them happy holidays. To wrap up the 2022, we organized an unforgettable and joyful dinner where we celebrated with almost 50 kids and spread some motivating and warm wishes to each other.

The first days of 2023 were crucial for us as we made plans and later on organized so many interesting activities, some of them with the help of partner associations, such as: promoting and joining a local theatre group, theoretical and practical bicycle activities and rides around the neighborhood and Lisbon, street football tournaments, picnics, pilates, yoga, music and dance classes, outdoor scavenger hunt games, visit to elderly house and socializing with elder people, master chef, safety walks in the neighborhood and overall education by police how to follow street signals, and so many. All this was done to improve skills and help kids gain knowledge regarding various things, as well as let them express themselves in different ways. 

By attending activities and spending time in the association, the bond between kids and me became so strong that now we can´t imagine days without each other. I must say that even though I work daily with them on different topics and help them do homework and learn more, they help me grow as well.

Next to volunteering, I had plenty of time to dedicate to myself. I joined a volleyball club and started training there. Therefore, I connected more with locals. 

 

I would like to add that Portugal is fascinating with its amazing nature, landscapes, beaches and cities. I had the opportunity to visit many of them and enjoy each moment.  

Overall, life here has been amazing, especially with all the people around me, who I appreciate and love more and more each day. 

 

 

O testemunho final da Beyza (Spin)

 

Hello everyone,

    

  Well, I was expecting that It will pass very fast but It was more than I expected for sure. This is my last week and I feel very emotional L  I literally don’t want to leave.. Life is life.

Last months were really fun. In November I had small trip to Prag and Dresden. I definitely suggest to go to Prag during winter eve though It’s very cold. The city has magic itself. I ‘ve visited Christmas markets in both cities, I felt that I am in the movie scene. 

Since we started to live with the new volunteers, my days at Casa B were way better. During December I had a lot of activities around Lisbon. Whole the city has Christmas vibes already. So me and my flatmates went to the Wonderland Lisboa together. I think It was one of the most interesting xmas market I’ve ever seen because It’s not the typical one and the weather was 17 degrees..

In the office, after some busy months december was chill, we had some christmas activities together for the neighboorhoud of Carnide . They wanted from us to make Xmas tree that represents our Ngo. Me and other volunteers did that tree with the objects we have in the office. After that we went to see that tree in Carnide. They hang all the trees they have to the bigger tree. It will stay there till the new year.

We had some Christmas holiday in the office so I decided to make some plan for the Christmas and the new year. My Portuguese friend Carolina invited me her hometown for Christmas. It was so so nice.. We went to Castelo Branco together and I met with her all relatives. Her parents and grandparents prepared amazing food. It was actually my first Christmas so I will always remember that. After that I came back to Lisbon to spend my days with my flatmates.

   Before the New year I flew to France to be together with my Turkish friend in Nancy. I also had chance to see Paris.. Meu Deus, It was one of the best city. I fell in love with the cities and the croissant. <3 I met with my French flatmate there aka Dodo. Dodo and his friend made amazing Paris tour for me It was so nice.

 

After that We went office back. Neighboorhood of Carnide arranged traditional lunch for elder people of Carnide. Me and other volunteers were there to serve the food for them. I really felt the feeling of being volunteer that moment. It was unforgettable and I was using my Portuguese skills which I don’t have at all to communicate with them.

So I think we are coming to the final.. I am very very grateful to have this opportunity. I gained a lot of things and met with amazing people during my volunteering. Thank you ALL. Hope to see you again. 

Beijinhos <3

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.