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 final da Cristina (SPEA)

December has arrived and, with it, the end of my ESC project at SPEA BirdLife. It's amazing how quickly time has passed. When my greatest fear was having to commit myself a year to a project; Now, if I could, I would sign for a few more years. 

Life has taught us these years that time flies and that you have to take advantage of every moment and little detail. Therefore, sometimes it's good to stop to breathe and take a look back to be aware of all that you has been lived and enjoyed. Value all those people, places, experiences, knowledge and shared moments. That are entering into your heart and make you be the person you currently are.

This project came at the perfect time since, due to the difficulties caused by the pandemic, my life had changed drastically, and my work and personal situation were aimlessly trying to search, but without finding anything that would fully motivate me.

For this reason, I cannot feel more grateful to have had this enriching opportunity, in which I have found my ideal job thanks to the SPEA BirdLife team, who have also trained me on the job, thus making it easier for me to reach my professional goal: the environmental conservation.

Such a special project could only happen in a city as magical as Lisbon, surrounded by people as wonderful as all those who have surrounded me throughout this year. Which has meant that, on a personal level, I have also grown exponentially, now finding myself even stronger and wanting to continue living and enjoying as I have done so far.

These last few months have been accompanied by a lot of cumbia and samba, viewpoints, sunrises, sunsets, new people and people who are already family, many trips, projects and, above all, a lot of freedom and personal empowerment.

So I close this stage with gratitude and with my backpack full of experiences, tools and energy to continue walking through this beautiful path that is life.

Thanks for everything.

See you soon, Cristina.

 

 

 

 

 

Testemunhos do Intercâmbio “United in Culture” na Eslovénia

Partilhámos aqui os testemunhos do Rúben e da Sara, dois participantes portugueses do intercâmbio juvenil que aconteceu em Murska Sobota (Rakičan), na Eslovénia, do dia 26 de Novembro até ao 3 de Dezembro de 2021. 

Este intercâmbio reuniu 30 jovens e líderes juvenis da Eslovénia, Portugal, Roménia, Lituânia e Itália sendo coordenado pela ONGD MOVIT. O intercâmbio focou-se em temas como a paz, tolerância, direitos humanos e igualdade de género. 

O grupo de participantes português foi constituído por 6 participantes: Marta (líder), Sara, Rúben, Afonso, Mafalda e Diana.

Partilhámos o testemunho do Rúben sobre a sua experiência no intercâmbio: 

Uma experiência incrível que me permitiu sair da minha zona de conforto, conhecer novas culturas e passar momentos inesquecíveis com pessoas com quem espero voltar a cruzar caminhos. Uma nova aventura, por terras desconhecidas onde tive a hipótese de visitar muito. Foi uma semana em que me senti como se estivesse em casa, apesar de nunca ter estado tão longe de Portugal. 

No início era um misto de sentimentos, por um lado o entusiasmo por algo novo, por outro lado nervosismo. Este segundo sentimento predominou durante o dia da viagem, desde o momento em que saí de casa de mochila às costas até ao momento em que aterrei cansado num beliche de um castelo em Murska Sobota. Mas a partir do primeiro pequeno-almoço do primeiro dia do projeto tudo mudou, como se do nada já sentisse algum conforto em estar ali. 

Atividades interessantes, que contribuíram para o meu desenvolvimento pessoal e social. Atividades que permitiram criar empatia, amizade e espírito de equipa com um grupo fantástico com quem adorei partilhar esta aventura. Atividades que me permitiram ter novas perspectivas acerca de vários dos temas abordados e ajudaram a sentir-me mais à vontade com o meu Inglês e com novas formas de comunicação, quando o Inglês não era suficiente. 

Recomendo toda a gente a, pelo menos uma vez na vida, participar num projeto Erasmus+, especialmente pessoal jovem com tempo livre e espírito aventureiro. Uma oportunidade a não desperdiçar. De volta a Portugal, estou ainda cheio de memórias e já com alguma vontade de voltar para uma nova aventura. 

Testemunho da Sara: 

A minha primeira experiência de Erasmus+ Youth Exchange aconteceu na Eslovénia tendo por base um tema que me diz muito, Direitos Humanos e Cultura, “United in Diversity”. Os dias que passei em Murska Sobota foram fantásticos porque conheci pessoas que não só adorei conhecer e partilhar experiências com, como também pude conhecer um pouco mais das suas culturas, sendo essas as romenas, eslovenas e italianas. Foi muito interessante perceber como são as dinâmicas que um Youth Exchange traz e as diversas atividades que tiveram lugar foram cada uma, à sua maneira, enriquecedoras. Uma experiência nova, com diversas aprendizagens e muitos sorrisos. 

Intercâmbio “Playing 4 skills”: disseminação de resultados

No passado dia 5 de Dezembro de 2021, aconteceu no Seixal (Portugal), um encontro que reuniu cerca de 15 participantes, aficionados pelos jogos de tabuleiro. 

Foram momentos de partilha e uma oportunidade única para os jovens portugueses que participaram no intercâmbio juvenil “Playing 4 Skills” na Dinamarca, falarem um pouco da sua experiência internacional e dos jogos de tabuleiro que puderam experimentar durante o intercâmbio. 

O intercâmbio juvenil "Playing 4 Skills" aconteceu em Værløse, na Dinamarca nos dias 18 ao 27 de Outubro de 2021, e reuniu 34 jovens e líderes juvenis de diferentes países europeus, sendo coordenado pela ONGD WAYS. O projeto foi financiado pela Comissão Europeia através do Programa Erasmus+.  

Estas são algumas das fotos da sessão: 

Partilhámos ainda dois testemunhos em inglês de duas participantes portuguesas no Intercâmbio que nos falam um pouco da sua experiência em primeira mão.

(Margarida) This was my first youth exchange and let me tell you, it was an amazing experience. I jumped into this adventure not really knowing what to expect, but meeting new people, engaging with them, hearing about their cultures, it's problems and solutions, is an experience like no other.

It has changed me more than I would have ever imagined. If you have the time and the right mindset, give these projects a try. You won't regret it!

(Filomena) It was enriching and challenging. It was a really good experience, not only because of the new board games we played but also because of the nice people we met there. There was a great atmosphere with a team spirit and fair play.   

Important to mention a great job of SPIN. Thank you so much for your support, attention, and follow-up. It was really important to have it!

Definitely, it’s an experience to repeat! Many thanks!

Visita a página oficial de Facebook do Playing for Skills: https://www.facebook.com/Playing4Skills

Vídeo do intercâmbio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4f_mspl4Ws&ab_channel=WaysForYouth

O testemunho no. 2 da Mari (SPIN)

Hello there, 
Hope you are having a great day!

I feel like I have been here for two or three months, but It's been on this fantastic journey for seven months already. I have gathered so many remarkable memories, I have met so many beloved ones, I have made dear friends, traveled places where I experienced lots of emotions and tears of happiness.

I learned a lot during my stay, with my organization, life experiences, new cultures, different people, their psychology, to be a more empathic person, how to be a better version of myself every day. I believe everything happens for a reason and I'm very grateful Portugal happened to me.

I can openly say Portugal has majestic energy, colorfulness, incredible calmness/chaos together, breathtaking nature, tasty food, everything that made me feel good. I am soo grateful for this experience and the chance to be here today and experience all of this. Lisbon, you will always be in my heart.

With love, Mari.

O testemunho No. 1 da Ida (CML)

Hello Lisbon, once again!

My name is Ida, and I come from the northern side of Europe, from Finland. I have now been in Lisbon for almost two months, and so far it has been great! That said, the city is not new for me as I have been here before. 

First time as a teenager, when I had just turned 18 and was interrailing across Europe and taking my first steps towards independence.


That is when I first fell in love with the magic that only exists here: the setting sun that paints the city in all the shades of pink, getting lost in the labyrinth of small streets and finding something wonderful by accident, the people that embody an enchanting nostalgia (the saudade), the abandoned buildings that are keeping secrets of a millennia... 
However, this time I am here with the purpose of volunteering.

These nine months I will be working in the department of Social Rights in the Lisbon City Council, the principal legislative body. The department has a Banco de Voluntariado or “volunteer bank”, which recruits volunteers for organizations that need them. I have five lovely colleagues, and the ambiance in the office is nice and relaxed. 

So far, I have been learning about the work of the department and the volunteer bank, but soon I will start to go out to visit the municipal partners and associations that have volunteers to learn about their projects. The idea is to compile a video report about volunteering during the pandemic, the kind of needs that arose, and how the organizations could continue working under the restrictions. I’m quite excited about it as it is a chance to learn a new skill that will surely be useful in the future! 

Apart from work, I’m also really enjoying my living situation, as I managed to move in with a Portuguese friend (great for improving Portuguese ;)). The apartment itself is quite small, but on the upside, it has a rather big patio which is great for dinners with friends, gardening, and playing with the two cats, Artur and Gloria, who are simultaneously extremely cute and temperamental!

That’s it for now, 
Até a próxima!

O testemunho No. 1 da Cynthia (Boutique da Cultura)

Today is my 20th day in Lisbon.
I still can't believe I am here.

Everything has been going super well so far. All the people I’ve met (other volunteers, ex-volunteer, members of my association) are super nice and I am very excited about those next 9 months! 

First of all, let me introduce myself. Hi! My name Is Cynthia and I am a 24 years old girl half French/half Portuguese! 

I decided to apply to this project because I just graduated with a master's in culture and communication and I didn’t want to start working in a company 8 hours per day behind a desk, sad and without purpose. I wanted more, I wanted to have a meaningful experience, explore the world and meet new people so this project was perfect! 

I started my project in Boutique Da Cultura 2 weeks ago and it’s going super great! I already went to the theater twice with my organization, once here in Carnide and once in Albergaria-a-Vehla.

For now, I am currently working at the Oficina Local in Carnide with Raquel and Joan who are super nice, and we are doing a lot of stuff like candlesticks, jewelry, toys for our Christmas Market which will take place on the 5th and 12th of December in front of the Boutique Da Cultura (you have to come!)

When I am not working, I love to have a walk in the city just to explore, eat Pastel de Nata and watch the sunset (from a miradouro or the beach of course) with my flatmates who quickly became my second family! When I was on the plane and then the taxi to go to the apartment, I was a little nervous to meet them but when I arrived, I saw a sign at the door that said ‘’Welcome to Casa Bernardim” with a drawing of 4 girls, balloons and hearts.

I immediately felt reassured, and I knew that everything would be fine. For the first night, we all had dinner together and talked about everything, it seemed like we had always known each other! Now it's almost a tradition we have dinner together at least once a week to chat and laugh about everything. I really enjoy living in this house with those wonderful girls who had each other's back.


I am so grateful to be here and can't wait to meet other people and learn new things.