My small fatherland - My Europe. Youth Exchange: Poland, Spain, Germany & England. July ´08.

1st- 12th July: Youth Exchange in Biala Podlaska.
www.mysmallfatherland.eu

Going back to Biala!! May ´08.

2nd- 11th May 2008.
Life is great!!

“Our parents told us: NEVER GO NEAR THAT HOUSE...So, of course, we went"


Once I was told we should follow our own way, no matter how difficult is it. And I did. And I still do. And halfway I found you, I found myself.Now my way won´t be the same anymore.

Thanks to Agnieszka, Sarah, Ewelina and all these people, from work, from the pubs, and of course, kids from common rooms, who like me as I am and were waiting for me, without questions.

"I like to think about these people
they taught me so many things that I
never dreamed of before.
and they taught me well,
very well
when it was so much need
they showed me so many things
that I never knew were possible.
those friends
deep in my blood
who
when there was no chance
gave me one." Bukowsky.

In Common rooms...

Dziupla.

The Art galery.

I worked with children in two different places: Amicus and Perspektywa. There, I took part in many activities for children and young people. In these places, children spent time after school, because most part of them come from very poor families, alcoholic parents with many children. In common rooms, kids can participate in a lot of interesting activities having social support. Volunteers played with chidren, helped them with their English homework.
We prepared games and went with them to a different places: Art galery, festivals, parties, swimming pool.

Working with children and collaborating in all those projects.....a wonderful experience.
I learnt more than I could never imagine. The hope of changing the future. The possibily of being happy, no matter what kind of family you are from, or how many problems you have.
It was hard sometimes, children are a big world to discover, and we didn´t speak the same language, so that´s why Sarah and me had to make a bigger efort.

Trainings

EVS offers volunteers formation and information during the project by two official Trainings: the arrival training and the mid-term meeting.

My arrival training was in Warsaw, in September 2006, when I had just arrived in Poland. Everything was new, there were so many things to learn, and so many questions to ask.

The seminar took place in a really nice Youth Hostel called "Agrykola". During a week, we had too many activities, we got to know other volunteers from all over Europe, and we went out everyday to see the capital of Poland.

The Mid- term Meeting took place in Torun, January 2007, one of the most beautiful cities in Poland, full of gothic buildings and famous because of Nicholas Copernicus, who used to live there. I was halfway through my project, and Sarah as well, so we went together.
The experience was difficult, too many experiences to share in too little time, but at the same time it was very useful, we learnt a lot, and there is something that we won´t ever forget: the book " who moved my cheese", which I think everyone who attended that seminar read many times after being in Torun.
Cause,"when you stop being afraid, you feel good"

Youth & United, October 2006. England.

That´s something I did just two months after going to Poland: OHP offered me to take part in a Youth Exchange in England, near London.
EVS project involves volunteers in very many interesting small projects, giving them a chance of experiencing in foreing countries and a lot of adventures as well.
I didn´t stop learning all the time.
I went there with a polish group, great people, meeting there the English group.
We´ve spent more than a week together.

Home.........

When I try to explain to people how I felt when I got to Biala Podlaska, it´s really strange, no one can understand I felt I was at home from the first moment!!!!!
Well, in my project, I could choose the place to live: living in a big house with my mentor, her daughter and the other volunteer from England, Sarah, or just living alone in a flat. I chose the first one, and I am happy about that.
It was wonderful to meet these people and the opportunity to share every day with them:-)

Agnieszka, my mentor ( because all the volunteers in these EVS projects have a mentor), is such a special person. I learnt so much from her, everyday. She was a kind of guide to me,
" you are a light by which I travel into.......". She has a daughter, Ewelina, a small lovely girl, who was so confused sometimes...three different languages at home!!!!

Sarah is the other volunteer, from England, " the geordie lass", she´s great. We worked together, we lived together....and we were so different from each other. But I can´t imagine my project without Sarah. How many hours we worked together!!!! How many times we were so tired at night that we could just fall asleep anywhere!!How many soups we waited for in EPI( the restaurant next to our working place)!!! How many lessons we took together!!!! And, why not saying this, how many beers we drank together!!!!!!! Eh, Sarah???
Discovering my little international family was one of the greatest feelings in my life. Thanks to you all.

What is EVS?????

The European Volunteer Service, is an agreement between two organisations from any country of Europe: the Sending Organisation and the Hosting Organisation. The first one sends a person to the other organisation who wants to take part of some project, working as a volunteer.
There are many different terms for the projects: 3 months minimum, one year maximum.
MY PROJECT:
My sending organisation was Ayuntamiento de Burgos, Spain, and I was sent to OHP, for ten months, in Biala Podlaska, Poland.
OHP is a government agency operating in the field of trainning, upbringing and employment of young people. I took part in a number of activities organized by OHP and in common rooms with which this organisation cooperates.
My tasks: Helping find new international contacts and maintaining cooperation with foreign partners wich they were already working with. Helping create interesting ideas and finding new conceptions for future projects.In common rooms, "Amicus" and "Perspektywa", helping organise and taking part in free time activities for children and youngters during all the year, language conversation with children, doing homework and supporting them.