Dezembro is here, but the summer too :)

Yesterday it was two months I am in Lisbon.

I feel like I have been here for quite a long time: I already have my friends, my routine, many goals set for the months to come. The weather is still treating us well - it reaches 20 degrees out quite often on the sunny days!

And Christmas is coming up; my family will visit me here, so I won’t get to go back home - which is a little strange - I was kind of hoping to get to see my friends again, but they will eventually be here soon.

Work at Check-in is also going well; I am working on making a new website together with Virgilio, who is doing the writing and coding - which is something I had never undertaken before and that I really hope will work out how we want. The whole re-branding of the association’s image needs to be done and we are working on it, but it’s a process that needs some time: with Flavio, a volunteer who is studying marketing we are going to re-think the whole image and concept and try to draw new designs on it. It’s a big process and very challenging.

Also, we are thinking of new activities for the year to come, on a local level. We have a whole lot of ideas for what could happen in Checkin - also aced the question on Facebook to our “likers” and are hoping to get some feedback we can base the programming for 2017 on.

On Nov 26th we also had our first open day, which went pretty well: we had organised an afternoon of games and sharing of experiences by the people who took part to projects all over Europe through checkin, and we finished with a german aperitif and an italian dinner! Many new and old people showed up and it was a good chance for me and Antoine and Federica to meet the extended Checkin-crew and understand better what the association does.

Lisbon's Pastelarias in Christmas attire

Lisbon still has many good things to offer; the last month I visited the Oriente Foundation Museum, which displays a big collection of artefacts from Asia (mainly from ex - portuguese - colonies and the countries Portugal used to have commercial relationships during the big Navigator’s times) and has now an exhibition up about Chinese Opera; I also visited the Museu National do Azulejo, which is a good one. The building in which the museum is situated is already worth the visit itself; an old monastery with beautiful gardens and rooms covered in baroque azulejos, it displays a collection of azulejos that goes from their first appearance in Portugal - about 1000 years ago - until nowadays. I heard live fado for the first time, in a small Tasca in Bairro alto - Tasca do Chico - which i was not crazy about though; there was mainly tourists coming in and out of the place and everything seemed quite staged; really like the singers were tang the same turns every night; which took a bit of the charm out of the place. 

Garden of the Museu do Azulejo

Festival Imigrarte also took place a couple of weeks ago, which was amazing: 3 days of workshops and shows of all types, run by the different migrant communities present in Lisbon: I took part to an african dances workshop and a salsa one, a drawing class, a forum theater representation by a feminist group, and listened to amazing concerts by musicians who were playing music from Sao Tomé, Nepal, Portugal, Brasil; Argentina…there was such a good energy! The location where the festival took place was also very beautiful; it’s in an old school in the city center of Lisbon, a neoclassical run-down building on 4 floors, very charming.. it was also super moon that weekend so from the top you could see the most amazing moon. The location is going to be turned in a luxury hotel though very soon; it is very sad to see how mass tourism is transforming the city at such a quick pass, not in a good way to me.

 performance-watching at Imigrarte festival

Talking of that, tonight there will be the screening of a documentary, “Terramoturism”, that i am going to watch, in order to have some more insight on what is happening in Lisbon, when it comes to gentrification and un-sustainable tourism. I guess a small part of me is already thinking of staying in Lisbon after EVS and I already feel weirdly involved - like if I was in an actual relationship with this city :) ; I’d like to understand her and contribute to the discussion that is taking place, here and now, to contribute to making a positive change and minimalize as much as we can the damage they mass tourism might bring to this capital.

It’s lunch break now! time to catch some sun outside of the office… beijinos!

One Week up in the North: On Arrival Training in Braga

Here i am, writing from my way back home from Braga that actually as u know  is not our basis, but my companheiros Emma and Antoine and I, were there for our on arrival training organized by the portuguese national agency.

It was a big “ training event” that brought together volunteers from all over europe who are at the beginning of their evs experience in different cities in all portugal.

This training had in fact basically the aim to support volunteers in the adaptation process during the evs experience giving them tools and causes of reflection to be able to face in a better way difficulties and potential problems during their own project.

During those days we have been working a lot supported by trainers, doing so many different activities mainly in groups but at the same time giving us the opportunity to express our opinion and personal contribution about different issues related with everything goes around our own evs experience. We explored and we became more aware about our role within an evs project, we reflected on ourselves and all the trainers give us tips and tools to manage and take the best from our experience abroad, increase our “baggage of competence and knowledge” to be carried on the back during our own personal growth paths.

Generally it was a really full immersion in a melting pot of people, cultures, thoughts, acts. I met really a lot of great people with different stories and background but finally all connected and linked by the same wish to volunteer abroad and  grow up personally and  why not, professionally from this experience. There were moments that I really loved cause I had the chance to know a lot of nice people with whom we shared this crazy week, and sure, others nei quali I felt already saudade de Lisboa!!!

But  at the end of this intense week, that’s the important, come back home richer than before :)))

Até a próxima cold Braga!!

Federica

About Life in Lisboa

Hello again! It's now been a few weeks since we all got here. So we decided to keep you informed about our journey in Lisboa :)

The work keeps getting more and more exciting. I, on my side, started to work on new projects in other countries, in Eastern Europe and Balkans. The international environment makes it really awesome, especially when you start interacting with other organizations and participants.

About life in Lisboa, well, I don't know where to start. Back in Paris, everybody was telling me how great it is, and I got sick of those comments. “This can't be that great”, I was thinking. Lower my expectations, so I don't get disappointed. But actually, everybody was right. It is that amazing.

Everything is, the concerts, the restaurants, the bars, but also the people, and the basic atmosphere in this city. First off, it's really hard to not hear music anywhere. You could walk wherever, you always hear music. When you listen to a saxophonist playing on top of a mirador, with the sunlight in your eyes, it's a pretty cool feeling. The general ambiance of the city is filled with music and great encounters come from it.

Something else that was a great discovery for me is the alternative style of living here. Associations flourish by the hundreds in every neighborhood, wether it's social centers or cultural spots, cafés or bars. It is a vibrant place to be when you're interested in culture overall, but also when you are attracted to alternative lifestyles.

Therefore, the stories you hear are really different and inspiring. I met travellers, musicians, artists or students who went all over the world, telling me where I should go, or what I should do, and they all agree about one thing: Lisboa is really amazing.

The sun is always here, the food is delicious, the people are the friendliest, and the city itself is beautiful. I feel like I belong here, so we are doing pretty good :)

Antoine Girault

First Weeks...

 So, tomorrow it will be 3 exact weeks that I am in Lisbon, and I already caught myself wondering if and how I’ll want to leave this place, in 11 months from now. I could see myself becoming one of the many expats I met so far, who had gotten here to stay a few months, for a short term job or a school exchange, and ended up simply not leaving. Lisboa me encanta, she got me already. At Checkin we haven’t start working working yet, since Antonio, our mentor and leader got stuck in Bangok for a week longer than what he had planned and since we had a first two weeks of portuguese language (which was amazing! I can’t wait to be semi-fluent at least); which gave me a lot of time to, apart for preparing my presentation about the Erasmus+ program that we are supposed to give on monday, and finish our language course, to discover more of the city and enjoy her sunny and overly warm days. It’s october 28th, and I am writing sitting on a cafe’s terrace wearing a skirt and a tshirt …. it’s 28 degrees here! 

Since I can’t really talk much about the work at the office yet, I’ll go for a ramble about the city - and name a few of the lovely things I got to know so far - a list of favourite discoveries.

 Miradouro Santa Catarina

   

Miradouros - Lisbon is built on hills. Lots of hills. They say 7 but I believe they are more - or at least feel like it. So you are always climbing here, or trying not to slide down a hill, on rainy days. Up and Down Up and Down… which creates amazing geometries and geographies of narrow streets, neighbourhoods that are shaped by the morphology of the territory, where the colours of the houses’s facades and their architectonical style (there is old ones, covered in azulejos, right next to brutalist apartment complexes from the 60’s), pink and bright blue and green and yellow and rotten white all mingle together and cope with each other in a surprisingly harmonious way.... and there is miradouros on top of these messy hills. Amazing view points on the city, where people go enjoy horizons, sunsets, drinks and the cityscape.. often there will be music played by young jamming musicians or tour guides followed by big groups of overheated tourists who are half dead after climbing up. I am sure I haven’t found them all but I have a top 3 out of the 8 I spotted so far. Nr. 3 is in Penha da França, and I don’t know its name yet… I ended up there at night, and you can’t really see the river from it, but you get a great view on the whole city and the right side of the river Tago, which is all sparkly and orange at night - there  is some big stones with fences and climbing plants you can sit under while enjoying the sight - and it’s never too crowded there, since it’s located in a less touristy area of Lisbon, and you have to climb quite a bit to get there. Nr. 2 is Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte (The Lady of the Mountain) and it’s right behind our place! You have to climb up quite some stairs to get up there but it’s definitely worth it: there is a small white church on top of the hill, with Pine trees and benches that face the view of the city, the river and the castle on the next hill, standing up impotently on Alfama and Graça’s half run down and charming neighbourhoods. It’s a great spot to take pics to send home from. Nr. 1 is the Santa Catarina Miraduro, which looks on the harbour and the bridge and some very modern and overly big buildings that have been recently built right underneath it. They built biiiiig marble stairs that turn into seats for the many many people who hang out there every night - usually young and not too well dressed, enjoying a cerveja, the many musicians who jam there or someone’s loud speaker’s sound (which can be more or less pleasant) and the sparkling lights of the bridge, the reflections on the river’s water… it’s a magical spot, busy and loud, but magical. Close to there I also found an amazing library - Biblioteca Camões - which still has an old original wooden and art nouveauish interior and from who’s windows you can enjoy an amazing view on the rooftops and the river... if you are lucky enough to get a seat by the window  

                                                                                Biblioteca Camões on a rainy afternoon

Social centres and Cultural Houses - Lisbon seems to be full of social centres, run by young and driven people and collectives and where all kinds of gatherings take place, most of them happen to be in Anjos and Arroios, so it’s quite easy for us to reach them. So far I enjoyed a turkish music concert in Crew Hassan, a Swing night in Bus, a folk dancing night (angolan music, Forró, Afro Jazz, Samba and gipsy music were all played during the same night by different bands, all very good) at Casa Lusitana (which is in Alfama, but about to be closed because they are going to turn the building in a hotel), Documentaries about PT writers at Disgraça and a couple of very nice (and cheap! - since often social centres offer meals for 3/4 euros) dinners at Zona Franca.. and even fado sung by some old men with wrinkles, mustaches (bigode!) and smiling faces in a hidden bar up in Graça: it was incredible - a sung out loud sad jam session. I felt really lucky to have run into; I was the only woman there apart for the bartender, and the only non portuguese speaking person - which was a pity, because I am still wondering what all those men where so sad about… but I guess it is some standard themes they sing about. Saudade, tristeza, mar were words that recurred quite a few times. 

Every day there is something going on somewhere: workshops, concerts, jam sessions… and it’s funny how, since the city is not that big (500.000 inhabitants), I already ended up running into the same people several times… even met some friends from Rotterdam who moved here a few years ago, without making any appointment - 4 nights in a raw! It’s like a big village here; most people are very friendly, it’s easy to start a conversation with strangers, keep in touch, the rhythm of life is human, you can sit on a terrace for a drink without feeling guilty towards your bank account or being robbed, walk almost everywhere in max half an hour.. and recognize people on the street when you do so! Also on my way to Checkin - since I always walk the same way around the same time of the day - there is 3 people I keep running into! I already say hi regularly to one of them :)

 spotted on the way to CheckIN

 

Dancing people - It looks like everybody in Lisbon is a pretty skilled and passionate dancer: chachacha’s, rumba’s, swing, salsa's, Forro’… nothing scares them. I am not used to it: in Italy really few young people dance, in the Netherlands they do a bit more, but it’s definitely not as well as here. They look awesome and seem to have a lot of fun, and I won’t allow myself to still be as clumsy as I am in a year from now. I am going to take dance classes here, learn how to follow steps and another dancer!

Food - Food findings of my first three weeks are: Coffee! Which is still as good as I remembered it to be here, slightly longer than our italian espressos, which makes the pleasure a bit extra long. / Pataniscas de Bacalhau!!! It’s a paste made of codfish, onion, parsley, flour ... fried. And it’s going to be my guilty pleasure for the year / Bacalhau à Bras - which is again a cod fish dish - but with, apart for potatoes and onions and parsley (all regular so far) - eggs in it! Mixing fish and eggs is something you could be hanged for in Italy, and that is why I would have never never never expected it to be such a tasty combination.. but it works amazingly. / Bifana is another thing I’d never expect to be so tasty; it’s simply a sandwich (sande) with pork meet inside, grilled, or boiled in some tomato/garlicky sauce, that you seem to have to top with mustard and accompany with an imperial (draft beer, to enjoy. I tried, and it works! :)

Emma

 

Let`s discover Lisbon...

My name is Antoine, I am 23 years old and I am from France.

I studied law for three years, and after a couple of internships, including one in the USA, I decided that, even though it can be very challeging, this was not the field I wanted to work in. I guess many people in my age feel the same, and it is a pretty big decision to stop and start something else, I had the chance to stay in Athens for a semester during the last year of my degree, it was really there that I started taking interest in other subjects, mostly humanities, from arts to philosophy. I then completely shifted from law, and switched to study fine arts, for a year, in Paris. This year was enlightening for me. I got to do what I wanted at that time, mostly painting and drawing. But I wanted to travel, to discover new things, new cultures and new languages. I used my time away from university to do what I loved most, mostly reading, going to the movie theater, concerts, travel and just hang out with my friends. But somehow I was looking for a new challenge, a long-time commitment that would help me grow and flourish. This is when the idea of doing an EVS struck me. I heard many good things about working in an organization, from the working environment to the contents of the missions. And, to say the least, everything was even better than my already high expectations. Even though I just got here in Portugal, I am already fond of the culture, the people, and the city of Lisbon is a great place to live. The place I am working at is full of young people like me, looking for a place to try different things, eager to learn a whole lot, and overall think differently. I think it is safe to say that I am going to have a great year, doing something I am invested and interested in, with awesome people, in such a vibrant city. What`s not to like?

Very first Emma-steps in Lisboa!

Ola! I am Emma, 23 years old, Italian - grew up on a hill, in a small town in Tuscany. When I turned 18 I moved to the Netherlands, Rotterdam, where I started art school, as an Illustrator. During my bachelor years, I got the chance to take a minor in cultural diversity, focused on social design and worked in an internship as a designer for a small NGO in NYC. After I completed my bachelor in July, I was - and still am - quite confused about what I want to do next, with myself. I know I want to be a "social" change maker and that I'd like to keep designing too, but haven`t come up with a formula yet. I also still want to learn new languages, travel and live in different countries - don't want to miss out on challenges.

So I had decided to start a second bachelor in Arabic and Middle eastern studies and signed up for it, it would be in Venice - back south, almost back home... somehow I felt it was too soon though, I had just gotten out of school two months before! So when scrolling my FB page on a rainy dutch afternoon I saw a call for EVS volunteers at Checkin association I was like: I have to try this! I had spent a few days in Lisbon during a trip a couple of years ago and left promising myself I would have lived here at some point; I had been struck by its multiculturality, kindness and rythm... and there was my chance up for grabs!

And so here I am: ready to start, learn, contribute, doubt, challenge and re-think myself a little, in this pastel-colored and lively place, inside the Oh so nice Checkin team! Thank you Portugal for having me over, sou muito grata! Can't wait to get to know you better :)

Here I am!

Hi my name is Federica, I’m 27 and just one week ago officially began my experience here in Lisbon as an EVS volunteer.

Before to decide to apply for this opportunity I hadn’t planned anything but unfortunately my job contract would have expired a few days later. Everything happened almost by chance even if I’ve always had the idea on my mind to do this kind of experience before getting too old. So, I found the vacancy, applied, did all the interviews with the hosting association and - go!! Everything in less than a month!

And now, here I am since almost one month and everything seems to be amazing!

From the first moment, all the team of my hosting organization made us feel like home, and supported us in all we needed. That’s why I feel that even if we began just one week ago, we already are a “Big Family”: all the Check-IN team, other EVS volunteers from different countries, local volunteers or simply friends.

Along this adventure, which will last until next October, I hope I will manage to support the Team in all the activities as much as I can and at the same time take with me experiences and unforgettable life moments.

Next step: on arrival training in Braga! Hoping it will be a moment to share with a lot of new people and volunteers from different EVS projects here in Portugal.

Saying goodbye and welcome new adventures

The time came when the 'old' volunteers are saying goodbye making a place for the new ones. Time passes very fast when you are busy :) 

EVS was a great time for all of us but it is time start new adventures with all the things we learned here :)

We are grateful for the opportunity we got and happy that more and more people are getting out of their comfort zones and applying for EVS.

Everyone should try it !

You as well :)

Beijnhos e obrigada :) 

EVS in Latvia - OPEN MIND OPEN HORIZONTS - STORY OF VANIA

My EVS, took part in Cēsis, a small town in Latvia and it was for one month, during August of 2016. We were eight volunteers from 5 countries of European Union, from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Hungary. And Latvians volunteers also participated in the project. The main aim of the project was organise an art festival and the theme was "Open Mind - Open Horizons".
I participated in this project because when I was looking for some project to do during the summer, and this project was proposed me I realised  that it cloud be a great opportunity because it was to work with creativity, with manual work, with art and with imagination. So, I felt really excited to accept it. And I decided accept it, even knowing that it's  in Latvia, in a completely different world for me. I challenged myself.

When I arrived in Latvia, I was really nervous, eager and curious to see what was going to happen. At the beginning I felt like a stranger in a new place with new people, everything was really new and different for me. But even eager I was very opened to get involved in the project, to discover new things and to meet new people. And after some days, I started feel more close from the other volunteers, because we and the mentors of the project played a lot of games and talked about ourself and they were very important to knowing each other.

During the EVS I had a lot of different type of tasks, and for me this was the strongest point of the project because, everyday was different. I chose what I wanted to do, remembering the main goal, but at the same time giving preference to what I really wanted do. My main task with my team was organise a workshop of "Mandala" and explain to the visitors of the festival the meaning of "Mandala". And I had other tasks like do dream catchers and lanterns for the decorations of the festival, and many other things.

As the theme of the project was "Open Mind - Open Horizons", the project showed me exactly how to be "Open Mind - Open Horizons", because I learned a lot of things, for example how to be more tolerant and patient, how be more open to new ideas, gave me tools to understand other ways of life, etc. And it opened my horizons because it gave me new tools for my future, for example it make me feel more interested in this kind of festival and gave me ideas to put on practice in my own city.

And sharing this experience with other volunteers was really important for me, because I had opportunity to show my own culture and to know other countries and cultures through them. And as we lived together or we spent a lot of time together it allow us share so many things and I think I can say this experience brought me friends for life.

Vania

The project was funded by the program Erasmus Plus under the number: 2016-1-LV02-KA105-001111

EVS in Lavia - Open Mind Open Horizonts

All my life I was fascinated with the idea move one time to the Baltics, and the Open Mind Open Horizons project gave me the opportunity I was looking for. The project it was, in a few words, about art and performing, where I could have the chance to add some value, namely in the music and photography activities, in a cozy small countryside city, called Cesis, 2 hours from Riga. I move to there on August 1st and I comeback to Portugal several days after the end of the project, which was on September 2st. I just knew I would work together with more 7 volunteers from Portugal, Italy, France, Hungary and Spain. 

Looking back to these all days there I’m realizing how intense and grateful was my experience. Of course I had bad things too, some adaptation problems (how a miss the beautiful Portuguese sunny days…) and a big cultural shock. But do you know what? I´m feel much more strong and with better knowledge about myself than before. This short-term project gave me nice moments and experiences to know myself, to see how able I am to work in an international group environment, to increase my English language level and, of course, to learn, sharing and teaching a lot of stuffs. The bright light shining in these kind of projects and experiences it’s the possibility to feel you are not only dealing with informal learning process, but also you are working in a professional and responsibility spirit, where you care about a lot of things, you feel you are growing up, acquiring new skills and tools, getting professional and social experience, and you still work or to be in a funny and informal environment, where you have space and time to make mistakes, to be pro-active and entrepreneur, where you learn by doing and you really take part in the process to achieve the goals of the project. 

We got our goals, we made it happen. During 4 weeks we planned, organized and prepared all the activities and moments of the project, we made a lot of brain storming’s and group dynamics to reach it, we gave “wings” to our creativity to fly and we had space to be pro-active and put into the project that characteristics and skills you know well you are good. The feedback from the participants was awesome and we need to be proud of it. Such a heterogeneous and different profiles/background group could to reach a great team spirit level, finding common goals and purposes and, at the end, get a great experience, give fun and good memories to the participants. In overall, what all of us were looking for when we applied for it.

Since some years ago I’m taking the advantages of the Erasmus+ program, from doing exchanges and internships to volunteer projects. It´s wonderful what European Union gives us. Not only about the financial issues but the huge opportunity to think further, to meet people from all Europe, to have the possibility of acquiring the European values and the European citizenship, which makes us bigger than you were before. 

I will remember this full month for long time. I will stay connected with it and I will try to take part in more projects. It’s kind of a good addiction, you know?!  

Jose

The project was funded by the program Erasmus Plus under the number: 2016-1-LV02-KA105-001111

Ana going to Slovenia :)

Hello everyone,

My name is Ana Proença and I’m about to embark on my EVS adventure in Velenje, Slovenia. 

Out of the blue I found myself at my last year of School and started to wonder about my next step. Should I pursue a Masters? Start to work? Take a year off? It was time to evaluate the several scenarios.

Going abroad for one year while doing volunteer work was something that I had dreamed of for quite some time, yet I always thought that I couldn’t afford such experience. I couldn’t be more wrong when I found out about EVS, an incredible program that I hadn’t heard about before.

First meeting in Check In with Olga- coordinator of EVS

  

At the moment I am feeling a mix of emotions: saudade (yes, already), excitement, nervousness, utter happiness and so on. 

But so far the biggest challenge prior to departure will be packing! I guess I will be forced to only take with me the simple bare necessities! 

A few days ago, I had with some other volunteers a pre-departure training and it was a great opportunity to exchange fears and doubts, as it is okay to feel nervous and even a little bit afraid. Through the training it made me realize that we are all in the same boat and I’ll get the chance to meet others along the way who are too.  

Signing the Activity Agreement - it is offical

Looking forward to arrive in Slovenia next Monday!

Ana    

PRE-DEPARTURE TRAINING

Being an EVS volunteer and working in coordinating EVS projects makes you reflect even more on the process itself and it affects (in a good way) preparation of the volunteers. 

Having small trainer experience I decided to prepare a one day pre-departure training to the future EVS volunteers that Check In is sending for projects.

Working mood :)

Before designing the training I asked all future hosts organisations what preparation do they expect and based on this and my experience in what preparation I got before I prepared the training that was based mainly on those topics: 

● Erasmus+ programme, European voluntary service, non- formal education

● Concept of volunteering 

● Rights and responsibilities of different actors in EVS project (Volunteer, SO, HO, CO)

● Learning objectives on personal and proffesional levels (including Youthpass)

● Motivation and expectations on own volunatry service

● Self – initiative

● Intercultural learning and individual learning process 

● Cultural shock and support system during EVS

● Practical issues (How to use the Insurance (CIGNA, European Health card), traveling, security etc.) 

● Linguistic support - OLS or local course

● Conflict management during the EVS 

● Follow up activities after project implementation phase

All the training was very easy going, the volunteers were very active and they shared a lot about their projects, expectations and fears towards moving to another countries  They were so well informed already about all the practical issues that I think they would do great without me :)

I think a good preparation (of sending organisations and by volunteers itself) it is a 50% of project success. I am very happy I could be involved in this process and assist volunteers in their future journeys. 

I had a lot of time to reflect about my own project and the fact that is ending soon, it is time for evaluating my competences and qualities that I gained during this year and start thinking about new adventures :)

With the amazing and brave volunteers :)

Beijos

Olga.

Ola,


This month we've celebrated Santo António -patron of Lisbon. This time Lisbon offer a full of entertainment activities and street parties.The main activities are in concentrated in the tradicional
neighbourhoods from Alfama to Castelo.
Before going to Alfama we have met in Martim Moniz to find out more  about Santo Antonio his life and history. It turned out that the quiz was not so easy :)After with knowledge about Santo Antonio we colud proper start  our amazing night in the colorful streets of Lisbon :)


                                        

Love Lisbon :)

One of the best part of festas Santo António is eating sardinhas :). First time I tried grilled sardinhas in Portugal and were very delicious.I dont know how many I ate :)but for sure it was a lot !

Sardinha

Crowded street it is sign that the festas is there. Life concerts ,people dancing  in the street ,tradicional pimba music. It is essential of  magic nights in Lizbon.If you have the  energy after the festas head out in the early morning sunshine to walking through the now deserted streets of Portugal's capital.

festas in Alfama

Of course, I cannot say anything about Euro 2016 :).Portuguese people love football.The biggest fun zone is in Praça do Comércio .There you can feel football fever.! Good atmosphere and many emotions :)
Portugal is in semi-finals! Congratulacions and good luck for the future match :)

Praça do Comércio

                                                                           




Justyna

New Adventure of Beatriz

In the beginning of this month, I’ve got the confirmation I was going to Slovenia for 12months. Starting already in July! I couldn’t be more proud of myself and happy for having Check-in’s support in this new adventure.

The countdown has started: the calls to the people I love the most, the last exams from university, going home for a few days, the last goodbyes…

It’s a big new challenge in my life, I spent a lot of time looking for a project I identified with and I found this one about environmental protection in the country I wanted the most. But watch out! I needed to go earlier than I could because I needed to be there by the 1st of June and I’m finishing my bachelor by the end of June. Well I kept trying and I was pretty LUCKY. I’ve got accepted to go in July and the 1 month run before the departure just started!

Preparation time in Check In :)

I’ve already started packing! Thinking about what I need and what I can actually put in a suitcase for a year. Summer clothes… Winter shoes… Where am I gonna put the books? Thinking minimal and taking only what I REALLY need.

I’m super excited about this new adventure, specially because I can already call myself graduated! I’ve done my bachelor and a year off will help me to find myself and to understand what I want to do with my life in the future. I’ve done other intercultural projects before and I’ve travelled a bit as well, I’ve done volunteering work, but now it’s all other level. I’m becoming an EVS Volunteer for a all year in a country I’m fascinated with, about a subject that interests me a lot. I couldn’t ask for more and tomorrow I have the last reunion before the big trip!

Wish me luck,

Beatriz

LET'S START

We decided to start new section in our blog which is EVS SENDING, here very soon you will find posts and stories of future EVS volunteers that we are currently preparing for few different projects we are partners with :)

It has been almost a month since Joao Miranda left Lisbon for his EVS in Dresden, Germany. We are hoping everything is great out there and Joao is improving his graphic design skills in Jugend- Kulturprojekt e.V.

Olga and Joao after preparation meeting:)

Besides project in Germany we found volunteers that will go to Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia and we are still looking one person for a project in Spain and one in Italy, if you are interested in finding more informations go to our website

Signing the EVS agreement with Miguel that is going to Estonia

Some time ago we organised EVS info day to gather all interested in European Voluntary Service that are seeking for more information, it was harder that we thought because still the idea of EVS is new to a lot of people, but that's why our office is always open for volunteers to come and talk, the same as Luzia and Ana did: 

Thank you for great meeting

Besides helping in finding the project for volunteers and sending them it is very important for us to be  present and supportive during the whole EVS period. EVS besides being the greatest adventure of your life is a well big changing process and it is good to have someone to talk to and share your thoughts :) 

For everyone that is interested in EVS please do not hesitate to send us an email: sve@checkin.org.pt and we will help you starting your big adventure :) 

Beijos,

Olga.

Maio on the way!

Olá a todos e bom dia :-)

Here I am once again, it is time to write the blog, and write down lots of eventssss we are living :-)
Well, what happened in the last month? Plenty of things, that's the right answer!
After our training course in Beja (where Check-In was the host organization) and the mid-term evaluation in Braga (a training that is mandatory for everyone that is doing the EVS programme), we came back to Lisbon and...we didn't stop, of course :-)
We went to discover the wonderful beach and side of Caparica, that is half an hour by bus from Lisbon. Even if it was raining all April long, we were pretty lucky and our weekend was full of sun :-) we had a great weekend with our organization, with the team, members and great people, from sharing new ideas for the upcoming future, to have a nice dinner together, with a special chef, our Margarida :-)

Sunset na Costa de Caparica, 30 April '16

Then, the start of May and so, you expect that finally summer is coming, yeah but not in Portugal ahah :-) rain again, the sun is so shy in here :D then, the first week of the month my family came and visit me, it was nice to act like a ''proper'' tourist guide in the city and in the surroundings :-) so, we went to Belém (it is always the right moment to go there and eat a fresh pastel de nata in the best spot for it), Cascais and explore even a bit more, just three days but full of travels and things to do!

Here and there in Lisboa :-)

It was also nice to go and take a look at Cascais, nice city on the coast, 40 minutes by train from Lisbon; could you understand why? :-)

Cascais in afternoon version!

So, beside being tourist guide in Portugal, we also going on with our work about the international projects, since Check-In organization is partner in a lot of upcoming Erasmus plus projects, and so we organized a preparatory meeting for the training course ''EuroACTive'' that is going to happen in Serbia these days; it is always great to meet with motivated people ;)

Training course ''EuroACTive'' preparatory meeting, ON!

Aaand, summer is coming so we need to be more sporty ''mode'', that s why I started to go and run and doing sports :-) last weekend I went and took part in the ''colour run'' in Cascais (actually Carcavelos beach to Cascais and back): even if the sun was still hidden, we had a colourful evening with nice people and run...and, at the end, apple cake...the best way to recover your energy after sports, it is recommended in each diet, sure ahah :-)

Colour run, super team :-)

Big hug and let s get ready for the summer, hopefully will come soon :-)

Super abraço

Nico, Lisboa

19.05.2016

                   

Ola,

we are almost in half of our EVS journey,at the end of april we took part in mid term training in Braga.. Through the tasks we got to know more about EVS and this was also a good opportunity to get to know new people.This time we talked about what we have done during our project,learned about methods and project implementation and  what plans we have after the EVS. Diffrent people with diffrent ideas.We shared our experience.It was really inspiring training! :)

mid term training

one of our activity

In one of the sunny weekend we had the meeting of partners in Costa da Caparica.We shared
experiences and knowledge ,we talked about the present and planed the future of Check-in. After planning there was a time for exploring beautiful beach in Caparica.The tradicional portuguese dinner was prepared by our amazing chef Margarida .Bacalhau was delicious! :) Cant't wait for your  pasta during Italian dinner in Check in.

brain storming

Our activity -team bulding .  Thank you Margarida father 's for organizing interesting activities! I enjoyed a lot :) .Besides it is  always nice to move on open air.          

sunny Caparica

                                        

 Let's see whats  another weeks will bring to my fantastic adventure! J