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