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.

My Welcome Party

Feeling welcome to a real new life was just amazing. After crossing Europe in one day, leaving my family and friends behind, I started my EVS ( European Volunteer Service) with a party organized by people from OHP, the place where I was working in Biala Podlaska.
It happened the 1st of September 2006, and it was the strangest and happiest day in my life.
Sitting at the table with many poles who I didn´t know, somewhere in Poland, talking in a different language, I felt I was dreaming.

Welcome to Poland Carmen!!!!!!!