Friday, July 15, 2011
What is EVS? Here is a video with all the answers!
This is a video filmed by our Estonian partner ESTYES and we thank them for letting us use it!
Concordia Team
Friday, July 1, 2011
Barney Smith's project in Romania
Walking Wounded in Romania
My route to this year’s international volunteer project in Cluj Napoca, Romania, was as exciting as it was unconventional. Keen to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, the only former Yugoslav republic where I had yet to step foot, I found a cheap Ryanair flight to Zadar in neighbouring Croatia a few days before my project was due to start. Two bus journeys later I was in Sarajevo and had soon checked into my night’s accommodation with a local couple in their city centre apartment. As I strolled in this quiet, low-key, almost provincial capital city, it was hard to believe that this was the scene of so many atrocities in the violent break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Eight decades earlier it was another death in Sarajevo – the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria – which would be one of the main causes of the start of the First World War. As the reassuringly familiar sound of the call to prayer echoed around the city at the end of an afternoon of sight-seeing, I was reminded that this country boasts one of Eastern Europe’s largest Muslim populations.
From Sarajevo I took an overnight bus to Belgrade, a city I knew well from last year’s international volunteer project, the renovation of a school in Kragujevac, Serbia’s fourth largest city. From Belgrade I took the daily train to the Romanian city of Timisoara before boarding a connecting train to that country’s fourth largest city, Cluj Napoca. After a well-earned rest I met up with the two Italian group leaders and the other volunteers: as well as a fellow Brit there were participants from France, Germany, South Korea, Spain and Switzerland. Our work consisted of organising and supervising activities for children mostly from poor families at a centre which was funded by the European Union and located in one of the city’s more deprived suburbs: these varied from table tennis to origami, from painting to English lessons, from Monopoly to football. There were also day-trips: to the city’s Central Park, as well as to the Botanical Garden with over 10,000 plants from throughout the world. We were joined at the centre by the Romanian staff, as well as by long-term volunteers from Azerbaijan and Germany. Despite the poverty of the children’s families, there was never any hint of envy, nor did we have any worries about showing valuables such as cameras. We encountered only friendliness, humour, helpfulness and an overwhelming sense of hospitality.
It was during one the football sessions that I was left in agony by a tackle which went badly wrong. For the next week I was limping and had to get used to the idea of limited mobility. As I looked around enviously at people walking or running effortlessly, I saw this as another reminder that physical fitness can never be taken for granted. Three years earlier I experienced a far more powerful example of this. That summer I left for the first of three consecutive international volunteer projects in Turkey. Little did I know as I waved good-bye to my mother from a National Express coach on a rainy Friday afternoon in June in the English seaside town of Dover that on my return she would be fighting for her life in the Intensive Care Unit at London’s King's College Hospital, a life which, tragically, would be cut short by cancer nine months later.
As in any Romanian city, there were constant reminders in Cluj Napoca of the country’s revolution, from the 21 December 1989 Boulevard, named after the day soldiers opened fire on protesters opposed to the regime of dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu who would be toppled and executed days later, to the Anti-Communist Resistance Monument which stands proudly next to the city’s Central Park. During the project we made the most of our opportunities to experience Romanian culture and visit the local area. On the first Sunday we hired two cars and drove to the Turda Salt Mine, one of the largest such mines in Europe. Later we escaped the summer heat by swimming in a nearby lake. The second weekend, as I nursed my horribly bruised toe in some of Cluj Napoca’s coffee shops and pavement cafés, made my first steps in learning Romanian and listened to podcasts downloaded from the BBC World Service, most of the other volunteers visited the cities of Sighişoara, considered by many to have the most beautiful and well-preserved inhabited citadel in Europe, and Braşov, widely known as the Jewel of Romania.
As I boarded my Wizz Air flight home, I reflected on how, in the era of budget airlines, international travel has become so much easier and more affordable than it once was. What a delight it is to be able to print your boarding pass in the comfort of your own home the day before, and to be able to go straight to the gate on the day of the flight. Whatever the occasional discomfort of budget travel, these airlines have undoubtedly made a huge contribution to bringing the peoples of Europe together.
As I start my sixth year as an expatriate teacher in Kuwait, I look forward to my next international volunteer project with excitement and enthusiasm. Who knows, I might even be persuaded to play football again. But maybe next time I’ll stay in goal.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tina in Lithuania on EVS - 2011
"...if you really want to stretch yourself, develop on a personal level, do something completely different, all whilst meeting some amazing people and having some fantastic experiences along the way, then definitely consider becoming a volunteer."
Tina tells us all about her first 5 months as an EVS volunteer in Lithuania...
Well, where do I start?! I’m around halfway through my EVS and with still around 5 months to go, this is the perfect time for me to reflect and write a blog for Concordia…
I am living in Kaunas, Lithuania which is Lithuania’s second city. It’s a nice city – not too big, but substantial enough to have an array of interesting museums, an ancient castle, historical monuments, a beautiful old town, as well as my personal favourite –the two rivers that flow through the city. In terms of my project,I’m working at a day care centre for adults who have psychological disorders, including anything fromschizophrenia to depression. As it’s a day care centre the clients can drop by whenever they like during opening hours, and during this time we run different and engaging activities for the clients to participate in. The activities range from basic health and fitness exercises to arts and crafts to excursions to simply a game of cards or the ever popular ‘Uno’. The work is varied and we have the space to run our own activities and projects, should we wish, which is a really nice way to contribute to the centre and its people.
I have done plenty of volunteering in the past, but nothing on a long term basis like this. And I’m certainly not going to sit here and tell you that it’s easy. It’s far from. But what I will say is that, as clichéd as it is – it really doesresemble a roller-coaster with highs and lows aplenty. But I must say that with the lows that come from time to time, the highs are well… they are sky high! So let’s start with the highs. What do they include? Well I would certainly start with the people I’ve been lucky to meet. With so many volunteers you are constantly surrounded with a rich array of different cultures, customs and traditions, andit truly is a network of cultures like no other. It’s amazing. And that doesn’t even include all the fascinating Lithuanians I’ve met who’ve taught me so much about their culture which I’ve been fortunate enough to experience first-hand. The scenery and landscape is also astounding – Lithuania has about 30% forest land, many beautiful lakes and fantastic greenery – I know it’s something I’m desperately going to miss when I head back to England at the end of my EVS. Other than the people and the landscape, the food is fab, the history is fascinating (and very recent and therefore very raw) and the adventurous lifestyle of being a volunteer makes it all very spontaneous and exciting at times.
In terms of the lows, well these are mostly based around the differences in culture. The language was a big problem to begin with – despite living in Lithuania’s second city, English is barely spoken. This caused a great deal of misery and frustration when I’d get lost outside in the -20 weather and really struggle to communicate with people and navigate my way about as I would normally do if I’m lost somewhere. Over time, this has certainly gotten easier as I’ve become familiar with the language, as well as the city overall. And speaking of -20 – the weather! Wow, I’ve certainly learnt how to dress up warm. But one of the lows was certainly when the heating got turned off in our house in April when it was still very cold – the shock in learning that some of the heating in Lithuania is still centralised and controlled by the city astounded me. Being freezing cold in my own room was a definite low. Other cultural shocks and lows have come about, but I would certainly say that you really learn to cope and deal with them better as time goes on, and I know that I have learnt a great dealduring these highs and lows.
In conclusion, if you can do an EVS, you really can do anything. It’s the type of non-formal education you just can’t get from anywhere else – the whole programme is very unique. Do think about it carefully before you apply. But in essence: if you really want to stretch yourself, develop on a personal level, do something completely different, all whilst meeting some amazing people and having some fantastic experiences along the way, then definitely consider becoming a volunteer. Good luck!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Fly the flag for Volunteering…around the world!
2011 is an important year for volunteering. Not only is it the European Year of volunteering but also the International Year of the volunteer +10. With such a big year ahead of us, Concordia is very excited to be part of a worldwide Alliance Flag Tour campaign promoting and encourage active involvement within civil society.
Two flags will be travelling through 4 continents, 25 countries and hosted by 36 different voluntary organisations to celebrate the valuable contribution the voluntary service has on society, communities and individuals. The participating organisations will take the flag to one of their voluntary projects or an organised event, inviting and informing the local community.
More than 100 staff and volunteers attended the opening ceremony in Armenia on the 4th March. The two flags have now started their journey’s and are on their way to South Korea and Wales. The Flag Tour will finish at the General Assembly 2011 in November in Southampton, United Kingdom hosted by Concordia with a celebration and display of the season’s events.
Be a part of this event! Follow the flag around the world to celebrate this special year of volunteering.
Asha Jennings-Grant’s project in Mongolia
‘The Land of Blue Sky and I’
Unlike most project experiences, I began mine feeling very tired. Prior to my arrival to the project, I had already spent 3 days in Moscow, travelled to Mongolia for 5 days on the Tran Siberian train and went on a 3 day trip to the countryside (which I thoroughly recommend). So I was slightly drained of energy but intrigued to see how the next two weeks would pan out.
My first day of the project was quite relaxed. With an early start, I left my hostel and was picked up by the manager of MCE (Mongolian Workcamps Exchange). We arrived at an apartment block with children’s climbing frames and play sets scattered around. I was then introduced to the supervisor of the project and he took me to our apartment, where I was pleasantly greeted by the rest of the volunteers. There were 2 girls from France, a girl from South Korea and a guy from Hong Kong. The apartment wasn’t fully furnished but was equipped with the essentials, such as a kitchen, bathroom and 2 living areas, which we slept in. We also had a sofa bed and a TV that occasionally played badly dubbed episodes of Lost.
After our quick introductions we went to visit the first part of the project, a children’s orphanage. As soon as we entered the building, we were surrounded by knee-high kids welcoming us and grabbing us by the hand. We were taken to a classroom where a group of hyper and energetic 8-12 year olds waited for us. I realised this was the class we’d be spending time with for the next two weeks. The kids spoke little English, some more than others, but we were able to communicate quite well and had a very entertaining meet and greet session where we were exposed to some of the talents of the children.
(Above: Asha, bottom right, with the other volunteers and their supervisor "K" at the orphanage)
After a play session and personal tour around the rooms of the orphanage, we made our way to the second part of the workcamp, a secondary school. As we entered the classroom, the students were already sat down at their desks and surprisingly in uniform (well, partially). There were mainly girls at the age of 14-16 years old. They were more laid back than the kids at the orphanage but still excited to meet us and full of enthusiasm. We divided ourselves around the class and got to know the students in more detail. I was quite amazed at the variation in the levels of English in the class. While many children spoke good English, some were at same level as the younger kids we met at the orphanage.
Before the project, I hadn’t planned anything in the way of lesson plans and activities for the children in either group, because I didn’t know what to expect. I was very open to see who we’d be teaching and at what level. Each day before class, we would discuss and brainstorm ideas for the next lesson. We decided that each session would have a different focus, for example grammar, punctuation, vocabulary etc. Then we would always end class with a game of charades or hangman. At the orphanage, our sessions were less structured and we mainly organised lots of arts and craft activities. We also helped with the cleaning on the weekends, which the entire orphanage (120ish) took part in.
(Above: volunteers with the children at the orphanage)
Through this experience, I have met some great friends and been exposed to a beautiful country that I hope I will return to in the near future.
Asha-Jennings-Grant, Volunteer in Mongolia, 2010
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