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| project: | Building bridge |
| organization: | TootingXchange |
| date and country: | 12/08/03 - 22/08/03 UK - London |
| comments: | It was a very organized project (even if it was the organization's first exchange). There were many workshops like sport, fashion, culture and food. There were also some nice daytrips we made, like going to London or to the country side and Brighton. We also had a international evening where the different countries could know each other better by bringing their own specialties of their country. |
| signed by: | Colman Tom |
| project: | EVS in a kindergarten |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | From January 2001 Genova, Italy |
| comments: | Funny language, good climate, a lot of good food, long summer, sea, alps, cheap wine and hansom Italians; Why wouldn't you like to go?? There are more reasons to go to Italy, then not to go! In our apartment we created our own small European society with the best and the worst from Spanish, German, French and Finnish culture. But when it came to the end of our stay, we had all become Italian. We ate pasta twice a day, drinking espresso, drying the laundry outside the window, and not least - we spoke Italian! At work I also learned a lot. Through colleagues, parents and grandparents who picked up their kids from kindergarten, I got to see a lot of the everyday life of Italians. In addition I learned to change diapers. It's impossible to say everything about why O want also others to go to Italy for EVS in a few lines, but one thing to think of - I miss Italy and my volunteer job more now, than I missed Norway and my studies there as I was a volunteer. |
| signed by: | Marte Veimo |
| project: | EVS: YMCA - Parents and Kids program |
| organization: | Leargas |
| date and country: | Autumn 2000 Ireland |
| comments: | I went to Ireland to work as a volunteer in Ballincollig YMCA for 9 months. I went with one of the KFUK/KFUM programs in Norway "Volunteers for Europe", and they were my sending organization. The main part of my job in Ireland were to prepare and go through the PAKT "Parents And Kids Together" program. It's an "after school" offering for children between 6-12 years. Here they could choose between different activities on different days. It was everything from cooking and kite building, to juggling and other games. We also had courses for parents and activities for all the family. I was the leader of a Sunday School group of children between 3-6 years old. I also joined a team traveling around junior high schools to do creative working with information and prevention about use of intoxicants. I did some administration work at the Ballincollig YMCA office. I lived in a host family who had children and were members of PAKT, this worked out great. I liked very much what I was working with and it was very exciting to meet so many different youngsters and children from different groups of age. Ireland is also a country very beautiful, and I traveled a lot around there. I had an exciting and fun year full of learning, which I would recommend for everyone. |
| signed by: | Tone Dalby |
| project: | EVS |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 1998 St-Laurent du Maroni, French Guiana |
| comments: | I was one of the first volunteers to go from Norway. I worked with youth and children in a place called St-Laurent du Maroni. There I arranged a Youth Exchange between French Guiana and Norway, among other. I can gladly give more info to people who are interested in EVS in areas like Martinique (FR), Guadelupe (FR), La Reunion (FR) and |
| signed by: | Henrik Slipher |
| project: | |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/02/03 - 06/02/03 Poland - Lubitz |
| comments: | There were some problems in their schedule but finally I liked the project very much. We made some trips to neighbor cities and districts. At that time it was very cold in Poland. But we had a very good accommodation. |
| signed by: | Colman, Tom |
| project: | EVS: Traditional Games from Bretagne |
| organization: | La Jaupitre |
| date and country: | January 2003 France |
| comments: | I went to France in the beginning of January 2003. My project was as an activity leader at La Jaupitre, an organization which takes care of, promotes and develops traditional games from Bretagne. We went to festivals, town days, camps and family gatherings with our games and taught grown-ups and children how to use them. I feel lucky for coming to a small village, Monterfil, with 100 inhabitants, and because I worked together with youngsters from the village. Because of this I learned French very fast, and I know also the slang and "verlan" which I wouldn't have learned if not. I got a lot of friends from France, and among the other volunteers, this I appreciate very much. |
| signed by: | Birgit Dahl |
| project: | EVS in a kindergarten |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 1999/2000 Genova, Italy |
| comments: | I went to Genova in Italy while the EVS was new and unknown, at least in Norway. I worked with children and youth, especially immigrants, which was challenging and exciting. I still knnow and have contact with people in Genova working with EVS. The most important with EVS is the experiences you gather along the way. And even if the project is not like expected, there is so many other things that comes in addition. I had a fantastic time in a very charming town, living together with people from all over Europe, and finally I expanded my EVS with 3 months. I would also like to say that it is not only the |
| signed by: | Katrine Daviknes |
| project: | Youth Initiative: Youth Television |
| organization: | DZMP Krsko |
| date and country: | February - September 2002 Krsko, Slovenia |
| comments: | The communication of the young with surroundings, the presentation of our interests and our activities and expressing our opinion in our society is on very low level. The education in the field of video, film and television and the launch of weekly youth television broadcast on local television offered us the chance to show who we are, to enable people to get to know us and offer to many young people the opportunity to enter the non-formal education in the field, which did not exist here before. They check their interests with this, maybe they find their way to future employment or they just use television and video to express their ideas. I learned a lot in this seminars, enough for creating my own broadcasts, reports and short films, I also got the insight into the film as art, which is totally neglected in our formal education and that is why the majority of viewers don't have the appropriate knowledge for critical evaluation. My knowledge contributed the choice in the program of European Voluntary Service in the year 2003 in Graz, which is the town of Culture in 2003 and where, out of 80 registered people, they picked out 15 lucky ones or those who had needed knowledge and characteristics. I want to continue working in this field, especially if our hanging out in The Society of Soft Landing is so great and interesting and if there is going to be many seminars and foolishness and pasta salads and chocolate and Medex cookies, which we never have enough and which never run out (but they did this time) and if we watch the films in the afternoon parts of the seminars because you can't think after the lunch anyway... |
| signed by: | Petra |
| project: | EVS: Youth Centre |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 20/03/2003- 19/03/2004, Salzburg - Austria |
| comments: | In Austria things work, the apartment, money-issues and so on run smoothly, no problem. In my project there are always 2 EVS-volunteers a the same time, which makes it all nicer. The work is like all the jobs: sometimes interesting and cool and nice, and sometimes very boring... The best thing is that one can self influence quite a lot, and everything is flexible. |
| signed by: | Laura Einio, Helsinki - Finland |
| project: | EVS: Free Radio |
| organization: | Verein zur Förderung und Unterstützung von Freien Lokalen und Nichtkommerziellen |
| date and country: | 13/01/03 - 13/10/03, Wien - Austria |
| comments: | My project was great. I could do anything I wanted and because I already had radio experience I could find my way around the radio station easily. Sometimes it was hard not having anyone telling me what to do, it can be an enormous responsibility. But fortunately I managed very well. Another disadvantage was the financial situation at the radio station: it seemed to go bankrupt at least once a week, but was saved at the last moment every time. This caused a lot of stress, especially for my colleagues, whose incomes depended on the station. But I still miss my colleagues and the work... I would recommend this project to people who are looking for media work and who can work independently, they will definitely have an amazing time |
| signed by: | Rian Van Spaandonk, Arnhem - Netherlands |
| project: | EVS: Inclusion - Exclusion sociale en rapport avec les personnes avec un handicap mental |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 17/02/03 - 17/08/03, Bruxelles - Belgium |
| comments: | I think the project is very well organized, I like my tasks -living and sharing with handicapped people-and I love my new, big family. This new life is filled with lots of love. It is adorable. I cannot find anything bad about it. |
| signed by: | Birte Rover, Hannover - Germany |
| project: | EVS: YWCA |
| organization: | YWCA |
| date and country: | 25/11/03 - 25/11/04, Antwerpen - Belgium |
| comments: | My new host family (I lived in a temporary for three weeks, witch where also great, but they just had me there because my coordinating organization didn't find one for the whole year, but now they found one!!! JIPPIE) So I live in Hoboken in Antwerpen so I bike to my work 20 min every morning. NICE! I like it! something else. interest: snowboarding (impossible here but.. anyway), reading books and magazines mostly about topics I'm interested in like feminism, animal rights, stupid things about fat white American men who don't do anything good for this world... what more.. being with nice people and talk, dance, just amusing ourselves, TRAVELL of course!, batik I just realized and yeah I write more in an other life. |
| signed by: | Frida Sorlin, Umea - Sweden |
| project: | EVS: Youth Club "Skallegarden" |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 15/02/03 - 15/08/03, Nøstved - Denmark |
| comments: | My project "Youth Club Skallegaarden" was a place for about 10-year-old children to spend their free time after school. So my work was to play with them cards, board games, basket, volley; paint, do homework, talk about the day etc. They also had pigs, bunnies, ducks, chicken and goats at this place. The organization was perfect. I lived in a very nice Danish host family, had good and funny language lessons and a lot of meetings with other volunteers and exchange students in Denmark. The service gave me a lot of fun, because the children in the project were really nice and helped me where they could and the Danish people were great too. |
| signed by: | Jana Fruth, Schkeuditz - Leipzig - Germany |
| project: | EVS:Facetted Youth in DK-Holb?k |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/04/03 - 01/10/03, Holb?k - Denmark |
| comments: | I had a great time with my Project, I had a lot of say in what I did or didnt do within my project, I got to know the users of the Youth House im working in very well, I feel I have learned alot about Denmark, the Youth and also myself, It has been a great experience to have taken part in! |
| signed by: | Dawn Quigley, Shankill - Dublin - Ireland |
| project: | EVS:Latin and Nordic Experience - U-nettet |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/01/04 - 31/12/04, Kobenhavn - Denmark |
| comments: | I am responsible for a project which aim it is to increase the level of local youth participation in the BRUM countries (Belarus, Romania, Ukraine and Moldova). These countries do almost not have participation at all and by seminars, workshops and the exchange of experience we will try to make BRUM' s youth more participating and BRUM' s societies more democratic. Furthermore I am staying in contact with a lot of partner organizations from Sweden till Turkey. tasks: very independent work, a lot of responsibility tutor: got fired two weeks ago accommodation: lunch is provided, not always very interesting place: almost in the city centre of Copenhagen |
| signed by: | Thomas Jungeq, Wien - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Krumsoe Fri- og Kostskole |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/09/03 - 01/07/04, Sollested - Odense - Denmark |
| comments: | EVS in Denmark at a school for hyperactive children - I wanted a change in my life, before I go to university -it's not over yet, by I learned that people are nice towards you if you are open. About my EVS experience: I don't won't to summarize about this yet, coz it's not over yet. but things are going pretty good |
| signed by: | Sarah Kleideiter, Hildesheim - Hannover - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Kuhankosken erityisammattikoulu |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 12/08/02 - 11/08/03, Laukaa - Jyvaskyla - Finland |
| comments: | I really liked my project and it was really nice here cause I had the possibility to choose where I want to work. It is al little bit lonely here so you have to get used to living alone which was really hard for me at the beginning but after I can say it was good for me and my personality. The people here are very friendly and helpful they show you everything and take care of you. |
| signed by: | Sara Usinger, Frankfurt - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Sylvia-Koti |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/09/02 - 01/07/03, Lahti - Finland |
| comments: | One bad thing in my project - working time. I was working more then 12 houres per day, 6 days per a week, but I have a explanation, because my project was in camphill, so... And, I was hoping to have little bit more interesting tasks, but it was okey. I had very good accommodation (free little super market) and my house father was very nice and kind with me. I was feeling like he was my real father. |
| signed by: | Leva Leipute, Vilnius - Lithuania |
| project: | EVS: Youth department of Aanekoski city |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 07/01/03 - 07/07/03, Aanekoski - Jyvaskyla - Finland |
| comments: | My project was really a great place (youth centre) for the children and also good organized, but my tasks weren't so clear. I had some troubles with my flat because of the neighbours: they were really noisy and strange!!! Anyway I'm survived...! |
| signed by: | Alicia Fasser, Montirone - Brescia - Italy |
| project: | EVS: Youth work in Jalasjarvi municipality |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 03/03/03 - 29/02/04, Jalasjarvi - Vaasa - Finland |
| comments: | First I have to mention that I've been in another project before and got a lot of problems there. So I decided to change to Jalasjarvi, although the tasks there were not what I originally wanted to do in my EVS, because I knew this project from other volunteers and was afraid to get in trouble again if I went to a project unknown to me, but with better tasks. This and the fact that Jalasjarvi is a project for the summer (I've been there from October until February) made me giving just 80% for the tasks. But who wants to go to a youth house and comes at the right time will really like this place. I am thankful that I got the chance to change to this project and spend there a really nice time! |
| signed by: | Manuel, Rostock - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Connecting Europe |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 15/09/03 - 15/06/04, Kokkola - Finland |
| comments: | I'm working in the english kindergarten. It's great to work here but sometimes there's not much to do. Well, I guess that's in almost every project the same. I'm working 6 hours a day encluded half an hour lunchtime. (by the way, the food is good here) The other teachers are nice and also Pia the mentor. But in the beginning they didn't help me a lot. I had to find my own tasks. But you get soon used to the every day life and know what to do. As there is anyway not much. Just playing with the kids, keeping them busy and pay attention that they don't do silly or forbidden things. The children understand english quite well. Some more some less. But after a while you can comunicate with all of them. A thing Iliked about the kindergarten is that we are often outside. It's a nice building with a big yard and we are outside almost every day. (except it's too cold (what means less than -10) or rainy) And of course you should like children. ;-) Oh and I forgot. Villa Elba is my coordinating organisation and it is just great to be there! They organize a lot for us volunteers. But you will see! |
| signed by: | Verena Haas, Ofterdingen - Stuttgart - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Insertion par l'habitat en milieu rural |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 15/08/00 - 15/09/01, St Brieuc-Cote D'Armor - Rennes - France |
| comments: | As the association "compagnons batisseurs" does not only host EVS volunteers, but also all other kinds of volunteers, it was sometimes quite difficult to manage the differences between our status'. There was never to less work ;-), but as the work was really sensefull that wasn't a to big problem. |
| signed by: | Philipp Cerny, Chemnitz - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Foyer d'enfantes la providence |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/11/99 - 01/08/00, Hilsenheim - Strasbourg - France |
| comments: | I learned so much during my EVS that there's not enough space here to list it, but in keywords: - French and German - Flexibility - The feeling of being a foreinger - An ability to handle cultures that differs from my own - How to cook a Tarte Flambee - How to make 10 sulky french teenagers laugh etc etc There were certain problems at my project that I will not list here. But in general the project gave the possibility to learn alot about children in difficulties and how there world looks. (I worked in a childrens home) |
| signed by: | Astrid N. Andersen, Kobenhavn - Denmark |
| project: | EVS: Centre varois de ressources Jeunesse |
| organization: | Centre varois de ressources Jeunessev |
| date and country: | 10/05/01 - 31/10/01 , France |
| comments: | I learnt to stay well in lonelyness, to work in an office and to be more in contact with the nature doing sports (something that I don't do in my town...) I have learnt to work in an office (youth information) and I have improved my experience like international youth worker, specially with teenagers. I have lived in a youth residence (foyer) but it was quite hard to socialize, until another volunteer arrived it was quite difficult, also for the knowledge of the language. I really enjoyed the place, the region (on the sea!) and at the end I knew a lot of people. THE EVS HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE, MY WAY TO BE AND I CAN SAY TO EVERYONE TO DO IT!! |
| signed by: | Lidia Greco, Torino - Italy |
| project: | EVS: Musique et Animation |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/09/01 - 31/08/02, Montpellier - France |
| comments: | Hi I've done my EVS in France, in Burlats. A real small town in the South of France, near Toulouse. It was really great. I'm back since September 2002. But I still miss France sometimes. Now I'm doing a Future Capital. It is great to create a project. It is even greater that you can get money to work them out, your plans. I should advice this to everyone with ideas. Because of my project (I worked in a place with children, I didn't work with them all the time, but still they were there) I decided to work with children me to. Even though I allready got a diplome PR I started these lessons and it's great! I love it. I had a project called 'Musique et animation', in a centre for discovery classes. Every week 3 new classes came with theur teachers to learn music, learn about nature or just to enjoy the beautiful village that Burlats is. I did all kinds of things there: sometimes I worked with the children as an animator, sometimes I fixed things, I painted, but I also did some administrative work. I could decide more or less what I wanted to do. |
| signed by: | Caroline Colman, Elversele (near Sint-Niklaas) - Gent - Belgium |
| project: | EVS: Foyer d'accueil pour enfants et adolescents en difficultes sociales |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 03/08/99 - 31/05/00, Strasbourg - France |
| comments: | My EVS already finished 3 years ago (oh my god, is it that long??), and since then I've done a lot of things. I started to study translation and interpretation of English, French and Spanish in Innsbruck. This year I have been on Erasmus exchange in London and Barcelona, from where I've only returnen 2 weeks ago. My passion obviously is travelling, getting to know new people, staying in touch with the old ones, learning languages (the last one was Catalan, and I adore it!!) and reading. I really liked my project, though it was, like many things around the EVS, sometimes very chaotic. I worked at the childrens home Charles Frey in Strasbourg, but I heard that the project doesn't exist any more - they had many organisation problems. Well, I loved my work with the children but I didn't have great possibilities to realize own ideas. I lived in a tiny apartment which belonged to another project, together with another Austrian EVS girl. Shower and toilet were in an office one floor down, office people popped into our rooms in the morning and the stair was so steep that we had troubles to heave the luggage up, but I still miss it. Nevertheless, it was ours, and it still is incomparable! :) I still am in contact with my best EVS friends, and I that's the greatest thing of all. And Strasbourg is still one of my favourite cities!! |
| signed by: | Susanne Pauer, Wels - Linz - Austria |
| project: | EVS: Stuttgart Jugendfarm |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/07/02 - 01/06/03, Stuttgart - Germany |
| comments: | My project was really good. I think it doesn't exist a perfect projekt but it was almost perfect for me. I could talk almost about anything, the people were hearing me and I really felt I was part of the team. I enjoyed my work with the children and animals, and working outside in the nature. It gave me also more ideas about my future. |
| signed by: | Ella-Lotta Lahdensuu, Ikaalinen - Tampere - Finland |
| project: | EVS: Aufbau der Jugendbegegnungsstatte Frohburg |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 04/01/01 - 04/06/01, Deutzen - Leipzig - Germany |
| comments: | My project was situated in a little village of Frohburg, between Leizig and Chemniz in eastern Germany. The project was named " Aufbau der Jugendbegegnungstatte Frohburg", so we pretty much got to choose what we wanted to do. We could work at the "animalfarm", at the youth Cafe/youth centre, at summer camps, make our own projects and help at the Culturpark Deutzen planning festivals and learning how to build stuff from willow. And these are just few of the things I did there. The best thing was, I think that we got to take part in 2 month long intensive course in German language (5 days a week, 8-12, at the Folkshochschule Leipzig) and after six months I came back with a fluet german and "Deutsch als fremde sprache"- course certificate. For this all I think the thanks goes to our first Tutor, Falk who really knew what he was doing. Unfortunately he left to Canada only few months after I arrived. After that we got to get along with several "wannabe tutors", but hey, at least they tryed. The experience would not have been this good without the great boss of the Begegnungstatte who helped us with everything! And of course my friends, co-workers and the youth, who maybe didn't speak english but had the patience with me when I tryed to communicate with them in German. |
| signed by: | Riikka Pulju, Ranua - Rovaniemi - Finland |
| project: | EVS: Theaterfestival Hunds Tage |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/09/01 - 01/03/03, Halle - Germany |
| comments: | I needed to leave France to do something else and had the luck to hear about EVS and to find quickly an hosting organisation. It took place in an important youth theater called Thalia Theater in september 2001. During this first month it proposed an european youth theater festival Hundstage and then I worked in the technic field. I try to keep contact with european volunteers and i’m member of SVE-connexion: a french ex-volunteer association. Our purpose is to build a data base on internet to link the volunteers in France, ex-volunteers and to inform about EVS. The Thalia Theater received european volunteers for the first time, a swedich volunteer came for the same period. We were hosted in a WG (colocation) and we had very good relation with the administration (money en general). We were supposed to prepare the festival but we came to late (one month before). Our tutorin left us after it (she was only organiser) they asked us what we wish to do. We worked a bit like assistant, it was all right because it was hard to propose something in a so short time. We followed an unbalanced working rythm: night and weekend work but they gave free days. The most important is that I discovered the theater world, quiet alternative, that was a very good experience. I learned to do a lot of things and that i had a great time there. |
| signed by: | Burais Vincent, Tours - France |
| project: | EVS: Youth club of Kryoneri |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 06/12/01 - 06/06/02, Kryoneri Korinthias, Pelop - Pirgos - Greece |
| comments: | If I liked my project in Kryoneri? Well, in the beginning (winter) I hated it; in the end I really started to like it. If I would do it again? That's a difficult question. Probably not. No way, if it the project would start again with cero (like it did in 2001), but probably and hopefully this will not be the case. Don't misunderstand me: the project started quite a time before 2001 (it was in fact the 1st EVS project in Greece), but the idea of the Youth Club failed, so the new idea of the Youth Centre was born in 2001. Ther is a lot that you really should consider before deciding to go or not to go to Kryoneri. Let me start with the negative aspects: The village (Kryoneri="cold water") is tiny, there is only 2 buses a day and you cannot get anywhere walking. The only possibility to get away on the weekend is by doing hitch-hiking. (If you should have a car, TAKE IT WITH YOU, seriously!) There is no supermarket, of course there are a few little stores ... but if you want to go shopping down in Kiato (just to develop your photos or whatever) - you need a car or someone to give you a ride. There is no place to go out - you have to go to Kiato, Korinthos or Athenas ... and need a car. Most people who live there are real "villagers". You probably wouldn't believe that something like this still exists within Europe before going there. One example: no Greek woman would ever go to the 3 or 4 cafes (tavernas) that exist in Kryoneri. Other example: nobody cares about rubbish, it will welcome you as soon as you enter the village. Of course, in Kryoneri everyone knows everyone. But who (to hell) are these strange foreigners, who come constantly to our village, (sometimes) take drugs, live together in one house without being married and try to have a bad influence on our children by establishing something they call a "Youth Centre"... Okay, now I am really exaggerating, but sometimes you might really get this impression. On the other hand, fortunately there are very nice people. It is just very difficult to get in contact with them. Of course, nobody (only a couple of persons) knows English. In summer, things should be easier; but in a cold winter nobody even leaves the house, you feel like living in a ghost town and of course it is impossible to get to know somebody. So try to take a music instrument or some good books with you (at least, you will find a small European Library in the Youth Center). If you are a person with a lot of friends, are used to go out every night and easily feel lonely, don't go to Kryoneri. Don't even think about it! Let's go on with the project: You will work together with 1 or 2 volunteers; no Greeks, so you usually will speak English and won't learn Greek very well. You're mentor might be Emmanuel Mappus (also called Manos), a Frenchman who himself has been one of the first volunteers in Kryoneri. The "big boss" of the organisation, Panos Poulos, is also living in Kryoneri whith his German wife. Panos and Emmanuel have a few things in common: they have a great vision of improving the world with their projects, but sometimes seem to be living 2 or 5 years in the future and not in the present, where you are. Apparently, they never have time. But maybe (hopefully) things have changed by the time you come to Kryoneri. Now, let's talk about more pleasant aspects: In Kryoneri there is a small little room with 2 computers - that's the headquarter of Filoxenia, you're hosting organisation. If you are interested, you can find out a lot about the management of the organisation. According to your tasks: there will be some things you have to do, but you also have the choice to do almost whatever you want to do. You are even asked to involve your own ideas and if you take the initiative, you can really do a lot (as long as it doesn't cost a lot of money). You might even get the opportunity to help out in other projects of Filoxenia. The house where you will be living is the Youth Centre. It is big and very beautiful (with an open fireplace), has a huge garden (with roses and a grape pergola). Now you will even have a central heating system, so even winter should be okay. Of course the house and garden needs to be looked after, so be prepared to do quite a lot of house and garden work (that's part of your project), even renovating (painting etc.) if necessary (but this is probably done by now, I did big parts of it in 2002) The landscape in and around Kryoneri is really beautiful. You are situated in the mountains but you can see the Gulf of Korinthos about 400 metres beneath you, though just a few kilometres away. On the other side of the sea: again mountains; really: very beautiful. One of the most interesting spots I know (and I have been travelling a lot in my life). After all: things are changing quickly, the landscape (hopefully) not. So maybe you can try to talk to the volunteers who are there right now. Ask for their email or just call in the office and ask for a volunteer. Maybe, if Panos or Emmanuel are in the office as well, they won't speak to you frankly, so again: ask them for their email address. Maybe you are lucky and a volunteer will answer you're call and he might be alone in the office. ("Phone service" might also be part of your project. ;-) For more information, please contact me. If you are already volunteer in Kryoneri, please let me know, what is going on there now. It is a long time that I didn't hear anything about it, a real pity. |
| signed by: | Andreas Meyer, Ansbach - Nuernberg - Germany |
| project: | EVS: Conservation & monitoring in the Dadia Forest Reserve |
| organization: | WWF Greece |
| date and country: | 02/01/03 - 02/07/03, Athens - Greece |
| comments: | Good: good tasks, nice & kind people in the village, nice WWF workers, nice tutor, delicious Greek food, i learnt a lot of birds of prey!, lovely & alive old people, greek dances & parties, they know how to have a great fun, independent work, wonderful landscape, the mountains, beautiful little streams for swimming, carnaval at March, Greek Easter, nice own house and garden with cherry-tree... Bad: no any complaints, but somethings may cause problems, depends of you, of course! quite isolated place, transport problems, little traditional village, bad people in the village, gossip, cold during the winter (under zero & snow), cold house, really hot during the summer (+35 degrees), too hot house, they don't sell meat in the village... |
| signed by: | Tuisku Lehtiniemi, Pori - Tampere - Finland |
| project: | EVS:Barrett Cheshire Home |
| organization: | EIL (Barrett Cheshire Home) |
| date and country: | 22/01/03 - 21 07/03, Dublin - Ireland |
| comments: | i'm giuliana. i'm italian and i'm a student. i'm doing a master degree in managementin no profit association. i will finish it in april. i was a volunteer in dublin for 7 mounths and i had a great time. i love ireland. it is a wonderful place. i'm a volunteer in italy for riding therapy for disables. my dream is opened a house for disables. i like travelling. i lived in france and i'm going to live in rome now. My projet was nice and i met nice people but not always. i learnt lots of things and i hope i will use it well in my life! |
| signed by: | Settineri Giuliana, Pavia - Italy |
| project: | EVS:The invisible city |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 15/02/01 - 15/07/01, Altamura - Bari - Italy |
| comments: | in 2001 I started as a volunteer in the Sinergie project "The invisible city" in a small town in the south of Italy. Now 2 years later I still spend many many months a year in Altamura. I think that the experience I had in Altamura with the wonderfukl people in the project, must be considered as maybe the most beautiful experience I ever had. Right now I do not have time to write much more but one day I return to complete the whole decription!!! |
| signed by: | Tommy Bode'n, Filipstad - Karlstad - Sweden |
| project: | EVS: Residential community “Aurora” (consorzio RISO) |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/03/03 - 31/08/03, Rivoli - Torino - Italy |
| comments: | I would like always to have friends and help others, explore new cultures and countries. For that I started to manage the first Syrian EVS project, and I did it in Italy. It was difficult at the begining in respect to finding a sending organization, but finally I did it. The EVS project as I saw it before trying it will enable me to learn new language, meet new friends, discover new culture, in addition for bieng a base which allow the volunteer to acquire new skills and gain experience. The project I did was not as I expected for several reasons, but it was a good one in general. I spent a cool time there in Italy, I ecourage all to do EVS. |
| signed by: | Melhem Mansour, Brussel/Bruxelles - Belgium |
| project: | EVS: Building Houses, Communities of the Future |
| organization: | Associação Humanitária Habitat |
| date and country: | 01/02/04 - 31/08/04, Braga - Portugal |
| comments: | I'm just beggining my Youth Programme EVS, but my firsts days in Portugal are beeing wonderful. The association is fantastic, the persons are great and the city is really beautiful. And the portuguese people are really gentle. |
| signed by: | Andre Araujo Almeida, Torino - Torino - Italy |
| project: | EVS: Haus der Jugend |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/11/03 - 10/08/04, Moldawien - Bucharest - Romania |
| comments: | My project is called "Verein Guter Nachbar - Insel - Haus der Jugend" and is placed in Salzburg. I work with children from 10 to 12 years. There is also a small group from children's in age from 7 - 8 years and a bigger group (up to 15 years). My responsibility are quiet easy: 3,5 hours the day I play with the children and 1,5 hours I help in the housework. In the weekend I have my spare time. I work daily from 12:00 to 17:00 o'clock. If you want you find information about the program on www.inselsalzburg.at or easily ask me what you want to know. Original text: |
| signed by: | Alexandru Prisacari, Chisinau - Moldavia |
| project: | EVS: European information and Youth Dynamization |
| organization: | AYuntamiento of Lleida |
| date and country: | 15/09/01 - 15/05/02, Lleida - Barcelona - Spain |
| comments: | The EVS projects is great way of learning.... I didn't know much about my project since it was a totaly new project but I found it interesting, even though it was hard to understand exactly WHAT it was about. I believe that it was positive in the way that a lot of energy and investments were put into the project to make it as good as possible. But of course there were a few things could be done better the next time. Now I'm back in Sweden and I'm studying marine science (marine biology) at the University of Goteborg (Gothemburg) in the south of Sweden since September 2003. I really enjoy it and will continue next year. |
| signed by: | Anna-Lisa Wrange, Goteborg - Sweden |
| project: | EVS: Knowledge, counselling and citizenship: young volunteers that are promoting European programmes |
| organization: | NEXES Interculturals de Joves per Europa |
| date and country: | 01/08/03 - 01/02/04, Barcelona - Spain |
| comments: | Hola:)I am one volunteer from Bulgaria and my project is in Spain or more exactly in Cataluniya.I like it a lot.In my hosting organization(NEXES) You can learn a lot if You want to,and if you have any idea-You have the place and the support to realise it:) What does it mean? Organised. yes, of course, but I think that the project have to be very flexible, too. Because you can see what You like more and work in this way. Anything bad?????What is bad-it is just different and if it is different is good:) I think that EVS is a program that only give. And the time during the project is never lost. And I think that organizations like NEXES support the good name of the EVS program:) |
| signed by: | Silviya Shtiliyanova, Sofiya - Bulgaria |
| project: | EVS: UG Norpan |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 01/10/01 - 28/08/02, Robertsfors - Umea - Sweden |
| comments: | During my EVS I was "working" in a school "Jenninskolan" as Italian tutor. My project was OK. Not everything was working, but "troubles" are everywhere !!! I was sharing the flat with a cool german guy from Chemnitz and we had really good time together ! I learned him how to cook a real "italian pasta" and he gave me the secret of the "german bread" :-) In the flat next door were living the 2 girls volunteers with me ! Fanny from France and Liga from Latvia ! Also with them the "living" was ok ... I have also had the possibility to improuve my English, but as you can read I haven't done too much :-) I haven't learned Swedish ... and this is my only regret !! But I can blame the swedish people 4 this ... they know english too well !!! Many nice thoughts come to me when I think about my service ... faces and places, partys and trips ... hmmm |
| signed by: | Simone Fumagalli, Perego - Milano - Italy |
| project: | EVS: Youth |
| organization: | DEL - Nätverkets idé och utvecklingscentra |
| date and country: | 13/02/03 - 13/08/03, Lidkoping - Goteborg - Sweden |
| comments: | Hi everybody!! I' m Angela and I just finished my evs in Sweden... the best experience of my life, up to now!! I've been working in a youth center and I' d like to carry on with this kind of activities.. I like very much being in touch with youngsters, knowing people, that' s why I decided also to apply for the future capital and going back to Sweden building my own project at the youth center. I learned so much from these 6 months.. first of all I feel I grew up a lot, I learned to take care much more about my self, but mainly to be more patient, tollerant and open minded towards different people, habits, cultures! My project was absolutely great!! People there were so nice and friendly... nothing bad to say about it! Also our tasks were ok (I' m talking at the plural ' cause we were 2 volunteers, a German girl and me!) and the time table was absolutely flexible! |
| signed by: | Angela Tonni, Salo - Brescia - Italy |
| project: | EVS: Youth organisation |
| organization: | DEL - Nätverkets idé och utvecklingscentra |
| date and country: | 01/09/97 - 01/08/98, Linkoping - Goteborg - Sweden |
| comments: | For me it was pretty easy to come there, I knew the organisation and my guide was a friend of mine. An appartment was arranged, the same as furniture and there was a office where I could do my work. I'm quiet used to work independent, so I didn't need much guidens, most things I found out myself and for me that was good. Although I believe that for people that need more guidens it wouldn't have been the perfect place to be. In my tasks I could develop myself, for me it was a great experience to learn how to lay-out, to do webdesign (making the monthly international Loesje bulletin and updating the website). Besides we had many text writings in different parts of Sweden and participating and partly organizing that was great. For me personally it was a great project, but Loesje is a organisation that can have chaotic structures, is build on self intiative and if you have a lack of that it can be quiet difficult to fit in the organisation. Besides many practical computer and creative skills I of course learnt Swedish, but most important what I learnt was about my own country. Suddenly I could see it out of a different perspective and realised more what it is to be Dutch and I started to appreciate it more than before. |
| signed by: | Doeko Pinxt, Nijmegen - Arnhem - Netherlands |
| project: | EVS: Youth against violence and racism (Pilot Action) |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 28 August 2002 - 28 August 2003, Husqvarna - Jonkoping - Sweden |
| comments: | Hej hej! I'm a 20 years old girl from the East of Germany. After 12 years of studying I wanted to do something else - something challenging. I've always loved studying languages and meeting new people and cultures and so I decided to do the EVS. I went to Sweden and I had a great time there. I was very sad when I had to leave, well and after 6 months in Germany - busy with practical trainings and many other things - guess, where I ended up?! :o) Yes, I'm back in Sweden, realizing my own project - I'm doing a Future Capital. It's not been that easy in the beginning but I really like it, I've already learned so much and I know that I can do something useful. I finally can "give someting back" to my hosting project and city which made me enjoy my stay so much!!! I would definitely recommend my project, otherwise I would not have come back :o). But be always aware that the project information that you usually find on the website usually are not updated! If anyone is interested in my project, contact me, I'd loved to tell you more about it. |
| signed by: | Susan Riedel, Chemnitz - Germany |
| project: | EVS: |
| organization: | |
| date and country: | 25/04/98 - 25/10/98, London - U. Kingdom |
| comments: | hi, i'm Giacomo from Italy (you know it yet?). i think i am a little bit funny ('cause of different reasons), a social worker that is going to get is degree (at least) in political science and love to travel and live abroad. The EVS project was great. i was in London and i used to volunteer in a house for learning desability people. i really join it. problems? i had some but the experience was so good... |
| signed by: | Giacomo Costa, Travagliato - Brescia - Italy |
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