A Great Chance!

In December, from 12 to 20 we had our on-arrival training. So it was a little trip for me because we had to go to the other region, to the city called Rimini. 

But seaside in winter is not so pleasant, it was cold and windy. But we were lucky because we were busy almost all the time with our training.  There were 32 volunteers and it was a great experience to know all of them. 

We talked a lot about our projects, hosting organizations, our work and expectations, and of course about how much do we like Italy! 

It was a great chance to know more about other countries and their cultures. And of course a lot of prejudices were broken during this time.  I always thought that people do not know about my country, but that is not true! 

I understood that I should learn about other countries too.  Ukrainian people do not eat potatoes all the time as one guy from France thought (Renaud, I am still smiling thinking of it). Also I immediately told to my friends in Ukraine that the rain in Portugal is not the reason not to go to work ( I even do not know why we thought like this before! Now I feel shy).

I understood, that no matter that we are all from the different countries and with different background, but we are all the same, we even think in the same way.   

There is something common inside all of us, something which made us to become volunteers.  I am thankful for the opportunity to know all of these people and hope to keep in touch with them.

The problem is that  some of the volunteers do not know enough about EVS, about their organization, about their rights and duties. So be responsible for learning all kind of information before you become a volunteers, this is very important for your successful EVS.

I cannot tell that I like this training too much. It was on-arrival training only for several people, because some of the volunteers are leaving soon, or left right after this training. It is sad that they did not receive the necessary information in the beginning of their EVS.   

The most problem for me was the language. I do not know Italian, but the most majority were Italian speakers.  And with some volunteers I did not have the common language to communicate. It is a pity I  do not know them well because of that. The training was in Italian language, and I could not understand the tasks.  But friendship helped us, and one volunteers were translating everything to the others. And it was really funny!  

It showed that people care about each other. I will not describe all the tasks we were doing there, who knows, maybe during your EVS you will do the same and then it will not be  as new and  interesting for you as it can be. :) 

I will say only that everything we have done there made me more stronger and influenced me in a positive way, I have got the new experience, even overcame some of my fears.   

We should not wait that someone will do something for us. We can change our lives, we can change even the world, to make it better, it is enough  just to wish it. 

Julia