A Great Responsibility!

On the third of February we had a meeting with the high school students of Scientific lyceum Galileo Galilei in Manfredonia. It was our first meeting with students. It was very pleasant that Sara (the girl from this school whom we knew before) and her friends met us at the bus station and before the meeting our new friends showed us their school, their classroom, and their seats. I finished the school almost six years ago, and then I was studying at the philological faculty, and it was for the first time during the last period that I felt myself not as a teacher, but as a friend to students, the friends who can help them.  These students know a lot about Youth in Action program; some of them are carrying out in life their own project, or did it in the previous year. For example, now the group of students is waiting for the approval of their project, which deals with the recycling of garbage. All of them started to think about their future and they had a lot of question about European Voluntary Service and our project. But as it seems to me, they were interested more in our own experience as an EVS volunteer.  What is EVS? Why did we choose Italy and why did we decide to become volunteers abroad? What did we do at home before and what will we do after our project? Is it difficult to live far from the family? These are only several questions which interested the students. Also I think it could be a kind of intercultural meeting, because we talked also about our own countries, we compared the system of education in our countries.  I think this is great responsibility to tell about EVS to other, because you talk about your own experience, your own project and work as a volunteer, the difficulties you had to face, your own impressions, and in any case you will influence the attitude and decision of others.

After the meeting at school we had a walk round the city, tasted traditional meal, had several other meeting, and we saw the preparation for the Carnival. Also we had a meeting with the council at the city hall.

It was a very interesting and very efficient day.

Julia, EVS volunteer “A Solidarity Shelter”