My first EVS. On the begging even couldn’t imagine it is going to be so great. Before coming, I found a lot of questions in my mind something like: “Should I go there?”, “What am I going to get? “, ” Will I waste my time? “, “Will I get what I want? “. Passed already four months and I can assure, it was right decision. All doubts disappeared on the begging after arriving.
My EVS began in Ukraine during preparation for visa. To be honest it was horrible who has done it before knows what I am talking about. Then, finally I got that bless day of changing. And yeah it was because to change began everything from location to myself.
When I’ve been in Ukraine yet I found out I will live in the village and of course I was upset. However, in Saturday evenings when I arrived I changed my opinion. Volunteers from different countries welcomed me with warm atmosphere. By the way, there were volunteers not only from EU counties, but from Vietnam, Turkey and India as well. It was a very warm place because that people were as a “small” family (by small I mean around 20 person). First day in Poland and first challenge – English. With time I start speak and think English. The house is amazing, good condition, you can find there whatever you need. For the next day, when new volunteers came, we organized international dinner. That is a very good tradition of sharing culture. All the time we taste different cuisine yummy. In one week some girls and me moved in other place to live. Our apartment situated in the city. However, we were upset because we live far from other volunteers. We miss all of them and time which we were spending. However, still we are able to meet in the office and still we organize different parties in our previous house.
What about work I can say everything very variety and busy. My schedule is very very busy. Some days I have worked for 10 hours even. I work in two different schools, culture center and office. In the school I support English teacher on the lessons (organize different activities to make culture exchange and help kids to learn English in easier way). I am lucky with my teacher because he gives me freedom. I can do whatever I want so he never judges me and doesn’t share own way to teach. So I can try my own ideas and see how it works. Culture center. Okay, there are two different teachers I work with. Marta is instructor of hand-craft club. All the time we work with kid’s creativity. After lessons Marta always bring us to her home and cook something. In that way we can be part of Polish daily life. What amazing is. Second teacher in culture center is Roxana. We work with her in theater and dancing clubs. We always get fun with kids and it is possible to be in more informal condition. And office, there I got capability to take part in making the book and I got graphic part. It was unexpectable, but very in time because nowadays I am learning graphic design by my own, so it is good opportunity for me to practice. Didn’t mention study Polish language. Yeah, it is good opportunity to feel culture from inside, not only pick of iceberg. Of course Ukrainian language similar with Polish but my opinion – not so much. They have a lot of funny differences from which we always make joke with volunteers.
Travelling. Perhaps the most pleasant thing. Travel with friends, alone as well. By the way, traveling alone the thing which I discovered here and really enjoy with. I have been already in Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Milan, Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome, Vatican, Naples, Pompeii, Zakopane and how many places I am going to visit yet. So, look for your EVS and go to discover the world. Marvelous opportunity.
Volunteer Anna Yasinkovska, photos by author.
Project “EVS pomiędzy Wschodem i Zachodem – Młodzi Ambasadorzy Przyszłości”, hosting organization – Europejskie Forum Mlodziezy, sending organization – KIEC European club in database
