First month in Romania
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My name is Avto. I started this project in Romania in Craiova, on 03th of December 2015. My sending organization in Georgia is “Georgian Youth for Europe (GYE)” and hosting organization in Romania “Explorator”. My cooperation with sending and hosting organizations were very good before I came here in Romania, if I had questions, I got answers I needed and I felt the support from them. After my arriving I met the members of my hosting organization, they are very lovely and well organized, I am sure in the end of the project we will become really good friends.
When I did my first EVS in Latvia in 2012 I was thinking from the beginning why should I work for free? No. (And many people still tell me this when I say what I am doing.) But it changed when one night I was invited for a project called “Hot Air Ballooning Champion Cup in Valmiera”. I was reading it and it had all the things I would like to do, working with young people, doing things connected with culture, from music to dance, other subjects. I should say I was sceptical in the beginning but decided to apply and see where it would go… As I was being accepted from one interview to the other my desire to actually do it grew and grew and if I knew before what I know now, I would have applied for this way before. Now it is my second and long project and I would like to feel the same, how to improve and grow up myself day by day. It is my new challenge and I enjoy it.
First days were different, it is the second time living without my family and in a country I (still) don’t know the language, but what is the fun of living without challenges?
No friends? Make new ones.
Not knowing places? Explore.
Not knowing how to do this or that? Ask someone.
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I am on my first month in a country and I barely know about the city, culture, locals but I am not afraid at all, I have a huge experience how to be a volunteer and I know how to survive.
Volunteers? I have always been a fan of meeting different cultures and people from different countries and I actually got it all! I started by sharing my house with two Georgians and with one Macedonian and we are waiting for new volunteers from the Italy. During my living here I met already another volunteers from the different countries in Craiova. all volunteers that showed me a bit of their worlds and actually made my horizons even bigger! And I think it’s on this part that EVS is so incredible.
Work? Now this is really where it all up to you. It is my first time experience in two kind of schools with the authistic and disabled children. Honestly to say at first I was surprised and scared, day by day I realized that I don’t need to be afraid. Now I know I am here because at least someone, team members from the school need my support and I have to stand strong with them and try to do my best and never give up.
So it is just beginning and I'm ready for the new challenges. I am waiting for them :)
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22.12.2015
Some difficulties,
some challenges
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You know man, I don’t even know from where I have to start but second month of my being here in Craiova as a volunteer is getting more interesting. Some difficulties, some challenges, it is a part of volunteering and I am well organized for it. I spent a lot of time with my local and foreigner friends. We have fun, interesting conversations about our experience, how to be the EVS volunteer, we share our thoughts about our country, about our personal culture. Sometimes things are strange for me but it is normal because I leave abroad, anyway I feel really good and I am happy that I used that chance and that I am doing my second EVS.
As I already informed you I work with my friends in two kinds of schools with authistic and with disabled children four days per week. They are pretty nice, interesting and most of them so motivated. We do different activities together: playing football, basketball, ping-pong, walking in the park if the weather is sunny. I hope somehow they are happy and when I see their smiling faces I feel the same. Finally I started to learn Romanian. Before I was so motivated and I was waiting for the lessons, time by time I realize it is too difficult for me but I don’t have another option, I need it and I have to learn at least because of my teacher (Flavia). She is so nice for me but I don’t know why she thinks that I can’t stand her. I will try to do my best in that case.
The last week of January I spent in Predeal. We had On Arrival Training, it was organized by the National Agency. It’s about to get more information about the EVS project. There you have got professional trainers who are able to answer any kinds of questions you have got. We had a lot of outdoor and inside activities as well. It was well known for me so I began focusing on an other objects. I did kind of hiking and first time in my life I did snowboarding. For that moment I have got more friends than before. Next time I am planning to visit them and to host them if they would like for sure.
05.02.2016
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Motivation
From the beginning of the month I made so stupid things and so many mistakes, I don’t even know how it happened that in the middle of February I was totally empty, the whole money I spread in fifteen days. Thanks God that I have got absolutely brilliant friend next to me, his name is Lasha and he is my roommate. Lasha is Georgian like me and he always stands by me like I do. I am so lucky, you know. I have to change my lifestyle in Romania, I have to forget about parties, clubs, bars for a while but I always forget to forget it unfortunately.
In the beginning of February me and my roommate hosted three people from the other part of Romania. They are our friends, we met them in Predeal in On Arrival Training and we became really good friends. So we spent almost five days in Craiova, in my city. We were walking with them in the old part of the city, were taking some photos for memories. We went to the countryside with our local Romanian friends for one night and made barbeque for them. We took them to the bowling centre and played few hours so we had really good and nice time together. I think me and my roommate did our best.
From the March the weather has to get warmer I think I will start to walk into the wild, to do some hiking and tracking on every weekend. There are many interesting and beautiful places to discover. The nature is absolutely amazing and breathtaking in Romania, as far as I know from the videos and from the photos. So I am waiting for the March and hope my lifestyle has gonna extremely change in a good way.
The most important and interesting part of this month was that I stayed four days per week with children in ANCAAR and in Beethoven school as usual and time by time I realized that I am getting in love with children. Different kinds of outdoor and indoor activities make me get very close to them. It gives me an additional energy and motivation.
26.02.2016
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Natural like Sherwood
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In the beginning of March I received my salary and I started traveling in the nature, into the wild and I visited pretty nice cities, too. The weather forecast has changed totally, it got warmer so in the first week I did hiking in the Mountain Basarab with my Romanian friends. The top of the mountain is 800 m above the sea level but we needed whole day to cover only 9 km because the route is not marked and it was really hard to organize this kind of trip. Early in the morning it was a little bit cloudy, later the sun arose and we warmed up. It was good experience for me to do hiking first time in Romanian nature after four months and especially with citizens of that country.
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In the middle of the month something has changed on my side. I left my flat and moved in another apartment. There were waiting for me people whom I am in love with. They appreciate me and I respect them. Of course we celebrated, they made for me special dinner and had a party together. They are so sweet and nice for me. So strange and the same time so cool that every day we have a breakfast, lunch time and dinner together. We make picnic in the park when sun is shining, we invite EVS volunteers to our flat and organize karaoke and movie night. We are traveling, hitchhiking, sharing, caring about each other. We do every little thing together. Our relation is so natural like Sherwood. Because our hospitality is well known for EVS volunteers in whole Romania, we receive once a week guests in our apartment from different cities. Last week of the month we hosted two Georgian volunteers from Dragasani. Finally, after four months of my being here, in Craiova, me and Lasha met Georgians. Instead of one day, they stayed two whole days with us. We have spoken about our EVS volunteering life in Romania, shared experiences, prepared national dinner and drank only one glass of red wine, not more. They are very motivated, funny and really great guys. Now it is our turn and they are waiting for us in their city, we will meet soon again.
31/03/2016
Have been travelling
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I've been travelling, and I've been wandering, and I really just don't care that I lost in the wilderness, so far from home. I have been visiting, discovering, sharing, learning how to learn, I was greeting and meeting. I used to be travelling in Romania next to the girl with whom I am in love.
I have been in Basarab, looking for my soul, and I feel like an actor looking for a role, i have been in Predeal, i have seen a million stars, been sipping Calvados on the boulevards. I have been down to Maramures, but it froze my bones, I am living in the city and I am not alone. I have been travelling but I really do not know where. Been travelling far and wide and wondering who's going to be my guide. Living in a reality but it's way too far, but this kind of happiness is way to love. I have been wondering how does look Delta Danube like, I was wondering how it is gonna be bird watching during the travelling on the channels in Tulcea.
So I lost my direction and I lost my home... Well, now I am on the side trying to turn the tide, so I would say my goodbye. Laugh, I am in love.
22.05.2016
Learning to learn
There is always learning inside your EVS… Sometimes less but you are always learning. Difficult situations make for me the best chances to learn. There is always supporter to help you, you just have to find him/ her and search for that person.
The EVS experience is not only from the good moments, it’s from the bad ones as well. The learning style is not black and white, all of us have his own style. It depends on situation. I realised what I have done during my EVS project until now, how I have learned and what will help me in the future, what I have to change.
I discovered that the more difficult and challenging situations I experience, the more confident and motivated I am. That’s why learning through experiencing is the best way for me.
During my EVS I discovered that criticism blocks me a lot and highly discourages me. What helps me to move on is giving me clear instructions how to act. What really motivates me is gratefulness of people and especially children who I work with. When I see that they are happy because of my help, I feel more confident and full of energy.
31.05.2016
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