EVS-dagbok 3, 2012

The first time I wrote for this blog, I had just arrived in Sweden. Now is different, I have been here for three months, and I have meet a lot of new people, from different cultures, religions, and with very different points of view about everything. I have learned, (as much as possible in this short time, of course) how Swedish culture works in some senses, how swedes behave, and how Sweden is for people from other cultures.
Before you start your EVS, you already know that you will have to get use to a lot of new things (language, personal relationships, food…), but to do it is quite different. Sometimes is very easy, and sometimes is really hard. And… I have to say that… I MISS SPANISH FOOD VERY VERY VERY MUCH!
But, now I can say that I have meet people that I’m sure I will never forget. I have learned things that I will never forget and I have felt things I had never felt before. I have new goals, and new dreams, and now I know that the only thing can stop your dreams is you stopping to dream and fighting. Here not everything is always as we would like to be, and sometimes you can feel disappointed, tired or sad; but still I’m sure this experience worth.
Crisis Gallo, Spain.

EVS-dagbok 2, 2012

Hej alla.

My name is Georgina Zanouvi and i come from France, more precisely from Lille in the north.
I started volunteering in Sweden since three months now, and it was three months full of discoveries and experiences.
I am doing my EVS period at the youth center called TYROLEN in TYNNERED. My main activity is to work and support teenagers to discover new areas of interests. It was not structured around a single tasks but many. I admit that this aspect was not obvious to manage especially the first few weeks.
I almost immediately started a course in Swedish and it was such a good thing. I was very pleased to be able to make these courses because they allowed me to learn some essential words of the Swedish language but also to meet new people. They were very different from me and I had a lot of fun with them.
Besides that, I worked at the youth center. At first it was difficult to find my bearings because everything was already so well organized. I was wondering what I can bring to these young people that they haven't already. It's the whole point of EVS, always find a way to move forward.
The ideas were shoved in my mind, and finally two main projects appeared essential to me.
Everything started a few days after my arrival in the center.

The young people wanted to bake some cakes and decorate them themselves, but they were so many and so enthousiastics about the idea that we decided to make a list of participation. I use this time to get to know them and question them about their desires. For many of them, the pastry was really amusing. They were also very curious about me. They asked me how I was living in France and I understood that although French is a very beautiful language, it was very difficult to learn for them. My first idea was therefore to set up informal classes in French. I think thatthe best way to learn is one that allows you to learn while having fun. That's why I will set up the course next week.

The second idea was born of my passion for cooking. I offered to young people to organize a cooking contest. Many of them are from different backgrounds, it would be an interesting way to learn a little more about their culture. By following simples criterias such as originality, creativity, quality and time available, some of them might win a prize.
Being in Sweden just for six months, I still want to organize my own work with these youth and leave them some good memories. After the competition, we will make a souvenir-book that will contein pictures and recipes of all participants in this contest.
So if you like the French languague or cooking and you are between 10 and 18, you are more than welcome among us!
Well, wish me luck for the realization of my projects and see you soon for new adventures.

EVS-dagbok 1, 2012

Hej,
Since I wrote my first article quite a lot of time passed and quite a lot of things happened. It would be difficult put all the things in one article so I will talk about most important ones.
From the middle of November I started intensive Swedish language course in Folkuniversitetet. Every morning 3 hours in the language course and after that going to the work was quite tiring, but the course was more or less good. Now I am doing second level of the course which looks more productive.
From November we were busy creating the EVS manual which is the part of our “EVS Inspiration Tour” project. Working on the manual took quite a lot of time which we were not expecting. Thing is that we want manual to be very good and very professionally done, so checking several times every single detail takes time, but it is finished already. So soon we will send it to the printing company.
Last week of November me and Andreea had study visit in the International Relations department of Mölndal Municipality where we met international projects coordinator of Mölndals Municipality Cecilia Rignell. The meeting was very interesting. We get to know about the projects where Mölndal is involved.
We attended the Anna Lindh Foundation Network meeting. During the meeting we met interesting people from different organizations from different part of Sweden. We presented the KEKS and its past and ongoing projects.
On 13 of December on the day of Santa Lucia we had the official opening ceremony of the Eurodesk Youth Center as KEKS is accreditated as Eurodesk Information point. Before the opening ceremony we had the preparation period. We were preparing all the things what we needed for the office and for the opening ceremony. For the ceremony we invited Ingvar Paulsson from Mölndal Stad, KEKS youth leaders, youth workers, youngsters from KEKS different youth centers, Swedish ex-volunteers, other EVS current volunteers of KEKS and their mentors and also local youngsters music band “Striking Distance”. The ceremony was very dynamic with speeches and presentations of Volunteers and KEKS different projects and with “fika” and music also.
The Eurodesk Youth Center is open to youngsters 16 years and up including youth leaders and have international profile, so that young people interested in Youth Exchange, international trainings, EVS etc. can get help and support. We already have small group of youngsters who are coming in the center. On the first introduction meeting we set the goals and aim what we want to do together. Next week we will have workshop about project management. This week we organized the meeting with the youngsters who we are sending on the Youth Exchange in Sicily in this summer.
Our “EVS Inspiration Tour” is continuing. Second meeting we had in Mölndal in “Arbets och familiestöds förvaltningen”. We presented to the youngsters Youth in Action programme in general and EVS in detailed. We showed youngsters how beneficial EVS can be especially when you are unemployed or without educational degree.
Next visit from “EVS Inspiration Tour” was in Malmö in Fosie Youth Center on 16 of January. Before the meeting day me and Anrdeea decided to spent weekend in Copenhagen so we went on weekend there. We spent really good time in Copenhagen. It is very nice city with a lot of beautiful buildings and nice squares, I was impressed with Copenhagen. First day we took a boat trip around the city and walked a lot. Second day we went to the Carlsberg museum and in the evening went back to Malmö.
On Monday morning we met Jonas Agdur in the city and went together to the youth center. The youth center is very nice place with nice staff members. Meeting started with the presentation of Jonas about the loggboken. After Fika was our turn to present Youth in Action and EVS. As always we made good presentation with all important and necessary information about youth Exchange, youth Initiative, youth democracy and of course about EVS. Participants were very interested and expressed their interest to involve actively in Youth in Action.
19th of January me and Andreea had a meeting in the Lövgärdet Youth Center with youngster who are interested in EVS and also in Youth Exchange in Sicily. Meeting was more informal and besides the language barrier what youngster had meeting went very good.
On 23rd of January we had a mentor volunteer meeting in the Mölndal city hall where all mentors and volunteers gathered to discuss about our EVS. We talked and discussed about successes of our projects and the problems and challenges what each volunteer has in their own project. We gave each other the suggestions how to make our EVS better and how to solve the problems which time to time pops up. In the last volunteers come up with ideas to make different projects together.
On 25th of January we had the Youth Pass training. KEKS invited the trainer Lars Norqvist which gave us all important information what we might need to write good Youth Pass in the end of our EVS.
This is just shortly written chronological facts what happened during this time connected to my voluntary work, but there are many things what I saw and what I experienced since the day when I came in Sweden. Half of my EVS period has gone, when I am looking back I only see the positive, I am satisfied and confident, but still I should do things better. 5 month left before my EVS will finish, so I have time for improvements.

EVS-dagbok 43 2011

Hej igen,

Well, since my last words was such an eventful period, what I have to write about.

I can say, I could get to next step from the absolutely observing period to life-like working level with all the benefits and difficulties of it, and also start fulfill my ideas. Sure, I am still learning by all the new tasks and situations, but all the surroundings and people getting familiar and secure what improves willing to act.

As I suggested in my last blog, I was opening to art activities paralelly with music, which is my main voluntary profile. My first endeavors had proven to be too big. I thougt to establish youngster art activities in Kållered and Lindome by a thematic art week (Kållereds KonstVeckan) in the autumn break of the schools. That program would be a five days art based week with museum visit, workshops with different art technics and closed by an exhibition of the weekly made art pieces. The KonstVeckan idea was to catch some art-interested kids to deepen their interest and knowledge as technically as theoritically and get some „newcomers” to understand to find delight in meeting and making art through a weekly theme what decided together with youngsters to feel more theirs the idea. To advertise it me and my mentor taken so much efforts. For advertising I made a poster and appeal, what we promoted to the visitors of the fritidsgård, sent and went to different schools, libraries and fritidsgårds and also different organizations and cultural workers in Mölndal, for those who getting contact with youngsters through art and leisure activities. Unfornutately only one student was applied to this project, what was finally cancelled in this way (or more specify adjourned). I had to recover my ideas to don’t waste all the energy what I put in it: I understood that a project like this needs more bases on the participants, the kids intrests. So first I have to built up a group. I have taken engaged with my music project efforts to make art and music groups separately. This work is also needs so much preparation and forces, but I can say there were some nice experiences which getting open the kids to accept me, getting interested to working together with me. I marked the Tuesdays to art and music activities in Kållered and Wendesdays in Lindome. So far there was a clay workshop with Halloween theme in the first week of November, since then our meetings was more about music.

In the front of music I was worked in the first bigger concert in Kållered what is the conventional home gig for the bands who rehearsing in Kållereds fritidsgård. In the previous week Jörgen and me was prepared a brand new venue near Tonkällan (rehealsal room complex just in front of the fritidsgård). This experience was really useful, about the backline of an event: building stage, setting up lights and sound, do safety monitoring and so on – and complete a brand new venue from a totally empty and dead space. I can say it was quite moody finally.:) This evening I could also meet with many of bands who are connected with Kållereds fritidsgård and learning some basics about how to set the sound in live gigs.

The other bigger affair was the Kållered-Lindome Talangen, what was a talent contest serial between four schools of Kållered and Lindome with the final in Lindomegården in the turning of November-December. This was altogether three shows: one in Hallenskolan (Kållered), one in Sinntorpskolan (Lindome) and the Final in Lindomegården. The Talangen organizing was also quite fluent: this program had traditions as well, and the cooperation between us was very good. I had the responsibility of graphic work (poster), I have taken part in the logistics (building up venues, stage, lights and so on) and I was the head of the jury. These shows gives good possibilities to meet with music interested youngsters and attract them to join my music project and also music teachers with who I can contact in the future as well. Most of the participants had such a good talent, I had really great time and get impressed during the shows.

Just yesterday all of the volunteers were guest for a night to Grevedämmet in Mölndal. There was the opening the brand new Eurodesk office, where together with local youth band Kasim and me also played some songs. I was very delighted (and actually still I am) after this event, what was more social life here, but in the same time a very good time to make music together on stage. So I have to say thanks for it to amazing Kasım Dogan and wonderful Peter Nyrén.;) (…to be continued.)

Additionally it isn’t negligible to noticed, that me and the other volunteers had got places in Swedish courses. I could join to SFI course, what provides me weekly fifteen hours to learn Swedish, what is a really great possibility. Although I had some previous knowledge in swedish, but I was not that aware to speak in the beginning, but the language course, and its intensity encourage me now to speak with kids and colleagues in the fritidsgård (and also understand more and more), what opens new dimensions for sure.

So this is it for this year – so far. I could wish you all successful new year includes many great improvements and benefits for our voluntary work.

God jul och trevlig nytt år till alla!:)
Kram,
Dániel

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