Reflection

 Pilar Maria Encuentra Garrido from Spain

 

1.                   Why did you choose Latvia, namely, Youth Open Centre “JACis”?/ Почему вы выбрали Латвию и, именно, Молодежный Открытый Центр “JACis” ?

When I decided to participate in the EVS program, one of the most important things for me was to read carefully information about the projects with themes according to art and culture, youth, children, education and then sending the applications to participate on it. So, I didn't choose the project according to the country, for me it was more valuable the activity to carry as a volunteer for a year :) 

I applied to be volunteer in JACis, because I found a good explanation and all the information about the centre, the organization and the project. I searched for more information about JACis, and I found videos about the activities, a blog, experiences of previous volunteers, etc. All was positive! I was impressed about the work and creative activities they were doing. So, I thought I could bring something new to this organization and at the same time, learning new skills.
Moreover, the project would be in Latvia, so I thought that it would be a really nice opportunity to live and to know in this unknowed country for me :D

2.                   What do you like the most in our city Rezekne? What events/activities have you visited and what is the impression?/ What Что вам больше всего нравится в нашем городе? Какие мероприятия посетили и какое впечатление?

About Rezekne, I like the environment, green zones, the lake, pilskalns (hill where is the castle ruins),  etc. I miss the mountains, but fortunately there is a beautiful forest near the city and in the middle of the forest ther is a amazing "Ančupānu Observation Tower", from where you can see breathtaking views of nature and Rezekne city. 
Of course, I like JACis Centre because I consider it like my second house :)

And without any doubt, I like the kindness and how friendly are the Rezeknietes. From the first day, I felt a warm welcome and support at all times of local friends.
Of course, living in a new country is important to know about the culture and participating in events. I went to the events for the Latvia's National Day on 18th of November, and I could see how Latvian people are proud about their country. It was a nice feeling for me. Moreover, I have participated in some musical events to dance Latgalian folk dance. It was really nice and I am looking forward to dance folk again!

3.                   Do people in your country know about Latvia? /Знают ли в ваших странах о Латвии?

I think mostly of people in my country don't know about Latvia. I think for us, it is an unknown Country with a rich and interesting culture and history. That was one of the reason why I decided to come here. And, I am learning a lot of interesting things that I can tell to my family and friends.

4.                    With what plans/ideas have you came to the youth center?  which plans/ideas are already implemented? and on what ideas are you still working???/ С какими планами вы приехали в центр, что уже осуществили, и над чем еще работаете???

When I applied for the project, my ideas were doing useful and funny activities like for example recycling, handicrafts, good use of tecnologies, teaching Spanish and my culture.

At first, it was a bit difficult to start with the Spanish lessons but now I think I have found the way to teach it.

I am working to prepare activities related with the responsability to the environment. Moreover, I want to implement activities to show children that they can use the computer for educational way, not olny for playing games.

5.                   To be a volunteer is - …………… or is it hard to be a volunteer???/ Быть волонтером - это...........или сложно ли быть волонтером???

For me, being a volunteer is an attitude through the life. Each people has a different personality, so in based of that, the own person decides where he/she can help.

I think it is depend of what kind of volunteering. For example, if you want to be a volunteer to work with disable people, it would be better if you have a strong mentality and you are not weak.

6.                   Which event/activity, organized by another volunteer in the youth centre, you liked the most/you remembered??? /// мероприятие, проводимое другими волонтерами в центре, тебе запомнилось больше всего ( вариант - понравилось больше всего???)

I am going to remember all the events and activities in JACis centre with a big smile. And, for me is difficult to choose, but I will say the event we celebrated for the Volunteer Day, on 5th December. It was really nice, with dances, music, international food.

Also, I remember especially the activities organized for Giorgi and Lyudmila for the Hug Day. Children were smiling, laughing, and jumping all time. For them, it was a good day.

7.                   What has changed in your life when you became a volunteer in the youth centre?///Что изменилось в твоей жизни, когда ты стал - а - волонтером в центре???

At the moment, I am sure that my sociable skills are really improved. Because each day I know new people, moreover I have to talk in other language and sometimes in front a big group of people. And, thanks to that I am going to grow every day. Also, I though that I couldn't do activities with people with disabilities because I am sensitive  person. But, I have realized I can do it.

8.                   What can you suggest to youth of Rezekne, who are not still active and don’t use an opportunity to be an EVS volunteer abroad???//// что ты можешь посоветовать резекненской молодежи, которая не очень активно использует возможности поехать работать волонтером в другую страну???

EVS program offers the opportunity to get involved in countless intercultural activities, to communicate in a different languages, etc.

This volunteering gives young people the opportunity to acquire new skills and even helps us discover own skills we didn't know or didn't dare to give out. Being European voluntary means you give and receive from others. This experience can help them to have clearer ideas, to think more broadly, because every day your mind will work very quickly because every day is new and new experiences.

 

Prokop Teper from Slovakia

1.                  Why did you choose Latvia, namely, Youth Open Centre “JACis”?/ Почему вы выбрали Латвию и, именно, Молодежный Открытый Центр “JACis” ?

I really liked the project description and profile of JACis, but in reality JACis chose me, not the other way around.  It only took 1 day from the moment I found out about this possibility to the moment I was approved. From my side it was largely spontaneous decision, from the side of JACis it was the need to quickly find a replacement for a volunteer who cancelled his participation few days before the start of project. I am very happy that JACis chose me, I hope they feel the same =.)

2.                  What do you like the most in our city Rezekne? What events/activities have you visited and what is the impression?/ What Что вам больше всего нравится в нашем городе? Какие мероприятия посетили и какое впечатление?

Rezekne is a small but lively city. I really like its location in between of all these lakes and forests, your city logo beautifully sums it up. As for living here, I was mostly surprised by the hunger of local people for anything cultural, when I found out about GORS and Zeimuls I was really mind blown. It is amazing to see such institutions in city of this size, people of Rezekne are very lucky and I can see that they really like to visit them as often as possible. I myself have visited GORS couple times already, most recently to listen to the performance of Mayra Andrade.

3.                  Do people in your country know about Latvia? /Знают ли в ваших странах о Латвии?

Whether they know of its existence? They definitely do, although I would not be surprised if some of them mistook it for Lithuania. This is something that Slovakia has in common with Latvia, we also have to fight against this common mistake, in our case we often get mistaken for Slovenia which is not nice at all.

4.                  With what plans/ideas have you came to the youth center?  which plans/ideas are already implemented? and on what ideas are you still working???/ С какими планами вы приехали в центр, что уже осуществили, и над чем еще работаете???

I am a man of many ideas, my problem is exactly how to make those ideas become reality. Amongst the most important ones, I wanted to start teaching English to children and 4 months later I can say that I made this idea reality. I also wanted to develop more outdoor activities. In this case however I still have a lot to do. The most important idea that I got after I arrived here is to write a big project myself. This is something I want to focus on in the upcoming month.

5.                  To be a volunteer is - …………… or is it hard to be a volunteer???/ Быть волонтером - это...........или сложно ли быть волонтером???

Amazing. That is what it feels to be a volunteer to me. It is often a very challenging work, but challenges are what help us grow.

6.                  Which event/activity, organized by another volunteer in the youth centre, you liked the most/you remembered??? /// мероприятие, проводимое другими волонтерами в центре, тебе запомнилось больше всего ( вариант - понравилось больше всего???)

Hmmm, many of the events were memorable in one way or another, but one of the most memorable events was definitely Pop Iela festival in November 2013. It was amazing to see how a Youth Center with only two full time employees and a handful of volunteers can engage all these high schools, a theatre and other partners. What’s more, they have been doing so for 8 years already! And I got an opportunity to be the part of it, it was great.

7.                  What has changed in your life when you became a volunteer in the youth centre?///Что изменилось в твоей жизни, когда ты стал - а - волонтером в центре???

Apart from the fact that I moved for a year to live in the country I have never been before? I started using a notebook and now I cannot imagine how I could exist without it in my previous life! =.D

8.                  What can you suggest to youth of Rezekne, who are not still active and don’t use an opportunity to be an EVS volunteer abroad???//// что ты можешь посоветовать резекненской молодежи, которая не очень активно использует возможности поехать работать волонтером в другую страну???

Just do it!!! It may sound scary or impossible, but really all you ever need to do is make that decision in your head. And sooner or later you will achieve it and it will change your life in ways you would have never imagined before.

Giorgi Chankotadze from Georgia

1.                  Why did you choose Latvia, namely, Youth Open Centre “JACis”?/ Почему вы выбрали Латвию и, именно, Молодежный Открытый Центр “JACis” ?    
  Потому что я грузин. Грузия еще не в Европе и вы знаете раньше Грузия и Латвия был бивши Ссср. Я знаю, что это за жизнь в Грузии и Я интересует что за жизнь здес в Латвие. что касается JACis. Мне нравится атнашения с молодыми людьми и еше болле с детеи. Детеи ето моя слабаст я могу играть с детим цели день.(может-бит цели век)

2.  What do you like the most in our city Rezekne? What events/activities have you visited and what is the impression?/ What Что вам больше всего нравится в нашем городе? Какие мероприятия посетили и какое впечатление?

  Мне нравится больше всего в вашем городе православный церковь, но я хотел бы добавить мне нравится все в Rezekne. Я был в вишего школе. Гдето был награжденя профессор-преподаватели. Потом был национальный композиция и танцы. Я был также на концерте, где грузинские луди пели национальный композиция. Эти два прекрасных дня я никогда не забуду.

3.Do people in your country know about Latvia? /Знают ли в ваших странах о Латвии?

 Как старана мы знаем конечно. Грузия маленькая страна тоже, как Латвтя и мы знаем почты цели мир. Как уже отмечалось мы не знаем култура и уровень жизни.

4. With what plans/ideas have you came to the youth center?  which plans/ideas are already implemented? and on what ideas are you still working???/ С какими планами вы приехали в центр, что уже осуществили, и над чем еще работаете???

Для меня этот вопрос очень трудно Потому что ни один из грузин никогда не запланировал для своей жизни. девиз грузина "по живиом увидим". Вы можете подумать то, что мы все сумасшедшие но это не так. Грузины уникалние народ самие разние, потому что они любят жизнь и свободу. Может быть, вы будете уверены, когда мой ответ был бы полностью отличается от других. Что касается моего плана вы можете прийти  всем в JACis и посмотреть что я сделаю.

5.   To be a volunteer is - …………… or is it hard to be a volunteer???/ Быть волонтером - это...........или сложно ли быть волонтером???

 Это легко и иногда смешние для меня, потому что в JACis работает самие самие хорошие персонал не только волонтери. Я думаю нигде и никто были такие харошие руководители которие являются Via Grisins и Jekaterina Moisejeva. Я так думаю JACis сомие хорошие место в Европе. И смешно, потому что когдо вы работает с детим и молодежью всегдо серьезном невозможно.

6.Which event/activity, organized by another volunteer in the youth centre, you liked the most/you remembered??? /// мероприятие, проводимое другими волонтерами в центре, тебе запомнилось больше всего ( вариант - понравилось больше всего???)
Я помню пачти все. мне очень нравится "день спосибо", "опелсиного вечеринка" и "день объятие".

7.What has changed in your life when you became a volunteer in the youth centre?///Что изменилось в твоей жизни, когда ты стал - а - волонтером в центре???

          1. Я могу жить одиноком.

      2. Я узнал, чтобы начать экономить.

          3. Я встретил некоторых очень интересных людей

           4.Я учусь новую культуру

8.What can you suggest to youth of Rezekne, who are not still active and don’t use an opportunity to be an EVS volunteer abroad???//// что ты можешь посоветовать резекненской молодежи, которая не очень активно использует возможности поехать работать волонтером в другую страну???

Я рекомендую им только один не упустите этот шанс, чтобы иметь, на мой взгляд это очень интересно и приятно.

Lyudmila Georgieva from Bulgaria 

1.                  Why did you choose Latvia, namely, Youth Open Centre “JACis”?/ Почему вы выбрали Латвию и, именно, Молодежный Открытый Центр “JACis” ?

When I was choosing projects I was looking for work in a cultural institution, preferably with youngsters. JACis was offering work with young people, possibilities for different cultural activities, sport events and all in all work in a field which is very interested for me. In Bulgaria I’m studying Cultural studies so I feel that the work in such center will benefit my future experience by a lot. After these considerations it wasn’t hard at all to choose JACis and fortunately they said accepted my application.

As for Latvia, I always looked for the project first and the country later. I liked the fact that it was a country from the North because these countries are really interesting for me, given I don’t know a lot about them. My short-term EVS project was in Finland and I was glad I will be able to go to the North again.

2.                  What do you like the most in our city Rezekne? What events/activities have you visited and what is the impression?/ What Что вам больше всего нравится в нашем городе? Какие мероприятия посетили и какое впечатление?

Rezekne is a really beautiful town. I arrived in December so I’m still waiting to see it in its full glory during the summer but for now I really like it. It’s different from the city in what I live in Bulgaria, much more calm and cozy.

For now I’m visiting different cultural events organized in the town – in Karandash, in Gors, in the cultural center, etc. I’m really impressed by the amount of the cultural institutions the city has and the possibilities that open in front of it like that. I still feel like the city doesn’t use its organizations to the fullest and need to be persuaded in some way to go our more and come to the events. For now Rezekne has a great base of cultural, and not only, institutions and I really enjoy it.

3.                  Do people in your country know about Latvia? /Знают ли в ваших странах о Латвии?

Actually no. In Bulgaria we know about Baltic countries as a whole but not concretely about Latvia, other that it exists. On the other hand before I had met with Latvian people due to different seminars and activities and had the impression that in Latvia there are many young people that are quite active in different organizations.

4.                  With what plans/ideas have you came to the youth center?  which plans/ideas are already implemented? and on what ideas are you still working???/ С какими планами вы приехали в центр, что уже осуществили, и над чем еще работаете???

When I was still in Bulgaria I thought of activities with young people that had to do either with Bulgarian culture or with my field of studies.

For now I have some chances to introduce the kids in JACis with Bulgarian music, dance, traditions and cuisine. Bulgaria is a very unknown country for them so it’s important to have activities which will make it more known. I still plan to do the original Bulgarian tradition of ‘Martenica’ on March the first (we will be making martenichki on 27^th of February) and make a whole presentation about Bulgaria in the following weeks.

Other than that I had planned Movie seminars that are yet to be spread in JACis. It’s once a week – one week the older youngsters, the other with the younger ones. The films are either interesting in their visual effects or touch important cultural subjects like stereotypes, society control, gender, etc. My plan for the future is complete the plan for the seminars and begin with them fully and seriously. I hope I will be able to do it from the beginning of March.

5.                  To be a volunteer is - …………… or is it hard to be a volunteer???/ Быть волонтером - это...........или сложно ли быть волонтером???

To be a volunteer is the most excited thing I had experience until now. It’s really different from what I was used to. You come in a totally different world – different people, country, language and a work you didn’t do before. I’m so glad I’m able to do it because I can actually feel myself grow a little every day, learn new things, meet new people, be a little bit different from what you were before. I know I’m not the same person anymore and there’s still 6 months left, half a year. It’s a little bit scary to think that at one point I will have to go back but for now I’m just flowing in everything that’s new, exciting and interesting for me.

I think the most important thing for a volunteer, or anyone who goes in a different country for that matter, is to me open. Because the new environment can give you so much more, if only you let it in.

6.                  Which event/activity, organized by another volunteer in the youth centre, you liked the most/you remembered??? /// мероприятие, проводимое другими волонтерами в центре, тебе запомнилось больше всего ( вариант - понравилось больше всего???)

I really liked Christmas in JACis. It wasn’t organized only by one volunteer but by all of us. It was great because it really felt like a family celebrating the holly holiday.

Other than that the Paldies day organized by Pilar from Spain and Prokop from Slovakia was really good to see. Mainly because they managed to get all the kids in the center interested in the different cultures and languages – something educational, and play like this different games with them. It was a perfect example of how you can mix a play with the learning process to get the maximum results.

7.                  What has changed in your life when you became a volunteer in the youth centre?///Что изменилось в твоей жизни, когда ты стал - а - волонтером в центре???

My whole life changed. As I said being a volunteer means that you come an environment totally different to what you’re used to so you have to learn new things constantly. I still have 6 months to go but I’m definitely not the same person anymore – I realized some of my strengths and some bad characteristics or mistakes on which I’m starting to work.

I find myself listening more and more to the song “Let it go” from the movie Frozen because it’s kinda what I feel – just letting go of myself and my fears and being free to look at different perspectives, to finally craft myself into a person I’m not ashamed of. It’s still in the process but it has begun and that’s what important.

8.                  What can you suggest to youth of Rezekne, who are not still active and don’t use an opportunity to be an EVS volunteer abroad???//// что ты можешь посоветовать резекненской молодежи, которая не очень активно использует возможности поехать работать волонтером в другую страну???

If you have the opportunity to do it – do it now. If not you will miss something you will forever regretJ.