Impressions of first week

My long and tiring trip to Vinnitsya ended. Travelling alone always was connected with getting to know new people very easily and also seeing how complete strangers can help you a lot even without asking and just for smile and thank you, and how much good will they can show (it's better to forget at once about all bad). In this trip was similar, to mention only one, it was really sweet and kind when I found out after waking up in the train that someone had covered me with blanket. So now few words about very first day. I must say that I wasn’t really aware what’s going on around me because of exhaustion from the trip. On the station I met Yaroslav (our EVS coordiantor) who took me to the apartment and shortly described the city on the way. Then I met another volunteer and my flatmate – Michał. They welcomed me very nicely and showed a lot of care and interest.

The next day Michał took me on the first walk around the city, and I liked a lot. Vinnitsya seems to be quite calm and nice city, some nice architecture, some chaos, a lot of green places, and general impression is very positive. There will be a lot of time to describe it in detail, with photos. Now I only want to say that I really love cities with rivers, maybe it makes it a bit romantic, or just adds something to overall atmosphere. And in Vinnitsya we have quite big nice river –Picdennyj Buh . That day was really slow and not demanding. I could rest a lot and just get accustomed to new place, flat, and my new situation.

The next few days were very full, especially of information and getting to know many new people. First of all I should start from introducing second EVS volunteer, who came day after me and will work with me. Her name is Daphnee and she is from France. I really hope she will teach me some French finally)))

Whole week was dedicated to getting familiar with the organizations– Nashe Podillia and Pangeya Ultima and what activities they do.  We haven’t started our activities yet, for now its preparation and acclimatization time for us. I have to say that I really liked the people, I was afraid they won’t care about us, or any problems can happen, but none of my “black scenarios” happened, everyone is extremely helpful and very positive.  I think I will learn a lot during these 8 months and my time will be rather good. I don’t remember the time when I met so many people in so short period, each day is completely new for me. From one side it’s very nice and good experience, but from the other sometimes I can feel overwhelmed in a bit bad way, like it’s too much and too quickly, and my mind cannot accept so much, but it’s very normal feeling in any new place, especially abroad.

So now, maybe few words about some of my activities here, I will lead two clubs in Pangeya Ultima, first Cultural Club, like you can guess about Culture, European Culture. Topics will be varied, and everything depends on my ideas and creativity, which makes me a bit nervous if I will be interesting enough, but I hope no one will fall asleep during this club. I will orgarize the second club with my EVS fellow Daphn'ee and it is called European Club. We want to talk about volunteering and possibilities for people to go abroad, and generally about Europe, multiculturalism, stereotypes and many different topics which can be useful and also developing for people. The first clubs will be next week, I’m very excited how they will look like, and worry a bit how we will manage. As for now, I will also help Daphnée with her ecological project in Stryzhavka school (near Vinnitsya), next week we are going to lead art classes about creative usage of plastic in 5^th grade class. About other activities I will write when I will have more concrete ideas about themJ

What’s more we have visited the school where eco project is held this week, they had recycling action. There is big recycling project there, children collect paper, glass, plastic, batteries, and last Friday they were weighing the paper and plastic, we went there mainly to see the action and help if it needed. The way children met us was amazing.. They (especially younger boys) wanted to communicate with us, and were very interested.

And in the end the photo of volunteers and our coordinator (the most wild looking guy is our Polish-German flatmate))))

And our lovely mentorsJ

Arriving to Ukraine

My new adventure abroad has just begun and I will be describing it regularly (or I'll try to) on this blog. Today I want to say a few words about me and how it happened that I'm now in Vinnitsya (in Polish Winnica) in Ukraine. I could write it in Polish, but I thought that doing this in English can make it accessible and useful to more people. I will be writing about my EVS project and about my life in Ukraine as a whole.

So first, I should introduce myself - my name is Ula, I'm from Poland and i have recently graduated from university. I studied Russian philology for 5 years and now fed up with studies, I decided to be a volunteer instead of searching for a regular job.

How did it happen that I am an EVS volunteer now? I found out about this initiative few years ago when I met few EVS volunteers in Poland; I liked the idea and started getting more information about the possible projects. However, I thought it would be better to finish university first, as otherwise I would have lostmotivation to do it after so long break and I also wanted to be completely free from "education boundaries" ;) Some months ago I started to look for a project...Here one other question appears: why Ukraine? To answer this I should come back to the beginning, when I mentioned my studies. I'm fascinated by Slavic countries, especially Eastern and also all post-soviet countries. I always wanted to spend some time in one of them, travel, live, see it from a non-touristic point of view. When I decided definitely to do EVS I started searching for the project in Ukraine, Russia and countries of Caucasus. After many months of search and sending large number of motivation letters, and email exchanges, I found Nashe Podillia finally. I was lucky, they selected me. The project was approved and here I am on my way to Vinnitsya. Ah I forgot to mention, first I found my Sending organization in Poland – Dakato. I won’t write here about how to find a project and what are the procedures, you can easily find any information on the Internet, just google “Youth in Action” and EVS.

How do I feel about my EVS? Now with all excitement also fears and doubts appeared – if I have done well, if I manage, if if if… But this is a normal state in every long travel and moving abroad and it will disappear soon, as I’m also full of curiosity and hopes. For me EVS is a chance to do something for myself while doing something useful for others. Generally I think that I can benefit a lot from this experience. I have traveled quite a lot before and I had a chance to live longer abroad few times (but this will be the longest period far from home). Each travel can teach a lot and give much experience, unforgettable moments. The only advice before going abroad is to keep your mind open for anything and try to be a good observer. While being abroad we broaden out horizons - I don’t like this expression, but it’s so true and hard to find another one. I can learn not only about local communities, other nations (and by the way find so many similarities that any fear from “the others” disappear), but also about myself – what I can, am able to do, manage, what fears stop being frightening suddenly, and how little things can make us truly happy. Coming back to the main topic, EVS gives a chance to live abroad for some time and try a new life far from home and mummy's care;) for some people can be kind of shock in the beginning. Luckily I’m already used to getting on by myself. It lets gain some new experience and do something which we like (if project is chosen carefully). And what is important main costs are already paid, so volunteers don’t have to worry too much about money. That’s in short how it looks like more formal information can be found, as I said, on the Internet (for example http://www.mlodziez.org.pl/).

That’s all for today, in the next days I’ll write about my first impressions on people and the city.