On arrival and mid term training

EVS volunteers usually have two training: on arrival at the beginning and mid-term at the end of their volunteering period. It means that all EVS-ers who are in the country at that moment meet to share expectations and learn from each others. I spent 5 unforgettable days in Brussels with people from: Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, France, Spain, Portugal, Estonia, Georgia, Macedonia, Croatia, Italy, Canary Islands, Slovakia and Turkey. We celebrated diversity of nations, religions, races and abilities. We exchanged contacts so we can visit each others and travel together. I have plenty of crazy funny photos of us and great tips from mid-term EVS-ers about how to take best from this experience.
Besides many interesting games for motivation or waking up, we had interactive workshops about "burning questions": integration into new society, our rights and duties, expectations, fears...The spontaneous answers came out easy after common international brainstorming. The main project of the training took place outdoor, which means that we had to work in teams on a chosen topic and try to get some answers from local people. After all, I learnt a lot during teams` presentation of projects about: protected nature in Belgium, underground touristic places in Brussels, popularity of cycling in Belgium, interculturalism in Belgian schools...My team met locals interested in the topic and the purpose of our project and they collaborated with us in an enjoyable, funny way and we didn`t have any problem doing it. 

On our last night on training it was my birthday. On midnight my new international friends turned off the lights, entered the room with a lot of tricky candles, gave me a birthday cake and they all sang a birthday song in Serbian language... then in English, Spanish, Turkish, Dutch, Slovak... It was unexpectedly easy to show love and friendship in this intercultural fortune. In the end, we are all the same. Doubtless EVS produces fascinating amount of positive energy in every group. I wish to keep this feeling as long as possible: the time is now, the world is beautiful in all its diversity, learning process is funny, people are open, the planet Earth becomes smaller and simpler... 

Mid term training took place in Den Haag, The Netherlands. There were less volunteers because some were already back home. The enthusiasm and energy were also missing compared to on arrival training. I guess we are all faced with real life now instead of hope and dreams from the beginning. I saw many of us like this reality I am talking about because there were questions about possibility of staying here more. Some of us were very determined to learn Dutch, find a job and continue living in a new interesting country. 

After long conversations about the experience in between two training and our plans for future, they organized a so called "City safari" in Rotterdam. We visited locals and get a chance to know real Rotterdam. It was special: being in a home of Iranian woman who saw her daughter after 20 years, hearing your voice and thoughts in "ether" in radio Barsa... 

The third and the last day of mid term, I cried like a baby. All I could say is "Thank you"...I will never forget this beautiful part of my youth, happy people I met, pace of learning while having adventures, transparent feelings we could almost touch. 

I envy new young EVS-ers and highly recommend this life changing opportunity. 

„Cold Belgian people“?

Before I came to Belgium some people in my country Serbia told me I shouldn`t be surprised if I find people without motivation to meet strangers. Serbians consider themselves as very warm, helpful, kind hosts. After 2 weeks spent in my „new country“, it was my birthday. I will tell you how cold my team colleagues were: they bought cakes and sang a birthday song in Dutch for me. Just like in Serbia, they kiss three times on a cheek. I found a birthday card in front of my door from Kim from kitchen. I don`t demand glory on my birthday but I usually become emotional. "In de gloria, Hip, hip, hip, hoera!" I felt welcome and loved. 

I can`t not to mention that my supervisor took me from the airport the first day and gave me a dinner at his home with his family. When I entered the door of my host organisation, everybody already knew my name and said that they were expecting me. Smiling faces are trying to support and integrate me into the system by providing detailed explanation about any of my interests and I am a very curious person.

I share apartment with Spanish guy Javi. He was here one month already when I came after long visa procedure. Even though he barely speaks English, he gentleman alike showed me all the neighborhood and practical things he had to discover by himself. He calles me Đoković, I call him Nadal, after famous Serbian and Spanish tennis players. We make jokes about our social life in forest but actually there is nothing to complain about. Sometimes I feel like a guest here: delicious meals in restaurant, entrance to every available service in the domain, my bicycle, healthy life in nature and everything free of charge. I must have been lucky.

When we finish work, all the workers go home and de Hoge Rielen stays alone with guests, housekeeper, Javi and me. Sometimes we interfere with groups playing guitars, making parties or just chatting but usually we spend time riding bicycles for hours. There are hardly ever the same paths through the domain but there is more out of it. Kevin from kitchen will show us some places that we heard about.

 We are making plans about traveling through Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany. Everything is near here, transportation is easy- people are ready to help and offer free sits in their car for small amount, we have free days. The only obstacle is learning to save money and economize, which is one of the goals of the EVS program.

My host organization: de Hoge Rielen

De Hoge Rielen is youth center for recreation and non-formal education in a huge forest. It is a domain that welcomes more than 3000 young people and others. Most of our guests are scouts and schools, than sportsmen, families and businessmen. Here they find pure nature with a lot of rabbits, squirrels and vocal birds, wild herbs and a lot of trees that flatter your lungs. I keep saying the place has special aroma for your body and your soul. You can get your desired accommodation: in pavilions (for 8 or up to 100 people), camping grounds, hostel. You can eat delicious balanced meals in the restaurant, rent a bicycle (you will need it because the place is endless), enjoy workshops with guides or without them, have barbecue in several green places under the sky...Visit website http://www.dehogerielen.be/de-hoge-rielen or like facebook page https://www.facebook.com/deHogeRielen?fref=ts to find more about de Hoge Rielen.

The nearest bigger city is Turnhout (35 min. by bicycle or 15 min. by bus), well known city is Antwerp (1/2 h by train) and the capital Brussels is 1,5 h away by train.

My role in the organization is to help when and where they need me: sometimes in the restaurant, info service, but usually I do the workshops: cooking with herbs, the rope course, survival in nature, treasure hunting, creative painting on paper or tablets, exploring the animals, water and plants of the nature, using compass, maps...Our workshops are very detailed and organized, educative but in the same time adventurous and funny. During the summer there is a special program on Wednesday evenings with various topics: dancing, singing, competing in the tricycle race, kubb game, enjoying the rock concert. 

While doing voluntary work in de Hoge Rielen, I don`t feel that I am working, it`s more like long holiday in nature where it`s a pleasure to organize activities for kids. Besides that, I learn a lot here.  I am very focused on learning skills from my superior colleagues because I find them important for my profession as a teacher. I see here that teachers, trainers, leaders respect personality of children very much and do it very spontaneous and natural. Maybe that is why the kids are very smart and independent and they will be happy to speak English with you.

 The first language in this Flemish part of Belgium is Dutch but every generation speaks English good enough for any kind of conversation. When I hear them speaking in Dutch I hardly understand some words similar to English but I put a lot of hope in my Dutch lessons. Children usually come from Belgium and Netherlands, they speak almost the same language. Last week we had “European school” here and I had initiative in the workshop with them because they all speak English besides other European languages. It was really good to feel integrated into Belgian system of education.

About EVS (European Voluntary Service)

Dear all,

I am Maja from Serbia and I came to de Hoge Rielen on June 3th to volunteer for next 6 months. This blog is for future volunteers as well as for all people interested in my experience.

If you want to be a volunteer abroad, you should visit website http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm. It is a program for young 18-30 years old people, sponsored by European Union in order to increase mobility of youngsters. All you have to do is write a good motivation letter. It takes several months to find sending organization in your country (many NGO, non-formal, youth organizations know and do EVS) and host organization abroad.

Start with choosing your field of interest and country in data base and apply for more than one project. If your competences and motivation meet expectations of staff in host organization, you will have a Skype interview. There are usually one or two volunteers for a project which lasts 6 months to 1 year, for long term EVS.

These facebook pages can help a lot in your process of searching EVS project in less formal way:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/10906777091/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/meetingpoint.evs/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/51839152704/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/EFDCouchsurfing/

Why EVS?

Apart from getting to know other culture and language, gaining new friends and meeting your own personality more, EVS gives you a certificate at the end of the project. It is called Youth Pass and many European countries and companies recognize it as an asset to your diplomas from formal system of education. It contains 8 competences, which you have to develop through the project: 1. ability to express yourself in the mother tongue, 2. communication in a language of the country you volunteer in (my Dutch classes are included in my work time hours and paid by the program), 3. mathematics and scientific skills (you have to economize with a small amount of pocket money per a month), 4. digital skills (learning to use the latest computer programs which are used in your organisation), 5. social skills (being active and sensitive towards needs of local communities), 6. learning to learn (be aware of your learning process because you really learn a lot about yourself and the world), 7. sense of initiative and team spirit, 8. cultural awareness (integration into society and culture of your new country).
Your mentor and supervisor abroad should help you develop those competences.

https://www.youthpass.eu/en/youthpass/guide/