- 20 October 2017
- Posted by: Team for Youth Association
- Category: Volunteering Stories
Hello my dear new volunteer,
I am Rafa, 24 years old and I come from Spain.
First at all I would like to give you an advice: don’t be afraid of anything. Since I arrived here 10 months ago, I found a lot of difficulties such as the language, a new coin, to adapt to the climate (less than -20 degrees), etc. but there are a lot of things I really love about my EVS, so I cannot regret it. Over all we have done a lot of activities with different kind of people like kids, disabled people, refugees or teenagers, we got into the culture living for three days with a very kind old woman who hosted us during the summer camps, and a lot of more experiences that really worth it. So I understand that, over all, if you are long term EVS, there would be a lot of situations that will overcome you such as misunderstandings, moments you need your family or simply those days that are not your day and you just feel there is no point for you to be here.
But is not going to be like that if you have your own goals: try to learn a bit the language, in Romania they really love when they see a foreigner trying to communicate with them in their own language and they will help you a lot on that, over all the kids.
Try to keep your mind on doing something like some extra activities or lessons, it will keep you away of bad feelings. And also think that it could be one of your first kind of working experience in the field you would like to work, like for example kids, disabled people, old people, etc.
So if you have already taken your decision to do an EVS, congratulations! It’s going to be an experience that will change your life, like it changed mine, opening my mind to new cultures and ways to think, to get in touch with every kind of person in this society.