EVS in Hungary - Karolina

My EVS journey started at the moment when I decided to apply for a project called „Avatars of Nograd” in Hungary. It wasn’t a spontaneous decision. I’d been looking for a project for a few months before, but none of them fitted me well. And then, finally, I found „my” perfect project. In fact, I knew almost nothing about Hungary. I considered it a chance to try something new, to explore an unknown and unfamiliar place.

The participation in this project was even a bigger challenge because of the general theme of it - work with children. Although I am involved in voluntary work in Łódź, I have never had an opportunity to work with children. I was wondering how my previous experience which I gained working for Amnesty International or Polish Humanitarian Action can help me to work with children - I had no idea.

I was also wondering how my voluntary work for a local organization involved in protecting women rights might help… I doubted it would. Then I decided not to overthink. I just applied.
I was reading some stories of EVS volunteers and I figured out that after a nice
introduction volunteers often write a more dramatic part. So, probably, I should also writethat the beginning was quite difficult, that I was missing my family or that living conditions were bad. In fact, I cannot recall even one bad feeling or memory (trust me, I am trying).

Everything was perfect form the very beginning. After two hours in Hungary I met my future roommates and I found out that all volunteers were friendly, affable and pleasant. When we finally arrived at our destination, I got out of the bus and I was standing there, admiring the beautiful view around me, realizing how lucky I am and how exciting this project is going to be.

We started the programme with a three days long on-arrival training which prepared us to work with children. We were trying to design divergent, innovative and triggering learning activities for children and we learnt how to prepare a coherent daily schedule. During first days of the project I got more information about aims of our host organization - Egyesek Youth Association. Its mission is to empower and support youth in taking responsibility in their lives and the lives of their communities. The project „Avatars of Nograd” supported this idea as well. Our goal was to design and deliver learning activities for local children.

We were divided into six „village groups”: each group was going to a different location and worked with children there.
When we finally started the voluntary work in villages, time was passing quickly. My group’s daily routine was a constant: we were spending approximately five hours in Enderfalva (name of our village) with children, coming back home, eating dinner, preparing an activity-plan for a next day.

In the mid-time of the project, Egyesek team members together with us organized a flashmob to promote mobility for social sustainability in Salgótarján. The slogan of the event was: Go explore. Come home. Do more. It was a great experience! Citizens were very interested in the action and we were kind of sensation during next few days. Check out the video relation prepared by the media team: https://vimeo.com/133263081

After wonderful three weeks, full of new experiences, many lessons and gaining new skills, I can say that it was the most fruitful time in my life. Firstly, EVS experience taught me to be more tolerant and open-minded. I worked with people from nineteen different countries of different cultures, backgrounds or religions and I realized that it is not a barrier for us. I learnt that this diversity is not an obstacle. It made us stronger, more efficient and creative. I became more open, mainly because of being agreeable and respectful for disparate ideas.

Overall, during EVS you get to know many people. For me it is one of the most valuable things. At the moment I have friends on three continents. I can go to India, Mexico, Latvia or South Korea and be able to stay at „a friend’s place” for a while. It’s really cool, isn’t it?
What is more, I’ve learnt many teaching techniques. I understood that no matter what age and level of children we are teaching, we should always promote teaching through fun and accommodate different learning styles.

When you are a EVS volunteer you can take one thing for granted: you will improve your English. EVS is a great opportunity to get more confident while using it in everyday life. You discover that language is not only learning words, tenses and grammar rules; language is the means of communication and it forces us to better perceive the world.

My final thought? Be bold, get involved and don’t hesitate to try something new! :)

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