Dear all,
we would like to share a story of our volunteer Magdalena Pyrgiel which is in her EVS adventure in Wales. We very appreciate how precisely and touchingly she described her project, life and country and hope you`ll enjoy her story!
Thank you Magda and wishing you all the best during and after your EVS!
Magdalena:
Closing remarks on weather in Wales
we would like to share a story of our volunteer Magdalena Pyrgiel which is in her EVS adventure in Wales. We very appreciate how precisely and touchingly she described her project, life and country and hope you`ll enjoy her story!
Thank you Magda and wishing you all the best during and after your EVS!
Magdalena:
Greetings from
Merthyr!
I have been here for
eight months already, which means my EVS experience is coming (quickly) to an
end. From January onwards four months just flew by and I wonder what’s in store
for the next three!
As schools in the
United Kingdom are very strict about taking
photographs of children, not to mention publishing children’s images on web
sites, I decided not to take a single picture of even the classroom
itself. Instead I can describe what my
project is about and give you a general overview of my stay here.
A day out in Wales –
across endless pastures!
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Being a part of the EAL Team in Merthyr, South
Wales
I am a part of the EAL
Team (English as an Additional Language) in Merthyr Tydfil, which means I
volunteer in several schools across Merthyr supporting the Ethnic minority
children who do not speak English as a first language. I assist them in English
language acquisition, supporting them in developing their skills in understanding, reading, speaking and writing
in English, along with helping them
settle in well in the class. Occasionally I can be asked to assist a teacher during parent’s meeting
providing English ↔ Polish translation. I have usually around seven/eight
schools to visit per week – it varies throughout a school year. I work mostly with
Reception and Year 1 pupils. Yet my timetable changes practically every term.
Though it is almost the end of a school year (it ends in the middle of July in
Wales) my list of pupils for one of the schools I support has changed
completely recently. As a result, this term I will be able to gain more experience
working also with some older children! I certainly cannot complain about
monotony of the work I am doing, can I?
When it comes to my
project I’m glad I can participate in variety of trainings for teachers and
staff who work with EAL learners – this year EAL Training Programme is very
diverse. We have also monthly team meeting, when, among other things in agenda,
we discuss our teaching outcomes and share ideas on how to use the resources in
more creative and engaging way. Besides, likewise others from our EAL Team,
once in a month I have also a supervision (one to one) session with my
supervisor. Taking all of this into account – I really do feel like a part of
the EAL teamJ
What really makes my EVS weight in gold...
The view from my
window – enjoying some
pleasant lounging in my room.
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What really defines
one’s EVS experience is not project itself, but the way you spend your spare
time, places you visit and people you meet. At least for meJ
First and foremost, I
live with a host family here in Merthyr and, to be honest, for me personally
this makes my EVS so precious and worth its weight in gold! But that’s for
another story, over strong coffee. And tapioca cheese bread. Make sure you have
plenty of time and are not rushing anywhere!
What’s more, thanks to
my host family, I didn’t need to give up any of my music passions, and not only
this – I could have even started working on developing new skills! What’s more,
thanks to people I met here, I also started playing new instrument – ukulele or
‘uke’ if you prefer.
Although I am the only
volunteer in Merthyr, whereas most of the volunteers live in Cardiff, I don’t
feel excluded from the group. We see each other at least once in a month on our
Common Day and together with our coordinator from UNA Exchange, first Leila,
now Michi, we enjoy a wallet-friendly day out together!
Celebrating cultural diversity
with other
volunteers – Ukrainian Christmas
in Cardiff.
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In my free time, I
plan some local trips down the Valleys and further ahead towards stunning Wales beaches and endless meadows . Take a
look at some of my pictures I’ve attached to this postJ and to the previous one written by Angélica Camargo Flórez. Sometimes
though, nothing more than just pleasant lounging at home is the only thing you
dream of when the whole week seems to do nothing less than rumbling and buzzing
in your head! And when at last you start feeling quite exhausted by the abundance of foreign languages around
you, by straining your brain to think clearly in English despite late-night
hours and an overwhelming need to speak Polish (about everything or sometimes nothing
really) fills you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes –there is
someone who is always here to meet and talk. I wish all EVS volunteers to meet
such a wholehearted, welcoming and wise mentor as I had a chance to meet. I
know it’s so rare to have a mentor who speaks one’s mother tongue. I am so lucky
to work with such a mentor and in such a team!
Closing remarks on weather in Wales
One of the most
unpredictable things in Wales is… the weather. It’s always better to expect heavy
rainfalls, cold wind and relatively high humidity. Rapid weather changes are
also common, especially in the Valleys. I prepared myself for the worst possible
scenario as I learnt that last year in Merthyr had been absolutely frantic – when having appeared in early November rain
hadn’t stopped until… February. It’s not a joke! Ask AngelikaJ Surprisingly, this year, we had plenty of dry
days not only in autumn, but also in winter, with just few but passing flurries
of rain. At least this is how I remember it… Maybe because I was prepared for
the worst… How lucky I am then that the weather was so kind to me – I could have enjoyed day -to-day walking to and from
schools, and taking bus only occasionally!
Two advices from me:
- Prepare yourself for the worst… and you will bless every single ray
of the sun.
- Don’t rely on weather forecast that much – in four out of five
cases it’s wrong! Do not lose hope for the day without a rain and go
exploring Wales. Because it is undeniably worth it.
Spring
has already come to Merthyr and summer is just around the corner, so – as sad
as it may sound – this is my last
chance to explore more of mountainous Wales before my project comes to an end!
Ta-ra for now!
Magdalena.
Castle meadows – a day
out in Abergavenny (Y Fenni), the market town which sleeps between seven hills.
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Rhossili Bay –
exploring Gower.
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