A EVS adventure!

Memories of March

This month reserved me a lot of surprise til the end. In fact between the 24th till the 28th of March me, together with Enes and Nadja we took part in the MTE (Mid Term Evaluation) that like the OAT it has to be done from the NA for the volunteers that are working in the different country in Europe. This meeting is also useful for the self evaluation of the EVS volunteers during them stage that can be long term or short term.

From left to right Me, Nadja and Enes
In background Bran Castle

Before the activity started, together with Nadja and Enes we went to visit Bran castle. The travel was really long and it look like and odyssey especially in the round trip back. The travel  was really long but lucky for us we took the sleeping wagon that for a travel like this is really good  (tips that I suggest for future volunteers in case you want to do long travel with the Train).
We arrive in the hotel really early and we choose to go travel around the area. We went to see the Bran castle that it is really a good place, touristic and  surrounded by natural landscape. After we went inside the castle to see how was the life in the court. The castle it really amazing and we had a lot of fun and we took a lot of pictures in the castle.
After we saw Bran castle we come back in Poiana Brasov in the Hotel Poiana Silver Mountain, to meet all the others participants and have the first meeting with all of them. We more than 70 volunteers in my opinion maybe too many to build connection with all of them but also interesting because there were a lot of stories to listen and adventure done from different people .

During the meeting we share each others our experience and the activities done until now with the children results and possible actions. In the end of the meeting I realize how much is important for me know go and have a University degree and I am more focus on what I want to do. I like to help and support, make people think and improve competences as problem solving.
Maybe that I can become a trainer till the end of this EVS will be difficult but, I am sure that I can improve my self and that one day I can become a trainer, which is committed to promoting knowledge, education and social inclusion.
In only few more months my experience will arrive to an end but as I always wrote I will do all my best do collect all the experience possible that this adventure is giving to me and I will  help and support all the people that will join to work to promote education. 

Labor Omnia Vincit

Memories of March - Time to be United

Flyer of the Event "Time to be United"

Between 16 and 24 March, the European Action Week Against Racism will be marked by activities all around Europe to combat racism and prejudice. Coordinated by "UNITED" for Intercultural Action, the pan-European network of anti racist NGOs, this annual campaign sees civil society groups, educational institutions and city governments come together to protest against racism and stand up for inclusive European societies. Together with Dominique we choose to develop a new big event in Resita, and we join in the idea of UNITED, because every single action can change the world and and we choose to take took part in the event "Time to be United". Together with my colleges Eleni, Sarah, Esra, Simon and Lucia we develop double ideas to have more influence on the community. The first idea was a "Walk and Talk" with interview around the city, and the second a NF (Non Formal) activities led in the association NevoParudimos on the 21 of March

Part 1 Walk and talk - Dissemination Campaign

The day was ideal for a "Walk and Talk" and we found a lot of volunteers that were interesting to join in our interview giving us a lot of opinions, it was funny and interesting

The activity was really funny and  also Dominique join in our activity around the city , it was a good moment we spent had a lot of fun, and we find interesting lightening the opinion of different people.

During the activity we took some video interview with local people to collect impression and opinions about "Racism" what is it for them and how they live it.

Volunteers and a citizen of Resita involved in the campaign

(from left to right - Lucia - Simon - Citizen - Michele - Eleni - Sarah)

Part 2 - Racism in the school - Activity in Nevo Parudimos

During the 21 of March we developed two activities with students of the University 'Eftmie Murgu of Resita' and students of the Colegiul-National Diaconovici-Tietz.

The activity stated with a big energizer in the yard of the University where we split the participants in two group. One that was coordinate by Eleni and Esra and the second from Sarah and me. In this activity we involve the students to discover and find solution on how to reduce  the racism incidents in the different schools or in other environment.

The activity was really good and also the students get fun, spending a different day based on inclusion and active participation.

In the end of the day we show also the video made with the help of Sarah that we record during the 18th of March.

I was really happy of the work  done and of the effort spent to develop such activities. 

My EVS is not over yet and I am sure that I will develop new activities based on Inclusion for the people of the community and collaboration between all of us.

Meeting at the SPA with the mentors!

Memories of March

Team Building in Baile Herculane

In the end of February, beginning of March the association, Nevo Parudimos, Invite all the volunteers to have a team building with the mentors in Baile Herculane.

We did a week-end  of activities and fun in the "Hotel Domogled". 

During the experience the staff members of the associations, Claudiu and Lilla, prepared activities of team building and problem solving to do with the mentors to discuss all together about obstacles and future adventures that we can face until the end of our experience.

Among all the activities that we did I think that two of them were really important one we the "Walk and Talk" that we did among volunteers and mentors in the city where we took also some pictures all together. 

And the other were the informal moments that we spent among volunteers in the pool of the restaurant.during our free time. Right now the EVS family in Resita is growing more and more and is difficult spent time all together, but thank to this experience we had really  a great time to have fun among us.

I really like also Baile Herculane, because is a thermal place where is possible to have bath also in natural spring. Before the end of my EVS I think that I will go there again maybe to chill out a bit 😉

My first travel 😄

Memories of  February

Discovering Sibiu

In the end of this wonderful winter, full of surprise, new adventures and new events I finally took some of my free days to discover together with a special person, the city of Sibiu. One of the most beautiful city that I saw until now in Romania.

View of the city from the Council Tower

The travel was a little bit long because there is not a direct communication between Resita and Sibiu and we start our trip from Timisoara. We spent around 6 hours and half of traveling, but the train was almost comfortable. 

We arrive in Sibiu during the night and unfortunately we were tired for the travels to go and have a walk in the city.

We book a residence Casa Hermanni, really close to the center to be able to move our self in the best way possible in the city.  The apartment was really good and also the owner was always available with suggestion and to help us to have a wonderful experience in the city. 

City Wall

During our visit a lot of building capture our attention and also them style really unique, different from other city in Romania, quite medieval in some part of the city.

With few knowledge about the city and it's history we start to travel around and take some random pictures.With a little bit of luck we found a police man that was interested to meet tourist especially in this time of the year. We had a good conversation and after he suggest us to go and visit the city from another point of view, a place a little bit upper from our potion, he suggest us to go and visit the Council Tower. 

Council Tower of Sibiu

To go upstairs we pay a ticket of 2 Lei per person, not expensive at all for the have a magic view. The view is amazing, we had really a great time and when we finish our journey we ask more information about other place to visit, museum, historical place and other tower is possible. The tourist guide suggest us to go also in the tower of the the big Church. We were surprise that was possible to climb it and the experience sound interesting, so we accept this feedback  and we went to the big church.

In my opinion the most wonderful view was from the the council tower but also from the Church's Tower is it possible to see all the city and also more because is in a position more higher that the previous one.

We were so focus to visit the city that after we choose also to try some original dishes from the region, because we are in Transylvania. We try also some restaurants from the city. The first one "Crama Sibiul Vechi"  following the feedback of Google Maps that lead us in this good place where the food was really good and also the place really typical.  The second one that I can suggest you is a restaurant in the "Piata Mic" little square called Lila's Restaurant. 

In the city is possible to go and eat in different place and taste a lot of original products based on traditional dishes of the Transylvania. I suggest to all the travelers to do not go in the first fast food that you find but to be more patience and try to find some traditional place.

I really enjoy my travel and I hope to be back in Sibiu to visit the city also during the summer, and to all the traversal I hope that you will enjoy the experience as I did. 

New Year, New Energy 😁!

Memories of January

Happy 😊  2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣9️⃣  🎉🎊🎉 !!!

I am sure that all of you get wonderful experience in this 2019, and I will be happy to listen all of you, but because you are here I would like to share with you how was this new year for me.

I spent my holidays with a wonderful person that I meet months ago in Timisoara. We traveled around and we took a little break in Sezged a city in Hungary near the edge with Romania. We,together with our friends went to have a little holiday in a SPA, for me was the first time and I get a lot of fun and happiness and yes I charge a little bit also my battery ;) .
The experience was really good, but I really enjoyed the architecture of the building and the street food that you can find during the Christmas. I think that Sezged is a wonderful place where I will come back a day.

After a lot of day without my colleges I start to miss them, how are they, what are they doing, how they are spending them holidays.... The first one that come back at home with me was Nathan that he was traveling for all the time, I know that if I need some good opinions to go somewhere I should ask to him. After few more day Lara come back and she found some troubles for the weather, she told to us about the temperature in Spain and that compare to Romania there is summer. The last  piece that is missing now is Enes that he found some trouble to come back in time but he will be again one of us soon :) I wish that he will come back soon I miss our little talks during the night between our language course and a movie .

The new year start with a lot of new things, activities in schools, soon will arrive new volunteers and who know the month is not over yet ;), for the moment I am enjoying the panorama of Resita and look how the snow is shaping it.

Sărbători fericite 🎊🎉🎊

Memories of December

It's Christmas time

After a month that has been full of emotions and initiatives both with the association and on a personal level, we are approaching Christmas, long awaited, and a great excuse to return home to review their friends and family.
For the first time I decided to spend Christmas away from my family, a really difficult choice if I have to be honest, not only because I miss the Christmas atmosphere of my small town (Pignola) but also because I miss my family. But life is made of opportunities and choices and for this year I decided to live this period full of joys with a new family, the one I'm building here in Romania, among my friends.

I decided to stay in Romania because I want to live as much as possible to experience abroad, discovering my limitations and what I can do for others, with the awareness of being able to increase my knowledge.
The Christmas season is really interesting, the city is covered by a veil of white snow that makes it even more magical this period and Christmas markets you can taste and enjoy unique and unforgettable flavors.

The magic certainly does not end here, in fact in the week Nevo Parudimos
celebrated 10 years of activity! La multi ani Nevo  🎊🎉🎊!
I owe a lot to the members who are part of this association, I'm not very good with gifts, but I will commit to give you a happy new year to all of you!

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year !!!

Wipe Out Hate!

Memories of November

Together against the discrimination 

As promised some time ago we collaborated once again with the municipal library of  Resita and with my dear friend Dominuque.
Together we made an event called "Wipe Out Hate" which featured the Municipal Library, the Nevo Parudimos Association and the Gimnaziale School n. 2 Resita. The event served to remind adults and teach the younger ones which are the values ​​that make us unique and not different and how we can be better citizens for tomorrow.


With the "Wipe Out Hate" event we created a workshop based on non-formal activities together with 20 young people from the Resita school.
The workshop allowed us to teach young people the difference between a Stereotype and a Prejudice and how they affect our daily lives and our actions especially towards what is different or new to us.
The event was not coincidentally realized on November 9th which is also the International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism and with the 80th anniversary of the Night of Crystals.

As promised to Dominque, immediately after the event "Nocturna Bibliotecilor" we are committed to creating a new non-formal activity, to train young people on what are the concepts related to social discrimination.
The activity was carried out by two of my colleagues Eleni and Nadia and I was very happy to collaborate with them, I like their energy during the activities and they are very diligent while they develop the activities.
They have prepared a PPT (PowerPoint Document) collecting phrases and stereotypes from friends scattered around the world, so you can help young people recognize what a stereotype is. Their commitment was really essential to carry out the activity.

It was really interesting to see how much information they got during the preparation and how they organized them to realize non-formal activity. The workshop was very interesting and we also received good feedback from the teachers who were present during the activity. I hope to be able to reaffirm other activities together with the local library and as we say in Italy "There are two without three" but I'm sure that this is also a stereotype ;)!

Before concluding this month I'm sure there will be some excellent updates, let's say that this month started in a totally unexpected, but really pleasant. I learned that there are very interesting conferences that are worth participating in.
I am sure that from now on the activities will become more and more interesting and I have many reasons for which to continue the path that I started which I do not intend to finish :) .....