Dezember and no snow

Dear readers,

how serious it sounds :)
Dezember in Portugal came and everybody is preparing himself to christmas. The streets are full of christmas decorations, shops full of christmas promotions. But I have very difficult time with accepting that christmas are almost here, its too warm, now snow and so on...

I've just come back from 4 days long weekend at pretty Madeira. It was really nice to spend some time ine this garden durning warm, sunny days with good friends. I really didn't want to came back.
But you cannot escape your duties, and even the greatest holidays need to be ended. So I came back to work this week, I work alone because Carmen is helping with intercambio. I do not complain, of course not :) I can manage everything with no difficulties.

Bem dia,

Dezember almost here and getting up early in the morning became much harder :)
My daily life is very good organized now. Normal work in the morning with old ladies under my care, in the evenings intercultural lessson with children or office work.
My lessons goes quite well, we have only one problems. The grils just cannot stop talking..............

Llegó Noviembre y esto avanza rápido !!

Se me está pasando el tiempo volando !!!
Ya está aquí Noviembre y tenemos muchas actividades por delante: intercambios, visitas, actividades intergeneracionales, seminarios... y nuestro trabajo !!
Comenzamos ya a trabajar con los jóvenes en un programa de integración y educación sociocultural, y estamos muy contentas !! Está siendo muy gratificante.
Seguimos visitando a mi adorada Señora Isabel, y ahora visitamos a otra señora, Da. Ziza, que tiene un pequeño trastorno y necesita de compañía y ayuda... esperemos hacer lo correcto para con ella....
Además de todo eso, estamos trabajando en un proyecto para el programa Youth In Action, con el fin de presentarlo y que sea aprobado para que nuestra organización reciba más voluntarios en el futuro.
La semana pasada participamos en unas jornadas para el envejecimiento activo en las que nuestra organización colaboró dando la posibilidad al colectiivo senior de divertirse activamente jugando a la videoconsola Wii, y fue toda una expectación !! Os dejo unas fotillos !!

Seguiré contando mas experiencias en el proximo post !!
Un abrazo !!!

Mª Carmen Martín

End of october and autum arrival

Hello after almost one month,

but with all my regret it was no my and Carmen fault, that for such a long time we haven´t written anything.
Carmen had "a small accident" with very hot oil and she had to stay in bed this whole month. But I can write that now everything is alright, and this week is also her first week at work.

And about me lets start from the beginning:

1. Intercambio
One week in beautiful Oreiras (near the Lisbon, in front of the beach) with teams from Latvia, Cyprus, Italia, Croatia, Belgium, Espania and of course Portugal. Plus one beautiful Polish girl.
The topic of this intercambio were homeless people. We have lots of meetings with representatives of the various NGOs, which have been working for homeless.
We also spent one night with street teams on Lisbon´s streets and were helping them distribute food to homeless. That was really strong and emotional experience. I would have never thought that I will survive something like this. It is really difficult to describe this and all this people who came to us not pnçy for a food but mainly to speak, to ask about us, to speak about themselves.
To see photos from this day I invite to Facebook of NGO which I was:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.173982746017563.44739.100002175156557&type=3.
And at the finish of activities we have prepared a special action in Lisbon: flashmob and massages to collect the money for one of NGO  we had worked.
And one more thing, some of participants of intercambio slept one night on street. Volunteered, to feel how it is.
To see more I Invite to Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sWL19HZln_o

2. Donia Ziza
We have with Carmen a new ward, her name is Donia Ziza. She is pretty nice and she really like to speak a lot. Unfortunately she has some mental problems like obsessions about some things, so work with her is really difficult. She doesn´t want to agree for changes in her house and in the way she lives. She just can´t see that our proposals for changes are good for her. Well, we need to be really stubborn and don´t lose hope.

3. Loja Social
We started our project with kids. Now only first group, only girls, but very very noisy. I really like it, but I really want also to sew lips of some of them. I surived 2 classes with one group, tomorrow I will meet the second one.

And of course my usual work: Entrajuda, donia Isabel, donia Matilde. And normal spending of free time: Barrio Alto, old and new friends. And the weather change, this week the autum came with rain, lower temperature and cold wind. Of course its not a Poland, but I think my portuguese summer came to en end.

Best wishes to everyone
Gosia

Hello after the holidays

Hello everybody, today is my first day of work after my holidays. It was just a week, only seven days, it has passed so quick :(

It´s not that I don´t like my work, but spending your days busy doing nothin on beach with your friends makes everybody more lazy. And after that you don´t want to go back to work. Trust me I know that... I spent lovely week circulating between beach, monuments, parties and meetings with my friends ect.
And now a came back. I started my working life from visiting donia Matilde this morning. As always we talked, took a little walk, drank tea. And later the office and all paper work that has been accumulated durning my absence.

And tomorrow I am going to another Youth Exchange. The main topic of the intercambio are homless. I`m really looking forward to it, I LOVE intercambios. New place, new friends new challenges...

And one more thing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3w0F76Z98k&feature=share you can watch video about my and Carmen work. I hope you would like it. 

Gosia

Agosto está a punto de terminar

Hola gente !!! Soy Carmen !!! Cómo va todo ?!

El mes de Agosto ya está a punto de terminar y por fin todo va a volver a la normalidad. No obstante, Agosto ha tenido novedades : hemos recibido en casa a dos nuevos voluntarios ( ellos hacen otro proyecto diferente al nuestro ), una chica de Alemania y un chico de Letonia, son muy buenas personas, muy divertidos, y creo que vamos a aprender mucho unos de los otros. Ahora, Gosia y yo nos estamos dedicando a enseñarle la ciudad en todos sus ámbitos, como se dice en portugués : " é muito engraçado!! ".
Por otro lado, esta semana atrás, nos hemos dedicado a hacer trabajos de oficina: hemos organizado material promocional de las organizaciones, material informativo sobre salud, campañas sociales, etc; también hemos preparado unos gráficos estadísticos de un estudio hecho a nivel europeo sobre la sociedad senior, y hemos revisado un proyecto SVE para su posterior puesta en marcha. La verdad es que ha sido todo un poco diferente pero no por ello menos interesante, es bueno para nosotras porque seguimos aprendiendo con esto también.
También seguimos visitando a la Señora Isabel, tan adorable ella !!!
Por otro lado hemos recomenzado con el trabajo en el "Banco do bens doados" que ya abrieron de nuevo tras las vacaciones. Y estamos también inmersas en el proyecto intercultural con los jóvenes de Amadora.
Como veis, realmente estamos ocupadas y aprovechando el tiempo !!

Os voy a poner unas fotos de los niños con los que trabajamos, y de la Señora Isabel, para que la conozcáis !!

La semana que viene os voy a regalar un video de lo que estamos haciendo, para que disfrutéis como nosotras de esta experiencia !!

Besitos !!!

One week in office

Beijos para todos...

which means kisses for everyone. Of course for everyone, who reads this blog.
Carmen and I spent very busy week in office :)

There was lots of paper work:
1. Organising different kinds of promotional materials and flyers.
2. Organizing and counting the promotional materials of our organization: folders, pencils, pens, notepads, fliers, etc.
3. Preparation of research report: counting the questionnaires, preparing graphs and write comments and summaries.
4. Correction of an EVS project and write a summary.

And of course visiting Donia Isabel and went back to work at Entrajuda.
And so the week passed, normal working week.

But there have been some changes in our house. We have two new housemates: the girl from Germany and the boy from Latvia. They came for different project but they will live with us. I am very happy with that. The more people at house the more fun. So thanks to them I can now feel as older sister. Because I know everything, things like: where is supermarket, how to buy ticket, how to get to the beach, where go to the party, and I know the Lisbon. So now I'm like a big bag containing lots of practical information. But I don`t complain, I love to be oracle, although I know that's a bit conceited.

best wishes
Gosia

Agosto sigue su curso

Hola compañeros !!

Aquí Carmen !! Sin vacaciones pero disfrutando del trabajo !!

Gosia y yo estamos trabajando para comenzar en Septiembre un nuevo proyecto de integración sociocultural para jóvenes de entre 10 y 14 años. La idea es que estos jóvenes tengan conocimientos más generales sobre la cultura de su propio país, Portugal, y abran la mente a la cultura de otros países, ya que sus padres, inmigrantes normalmente africanos, inculcan sólo la cultura de la que proceden y estos jóvenes no son capaces de terminar de adaptarse a la sociedad donde realmente viven. Es por ello que vamos hacer actividades, tales como bailes, música, workshops, cocinar, incluso una obra de teatro, propias de nuestros propios países, España y Polonia, y propia de Portugal.
Es un proyecto respaldado por la responsable de ayuda social de la Freguesía de Damaia, pero cuya responsabilidad y decisión recae sobre nosotras dos. Es por ello que estoy muy motivada porque es algo que creo va a ser muy gratificante, al menos para mi.

Tengo ganas ya de que llegue Septiembre para comenzar con el proyecto y con las clases de informática para la tercera edad, y con los intercambios... Muchas cosas por hacer, pero muchas cosas con las que aprender y disfrutar !!

Hasta la semana que viene !!!

Still hot, so it`s still August.

Hey everyone,

next week past in sunny Portugal. Carmen and I are starting new project in September and slowly we are starting to prepare all necessary things. We will be working with children 10-14 years old. Twice afternoons for a week with two groups. The topic of each classes should be intercultural with special involving Poland, Portugal and Spain. Sounds interesting :)
We have big autonomy this time, we will choose all topics ourselves. Big work and responsibility but also great fun and satisfaction. I just cannot wait :)

Still also twice a week we are going with domestic visit to Donia Isabel. She is actually our only working place that does not have holidays in August. I am really enjoying time spending with her.

Best wishes to everyone
Gosia

Fotos de On Arrival Training en Almada

Hola !! Soy Carmen !!

Tal y como os prometí, voy a dejar algunas fotos. En esta ocasión son de la Formación a la Llegada, en Almada. Disfrutadlas !!

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It´s August

Hi,

August came and with it came big hot and ... holidays. Most places where I worked has been closed for the holiday period.
So now I visit still one of my senhor, Donia Isabel and on Friday I deal with a small group of children, playing with them exactly in the computer games.

And by the way, I visited Evora last Sunday, and on Friday one of the children wanted to get to a bathroom and damaged the door to there, when I was inside. For 15 minutes the whole office have attempted to get me out of it. Since I am writing this post now, it means that they have succeeded and I am a free man again.

best wishes
Gosia

On Arrival Training and... August Arrived !!

Hola !!! Soy Carmen !!!

Estoy recién llegada de la "Formación a la Llegada" del programa SVE, si, 3 meses después de mi llegada y del comienzo del proyecto... Pero he de decir que ha sido estupendo !! He conocido a gente estupenda, los formadores no podían ser mejores, he aprendido muchísimo, me he divertido, y además ha sido una inyección enorme de motivación !! Totalmente recomendable a todos los voluntarios !!!

Y después de esta semana, volvemos a la rutina diaria del trabajo, pero en este es de Agosto esa rutina es un poco extraña ya que casi todos los lugares en los que trabajamos están cerrados por vacaciones, así que estamos haciendo otras cosillas que no van a ser tan habituales pero que no por ello son menos interesantes...

Bueno, espero en la próxima entrada colocar algunas fotos para que vayais viendo todas nuestras experiencias !!

Saludos y Até a próssima !!! ;-)

On-arrival training... and one sad thing

Ola, sou Gosia...

I just came back from Almada (on other side of the Tejo river), where me and Carmen and others volunteers had our on-arrival training. This event is for all the volunteers who came to Portugal in about the same time. Its goal is to get some practical information about Portugal, meet other tours of Lisbon and Setubal region, we have learned the Portuguese dances, made cheese, visited castle and painted tiles. And everything in good companion.

Unfortunately, I am also had sad news. Because of financial reasons on 29.07.2011 ATL, where I worked with children, was closed forever. The kids lost their playground, and I lost my chance of seeing them. And attached to them over the past weeks. I believe closing the ATL is a big lost.

Grey Wolf : Youth Exchange in Lamego

Hello everyone who is reading this now...

Last week I´ve spent in Lamego at intercambio "BioWolfdiversity - Y.E 8-15 julho 2011". Many people, many photos, many really good memories and moments.
The main topic of the Y.E. was protection of wolves in Portugal and in other countries of Europe, represented by teams from Spain, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic and of course Poland. We spent one week in very beautiful city called Lamego, our days was full of different kinds activities such as: team-building games, exchanges information about wolves in our countries, organizing cultural evenings, visiting Lamego and preparing exhibition... And of course having fun together.

For me the biggest attraction were cultural evenings because it was the change it see how much I know or don`t know about other countries, taste some regional food, play some games and have a good time. Especially I recommend Romanian dances. They are very dynamic :) But the life-threatening dance is Viennese Waltz :)

Gosia

Youth Exchange in Lamego : The Wolf

Buenos Días !! Soy Carmen !!

Ya hacía tiempo que no escribía nada, pero es que hemos estado muy liadas de tiempo y ha habido ocasión para ello. Precisamente, una de las tareas ha sido la estancia durante una semana en Lamego con un intercambio intercultural entre jóvenes de otros países, hemos convivido portugueses, españoles, rumanos, polacos, austríacos y checos. El tema principal de este intercambio ha sido "El Lobo", un animal precioso y en peligro de extinción. Ha sido todo muy interesante porque, además de realizar actividades en torno a este animal, hemos tratado el tema de la mano de un experto en la matería, un biólogo profesor de la Universidad de Lisboa.
Por las noches hacíamos las noches interculturales de cada país en donde se exponían todo lo relevante a dicho país y probábamos su gastronomía más emblemática, y luego seguíamos con la convivencia entre todos.
Ha sido una semana muy interesante !!!

La próxima semana más !!

Saludos !!

Children, seniors, clothes...

Hello everyone,

this is Gosia. It´s almost 2 months since I first set my foot on Portuguese soil and my big adventure has been started.

Right now I working in three different fields, but I think a great variety is a big plus.
Filed one: Banco de Alimentos and sorting, counting, checking mainly clothes. The big plus of this work is meeting almost every time someone new, because the working hours of all volunteers are so variable that you never know who to meet.
Field two: children, children and more children. Two weeks on the beach, because its the beginning of holidays and children go everyday to have the fun on the beach. I have sand everywhere, I am completely washed in sea water and every minute is great.
Filed three: work with seniors. Till now I met two ladies who will be someone like my dependents, I think I can say. Both of them are very simpatic and I think we will be good friends.

Banco de Alimentos

Hola !! Carmen !!

Hoy voy a hablaros de mi trabajo en el "Banco de Alimente de la Organización Entrajuda". Entrejauda es una Omg muy grande que facilita recursos a aquellas personas y organizaciones que lo necesitan. Entre una de sus actividades estã el "Banco de Alimentos, o, de Bienes Dados" que no es más que un almacén donde se recogen todos los recursos donados ( ropa, comida, ordenadores, sillas, mesas, televisores, etc ) a la ong por empresas y particulares. La mayoría de personas que trabajan ahí son voluntarios, como es mi caso también. Mi función es la de organizar los productos por categoría ( si se trata de ropa, tengo que catalogar si es de bebés, de niño/a, de hombre, de mujer, si son zapatos, o complementos, así como las tallas de cada categoría; si es comida, hay que controlar, entre otras cosas la fecha de caducidad de los alimentos ), para después, preparar en cajas, de ahí en palés y luego enviar a sus destinos. El trabajo en equipo con el resto de personas de allí es muy gratificante porque siempre se aprende algo nuevo, además de que son todas unas personas muy cordiales.
Lo cierto es que es un trabajo diferente pero interesante. Me gusta mucho !!
Y vosotros qué pensais ??

Saludos !!

My second work started...

Days are passing by really fast when you are busy. And this week was very busy.

I started working with kids in the place of day care after school in Damaia. First day was really intensive. Everything was new for me and so was I for children. In first ten minutes I answer for the question: What´s your name?, maybe 30 times (some of the children keep asking many times), and they started to shouting my name many, many times and of course everybody wants to hold my hand, and I have only two of them :)

I started on Tuesday and till now I spent with them three days and it will be more. I am still a little confused because I still not understanding everything what children say and I don recognize all of them and I don´t remember their names. But I think for that I only need a little more time.

I am very happy because I love children. I think that kind of work is perfect for me.

Gosia

My first work

Today I vistited O Banco Alimentar de Lisboa and work there till afternoon. That´s the institution which takes care of charity gifts in the Lisbon area: acumulates them, counts and organizes, and sends to the institutions where they are needed.
I spent busy but nice time there, dealing with clothes, mostly jackets and pijamas.
It was great :)

And of course I have to mention about Saturday 4.06. It was the day of activity, day of event, day of cleaning. Together with other volunteers and my host organization we were cleaning the forest. Work wasn´t easy, but we were able to spent whole day at fresh air, with good company and of course, made something very useful. It´s really sad when you see how much people pollute environment. Maybe I am naive but I hope the day will come when it will change for better.

Mis primeros días

Hola !! Mi nombre es María Carmen, soy de España y en estos momentos está comenzando esta aventura !!
Llegué el 29 de Abril de 2001 a Lisboa, un viernes por la mañana, y durante ese día y el fin de semana completo me dediqué a organizar mi nueva vida en mi nueva casa con mis nuevos companeros para disfrutar en pleno de esta nueva experiencia. Llegamos el lunes a la Organización y fue un día de presentaciones y papeleos varios. Comenzamos esa semana con las clases de portugués, es totalmente necesario para poder convivir en la socidad lisboeta y poder comunicarme posteriormente con las personas con las que vamos a trabajar. Lo cierto es que estoy aprendiendo mucho, ya casi no me sale hablar en español !!
Yo, personalmente estoy muy contenta porque ya he podido participar en varias actividades: día del voluntariado, encuentro intercultural, y una conviviencia europea cuyo tema principal era el reciclaje y la concienciación para mantener el medio ambiente en buenas condiciones (pude convivir durante una semana con personas de varios países y puedo decir que ha sido una experiencia muy enriquecedora para mi).
En los próximos posts iré poniendo fotos de mis experiencias.
Saludos !!

Portugal: my first impression

Hello everyone,

my name is Gosia Szlapa and I came from Poland. I will be a volunteer in Portugal for nine months, working at CO(op)RAÇÃO (Cooperativa de Solidariedade Social, com sede na Amadora Social Co-op) based in Amadora.

Sending organization:
My sending organization is Semper Avanti Association from Wroclaw. Their are responsible for lots of cultural projects like organizing international meeting of youths, coordinating youth volunteer work, national and international, organizing cultural events, organizing educational trainings and seminars for youth and youth workers.

For more information I invite to website http://semperavanti.org/

Portugal: first impression
I arrived at Lisbon Airport on Saturday 30 april at 00:10. So the first thing I saw was the capital at night. For me everything was brand new, I have never been in Portugal before.
First impression great, I like city at night, especially its old part.
And right now, I still think Lisbon is lovely.

I spent my first month doing my portuguese course and doing all formal things and, of course meeting lots of new people and visiting Lisbon. And believe me I really enjoyed my classes, new friends and Lisbon.

I hope its just a beginning of my great portugal adventure :)

CARNAVAL em TORRE VEDRAS - 8 março 2011

CASAL POPULAR

Eu trabalho no Casal Popular da Damaia .
Nicolò

Eu trabalho com os idosos

A manhã ajuda-los para entrar no autocarro.

Depois do almoço, Jogamos as cartas...

a dominò

e temos aulas de música

Eu gosto muito de trabalhar na Casal Popular com idosos...è verdade!!!

MY SENDING ORGANISATION /ITALY - NICOLO'

Stranaidea is a noprofit organization that has been working in Turin since 1986. Sectors of interest and activities are social problem related to young people and assistance to disables. Stranaidea works at projects for the social inclusion of extraUE young people in the city of Turin; for preventing the use and abuse of drugs; for socialization activities and educational support to young people in the suburbs of the city of Turin; animation activities for children and young people. Relating to disable people, Stranaidea works for the education and riabilitation of disables; organises activities for the social introduction of disables in the city area in which they live, and has a social terapic center for dayly group activities.

Fin de semana!

This weekend was very productive one for all three volunteers. On Saturday and later on Sunday we enjoyed nice weather of Portugal. We went to one and million place of Lisbon that we have not visited there. Sunday we relaxed just laying and chattng near Praca de Comercia and then had very nice Turkish dinner with the Spanish Leonardos that are also working in Lisbon. Si senhor,  it is international town.
On Sunday all the museums are free so we saw the museums of Lisbon town and Gulbenkian. Both of them have so nice and amazing parks. With nice weather even in January it is not too hard to enjoy them. After museums we went on to park of Eduardo the IV and had small tournament of badminton there. Today some muscles are hurting but we will go to do that as often as possible. Doing sport is cool!Maybe soon we start running as well.. Hopefully!
After sports we felt so hungry, satin metro and went out in any random stop. Rato sounded funny so why not t go out in Rato. This place has nothing for a tourist eye but it was kinda cozy and cute. And it had a nice and more importantly cheap restaurant where we ate Salmao grelhado and carne alantejana. Yammy!!!! We came back home and felt hungry again, why not to try to prepare Portuguese puding while drinking the amazing Italian coffee. That is what I call a good way to finish the night.

The super volunteers!