Volunteers in EA World-Our Home
Last months of volunteers in Latvia
European Association „World-Our Home” hosted 4 volunteers in Rezekne, Latvia during the period from July 2019 – August 2020. First in July 2020 arrived Oleg Ignatenko from Russia, who participated in EVS project „Nations and Generations” Nr. 2018-2-LV02-KA125-002236. Oleg worked in Rezekne Pensioner Day Care center. He organized English lessons, chess classes for seniors and different activities, like Movie watching, presentations of Russia, etc. Oleg finishes his project at the end of June 2020.
What Oleg says about the project and the time spent in Latvia: The period of ESC was the period of gaining my own life style and my organic social circle. During the project I was becoming more and more independent from the circumstances of my life in Russia. The ESC helped me to learn more about my personality and my life.
Second volunteer who arrived to Latvia was Stefanie Meyer from Germany. She arrived in September 2019 and will go back at the end of July 2020. She participated in the new European Solidarity Corps project „Volunteers For Change” Nr. 2019-1-LV02-ESC11-002475. Stefanie worked in Kindergarten “Namiņš” in Rezekne. She helped to work with children, helped to the staff, organized different creative activities for children, walking in the garden, celebration of different national days in the Kindergarten and preparation for them.
What Stefanie says about the project and the time spent in Latvia: Since I came here to Latvia a lot has changed in my life including me. I met different people from different countries. We exchanged our cultures, feelings and experiences during this project. It taught me a lot about people and about myself and I gained more life experience.
If I am looking to the future, to my last two months it makes me feel sad. On the one hand I wanna stay on the other hand I became so interested by new experiences that I wanna go home to start my studies, as it is a new part of my life.
I will miss the people and the life in Latvia.
The third volunteer who arrived to Latvia was Bryann Horckmans from France. He arrived to Latvia at the end of September 2019 and will finish the project in August 2020. Bryann participated in EVS project „Jeunesse et Culture en Normandie” Nr. 2017-2-FR02-KA135-013384. Bryann worked in European Association „World-Our Home”. He helped to the staff of the organization, participated in our projects, helped to organize and implement them, managed the web sites for the projects and organization, Bryann also had idea about the youth exchange project which he wrote and we hope that we will be able to implement it in the reality.
What Bryann says about the project and the time spent in Latvia: I was really surprised when I arrived in Latvia, it was way different than France (of course) but now I am used to this new culture and to the locals. My EVS was mostly full of joy. Sometimes you have to face challenges that can take you down but you always manage to get through it. Doing so, I’m enjoying as much as I can my life here, with the ten other volunteers. I was not expecting to change this much when I arrived, you have to deal with people that are diametrically different from you. It can creates tension but at the end you are here, like everybody, far from your family and friends but you will find new ones, find a new “family” somehow and that will make the experience better than expected. Seeing the end of an EVS is making you realize how much you will miss these people.
The fourth volunteer was Joshua Guacaneme Sanchez from Spain who arrived in the middle of November 2019 and will finish his project in 15th of July 2020. Joshua already 4 years lives in Spain but he was born in Colombia. Joshua EVS project „Nations and Generations” Nr. 2018-2-LV02-KA125-002236. He worked in Rezekne Pensioner Day Care center. He organized Spanish lessons, Salsa lessons, and drawing lessons for seniors.
What Joshua says about the project and the time spent in Latvia: My experience in Latvia was special. This place has an vibe that hosts such a great feeling, it is peaceful, the air is fresh every morning, the water in the river is clear and the eyes of the locals are as deep as their culture. A big village or a small city it doesn’t matter when you adapt to the environment, to the local and to the weather. It was really enjoyable to work with and for the local community. The interactions with Latvian people has become way easier by the time, understanding the environment they grown, their social background etc… has given me a chance to learn a lot.
