Short-term volunteering in Portugal

Atis Krebss from Latvia recently returned from a short-term volunteering project, where he spent two months in Portugal. The European Association “World-Our Home” was his sending organisation.

Here is a small insight into how Atis’ project went:

“Recently, I returned from Portugal, where I spent two months participating in a European Solidarity Corps volunteering project. During the project, I worked in the small town of Barcelos, near Porto. Together with other volunteers, we supported local organisations – we worked in a soup kitchen, helped organise activities in several nursing homes and spent time with the seniors, as well as assisted charity organisations by sorting donated clothes and books. We also took part in a career event organised by the local university, where we talked to young people and youth workers about our work in Portugal and the opportunities to volunteer elsewhere in Europe.

In my opinion, the project took place in a great location because, by living in a small town, I was able to get to know Portuguese lifestyle and traditions more closely. Almost every weekend, the local residents gathered in the streets to sing together, play traditional instruments, and dance. The city council often organised events and concerts as well, making the streets and squares come alive. In my free time, I explored both Portugal’s historic medieval towns and the natural landscapes in the mountains and along the ocean coast. I was pleasantly surprised to see how diverse the scenery in Portugal can be.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to live and work with volunteers from other countries. I spent especially much time with young people from Turkey, so even though I was living in Portugal, I was also lucky to get to know the Turkish lifestyle and culture. After returning to Latvia, I feel that the time spent with volunteers of different ages and from various countries has taught me to be more empathetic and understanding. Now I can better understand how people who grew up in different cultures may perceive events in the world differently. However, regardless of our differences, the future looks much more hopeful when, through conversations and shared experiences, we come to understand each other and discover what we have in common.

A big thank you to both organisations that helped make this project possible – the European Association “World–Our Home” in Latvia and the “Intercultural Association for All” in Portugal. Wishing you the best of luck in creating new ideas!”