What is EVS? Kaj je EVS?

European Voluntary Service is a program made by European Union, a part of the program Youth In Action.

It is offert the possibility to a young person from 18 to 30 years old to go abroad and to work on
one project.

It is possible to go to European country but also countries partners with the program.

The project can be for one, two, six months or a year.

The volunteer get free insurance, travel cost, food, accomodation and pocket money.

At the end of the project, the volunteer write the Youthpass, certificate which attest the informal learning.

For more informations, visit this website :

http://www.evs.si

November 2008

I decided to do EVS, to make a break in my life, to discover a new country, to learn about a new culture and to realize if the life abroad is made for me.

I was so exciting to leave my own culture and to travel to a new adventure!!!

On November, to the pre-departure training in France. We talked about our expectations, objectifs, fears, doubt, cultur's choc and technic's subjects as insurance and money.
18 youngs, future international volunteers in destination to : Germany, England, Azerbaidjan, Kosovo, Italie, Espagne, Israel, Bosnia, Bulgaria, lituania... between 6 months to a year.







One evening of November 2008 in the airport Brnik, my mentor, Sabina and my coordinator, Nevenka welcomed me with a big hug and smile.

It was the begining of a new page......

December 2008

The time was running so fast and already one month at Ptuj....

I had time to discover Ptuj, to eat some slovenian specialities, to learn fiew slovene sentences (ne razumen slovensko!), to meet people and to go to the on-arrival training!

This training is the possibility to meet all new volunteers in Slovenia but also to talk about our first feeling. The training took place at Pliskovica near Sežanna, luckily, we had a visit of the village and a tasting of honey and wine.
At the end of the week, Movit and National Agency organised a dinner at Osmica, they invited all volunteers from Slovenia but also the next Slovenian volunteer, hosting and sending organisation.
It was nice time together, this mix of cultur!!

http://www.vimeo.com/2762799

Video from this dinner.

During Veseli December, I helped for the make up. It is so funny, all this exhibitions, costums organised for the children.

I felt strange to be away of home for Christmas but it was before I knew what I going to live for the Christmas holidays!

Christmas was amazing! I spent it with my new firends from Portugal, Spain and Makedonia. We ate tortillas (Spanish speciality) quiche (French speciality) and Slovene wine!!, nothing in relation with the tipical Chritmas meal!!
We felt good to do not be alone in this family time.
We celebrated New Year at Zagreb, one step in Croatia and the ears opened to understand this Slovenia-Croatia clash...
In spite of the cold, the new year's night was amazing, under pyrotechnic work and wished luck for the year 2009!!

Veliko screčno 2009 za vse!!!!

January 2009

Two months in Slovenia, I continue to discover this evs life.
It takes time to find a place and to organiz my project and work.

February 2009

This month started French courses and ...... Kurentovanje!!

Already in December, inhabitants talked about it and I understood now after to see one!

I was glad to live in the city where the biggest Slovenian carnaval happen! Amazing to see differents parades, costums and so many people in the street!! Kurent masks were the most surprising. I had possibility to visit the familial factory of Kurent, we had explanation about its history, how it is make, which materials and luckily we could dressed a hat! The Kurent's hat put on the head I felt so strange, it is heavy and stifling. I could not keep it on more than 5 minutes!!
Bravous are the people who wear this costum during the parade!

*Kurent made by Sonček*

I participated to otročka maškarada as make up artist and as a clown. I realized how carnaval is important for Slovenian. I am quite sure you already think/know your next costum for 2010!Right?

The best I saw from the carnaval, was the cloture!! So funny how the city stop to work and everybody meet in the bars, dance, drinck, get drunck.... Everythink you need to obtain a nice headache! Boli me glava!!!

During winter holidays, we organised activities for children : creation of masks, make up, games, pearls, ping-pong tournament and 5 senses game.
2 volunteers, Dora Lenart and Alen Kranj , helped me during this week. It was nice to work together.
It is really interesting to observ children who try to find a communication's way with me.
Some of them, are not affraid at this difference (our nationality) and try some words in English or by mime and some are really shy even when I try to express myself in Slovene (velika katastrofa seveda!!!)

I think, till you are free and open your heart to the kids, you can have very good time even if you do not speak the language.

March 2009

In March, I moved to dijaški dom. Time again of adapation and discovery of an another way of living.
But also time for fun! With the children from this home, we played together during evening, baked a cake, they teached me Slovene (they were my hardest teachers!!!) and we created a choregraphy for the final day's school.
We really have fun together.

I started also activities with the center Sonček who help handicaped people to rehabilitation. We had different manuals workshops. I really liked to be in contact with them. They welcomed me with so so big heart and they are so curious about French's life. By their contact, I learnt a lot about relation and what it is important in the life.
Meeting and experience I can not forget.

The center socialno delo, invited me to participate to their camp happened near the Austrian border. This place is wonderfull... Different activities took place : games in relation with the 5 senses, manual activities, sport.
This camp is very good for the youth, they learnt about themselves and they improved their self confidence.

April 2009

The first of April, in France, we put paper's fish in the back of people (ask Sabina!), it is a joke, a way to have fun when we were younger.



During this month, my friends working in Slovenska Filantropija and I pat in place hairdress workshop for assylum seekers. People are from different countries as Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Azerbaidjan...
All are waiting the status of refugee from Slovenian Republic which only gave this year 10 places.



One of our EVS friend organised with his organisation a tournament against discrimination.
Because, in the world is till no respect for the difference of colours, origin, sexuality...

We had an EVS team! All from the team did our best, but it was not enough!!! We finished one step before the last but it is not the most important : rdčni karton discriminacija.

April = Velika Noč = čokolada!!!

With my French friends, we decided to made a French Easter! We hide chocolate in one park and our friends from Germany, Spain and Portugal (first time for them! Intercultural learning!) had to find them! So sweet moment!

In April happened the Festival of voluntary work. I took part to the festival at Maribor. We introduced EVS to other and explained our motivation. Youngs people look more and more interess to go abroad.

In CID, we also had a meeting, to talk about our various view of voluntary work. I am surprised to see so much youngs people participated to a voluntary work. In France, I do not have the feeling that is so famous as in Slovenia.