The month of adventures 3. On-arrival training in Bucharest - Romania 21/07/27/07/2019

Right after the youth project in Novi Sad, I went on a journey in Bucharest for my on-arrival training that took place on 21^st of July (Sunday) until 27^th July (Saturday). After the long and exhausting trip, I was placed at the Yesterdays Hotel for the rest of the days spent in Bucharest for the training.

Our program was led by 2 wonderful trainers called Eugenia Barbu and Luciana Popescu.

They were very friendly and professional with their work which made the sessions very interesting and amusing.

During our sessions, we learned a lot about what is Erasmus that gave us general image of the Erasmus+ Program and understand the philosophy of the program related to EVS projects, some problems that we might face during our EVS stage and how to cope with it, what is CIGNA insurance and how to create and use their profile for emergencies All expressed through visual presentations.

We were also very much involved during our course for example:

1. We were given the role of every partner involved in each step of the EVS project and the rights and responsibilities of the project implementation team. So each of us had a role of a volunteer, host organization, sending organization, mentor, NA.

2. We had to identify how different aspects of culture (intercultural aspects) have an impact on their learning experience in an EVS project.

3. We were taught about Romanian culture, history, geography, myths, civil society, social life, behaviors, mentalities, etc.

4. Through writing posters and letters of what do we expect to gain from our EVS project we were taught how to identify personal motivation and learning objectives connected to the activities that we had to do during our stage.

6. We had to share some aspects and facts about our countries in any way that we could do it creatively. For this with one more volunteer from North Macedonia, We did a presentation about our country and a fun quiz.

7. On the last day, we had to go through the city we had to do interviews regarding some facts about local life which was fun.

In the end, I can say that I had a wonderful time with the trainers and the volunteers, got the chance to explore Bucharest and meet some interesting local folks there. I also learned a lot of things that are useful for my EVS and can be useful for my future life.

I am really glad that I was a part of this training course.

The month of adventures part 2. So keres Europa? - Roma youth social forum 16/07-21/07/2019

So keres Europa? - Roma youth social forum 16/07-21/07/2019

So keres Europa was a youth exchange in which I took part with 70 other people from Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Slovak Republic, and Spain, organized by the Hungarian NGO called Phiren Amenica.

The youth exchange took place in Novi Sad Serbia.

The aim and the specific objectives of the project were to challenge stereotypes, racism, and antigypsyism about Roma.

My experience during the So Keres project in Novi Sad was the best from all the past experiences in short projects that I have been a part of up till now.

I was a part of the Art Team led by Joanna.

We expressed the problems that minorities are facing in Serbia and all around the world through art.

About the leaders from the So Keres project, I can say that they were very professional and managed to lead the activities without any problem. Also, we received a very interesting guided tour through the city with historical lessons about the old town of Novi Sad. Also, lessons bout the Roma community which were very helpful and fun.

About the leaders and the other volunteers for the project, I can say that in my experience they are the most heartwarming openminded and positive people that I have ever met. Always with a smile on their faces and positive vibrations. I felt so much joy during the project that it was sad for me to leave. But in the end, I met and befriended many interesting and fun people with which I spend a great time, and I hope that I'll meet them again in the future and be a part of the next So Keres event.

I would strongly suggest to everyone who wants to spend a wonderful week with wonderful and positive people and learn more about the history and Roma community and of course, dance, socialize with people from different countries and have fun.

Still in Resita. Meeting new people and seeing new places, volunteering and methods used 01/06-04/07/2019

This was a very interesting period for me, so interesting that I started to like Resita and my life in the city even more. That is so because all the wonderful new local people that I met and hung out with on a regular basis, the new place that I had the right to do my volunteering and because of the fact I became better at the job that I did in schools.

From this point, I realized how extremely friendly and wonderful Romanian people are, more than the people that I've met from all the countries that I've visited until the point I came to Romania.

My experience improved a lot when Nevo introduced me to my new mentor Lorena Myth.

She was one of the most wonderful persons that I have ever met in my life.

Since Lorena is an English teacher, she was regularly inviting me to a cafe for a chat that helped me a lot with my spoken English.

Also, she helped me with other things and took me for a picnic trip to ''3 Waters'' and other places.

At the end of the month, Lorena also took me to the Biker Festival near Resita in which I met a lot of interesting ''underground'' folks from all over Romania and other countries while listening to metal music and I was given free food and drinks from locals there all night.

Also, there were fun competitive games like throwing and pushing barrels with bikes.

About the volunteering activities, I went to the same places as last month plus a new place that I love until this day, and that is Semenic kindergarten.

It might be a bit difficult to work in a kindergarten, since it requires to be well prepared to have a successful lesson and that is so because we work with very young children who are constantly hyperactive and lose their interest quickly if one doesn't prepare a lot of engaging and amusing activities and be constantly active with them.

But the satisfaction from the fact that we were involved in educating children in the critical period of their lives when the pillars of their personalities are formed and if we can manage to get the attention from this group of children and the fact that ad the end we are the reason that they had a good time and most importantly learned something that they can use later in life is beyond measure.

Meanwhile, in the youth center, we had non-formal training sessions and how to manage activities organized by Nevo.

Schools and centers

Bocsa, Centru Personale Verstince (The elderly center), Trayan Lalescu, The Orphanage,Semenic Kindergarten

Methods and Techniques

Bocsa

In this school, we used methods that included a lot of physical movement. That means that we played a lot of games involved physicality and sports like football and basket.

Centru Personale Verstince (The elderly center)

In this center, the senior citizens have already in a very interesting program which involved fun and amusing physical activities every Monday and Wednesday. The activities helped them a lot with maintaining their motor functions and preventing arthritis.

They also had traditional Romanian dancing lessons and for breaks, they played board games. Our task was to include ourselves in their every-day activities and having fun with them.

Trayan Lalescu

In this school, our task is to entertained students after their class finished by doing a lot of energizers, memory games, games which involved learning English through having fun and drawing.

Centrul Speranta

With the lovely children of this place, we did a lot of non-formal activities that included a lot of energizers, games, sportive games like basketball, football, and tennis, also creative drawings with a theme and arts and crafts by creating jewelry from macaroni and pasta, board games like jungle speed- their favorite one and etc.

Semenic Kindergarten

With the lovely children from this kindergarten we had to prepare a lot of amusing activities which involved a lot of engagement and movement also using the English language for association to teach them some words. Also drawings and crafts.

Materials used

papers, pens, color pens, glue, tapes, balls, board games, pasta, spaghetti, ropes, nets stickers, plastic bottles, tongue depressors, playdoh  and etc.

Exploring the new surroundings, volunteering and methods used. 01/05-31/05/2019

During this month I experienced a lot of new things that one can only experience by being a part of a youth project.

In the first 2 weeks, we had the opportunity to be a part of a theatrical play with a theme for the European voting campaign.

Each of us was given an interesting role that was connected with the campaign, and we had to perform in three places in the city of Resita.

It was an interesting experience and also made me remember about the past which brought nostalgic feelings from the days when I was doing similar things.

After our performance, immediately we were scheduled to do our volunteering work in the places that we had the right to choose.

In the first week of volunteering, every volunteer had the right to go to the schools or centers and just to observe and get used to the new environment.

I was curious to see and be involved in the activities as much as possible in all of the places that were available in about that time.

First, I went to the elderly center and realized how wonderful and awesome senior citizens are.

We were exercising, learning dances and play board games with old folks in the elderly center which were pretty fun.

Then I've visited the orphanage, a place which I loved the most. The children there were very interesting, fun and full of love that they wanted to share. They were always happy when we were going there and wanted to hug a lot.

Also, they were willing and engaged with the activities that we were preparing for them.

The next remaining weeks of the month I visited The orphanage, ''Bocsa'', ''Mocur'',''Delul Mare'', ''Generala 2'' and'' Trayan Lalescu'' and ''the elderly center''.

On my free time, I was hanging around with volunteers in our apartments, having fun in Racing cafe where I met a lot of fun local folks,

partying during the gigs at Leger event cafe.

For recreation, I was hiking the nearby hill called ''Stema''. Which is a very interest place surrounded by wild forests in which you can even encounter wild animals like the Deer.

Also, I was going to the kickboxing classes provided by Nevo which were free for us volunteers and playing the acoustic guitar in the youth center.

About the schools, after-school centers, elderly centers and the orphanage + methods and techniques used for each of them.

Bocsa

In this school, we used methods that included a lot of physical movement. That means that we played a lot of games involved physicality and sports like football and basket.

Mocur

This is a school for Roma children located in an excluded part of the city which is meant to be a place only for the minorities.

In this school, we also did a non-formal education which involved a lot of amusing physical games.

Delul Mare

Literally meaning ''The Big Hill'' This school is located on a stip point in the city in which we had to walk uphill to reach the place. But once you reach the place you immediately realize that it was worth the effort for children there are very lovely and always happy to see us.

We also did non-formal educative activities with them which involved drawing, arts and crafts and origami.

Generala 2

It is a primary school but our task is to involve and entertain students after their class is finished. We do a lot of energizers, games which involved learning English through having fun and drawing.

Trayan Lalescu

This is also a primary school similar to Generala 2 in which we also entertained students after their class finished by doing a lot of energizers, memory games, games which involved learning English through having fun and drawing.

Centru Personale Verstince (The elderly center)

In this center, the senior citizens had already in a very interesting program which involved fun and amusing physical activities every Monday and Wednesday. The activities helped them a lot with maintaining their motor functions and preventing arthritis.

They also had traditional Romanian dancing lessons and for breaks, they played board games. Our task was to include ourselves in their every-day activities and having fun with them.

Centrul Speranta (The Orphanage)

With the lovely children of this place, we did a lot of non-formal activities that included a lot of energizers, games, sportive games like basketball, football, and tennis, also creative drawings with a theme and arts and crafts by creating jewelry from macaroni and pasta, board games like jungle speed- their favorite one and etc.

Materials used

papers, pens, color pens, glue, tapes, balls, board games, pasta, spaghetti, ropes, nets stickers, plastic bottles, and etc.

The Arrival 19/04-30/04/2019

When I arrived in the early morning on the 19th of April in the city Resita First of all I met Lilla and Daniel.

After having a small chat with them I was hosted in Daniel's apartment for a sleepover.

The other day I was guided to the apartment which was going to be my home for the rest of the days spend on the project in Resita.

On the weekend I met 2 volunteers that were in Resita in about that time and the rest of them were on private trips through Romania.

In the next week, since it was the Easter holidays, we were free from activities.

I went to explore the town of Resita but the only thing I experienced was the hauntingly empty streets. That was so because during the holidays people were going to other cities for having fun or meet family and friends. That gave me the notion that people were not so happy living in this town and that they use their free time to escape the small city of Resita.

But although an empty city, I didn't lose hope for Resita and my project immediately, for my '' do not judge too quickly'' attitude I decided to be patient, to wait and see what the future days will bring to my life.