Saturday, November 24th, 2012

My adventure as a volunteer

 Almost 9 months have passed since I arrived in a country new to me, alone, with only my suitcase and a fear of the unknown. I landed in the city of Vilnius. At that time I had no idea how much stuff I would experience. The trip was long, too many buses, trains, planes and bitter cold, my destination was a small town Viekšniai in Lithuania. There I waited for my mentor and my fellow volunteer. I do not know why I had a huge desire to mourn; everything was a bit gray and so different from other countries where I had previously been. The first few weeks, I must admit, were not easy, bad weather and little work made my nostalgia for Spain increasing every day, but soon that feeling gradually changed. We started working with Ventos Regioninis Parkas i.e. my project as an environmental educator in schools, participation in the organic farm, organizing various events in the area etc ... In addition, I attended various traditional festivals via which I get immersed into Lithuanian culture, at which point I realised that Lithuania has its own spirit, a very different culture from the rest of Europe, full of pagan traditions and legends that make you involve in a magical atmosphere. Then came the meeting with the other volunteers in the country, travelling, meeting new people ... Little by little I was adapting to a new environment, and whatever I liked. Soon came the summer, swimming in the river, picnics, bike outings, trips and countless hitchhiking ... hard to explain. Never until then had I lived in an atmosphere so quiet, I remember my friends were jealous that a people had to spend the summer with his old friends, but now I know what it is to live from the basics and not waste on things in the city seemingly so essential.

Right now, I am in my final weeks of volunteering over 8 months experience having been living here. I have experienced all kinds of sensations: first, distrust of adjusting to a different location, then euphoria and desire to know everything, then nostalgia for native memories of friends in Spain and finally mix of sadness and joy, because I know that it is end of another chapter in my life. But I want to turn back to see my family and start something new. Now it begins to stalk a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia, melancholy, the feeling of closing a new stage, this will end soon, and I will always remember the good times only because even the bad ones, are remembered with some affection.

At this time I have become much more tolerant and learned to deal better in a new environment, to lose the fear of public speaking, to bring new ideas, new projects, and all thanks to EVS.

Despite the difficult times that I have lived here, it became hard to have much free time and sometimes in a hostile environment. I can only point out the good things, because with all this I am taking a suitcase full of memories and wisdom. Here I leave some photos capturing part my volunteering.

   

Santiago-Pérez Berta Juárez