Our evs at Inex Slovakia

by Roberta and Olga

Hello!

I am Olga. I am from Ukraine. Two months ago I went to Slovakia to do my EVS. Slovakia is very beautiful country and people are vey friendly here. I like everything here. I am happy to have friend, Roberta. Our work is very interesting for us. Also we are travelling a lot. We visited castle Cervený Kameň, national park “Mala Fatra”, Terchova, Wien. I am looking forward for my first camp in Slovakia in summer.

Olga

 

Hello everybody!

I'm Roberta from the sunny south of Italy and I'm a new EVS volunteer at INEX, togheter with Olga from Ukraine! I will keep on this little diary for a whole year and I will share with you my great experience as a volunteer here in Slovakia, which started the 1st of February.

Some of you will surely wonder why did I choose INEX for my evs... the answer is very simple: because this work is great! I was very impressed by the huge variety of possibilities that working with INEX would have given to me and I immediately decided to apply for this evs project "Open your eyes". Moreover I was very curious to know a new country like Slovakia, which I've never visited before, and to learn Slovak language.

So, what did I do during the first two months? (Oh my God, two months have already passed so quikly!!)

Roberta

 

February

Preparation of our project in Youth in Action programme

 

Togheter with my mate Olga (moja kamaratka :) ), we wrote a project! And it was one of the most important part of our evs, since it was the very first time for us.

Thanks to Inex staff help, we went trough each part of the application form of action 1.1, "Youth exchanges".

The idea is to involve 20 youngsters from 4 different countries in a 9-days long week in the middle of Slovak nature, in the "Slovensky raj", during which they will be in a strict contact with an uncontaminated environment and will learn about eco-lifestyle. Sure they will have fun and an intercultural experience! :)

Roberta

 

Fun in Terchova

8-12 March

We (me and Roby) participated to our onarrivial training in Terchova. There were 18 guys, EVS volonteers from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Azeibardzan, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Skotland, Czech republic. We were so happy to meet them in Slovakia. During the training we visited the national park „Mala Fatra“, whose beautiful nature impresed us a lot,  motherland of Juraj Janoshik and his museum. Training was full of useful information, games, activites. In particular I liked most „EVS: A Year of my life“, during which we imagined our future EVS.

We all were so different, but now we have a common point -  we are one big EVS family na Slovensku!

Olga

 

 

18-20 of March

INEX training for leaders

One of my best moment in Slovakia was Inex training for leaders.

In a very dinamic and unusual way, with some of the "veterans" of Inex volunteers we discussed a very important topic: how to become a leader for a workcamp?

Obviously it's not easy and there's not an exact recipe for it, especially as regards the relationship with volunteers, but finally you should try to find an equilibrium between friendship and "authority". :)

Then, the leader is a reference point, a guide, someone who is the "glue" of the group and motivate people to keep the work or to spend good time togheter. He should help you in every moment, be your friend and, if necessary, solve unaspected problems or conflicts.

Aside this, the leader has got some technical responsability like managing the budget, communicating with different people (local partner, Inex, media and volunteers), preparing infosheet about the camp for the volunteers and planning the activities.

Of course, learning how to lead a workcamp also help you to get new skills, to improve your self-confidence and to comprehend how to relate to various people.

Now, we are waiting for the second part of the training that will take place in May... i'm really looking forward!

Thank you Inex!

 Roberta

 

Mexican presentation 

24.03.2011

It was my favourite tea-meeting at Inex, which was organised by Lenka,one of our volonteers. She spent one month in Mexico as a campleader. She was very glad to share with us her impressions and experience after her extraordinary trip. During her story we had the opportunity to open this exotic country for ourselves, to know lot of new and unusal things. Photos and videos were amazing and colorful. Local life, mexican people,  great historical heritage, misterious historical monuments – everything was very impressive!  Lenka prepared some surprises for us -  she brought some tipical mexican drinks and food. Everybody enjoyed a lot her presentation

Travelling - is always an adventure. Let’s travel around the world as a volonteer!!!!

Don’t loose your chance!

Olga

 

 

Visit to Integra

1st of April

What a nice pleasure today to celebrate the 1st of April with all Inex staff!

But you are never expected to do something common and ordinary when you work at Inex, and to confirm this we went to bring smile and funny moments to the disable people of Integra.

And you always learn from Inex activities, or you just try to do something that you never did before, like having a little party with disable people and making them happy. This is also a way to overcome our limits and destroy barriers or stereotypes, and find out how well you feel after having brought some good moments to them with very simple actions...let's paint a red nose, take a funny photo and get an award!

Always time for learnig and improving our lives, even when you don't imagine to do it! :)

Roberta

 

April

I felt vey useful to help our volunteers who were coming to the office to choose their first workcamp! Moreover we uploaded lots of new workcamps on our website so that our numerous volunteers can decide among a huge variety of possibilities.

Roberta 

Youth Exchange in Sardinia

17-29 april

I was so happy to participate to the Youth Exchange with environmental thematic „Grounding your future“ togheter with participants from Italy, Belgium, France, Slovakia. The project took place in a beautiful Italian island, Sardinia. Our group was formed by 5 participants:  Michal Gorny, Jožef Misik, Michal Janošik, Mišo Kuročka, Olga Iermachkova and leader – Roman Gavuliak. During this program we visited Olive Factory which polluted environment a lot, and finally a natural park with  pink flamingoes, to show the contrast between industrial and natural environment. Another part of the programme consisted in drawing an environmental „murales“ which everybody enjoyed. Intercultural part was also included in the schedule. A national evening was organised by Slovak team, who prepared „brynzovy halušky“ and special progamme with surprises. Exotic nature, strong wind, shining sun and blue sea were amazing.  Hospitable sardinian people,  local traditions, food, songs, dances  were so perfect and  impressive. I think all the participants will remember this event for their life.

Olga

 

18/26 of April

April is aso time for Easter holydays. After three months I came back to Italy and met my family and friends. I had a great time with them. My family was especially happy to know that I'm learning a new language, that is very difficult for an Italian person, and to listen to all the useful experience that i'm doing. I love this work and the people I'm meeting here in Slovakia, because they are glad to teach me something. And it's very difficult to find people who are patient and interested in let you learn something useful for your future! So after telling all my work to my family I had the time for a small trip to London with my friends. I enjoyed great weather and the english atmosphere! Finally I came back to Bratislava full of energies and ready to coninue this adventure!

Roberta

 

Scandinavian adventures 6-9 May

What to do if 2 EVS volonteers Olga and Roberta can't follow a quiet style of life! They are always looking for crazy trips and adventures.

This trip was our dream, our scandinavian fairytale. Everyone of us dreamt about countries of vikings, deer and fjords!!! Belive it! Everything is possible!

Finally everything was ready and we went to this spontanous trip. We started in Norway. During the first day we discovered Oslo, beautiful capital. That day the town was very crowded and active, the inhabitants were celebrating the Day of Constitution. The seaside was full of activites and competitions. Walking through the main streets, we found a wonderful Market which impressed us a lot. There we tried tipical food and drinks. Cute, cute Oslo!

Lets continue... By night bus we went to Sweden, to the gorgeous royal Stockholm. Architecture, buildings are incredible. City Hall, Gamla Stan, Modern Museum,  Royal Bridges are fantastic. Walking across Stochkolm's islands is a real pleasure. It was  scandinavian fairytale for Roberta and Olga!

Dreams come true!

 

16/20 of May

The Europear Volunteering Caravan

Kosice, Presov, Zilina, Nitra, Komarno: the stages of our exciting Caravan through all Slovakia, togheter with other no-profit associations and coordinated by the Slovak National Agency of Youth in Action.Thanks to this initiative we had the opportunity to spread Inex activities, to let people know all our job.Actually each association had a special location for showing its material and information. Furthermore this caravan was a window on volunteering work and philosophy. Many people didn't know enough about this world, made of people who are not working for profit, but for the pleasure to do something good for less fortunate people or for the environment, and so on. Our Inex staff created a funny quiz, and thanks to it, people who visited our stand could learn some interesting things about volunteering and Inex history. Those who answered our quiz, won a special Inex gadget!

 

 

 

 

20-22 of May

Training in Berlin: how to create a workshop

 

Here you go to another of our interesting activities! This time it was organized by Sci Germany, one of the numerous Inex’ partners.

Backpack on shoulders and ready to go!

In the program some important information about the role of the “facilitator”, the “target group”, the environment and the schedule, were meant to give us some basic instruments to build a good workshop.

We had even the chance to experiment our skills, as we made our own session: the barometer. This is a special “game” in which participants can express their opinion on a subject just moving through a line that represents different attitudes (agree, disagree or no opinion). According to the position, the facilitator can have an entire view of participants’ opinion, and can start the discussion about it.

Two days of full immersion in this stimulating subjects and let’s go back to Bratislava, but our backpack was this time full of new experiences and skills!

 

Mid-term training in Spana Dolina 24-27 May

We looked forward  to this occasion and it happened. Lovely mountain village.. Our great EVS  team. Time came to make the first conclusion of our evs.

We talked about our project : work, personal time, travellings, integration into local community. Me and Roberta represented our "Open your eyes" together. In the evening we had international party for which trainers divided us into the groups. Songs, dances, games and atmosphere were amazing. During the training we also went hiking to Low Tatry. Weather was perfect for this.

Last evening we spend near the fire, here we shared our best EVS moments and plans for future. Finally we also got information about Youth Pass.

We  didn’t say "Goodbye " , we said " See you soon " to our EVS friends!

 

Olga

 

Roberta

27-29 of May

Demo-camp in Banska Stiavica

 

Finally, after waiting so much, our second training for leaders!

In the suggestive atmosphere of Banska Stiavica, Inex prepared for us a simulation of workcamp…with unusual situations! In fact, Roman had the task to create artificially some situations (giving to some people some special tasks, or asking them to behave in a different way – angry, disobedient etc.). The end of the working hours were followed by discussion and reflection about this special situations which could really happen during our real workcamp.

A big part of the training was especially dedicated to the first aid. Actually leaders should be ready to act in a proper way in case of some accidents involving the participants.

After that, the training was full of motivating simulations, role games and, by the way, an exciting night game!

And now, I’m just waiting for the next important step…my workcamp!

 

Roberta

1^st of June

Evs discussion at MOST event in Bratislava

 

Evs volunteers from all Slovakia participated to this event!

It was an interview to each volunteer meant to spread the idea of evs, and to let people know about the many projects taking place in Slovakia, and that are involving lot of young people from all Europe (but even from other countries). The Slovak National Agency was also represented thanks to the participation of the person responsible for evs projects.

Moreover, during the day it was possible to visit a photographic exhibition on evs volunteers from the last year. So, “old” and “new” generation of evs volunteers could meet in an unusual way!

 

Roberta

 

10-12 of June

Visit to Stratena

 

Three nice girls went to the middle of the wild Slovak paradise during that weekend.

Olga, Virginia (one of our new evs volunteers, the Inex messenger!) and me decided to visit Stratena and its wonderful paths.

The reason for this trip was to explore personally the place where we are going to realize our youth exchange “Discovering the five elements”. That’s why we tried to find the most beautiful places which could be associated to each of our five elements (air, earth, water, fire and culture).

I’m not going to tell you every detail since I want everything will be a surprise for our participants to the youth exchange… I just want to anticipate that for me it was a real adventure, worthy to be filmed for a movie!!

See you in Stratena

 

“Naša Bratislava”  17-18 June

I was very happy to participate to this event. Unfortunately we don’t have such kind of activities in my native town.  I think that Bratislava made this perfectly.

17 of June Inex and people from several firms went to DSS Integra where we organised a Fairytale for clients. Lot of heroes, colorful costumes, smiles, interesting activites made funny and happy the clients of the centre.  They met lot of  fairytale's  characters  and did their various tasks for renewing  the Fantastic Kingdom. At the and of performance everyone listened to some songs played by gitara.

18 of June Inex went to children garden in Petrzalka. People from different organisations and parents came too. Together  we made children garden more colorful and light. I hope children will enjoy walls with air-ballons and nice pictures.

Grow up Bratislava!

 

Olga

Black castle  camp  3-16 July 2011

            This year camp black castle got a record quantity of  participants – 15 guys. They came from South Korea, Canada, Mexiko, France, Spain, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Chech , Poland. For most of them it was first camp, first experience. Unfortunatly first days weather was quite rainy at the beggining. This time we used for games, which helped us got know each other. They went from different countries but Black castle camp made them friends for all life.

 About work. Thanks local partners and archeologists work was organised very good. Various tasks, kinds of work! Lot of participants really enjoyed their first steps in archeological work.

About leasure. Every evening we had presentations of countries where participants showed his/her country (posters, pictures, food, presents, dances, songs). French songs, russian dances, korean jokes, mexican tekila...participants will remind with smile! For weekend our group went to Banska Stiavnica. We spent great time here - disco in the evening, swimming in the lake, excursions in this wonderful town. Also once we went to Zlate Moravce where we play bowlling and billard.

About group. Such a friendly group I didnt have before. Everywhere always together, always support each other. For me it was the biggest happiness to see group like this.

About leader. I was happy to lead camp with Yuliya. She can arrange and manage everything. Her experience and skills helped a lot.

About locals. We had football match against local team. Score 5:5 was good for both teams. Our participants prepared party for locals "Hody cultur" where presented national dishes. French  pancakes, spanish tortilla, finish cake, mexican food, russian main dish, korean hot dish and ect. were tasty and delisious.

 I like Black  castle camp a lot. I was glad to be a leader in this camp.

 Bye camp!

Olga

 

24-25 of June

Rudava Festival

 

Inex doesn’t have any barriers to the meeting with people and youngsters!

That’s why we didn’t miss Rudava Festival in order to promote our association and spread again the idea of volunteering.

Many students and young people were interested in knowing more about workcamps and evs.

Roberta

 

10-23 of July

Workcamp Nezabudka in Ivanka prii Dunaj

 

After the trainings for becoming leader, I was finally ready to lead my workcamp! I choose to lead a camp with children, in which volunteers had to teach them a little bit of English. I’ve already worked with children and I loved this idea.

Volunteers were perfect, very active and tried to play various funny games with children, to teach them national dances and songs.

The children had an imaginary travel from Bratislava to New York. Every day they had to travel to a different city and discover things about this city. We spent time with them from 8.00 until 16.00.

Every week we had a feast of culture, a great party with children and their families, during which you could taste national food cooked by all the volunteers and participate to a presentation of all the countries involved!

Finally, in the free time I enjoyed explaining things and curiosities about Bratislava and Devin to my volunteers. I let them to be involved in Slovak culture, through Slovak food as well!

It was a great experience. I felt part of my group even if I was responsible for the organization and logistic of the workcamp. So I was leader without being authoritative and far from the spirit of my volunteers… and it was just perfect!

I would like to thank Inex for having given me this possibility and my co-leader Mirka…she was always helpful and we were a great team together!

Now I’m looking forward to leading my youth exchange with Olga, it will be another big challenge for me! But I’m ready to gooooo!!

 

      Diary of Youth Exchange „Discovering the 5 elements“

ARRIVAL DAY

 Fortunatly several national groups came at lunch time to Bratislava. For them was organised a game „Ahoj Bratislava“ with a different interesting tasks and questions, for example: find monuments in city centre or ask locals about meanings of words.Eventually for dinner all teams were together and we started our ice-breaking games, getting to know each other, discussion of future plans and ect.

  WELCOME to Slovak Paradise

After trip by train from Bratislava we arrived to Stratena. Wonderful mountains, fresh air, comfortable accomodation and tasty food were waiting for us. After lunch and rest we started our name games, rulles, agenda. Slovak girls prepared lot of surprises for national  evening: tipical food, presentation of country, national clothes, songs, flag, presents. Participants were impresed and happy.

   FIRE DAY

  Fire is a powerfull element that can unite and help, but if its misthreated than it can destroy everything to cinder.Today was the first day in stratena when we went outsidethe accomodation. This was the fire day. The day started with the breakfast and then the Latvian team provided everyone with gaes to wake up. We went for the hiking in the forest. No river, broken trees, high bridges and unsafe ladders or  wild animal tracks culd make someone stop until we had reached our destination. At the destination everyonr had a guick rest and a little photoshoot. After the break, our leaders offered us an interesting game connected with fire. They read metaphors about fire and we had to chose if we agree, disagree or if we dont have an opinion. The discussions were very interesting, a lot of people told their point of view, some even their opinion. It was a very useful activity.Later everyone made the same path back, some full of energy, some tired, but everyoe in a good mood. After everyone was back, we had a rest, after which we had an amazing lunch.Later on we had some games to play with the ball. Everyone had fun with both games, but after a while we had our workshop.We did candlestick, piggy-bang, pencil holder. Everyone splited in teama and each team made the idea they liked the most. The result was amazing- from plastic bottles werre created usefull pieces of art. Then every team presented their work. The winners were two italian guys with their piggy-bank „Jony“ and their funny presentation. After the workshop national teams had evaluation of the day. So that all the national team leaders with both Youth exchange leaders can discuss how to improve rest of the days. Than it was  dinner time. After the dinner and the leader meeting, Latvian team presented their country. First we showed a video from Latvia. Then it was time to go outside where bonfire waited for us. Latvians started to tell about their national summer festival Ligo. Then it was time for food from our country. While everyone had a snack, it was time for Latvian songs and some even joined in the chorus. Then we introduced them with a traditional Latvian dance. Everyone had a laugh during the dance and it was time for the most exciting part of Latvian summer festival – jumping over the bonfire. Some brave ones started and later others joined. With every jump they made a wish in hopes that it will come true!The national latvian evening ended with some chatting, those where tired , went to bed, but othersplayed sharades. Everyone had a lot of fun. After few hours it was time to go to bed and time to stp the fire. Moments after the fire went out another ligth lightened us – moonlight.Latvian national day was over, everyone looked pleased and happy. Tired, but with a smile on their faces, participants went to bed, waiting for next „element day“.

 EARTH DAY

  We started the day with breakfast foloowed by energizer like usial. As it was the Belgian day too, we played at some famous Belgian games such as bouche-bouches, Eper vier and Petit Poisson Rouge. After getting some energy, we headed to the bus to go to ICE CAVE, the second ice cave in the world with electricity. Aftereading all the boards on the path to the cave, we eventually started the visit. It was supposed to be minus something but it wasnt as cold as expected... probably because it is summer. Two Latvians and one Italian were even only wearing t-shirt!

 The cave was spectacular! Really impressive! After the visit , we had 15 minutes break so we ate a cereal snack. At about, 13 pm we started to hike to cpme back to the base in Stratena. It was a long and difficult path with lot of steep hills and big rocks. It was even dangerous sometimes, therefore people decided to help the ones who were scared..team work! An occasion to get to know people better, be closer. When I think about that it was very nice but at the moment it was hard to be responsible for 2 or 3 people. It took us much more time than expected, more than 2 hours to go back and get the lunch, because we were starving. After a good lunch and a break , we started energizer and workshop. The workshop of the day was very interesting, it was about soil, fauna and flora. We were devided in 3 groups and we hadone of above subjects to talk about, explaining how it wa in the past, present, future. I think the most interesting was the present and the future...for example to discover that a country like Latvia was much more couscions than Belgium, surprising! It was nice to think about what  we could do in the future. After that , we had a workshop/presentation about volonteering with Virginia, a Spanish girl, doing a short-therm EVS in INEX. We had to say and write what volonteering means for us: help the others, do something good, give something and get something. After the volonteering workshop w had dinner, followed by the Belgian evening after a break. The basic idea was to lay famous game called „Werewolf“ with Belgian characters. As almost nobody understood we decided to play with the normal cards. During the game we ate Belgian sweets such as Speculoos and Belgian chocolate that we brought. We eventually enjoyed plaing the game... It was really 11 pm when the game stopped so we went to bed.

CULTURE DAY

 The day started very early. We did a trip by bus to high Tatras, the most beautiful mountains in Slovakia. We visited a very lovely small town, Stary Smokovec, with beautiful builts, and somebody of us did shopping. We did hiking to the top of hill where we took marvelous photos and come back to Poprad, after to Stratena.

Whe we came to Stratena we id activity about „Tanabata action“, a project ws born in Japanin 2008. We had to write on a paper three good things that we usually do to respect the environment. After this we did a very funny activity...we were divided in thee groups of the five people that had to paint with only one brush. It was difficult but very amazing. Another very interesting game was team-building „The net“. We had to tansport each other throught a „net“ . The members of all group had to cooperate to obtain this result. Somebody was fear to be transport by others participants, but after his/her improve sense of faith and security. The finally activity was an amazing „Quiz“. We were divided in 3 groups. We dicided the name of the groups: „Mozzarella“, „Cupido“, and „Nomazi“. The aim of the game was to answer to cultural questions about famous people, geography, stereotypes, „secret“ category and collect the most possible points. Numazi team won!In the evening the Italian team prepared the Italian national evening. It started with a good dinner with pasta with pesto cooked by Matteo. After the Italian team proposed to other participants divided in their national group to do a prsentation about a situation, as for example „at lunch“, before as they usually live in their own country and after follow their point of view as the same situation the italian life. Mean while they tasted some italian specoalities food as tipical biscuits. But at a moment the ligths swiched off and somebody appared.. he was Sergio weart as Dante Alighieri, the famous italian writer. So the italian group started to talk about the italian culture and in particular about the mst important figure in history of Italy, as  leonardo Da Vinci. As a tribute to the beautiful mind of this scientist and to follow the theme of the exchange „5 elements“ . Erica with italian team showed two experiments of enviromental education about „erosion“ and „energy“ using boxeswith soil and water, candles and a special metal box to create a „special machine“. After this italian team gave other participants some deplians about „Marche“ to show something about italian culture. Finally Omar did a very interesting and beautiful presentation about his country and the situation of immigrants.                               

  WATER DAY

In the morning we woke up as usual about 8 am. After breakfast we had a few energizers. After that we divided into 3 groups for photo competition. We moved to Biele Vody and started hiking. We walked along a river, the scenery was spectacular and there were a lot of nice places where we took our funny photos. Hiking was really very interesting because there many dangerous places, especially that ones there were ladders and chains. After two hours of hiking we arrived to meadow. Few of us were just lying on the ground, sunbathing and enjoying. Big part of group was playing volleyball. After having a rest, we started walking to the lake. We went through forest. The path was quite easy but we felt tired. Finally we came to the lake. Whether was really great, so few of us decided to swim. They realized that water wasn’t so hot as guys thought. After swimming we were lying on the grass and were getting some energy for walking to Stratena. The way back was really nice and we were happy that lunch is waiting for us. After lunch we had a rest to get energy for afternoon activities. We chose the best group photos with water and introduced them to others. All the photos were funny and original. I think we chose the most original ones. After evaluation of the photo competition Roby and Olga had a workshop about program Youth in action. We gained a lot of new information about how to participate in Youth exchanges and how to become ЕVS volunteer. After this a surprise was waiting for us. We took our comfortable clothes and boots. We were wondering what we will do. From the backyard we could hear drums and ethno music. There were 5 young people, a boy from Slovakia, two couple from Bulgaria and Poland. They introduced themselves and we started to play various games connected with “elements”. It was strange for us to play such kind of games. We were moving like a water, fire, air. Later we started really enjoy it. The last game was gymnastic. It was a really great feeling! After all activities we went to have a dinner. We had “pirohy” filled with potatoes and bryndza. It was something new for people from abroad. I think most of people liked typical Slovak dish. After dinner we had dance party. We played a lot of funny dancing games. Everybody was enjoying it and having great time together. Latvian team presented souvenirs for memory. It was a great day like the previous ones.

AIR DAY

Our last day in Stratena was amazing.  We started with a hiking to Havrana skala and Stratena canon. Probably it was the hardest one, but after several days of hiking we were ready to do it. After one and half hour of walk though the forest and small sweet break we reached Rock with the marvelous view, great mountain panorama. Fantastic group photos were taking and we went back across Stratena canon. Tired and happy we came back to Stratena for lunch. Last workshop about elements, team-building with air balloons, evaluation of Youth exchange and one more surprise – juggling workshop with Martins team finished our program. After dinner we had a free time to write last messages for our secret friends, pack luggage, prepare yourself for last party. In the evening we took part as spectators in a fire show and musical concert. Bye Stratena, Slovak paradise! Thanks for your beauty, for great sunny weather!

    GOOD BYE Slovak Paradise!

Time to go back….We arrived o Bratislava at lunch time. After lunch and rest in dormitory we were ready to discover the capital of Slovakia again. Bratislava met us friendly as usual; only hot weather was making us tired. Eventually we came to Slovak pub to try typical dishes. Our participants liked food o lot, enjoyed to drink Kofola! It was our last evening together. Tomorrow all teams are going home with the luggages full of adventures, impressions, new friends, funny photos and happiness.

 Olga

Workcamp in France 2-16 September

Thank to INEX I had great opportunity to visit France again. This time I choose workcamp in Bretagne, very special region of France. I flew to Paris and after by TGV to workcamp. We had 12 participants from Turkey, Germany, Korea, UK, Russia, China, Japan and 2 french leaders. We lived in the tents near ocean. Work was interesting. We did masanery,  helped in school to teacher of geography, cleaned oysters at factory. Bretagne is extremly  beautiful part of France. We had lot of trips around our village. Most impressive was Coat of Pink granit. Cruel ocean, big stones were amazing. After work we had leasure time. Our campleader suggested us workshop of salsa. WOWWW. Everybody enjoied it a lot. For local population this camp was big event! They organised great pancakes party for volonteers.

  Au revoir France! Kenawo Bretagne!

Olga

Potaborka   17-18 of September

Finally we had our last training for leaders! It was the end of a perfect formation made by the best trainers at INEX!

All the leaders who went to lead the workcamps in Slovakia took part to the weekend and we could see pictures, hear comments of all their experiences.

We could evaluate each workcamp, analyzing all the good and bad aspects and finally give suggestions about possible future improvements.

Then our Financial responsible, Majka, gave us her evaluation and advices about our economical management…we were almost perfect!

After that, we had a very suggestive night game which symbolized all the stages of our workcamps and it was followed by the delivery of the accredited certificates for our training. It was really exciting to receive it!

The second day, as grown good leaders, we started with the preparation of INEX’ biggest event: the VEM!!

The topic was very democratically decided amongst several ideas: the Superheroes topic was the most voted! Then the working teams were quickly formed: program, gala vecer and decoration teams. Ready for another exciting activity…but this time why don’t you join us?

If you want to be VEM organizer with us…you are welcome!!!

 

Roberta

 

October

 

Hi dear readers!

Holidays are finished, schools and works start and everybody is again immersed in his everyday life.

It seems to be boring…but not at Inex!!

The work here is always creative and different every time. And now what’s going on?

Well, for those who still don’t know, we will have a great event on the 22 and 23 of October, our VEMko!! It will be a big weekend meeting with all the volunteers who went to the workcamps, in Slovakia and abroad. It’s a way to share experience, speak about volunteering, but above all we will have fun!! Every year this event has a topic, 2011 will be the year of SUPERHEROES!

If you want to come, you can become Superhero for one weekend J

So, for each big event there is a big preparation...that’s what we are doing now! And to be honest, we are already having lot of fun! I can’t imagine how funny will be to be there...with everybody wearing nice superheroes clothes and much more. Yes, we will not have just people in costumes, but lot of decoration, games, music and…a special guest with a very interesting story!

But I don’t want to anticipate other things…just come to VEMko and you will see J

Roberta

 

22-23 October

VEM, Volunteer Evaluation Meeting

Finally the so long waited event arrived!

Organizers went to the place of VEMko one day before, on Friday, to prepare everything for our participants. Our team was very excited to put inside our location all the decorations we prepared for one month. Of course every poster, drawings and creation was about heroes! So we worked quite hard and we tried the scene of galavecer and our INEX song until midnight! But it was so funny and we were very glad to work with INEX staff and with some of our volunteers who came to help us before the event.

22 October - first day of VEM. We were happy to welcome our superheroes at VEMko place. After registration and official opening we started with energizers which were very funny and everyone enjoyed it. Then we had presentation of INEX activities: project management, leadership, promo team, EVS, camps…. Me and Roby were responsible to present tea-meetings. We told about it with big pleasure and inspiration. Lunch was waiting for us so soon. Next activity was evaluation of camps and sharing an experience! Small groups were discussing about their impressions, memories and experiences after work camps. After coffee-break we were watching presentations about Belarus, Spain, Russia and Sweden. It was interesting and useful for us. Then our superheroes got their “very important” task to prepare small performance for galavecer. But what is going on!!! Spiderman, Batman, Cat woman and….suddenly appeared in our main concert hall. It was time to start our superhero program. An idea was to convince Mr. Gavuliak that work camps are very important and helpful. INEXman and participants did great job. They showed that friendship, tolerance, help, understandings are better than cruelty and evil.  Video film about INEXman and Mr. Gavuliak was wonderful. Everybody was impressed and surprised a lot. Funny song finished this part of galavecer. Games, disco, bar were organized for participants after.

 23 October - our second VEM-day started with energyzers. After we were involved to game. It was really fun game. We colected different cards and after got poins. Set of heros were interapted us : policeman, retrited women, fanat. Also in frame of even we had market where people bought some interesting things. At the and we had evaluation of VEM.

Time to pack and go home. Bye VEM! Thanks for fun time and new friends! You are super!!!!!!!!!!!

November

 

Last month at Inex and we already feel sad…fortunately there is no time for nostalgia now and we are always busy with many things to do.

In November we are finishing the final report of our youth exchange and we’re preparing a nice brochure to spread the information about what we did during it. It’s very nice to put together all the pictures and the things we did…so good memories!

 

Roberta

 

15 November

European tour of volunteering

 

In occasion of the European tour of volunteering, we went with all Inex staff to the IUVENTA’s event. It that took place at the Ministry of education and culture, and it involved several other non-profit associations.

We were there to spread the idea of volunteering by involving visitors of the event into a voluntary action! This action consisted in creating little presents for disable people that will be given to them for Mikulas. So we enjoyed helping those people (adults and small children from schools) to paint on blank bags, to create puppets from socks and so on…

It was for us a new way of promoting our activities by directly involving people in small voluntary actions!

 

Roberta

19th of November

 „Creative workshops for skilfull hands“  in Up-down centre 

19 of November INEX team visited Up-down centre and brought lot of fun and creativity. There were organized art workshops for children and their parents. The main activities were making dolls from colorful soft materials, buttons, finagmota presents and decoration of boxes by napkin techniques. Everybody enjoyed to be create, to make by own hands wonderful things. Atmosphere was full of happiness. It was pleasure to see smiles on children’s faces. We are waiting for Mikulaš event at Up-down centre.

Olga

25-27 of November

Miki Vikendovka

 

Finally, time for our last weekend with INEX arrived. Again in the location of nice Banska Stiavinca, we spent great time doing team building games and 30s year atmosphere.

On Friday, we played some games to get know each other and had some free time.

On Saturday, our Inex trainers organized for us a very unusual presentation of INEX. Some imaginary newspapers wrote several articles with wrong information about Inex activities, and we had to deny them giving the right version of the facts. It was a funny way to learn things about our association.

After that, we had our first team building activity. Every group built a “Barbie house” with some simple materials, but each person needed to do it following some special roles. The aim was to fulfill the task, even if these roles could hinder our team work.

In the afternoon the theme of our weekend started! All the participants could wear their 30s years old costumes and be absorbed by this nice atmosphere. I really enjoyed the following activities of making Christmas presents for the non-profit organizations Integra and Up-Down, and a very nice night game.

On Sunday, it was the time for a game aimed at “performing” some cultural differences.

Then time to go home...we were sad that our weekend came to the end, but happy to have had good time together.

 

Roberta

 

5^th of December, Mikulas at Integra

Winter is coming and bringing lot of nice holidays with it. One of favourite in Slovakia is day of St. Mikukaš. This kind grandfather definitely will bring you presents, sweets and surprises to your clean boot, but just one rule - be obedient and polite all year.

On 5 of December following by good tradition INEX Mikulaš and his helpers “Snow white and 7 dwarfs” gave joy and happiness to clients of DSS Integra. For them it was organised a fairytale with music, dance and joggling performances. Cheerful Mikulaš brought gifts and sweets presents and congratulations for children.  Thanks for everything!   Olga

5^th of December, Bratislava’s volunteers 2011 ceremony 

Like every year, INEX participated to the institutional competition “The best volunteers in Bratislava”. Our volunteer Yulyia and INEX Messenger project were nominated. We really enjoyed the atmosphere of a very elegant location (the place where the Slovak Parliament used to be in the past), the speech of some Institutional figures like the Minister of Internal Affairs. We could listen to the presentation and description of all the winner volunteers (one for each different category - for example work with disable people, work with children and so on). It was very interesting to know the big effort and the stories of every volunteer. Then we just became truly happy when Yulyia won the prize, in the category of volunteers from abroad. It was really great and unique experience, I was very glad to be there!          Roberta

Dear friends,

We are finally at the end of our big adventure; I’m going back to Italy next week! I would like to share with you some little thoughts…

How do I see Slovakia.

I see Slovakia green and full of nature! Nature is all around and inside the cities as well. I’ve never been in a city like Bratislava which has got a system of forests inside itself!

But Slovakia is also the country of “panelaky”, these sad buildings from the communist period. Fortunately people are making them nicer with colors, and it’s pleasant to walk or run along the cycling paths which are surrounding them.

How do I see Slovak people.

Slovak people are nice and friendly.

I found people who taught me how to work, how to do things that I’ve never done before.

I found people who helped me to increase my skills and I’ll be always grateful to them for this!

Sometimes it’s not a so easy relationship with them, and you need more time to get to their heart. Eventually, when you conquest their trust and feelings, they can give you the best.

So you should be patient, it’s a slow process, but it’s worthy to wait!

How do I see myself in Slovakia.

I found in Slovakia a second home and I didn’t expect it at all.

After one year, I see myself more mature and open-minded, more curious and happier. Yes, Slovakia made me happy!

I had time here to be with myself, to be with the others who were different from me.

I had time to appreciate these differences, and to do not change them into something similar to me.

I found myself more critic and keen on improving more and more my work.

I had time to learn a new language, and discover how it’s nice to communicate with people who cannot speak English. I found the pleasure to be integrated in another country with another language and different traditions.

I adopted some manners and behaviors that I liked here…So I took something from Slovakia and I made it mine. I hope I also left something here. For sure I left a little corner of my heart that will never be replaced by anything else.

Roberta