I’ve been always dreaming about travel abroad, life
abroad, practice foreign languages.
My name is Olga and I am from Republic of Mari El
(Russia). And I am Volunteer.
Most of my life I spent in small region somewhere in
the European part of Russia and tried to find any chance to travel abroad.
Travel, not as a tourist, because of financial obstacles, but as an active
young person who wants to learn, to explore, to get to know new culture, new
“planet” called Europe.
When I was a student I knew mostly about University
exchanges but my Department of Psychology was newly founded and not enough
resourceful to make such an effort. At the same time I started to volunteer as
a part of 2 programs: one about healthy lifestyle and prevention of
drug/alcohol abuse, aimed to enlighten the new generation and other program
which was aimed to adapt new students through non-formal learning way (games,
exercises, teambuilding etc). Need to say I liked those activities so much than
straight got a job at youth NGO after graduation.
I could say that it was perfect start of my career as
an NGO worker, trainer and expert in social/ international programs. I liked my
job a lot, I loved it so badly, that after almost 5 years I left it just because
found out that I grown over it and need more for personal and professional
development. So I have decided to try EVS (European Voluntary Service) at the
Czech Republic.
One year in
Europe for free – that’s sounds crazy unbelievable for most of the people in my
country, but Europe is really full of opportunities.
My volunteering project was called “Meeting of
cultures” and I landed at very nice city of Hradec Kralove in hosting
organization KURO Hradec Kralove
(more at www.kuro.cz). My tasks as a volunteer were: preparing
presentations about 2 cultures – Mari and Russian (because I’m half
Mari/Russian by nationality), talk about international volunteering, offer
possibilities to young people, help in organizing cultural events, help at
Museum of Eastern Bohemia and etc. Free time was quite full of activities:
discover city by bicycle (totally new way for me), amazing Czech culture sometimes
even cultural shock (beer is cheaper than water), language, hiking, castle
sightseeing, sport and other interests. As
a psychologist I took this time also to discover my inner world, relax and
fight with my fears face to face.
Since I worked and volunteered at NGO I’ve met a lot
of volunteers from different countries and found similarities close to my
wishes and reasons to become a volunteer and try it in long-term period. Many people I’ve met wanted simply TOTALLY
CHANGE THEIR LIFE. One day you woke up and realize that you are not happy and
need to deal with your life, may be change your job, may be move to another
city or country or become an INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER. Choose the project
according to your interests and try to leave your comfort zone, which logically
leads to stress, but then to the GREATEST ADVENTURE OF YOUR LIFE.
INTERNATIONAL
VOLUNTEERING naturally accompanied by:
t Life in new country (even continent)
t Meeting new
people
t Face to culture/mentality/lifestyle different from
your own
t Try new working area (project of your interests)
t Save your money (there are many projects mostly covers
volunteers expenses in some way)
t
Personal
development (face your fears, explore your behavior in new situation, go out
from your comfort zone, test of your knowledge and skills)
t
Professional
development (get to know new types of work, could be plenty of them during one
project, share your ideas and find out about structure and management of your hosting organization)
t Friendships all other the world, economical tourism
and etc.
I’m sure there are more different consequences of international
volunteering. But EVERYONE finally finds what he/she searching for in this
great active way of life.
AND FOR ONE MORE TIME I ASK YOU. IF YOU’RE READY FOR
ADVENTURE OF YOUR LIFE – APPLY FOR INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM AND TRY
IT OUT.
IT'S WORTH TO TRY, BELIEVE ME!
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