Hi everybody ,
I am Julien, I come from Landerneau, a small city near Brest, in the northern west of France (Britain).
I have started my EVS in Vicolocorto’s association on the 7th of April 2017, and I will finish it on the 5th of October 2017.
I think an EVS is a good way to have a first professional experience abroad, because we have a coordinator’s organization. More of that, to be a volunteer is not the same like to be a salary, I think we have more time to learn and less pressure like in the most of firms (for example I have to improve my English because until now, I am not qualified to work abroad). In addition to this, I hope to be useful to the organization.
In a personal way I think, I will learn a lot of things, about Italian and other cultures, on myself…
In the future I would love to do a French International internship, and travel a lot so let’s start!
Julien
Let’s change! Prime impressioni di Maria a Pesaro
Sometimes we decided to reach our vital goals unconsciously. I was thinking about it when I got off the train in Pesaro’s station before meeting my new mates in EVS experience.
My name is Maria, a 24 years old girl from Minorca (Spain). I studied journalism and cultural studies in Barcelona and, after that, I was working while I coursed a culture management master. I always wanted to travel, to meet new people and culture, but I didn’t until now. I don’t exactly know the causes: maybe it’s because I thought I had other responsibilities as studying or working, maybe because I didn’t want to lose my old relationships at home. I am sure about one reason, and It was that I was afraid. Afraid of going abroad with not money enough, afraid of feeling lonely, afraid of not understanding the language of the country…
Now I am happy to say that I am not. I realized, a few weeks ago that I needed a change in my life, because I won’t be young forever (Magari!), so if I really wish to fulfill some of my dreams I had to shift and do something different. Then everything happened so fast: Vicolocorto selected me as an EVS few days after I sent my application. I took a deep breath and I said goodbye to my job as a journalist (a very good one according to my mother) and decided to interrupt my master for that kind of experience that I had never have the value of fighting for before.
I have been in this small city for only three days, but I am conscious that I make a correct decision. Even in case of bad times (that there will be cause it is life and emotions work like rollercoasters) I am convinced that I will grow up here and improve my Italian. I had to admit that the language and the possibility of participating in cultural events organization were the most important reasons why I chose the project, but the culture exchange also.
I hope that I will be able to strengthen my communication skills and my organizational competences. And discover Italy and its particularities, of course. As yet, I have been trying to assimilate all the changes and new information with the other SVE volunteers. I was lucky, except one, Alysson, the rest arrived the same day that me so we are more or less in the same adapt situation. We did together our first trip to Urbino, a very beautiful city 50 minutes by bus from Pesaro that I expect I will visit it again before leaving. Wonderful views and charming streets (as I guess that you know if you are from Le Marche). At least I have six months for going back there and lose myself trying to understand Piero della Francesca paintings in Palazzo Ducale.
At sum, I am still a bit confused but full of energy and excited about discovering Pesaro by bike (my new antique blue one!), meeting Italian friends and, of course, doing my best as a volunteer in Vicolocorto, helping people to improve their communicative skills in English and Spanish and promoting the project in social media.
A dopo!
Maria
Vicolocortini 