Armenian volunteer in Poland.

   A day of travel and you are in the other place, you see other people speaking in different languages, not as you were used. And it’s fine. I already met many new people, learnt new things, I saw Baltic see, seagulls, it’s fantastic. I have my little flat in Sopot next to the beach. My flat mate is a Romanian girl. She is nice. She is a therapist. I am lucky with her: she is sharing with me her experience.

  People said that I’ll need months to adapt to the new environment, but it’s my third weak here and I feel like at home. It’s because of people working and living with me. Yes, they are so polite and friendly, I like it. I see I’ll have a huge experience in everything. And I think it’ll be gained through the challenges.  The first one is language: “English, please”, or “Ja ne razumem,  po poski” )))).  I have my polish classes, but children in the center also teach me Polish with the great enthusiasm.   I teach them English, but looking for ways to make them to be interested in it; they like games. At first we need understand each other; it’s the barrier that I am trying to overcome.  I have some ideas, but I must change them, improvise for their age, interests….. I have time to know them well. 

Some days before there was an international party. I liked it. The next time I am also going to introduce my country, people are very interested in it.  It’s nice to meet people from different countries. We discuss our national traditions, youth life, languages, and food. We discovered that “shal” (a cloth on the shoulders) is the same in Armenian, Romanian and German.  We are going to have a photo with our shals))))).  And food: I didn’t like to cook in the past, but now I do it every day, it’s interesting to try new things, we share our national dishes.  They liked apricot muraba and honey that I took with me from Armenia))).

  We are going to have our on arrival training in Warsaw, then Christmas.  So it’s only the beginning of my voluntary history.    It’s nine months traveling along the life and countries, which enriches my life with experience, people, friends…. 

 Anahit  Nerkararyan

The evolution of English and embroidery clubs.

English club for children, who I have the honour to run,  will soon celebrate one month anniversary. ;) Because of that we already have some information about this activity to share with you.  Well,  according to first idea English Club was meant to be twice a week, but so many children wanted to take part in it, that first idea had been converted to a second idea . So now there are two kinds of English Club - for children up to 7 years old once a week, and for children from 7 to 15 twice a week.  Together with smaller children during this month we were discovering the world of the English alphabet – on every meeting  children learned some letters and the name of one animal. Every meeting contains also drawing, colouring, cutting and gluing some pictures , so children have no possibility to be bored. English Club for older children is different, because they already know the Latin alphabet and some of them also have English lessons in school. During this month we have been working with such basics topics like numbers, colours etc.  I am doing my best to make them learn new words already during meeting, so there is a lot of repetition, cross-words, but also games which helps them arrange new words in their memory. My aim is to make them use some simple sentences in English during our lessons, so topics scheduled for this club are quite untypical, but I hope that results will be visible soon. Moreover, if children will be still as eager to learn English as they are now, I am planning to make with them some an English speaking play. So be ready for that! :)

I am also running embroidery club which take place every Friday and it is time during which children can exercises their fingers, but also have rest for mind thanks to relaxing music which is accompanying us. Now we are embroidering some characters from cartoons like e.g.  Donald Duck. It takes a lot of time for children to finish one picture, but they are patient and they don’t give up even if thread muddling over and over again. 

Dajana :)

"Together Be Stronger” (Action 3.1)

A multilateral youth exchange titled 'Together Be Stronger' took place in Batman, Turkey and involved young people from four different countries: Estonia, Armenia, Turkey and Georgia. The project implemented discussions, workshops and practical activities dealing with the subject of discrimination. The participants brought knowledge and examples of ethnic and minority discrimination from their own cultures, countries and social lives, which they shared throughout the project. They also did workshops on European citizenship, gave presentations for their respective NGOs and had a 'cultural night' where the particularities of each culture were appreciated.

SALTO On-Arrival Training (OAT) in Tbilisi, Georgia:

OATmeal

Back home in Norway we have this thing called oatmeal, which is basically a lot of oat* and subjected to boiling water. After a while, it becomes more a mass of porridge than individual flakes of oat with some water around them. When the two elements are brought together in a bowl they mix into a single, delicious mass.

OAT September 2012 in Dajana's opinion

On-arrival training (OAT) was organized for all EVS volunteers who are working in Caucasus in order to make them more aware of opportunities EVS is giving to them. It took place from 26 to 30 of September in Tbilisi. It was my first time when I have been in Georgia and also first time, when I met so many cheerful young people who are full of ideas. The people were absolutely fantastic and spending time with them was pure pleasure.

Dajana's EVS stay so far

Dajana and Martin on the top of Aragac

Time flows incredible fast, so when I realized that I am already in Armenia for one month, it was difficult for me to believe. Honestly, I have done and learnt a lot of interesting things- more than I had in the whole of the previous year, but still I am shocked, that one month just gone. I have never before even thought that people can spend together time in interesting way without using words. Now I know that it is so simple! I can communicate not only with adults, but also with children. They understand me well enough, so that we are able to play together and have great fun!

Martin's EVS Stay So Far

Martin in Sevan. :)

I have now been in Armenia for two months. The first week or so was spent in Vanadzor, where I got to meet many of CDCS previous members and some current ones. After that I went to Yerevan, got settled in my flat in Arabkir. I started to work at CDCS offices rented from World Vision Armenia, and quickly learned that I was responsible for my own results. As a result of this my brain was given a challenge to make things happen on its own, and I have so far had many, many ideas.

NGO Fair at "Espaces" Youth Training Center, Yerevan

Martin and Shoushanna, the representatives of CDCS, showed up at Espaces in central Yerevan, a little unsure about what exactly was going to happen. We knew that it was an exhibition for NGOs, so we brought a colourful presentation-poster with us to describe who we are and what we do here at CDCS. We were ready to represent CDCS.