MY EVS EXPERİENCE

Hello !!!

My name is Betül and always wanted to make my dreams come true since I was little I wanted to go abroad and when I was looking for some projects I discovered EVS.

I joined some meeting and looked up projects about EVS on the official webpage and together with S&G, I found a really nice project in Finland that fits perfect for me. The name of my project was called "Creative Video" where I had to make and edit videos and pictures for the Youth Center Villa Elba as same as helping the Center with its daily workflow.

My adventure started on the 25th of september and I was really excited.

Even though I have been abroad before, it was a total different experience this time. It was the first time that I have been totally on my own for 11 months. My project took place in the Youth Center Villa Elba in Kokkola, Finland where a staff member picked me up at the railway station. During my first week, I took part in the "On Arrival Training", where all volunteers in Finland gathered for 5 days and made many activities together.

It took nearly 2 months to adapt to my new surrounding and getting used to new languages which I have to admit was pretty hard.

I had to focus suddenly to understand what people are saying and this the whole day which made me feel tired in the end of the day.

I just had to build up my life again from the very beginning. Now I can look back to these days with a smile.

During my projects I have done a lot of different things like working in Villa Elbas nature school, where I joined different kind of activities.

In winter I was working in a coffe place and in a juice bar during summer time together with other volunteers. Next, I was working at at horse riding competitions in Niinisalo and Härmä, different festivals where I worked and played with youngsters and children, as well as music festivals.

Moreover, I was supporting several short term EVS projects, where I helped the group in their daily

work but also organised free time activities for them.

Next to work I made lots of friends not only from Finland but from all over Europe, Asia and also USA with whom I also celebrated my birthday in Oulu, the capital city of Scandinavia.

I was visiting many places in Finland like the Santa Clause Village, Snow Castle in Kemi and of course many other cities spread over the whole country.

Next to Finland I also travelled to other countries like Sweden (Stockholm), Estonia (Tallinn), Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic and Austria.