European Volunteers in Poland

Poland: My personal growth experience

Hello everybody! I am Carmen, nice to meet you 🙂 I have 26 years old and I am teacher so I went to Poland trying to learn about a different type of education, improve my habilities to talk in english and make new friends from different countries.

I am not going to lie to you, leaving your country and your comfort zone to start again in another place is not easy. You will find a lot of challenges which you will need to deal with but it’s worth it.

When I arrived there I had another idea about how my experience will be so when you have expectations and after the reality is different you feel disappointed but in this moment you can choose between two options: the first one is leave it and the second one is stay there and accept that the things aren’t what you expected but this doesn’t mean that are not going to be good for you. In my case I decided the second option and the beginning was hard: cultural shock, obstacles with the language, loneliness sometimes… but in that moment I found myself as a friend so I supported and helped myself to improve my situation and found solutions to the problems that I had: I was working in a school with little children that almost couldn’t speak any english so I talked to my coordinator to express him that I need to do some changes in my schedule adapted to my needs; In my house at the beginning I was living only with an old man and we didn’t have too much communication but after a younger boy appeared so we made and effort to create an atmosphere more familiar; About my social life we were only two volunteers living in my city (me and my friend Elif) so I tried to go out to different places to meet people like exchange language clubs, pubs… and I tried to contact with volunteer from my program that live in other cities or volunteers from other programs that live in my city.

So after that my house became a space in which I can feel relaxed because I really had a good coexistence with my housemates. In school, I used the translator to communicate with the little children when I needed to and also I tried to learn some polish but I spent more time with the older ones, teaching them English and Spanish. I even had my own Spanish club and my girls were amazing! Also we created a board game (me and my partner Elif) for play with the children of the school trying to connect her culture (Turkish), mine (Spanish) and the Polish one so it was a good way to learn from our differences. To be honest I’m really grateful that I could take part in this amazing educational community and about the things that they gave to us and we gave to them. There were lovely teachers working there and I’ve learned a lot from them, also from my partner Elif who is not a teacher but she really had good abilities to teach and a lot of love to give me everyday 🙂

Also I spend my free time with some volunteers and other people from different countries and we traveled together, we met to play board games, we went dancing in a pub or drinking coffee in the evening and chatting. So I realized that we had points in common but also some cultural differences and that was amazing. I believe that everybody could enjoy making friends from other countries and cultures and this is the way we could cure racism.

Also I liked to spend time alone so I traveled around, I visted parks, I went to museums, I tried new food… and I found Poland georgeous! so I really recommend you nowadays to go there. They have a hard, but interesting history, nice places to see and good food to try.

After this experience I can say that I’ve reflected a lot and I’ve changed the things in my life that I don’t want to have anymore and take the ones that I want to have forever on it, so I could say that I am a better person, not only for myself but for others. I grew up on any level and I am really grateful about having the opportunity to enjoy this programme.

If I need to give you advice, I would like to tell you that if you have the chance to do volunteering, just do it. You will find the real value of it: what you learn and what you can give to the others because I think that volunteering is bidirectional: you give and receive something at the same time. And maybe it’s not how you expected it before, but it could be even better. So open your mind and try it, I am sure that you won’t regret it!

Carmen from Spain, volunteer of European Solidarity Corps in the school Nasza Dobra Szkoła, Katowice.

#EUSolidarityCorps #ActiveWomenAssociation

Dzień Dobry Everyone!

Woow I really can’t believe it’s been 7 months since the beginning. It still feels like last week, but I’m almost at the end of my project. It’s Elif and I’m from Turkey. I am 26 years old and I finally graduated 2 months ago. Because of that, I can say that I am an interior designer.

I remember the day I applied for my project. I had thousands of questions and uncertainties in my mind. But my motivation was high and I was excited. All the information I had was either the experiences of people I watched on YouTube or what I read on the internet. Not knowing exactly what was waiting for me, I jumped on a plane and came here.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always sought novelty and considered myself quite open to change. I can easily adapt to the circumstances I find myself in. I believe that experience precedes all knowledge. When I applied for this project, I knew it would be an experience that would greatly enrich my perspective. The place where I volunteered was a Montessori Education school, which represented an ‘alternative education system.’ I got my education in a public school. They did try to teach all students the same things at once, thinking everyone could learn the same. I grew up in this system. As time went on, systems evolved… Now, looking back from where I am, I can appreciate what a privilege it is for a person to grow up with such an innovative, creative, and free perspective.

In the first days I started, I asked my mentor in the school tons of questions. 😊 He helped me a lot and told me I didn’t need to worry. While I didn’t even feel proficient in English, I came face to face with the existence of Polish. Even though the biggest barrier between us and children and even adults was language, everyone was very patient and caring towards me.

My children were only 5-9 years old and I was someone from a different country/culture for them. I could see that they were curious about me. They wanted to talk to me and ask me questions, but they had difficulty expressing themselves. Just like me! We started English Conversation Classes together. I even learned a little bit of Polish thanks to them. 😊

The thing that caught my attention most in the lessons we had together was that they really tried to understand me. And this was for ‘communication’ beyond a lesson. We played games in these sessions to make our meetings more fun for them. It has also been a challenge for me to try to show them the topics I aim to teach them from a different perspective every week. I made different game designs for different topics. And this triggered and developed my creativity week by week.

It’s incredible to see that some of my kids who didn’t feel comfortable speaking English in the first few weeks are now they are excited about the time we spend together. I think what I will miss most here is the time I spent with them and being their ‘Pani Elif’. 😊

On the other side, my project partner Carmen was a wonderful person. She is already a teacher and I learned a lot from her. She always had an idea to make a lesson more fun and easier. And she inspired me most of the time. Some other teachers that I work with every day and whom I can now call my friends… Active Women Association and especially my coordinator Agnieszka, who managed and helped my entire process in Poland…

I cannot ignore their efforts to keep me in the game and make me feel comfortable during this project. I appreciated my mentor Krzysztof and my support teacher Marta. They were always understanding and one of my biggest chances in this project. I’m grateful for all the people I’ve worked with and met. But most of all, I am grateful for my children, who have always been so patient and loving towards me. It was amazing how positive everything was at the same time.

I got to know a completely different culture here. I spent a ‘winter’ in Poland. To be honest, it was challenging sometimes. There were key moments that I will never forget. I experienced cooking a local dinner with a Polish family at their house. I touched the ocean for the first time and walked on a frozen lake! I crossed the border with the Czech Republic on foot and more moments… I will remember all of these with a smile years later.

ELİF AKDAŞ

You can reach me on my social media:

📸 Instagram: @akdaseliff

📧 E-posta: elifakdas.reklam@gmail.com

#EUSolidarityCorps #ActiveWomenAssociation #EuropeanSolidarityCorps

Elif from Turkey, volunteer of European Solidarity Corps in Nasza Dobra Szkoła, Katowice

March 2024

Change Something – Enjoy the Ride

Cześć! – Merhaba!

My name is Refik. I am from Türkiye. I would like to share my story with you.

I am a civil engineer. I build apartments, airports, bridges, railways, and something else. But in this story, I’ll tell you about different things. I am trying to build different bridges in this story.

I have worked on many projects in different countries with many people from different countries and cultures. I was working too many hours and my work was very stressful. This was making me tired and unhappy man. I was not happy with my tune and rhythm. I was feeling that I had to change something in my life. I was feeling I should get rid of this boring and tiring system and try something new, something different. I was feeling that I should open my heart and soul more and feel life again.

It gets me excited that meet new people from other countries and learn about their cultures and habits. When I was working, sometimes I was getting this chance, but generally, I was feeling that this was not enough. I was wishing for something different and I wanted to experience something more and another.

Then I decided, I applied to AWA’s Project and quit my job. It was very hard to decide this. Because I had a carrier and I had to quit for this. But I did it. I wanted to get new experiences, meet new cultures and people, and learn from them.

Being in this school is a very amazing experience for me. I didn’t have any experience with special kids before and I was wondering.

First days in my school, I didn’t know how can I behave toward children, and it was a bit hard for me. But my mentor in school and the teachers got me used to all pupils and I started to learn and enjoy fast.

I love being in this school. Because I didn’t have any experience with special kids as I said, and I started to learn and meet them. I feel that my heart is being filled with mercy and compassion. That was the thing that I wanted to do.

I meet so many people from Poland and other different countries. As soon as I came here I started to learn from them and share with them. Especially, my arrival training was amazing. I have met many amazing people from many countries and we shared so many things, especially hot points.

Eventually, I should say that I am very happy to be here and my decision. I am enjoying the ride and I know that I will learn more many things. Continue to build bridges between hearts and souls!

A priceless experience in Poland!

Dzieeeeń Dobry!

It’s Vusal here from Azerbaijan. I’m a psychologist, a music geek, a restless nerd of history and many other things! If you are as passionate about history, culture, geography as me, one of the few places to point out on the map without a doubt will be Poland. When I was learning about the history, culture and the people of Poland as a kid, I always knew sometime in the future I’d come to this country of mystery. Travelling and weekend trips is one thing, but a full year of blast with such a lovely Polish community and endless discoveries in Poland combined with the earthy taste of Warszawa, I couldn’t have asked for more! Volunteering in Poland has already become a chapter of it’s own in my life that I could go on and on about! What I like about Poland is a list that will takeover this whole blogpage! But hey, the sincere reaction of Polish people when I try to come up with random Polish words to make up a sentence with my broken accent, is what’s priceless!

“What about the Polish wheather?” I hear you ask. What about it? Making Snowman in April, how can I not love that?

Cherry on top of all for me is our project here in Warsaw where I volunteer. The first Democratic school of Poland, that’s Bullerbyn! And that’s where we roll! As a Psychology graduate and a long timer volunteer with prior experience in education, I was fairly familiar with the concept of alternative education. But I have to tell you, Bullerbyn, takes everything to the next level!

Every other month, week, day of my time in Bullerbyn I have only been fascinated more and more with what I get to see. If you’re a student in Bullerbyn, for sure you have your part of responsibilities and tasks! But you are free! You are confident! You are proactive! You probably don’t need someone to tell you something because you’re supported with all the tools just to answer a simple question; what do you want? We don’t have teachers to dictate an educative material to you, but we have supporters, superheroes each wired with different superpowers, who are always there for you to offer you a perspective on why you might want to be interested in that subject, to help you discover your own superpowers! The type of freedom we all have in Bullerbyn is a unique one, whether you are a student, a tutor or a volunteer! With all due respect to the instutuions of conventional education, we prefer to break the chains of the conventional idea of authority and the concept of hyerarchy in Bullerbyn. No matter your age, your abilities or your disabilities, you are the authorithy in Bullerbyn. As a student you’re impowered to make the desicions on your own. Moreover, the embracement of sense of community can give you the idea of taking an active role and encourage you to take a voluntary aproach answering the needs of others in the community is what makes these desicions not selfish, but leading and powerfull. Although I have to say that I was a little stumbled with this encouragement of independence at first, I’ve come to understand by every other interaction that I’ve got in Bullerbyn, that what’s happening here is indeed a uniqe and magical method that somehow works for everyone!

I absolutely love the self-expression, self-awaraness, sense of responsibility and many likewise skills of competance that Bullerbyn community has to offer! I mentioned how Poland is a chapter of it’s own in my life, but Bullerbyn is a volume of it’s own in this chapter 🙂 I can’t be more grateful that I’m part of this community in such a short time!

Shotout to my friends, my roommates, my fellow volunteers who I spend a lot of time with and who often times remind me how lucky I am to be with them, such mature and full of life people; Kübra and Jesus, cheers to this trio! And these beautiful people all across Poland whom we finally had the chance to gather up recently in Katowice! Visiting a different Polish city becomes more and more exciting each other time!

It’s a pity that there are only few months left of this year of blast in Poland! But hey, what will remain is the priceless experience and amazing people that I hope to always stay in touch with! I owe a sincere debt of gratitude to everyone involved to make this project happen!

Take care and stay healthy!

This project founded by European Solidarity Corpse

#EuSolidarityCorpse #ActiveWomanAssociation

Anty Grawity

Hey everyone! I am Deniz from Turkey.I am a performance artist working on circus disiplines.

I am in a volunteering project in Poland Szczecin now with Zodiac Circus.I really love rolling on the floor being upside down and creating crazy things:)I also really love travelling and meet with new cultures and people from all around the world.So I spend part of my life travelling finding performance/circus art collectives and be a part of it.Then I saw European Solidarity Corpse Project with a circus!And here I am in Poland now.

It is sometimes hard for me to get used to live in a northern country and their culture here which is very diffrent from my other experiences.But I am also leraning a lot from it!Today I want to share with you one of the best parts of my experience here.It was Anty Grawity Project.It is a project run by Zodiac circus with lots of movement workshops and this project is also a German -Polish project brings this two country and culture together.As you can understand from the name it is a anty grawity project,lot of aerials, chinese pole and juggling toys are flying.

I did my first workshop in Poland with this project and I met with lots of inspiring people there.

I hope to find this joyfull movements at all of your projects!

This project founded by European Solidarity Corpse

#EuSolidarityCorpse #ActiveWomanAssociation

Liberty in education

Cześć!

I am Kubra and I am from Turkey. I have been an ESC volunteer at Bullerbyn Free Democratic School for a couple of months. This type of education seemed very different to me at first because It was my first time experiencing non-conventional education on-site , although I had some idea about alternative educational methods before.

Education takes place in three different places at Bullerbyn and on a regular day within the first three days, students and tutors have a meeting session, which, they greet each other and talk about how they feel. Afterwards, they make their daily plans and choose which type of activity they would like to take part in other days. If they need to decide on something among many options, the option adopted by the majority of them is added into the program. It does not matter if the decision belongs to a student or a tutor because these kinds of democratic schools are known to have the least amount of hierarchy, so, an opinion of a student is equally important as an opinion of a tutor.

Every Tuesday I have a Turkish language session. At those sessions, I introduce my language and talk about general expressions used in daily life. Students interested in my language teach me the equivalent expressions in Polish and this makes our learning more mutual and productive.

On Thursdays, we usually go to cultural activities like visiting museums or art places. Students and tutors are divided into two groups, juniors and older students and each group visits a different place.

At the last day of a week, some sport activities like swimming, ice skating or hangar are chosen to participate. Students prefer any of them based on their interests and a regular week at Bullerbyn comes to end.

Kubra from Turkey, a European Solidarity Corps Volunteer at Bullerbyn Democratic School in Warsaw

This project is co-founded by European Solidarity Corps

#EUSolidarityCorps #ActiveWomenAssociation

The odyssey of the guy who ended up in Warsaw

Have you ever experienced a real adventure? Do you have a trip you can’t forget? Are you one of those who are looking for new challenges?
If so, I invite you to read this article, I invite you to discover my journey.

First of all, ¡¡HOLA A TODOS!!!! I am Jesús Gómez, from Murcia, Spain.
I studied Economics in Spain. Then I was working in a consulting company. Unfortunately my English was very bad. So I moved to Dublin to learn English and work there. I learned a lot in Ireland. Not only English, but I also found myself. I discovered my innermost passions. I realised that I liked to travel and meet new personalities, explore this world, or get involved in new projects. I discovered me. That was the moment I decided to become a European Solidarity Corps volunteer, the moment that changed my life. Fortunately, I was selected for the “Alternative Education” project with the NGO Active Women Association. So I was sent as a volunteer to the Bullerbyn Democratic School in Warsaw (Poland).

Bullerbyn Democratic School in Warsaw, Poland.

What attracted me most when I arrived in Poland was its beauty, its climate and its people. Because yes, for a Spaniard landing in Warsaw is something new. You have to adapt to the fresh air and the culture of the country. I found the Polish people wonderful and friendly. The first day at Bullerbyn School was something I will never forget. My tutor introduced me to all the students and all the staff. She behaved with me in an extraordinary way, I even noticed unconditional love and passion for volunteering from her. She told us volunteers how we could help in the school and gave us all the support we needed to do so. My task as a volunteer was to run English and Spanish workshops for the children. Apart from this, the volunteers also participate in the daily activities of the school, such as helping the teachers on excursions, workshops, activities or special events that the school organises.

The other two volunteers of the project, who are also my flatmates, Kubra and Vusal, helped me in everything I needed. Fortunately, we understand each other perfectly and make a magical team. Every day I soak up more and more of their knowledge and their way of being. I learn new values and new ideas from both of them. Because this is also part of volunteering, creating value with people from other countries, living with them and overcoming all obstacles. I love them as if I had given birth to them.

At the end of September I did a training with other volunteers from Poland. The aim of this training was to learn more about what it is to be a volunteer, how to deal with winter in Poland and to meet new people. We had an unforgettable week full of non-formal lessons, meals, parties and empathy for each other.

Training together with other volunteers from Poland.

Later came the winter months, thanks to the school children we have been kept warm and entertained! As always, we continue to learn from them, and they from us. A time full of excursions with the children. Pharmaceutical museum, military forts, heated swimming pools, ice skating, rock museum or football matches – these kids can’t get enough! I speak more and more Polish, and they speak more and more Spanish and English. They speak more English than I speak Polish, but I’m still learning…. We keep on adding good moments!

Jesús, from Spain, a European Solidarity Corps volunteer at the Bullerbyn Democratic School in Warsaw (Poland).

“Project is co-funded by European Solidarity Corps”

#EUSolidarityCorps #ActiveWomenAssociation

My Journey of Growth and Empowerment in Poland

Hello everyone! My name is Tuğçe Akbaş and I am from Tekirdağ/Turkey. As a recent chemical engineering graduate, I decided to take a gap year to step out of my comfort zone and explore new horizons. Little did I know, that decision would lead me to the Waldorf Free School in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, where I would embark on a journey of personal growth and empowerment.

When I first arrived in October, I was able to observe all kinds of classes, including English, music, art, drawing, handcraft, and woodcraft. I was fascinated by the different education methods used in Waldorf schools, and I quickly became familiar with the children. I started crocheting gloves, water holders, and Christmas figures for the school’s Christmas market. Crocheting is one of my hobbies, so it was a great way for me to combine work and play.

As I attended workshops on ceramics and Christmas wreaths, I felt a sense of accomplishment as I created my own cup from clay. During the Christmas market, I was filled with joy as I greeted families and helped the children paint figures and wooden objects. Meanwhile, the on-arrival training in Torun was a turning point in my journey, as I met new volunteers and learned about Poland and volunteering. I now have a network of friends all over the country who have inspired me and supported me throughout my time here.

The heavy snowy days in December brought both challenges and beauty to my experience in Bielsko-Biała. Although the snow lasted for almost two months, it was a reminder to me of the power and resilience of nature. Celebrating New Year’s Eve with my friends in the city, surrounded by dazzling fireworks, was a moment I will never forget. The winter break allowed me to travel to Vienna and Budapest, where I was exposed to new cultures, cuisines, and art. From my first opera experience to visiting the Belvedere Museum and immersing myself in art galleries, I felt a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty of life.

Returning to Bielsko-Biała after my travels, one of my friends from the on-arrival training visited me, and we took a cable car ride up the mountain to admire the stunning views of the snow-covered landscape. We also visited Katowice to meet new friends and enjoy our time with them.

After the winter break, I made a greenhouse gas emissions presentation to teach 10th-grade students about climate change. I also presented Ebru marbling and Turkish art styles, including çini, miniature, ebru, and famous artists like Osman Hamdi Bey. I even taught the students Ebru marbling with nail polish, which they loved.

These past three months have been a journey of growth and empowerment. I have learned so much about myself, about others, and about the world. The Waldorf Free School in Bielsko-Biała will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am grateful for the experiences and memories I have made here. I know that this journey will continue to shape me and inspire me for the rest of my life.

Tuğçe from Turkey, volunteer of European Solidarity Corps in Stowarzyszenie Wolna Szkoła Waldorfska in Bielsko-Biała.

This project is co-founded by European Solidarity Corps

#EurpeanSolidarityCorps #ActiveWomanAssociation

My self discovery in Bielsko-Biala

Hello everyone! My name is Sahin and I am from Turkey. I am thrilled to announce that I am currently volunteering at the Waldorf Free School in Bielsko-Biala.

Supporting Poland Football team at World Cup in a pub in Warsaw

As a chemical engineer taking a break from the traditional academic path, I have found myself in Bielsko-Biala, Poland, where I am sharing my knowledge, skills, and culture with the local community through volunteering. I have recently started teaching high school students about the important topic of climate change, which has been a very rewarding and enriching experience for me.

Upon arriving in Bielsko-Biala, I was motivated to begin volunteering due to the students’ high level of enthusiasm and eagerness to acquire knowledge. I joined English classes and infused them with my Turkish heritage, teaching about the art, music, and traditions of my culture.

The winter brought about new experiences, such as participating in Christmas workshops and taking trips to Vienna and Budapest, where I immersed myself in new cultures and cuisines.

Teaching on climate change that has brought me the greatest fulfillment. To see the spark in the students’ eyes as they learn about ways to reduce their carbon footprint and make a positive impact on the world is a feeling that cannot be put into words. I will continue to guide them through the topic of adaptation and strategies for mitigating the effects of global warming.

Overall, my volunteering journey in Bielsko-Biala has been an amazing experience, and I am looking forward to new adventures and opportunities. I have formed new friendships, learned about different cultures, and had the privilege of sharing my passions and knowledge with others. I am grateful for this opportunity and highly recommend volunteering as a way to enrich one’s life and make a positive impact on others.

Additionally, my love for Turkish art and culture was given the chance to flourish as I shared it with the students at Waldorf Free School. The experience of discussing the hidden messages in Osman Hamdi Bey’s paintings and the excitement of trying our hand at creating Ebru art using nail polish was truly magical. It was a heart-warming moment to see the students’ creativity and unique perspectives come to life through their art.

This volunteering journey continues to be a journey of self-discovery and giving back, and I am eager to see what new adventures and opportunities await me.

Parliament Budapest from Fisherman’s Bastion

Sahin – 10/02/2023

Project is co-funded by European Solidarity Corps

#ActiveWomenAssociation #EuropeanSolidarityCorps #StowarzyszenieAktywneKobiety #waldorfschool #EUSolidarityCorps

A great adventure ends…

Today I am finishing the volunteering that I started 8 months ago in the Waldorf school in Bielsko-Biala. It was really a great adventure, I met great people.

I have thanks to this volunteering discovered a new culture but also an alternative mode of education that I did not know. Become aware that the preservation of our environment is something essential, that we can no longer close our eyes, that we must act. So I had the chance to make, to talk about permaculture with a particular class from school, it was a very nice experience.

I have already had the chance to come on vacation to Poland. But thanks to this European volunteering I was able to live in Poland for several months, knowing that I was not alone in case of problems, which is very reassuring.

I was also able to discover the mountains near Bielsko-Biala (I always wanted to live near the mountains).

Unfortunately, I don’t know the names of the different mountains in Bielsko, but I manage to locate myself. I never had the chance to get lost. Once again by traversing the mountains it is possible to meet wonderful people. People who don’t have the same way of thinking as city dwellers, if I may say so.

The fact of doing this volunteering in a school, a high school more particularly, allowed me to see, to discuss with the teachers but also to be able to give some lessons, always under the watchful eye of the teacher. Previously becoming a teacher was one of my ambitions. I may be one day but I realized the complexity of this profession.

Valentin from France, volunteer in Stowarzyszenie Wolna Szkoła Waldorfska in Bielsko-Biała.

This project is co-founded by European Solidarity Corps

#EurpeanSolidarityCorps #ActiveWomanAssociation