ESC story from Lithuania - Tatia Meladze

 Gamarjoba / Labas

I am Tatia, 24 years old, from Georgia and I’m volunteering for European solidarity corps project in Vilnius, Lietuva.

Volunteering in “Covid-19 Era” is quite challenging and it is accompanied by many difficulties, but at the same time, it is once in a lifetime experience, which gives you a good lesson about life, especially during pandemic.

To make life-changing decision, as it is moving to another country for 1 year, isn’t always easy and it was just as hard for me to decide participating in a long-term project. However, I’m in Vilnius, already for 3 months and I’m very happy and proud to be here.

I am a volunteer at Day center for adults with mental and physical disabilities in Vilnius. Because of Covid-19, there is a lockdown in the country and volunteering is also very challenging. Because of restrictions, I can physically join works, at my center, just 2 weeks in a month, so going back to organization, every time, feels like starting everything from the beginning.  

My main responsibilities as a volunteer are: to help center visitors in every day needs, to help them during their classes, give them some personal attention (talk or play some games) and on their spare time we usually have some fun activities together, like: drawing, walking, listening to music, assembling puzzles, playing checkers and etc.

 

The visitors of the center, are the most loving, warm, open-minded, honest and kind people I’ve ever met. They love to spend time with workers and with us, volunteers. They are always ready and want to share their feelings, thoughts and especially their works, they’ve done during the day. Usually I get some presents from visitors. They love to give gifts, so I frequently get some paintings from them, to decorate my room.

I feel very excited and I think I am very lucky, that I have an opportunity, to spend 9 more months in Vilnius, to work with people, who love and appreciate their jobs and learn from them and to spend time with the loveliest center visitors and help them as much as I can.

Although my volunteering is going quite well, I still hope the pandemic will end soon and I will be able to explore more of the country, meet some local people, travel, work and enjoy my full-time volunteering experience.

With lots of love from Lietuva,

Tatia

ESC Story from Poland - Irma Bolkvadze

Hello, my name is Irma Bolkvadze, I’m from Georgia and right now I’m doing my ESC volunteering project in Poland. 

My host organization is Stowarzyszenia Akwedukt an amazing place managed by incredible people, who always ready to support you anytime!

I do my project in the special school for kids with different disabilities, and so I help school students to improve their interpersonal and social communication skills there. It’s such an amazing place that gives me an opportunity to  share my knowledge and experiences, get to know different people, their culture and language.

I would also like to mention that we have amazingly caring, empathetic and friendly teachers at the school who are always ready to help. We all began to be an ‘European family’!

We all are different, having so many different life goals and experiences, and, however, we still found so many common things ground and fell in love with each other! Let this not finish!

ESC story from Lithuania - Giorgi Kakhniashvili

Labas. I am Giorgi Kakhniashvili 27 years old from Georgia. I am in Lietuva since 19th October. I was so happy to take part in this project and I am lucky to be in this great country, with nice people.

First time, it was hard, because of self-isolation, due to covid19. But after 2 weeks, I went out, met other volunteers and then they became my friends. When we are together we have a great time and so much fun.

I am working in Kindergarten. It is so interesting and joyful to me. I had no experience working with kids before. First days was a little bit strange for me and uncomfortable-I did not understand anything. But now, I know some „key“ words, I got know the children and now, I love them, I am happy to be with them, and I think I can make them happy every working day. I am so much active like them, so it is easy to spend a couple of hours with them. Teachers are also great,  they are very nice and kind to me. Fortunately, they can speak both-English and Russian and it is so easy to have a good communication with them. They make me all comfort I need in Kindergarten to feel like a their team member. When Kindergarten was closed, I was so bored at home and I wanted so much to rejoin them. Nowadays, there are only 6 kids, but I hope next month there will be more.

My hosting coordinator is Roberta Daubaraite from A. Lipniūno kultūros centras. I was so happy when she called me and gave me positive answer to come in Lietuva. She and GYE did a great job and gave me all the necessary documents to prepare for visa. Thank them again. I am very lucky to be Roberta’s volunteer. She is a great person and more than a coordinator to us. She invites us often to her family and we all cook together different kind of dishes, as international and of course national foods. I liked so much „kugelis“. Each time when we (her volunteers) meet Roberta, we are happy and have a pleasant time. Sometimes we go to her office and do some favor to her. During the Covid-19 isolations, she supplied us with food and all the medicaments needed for prevention against corona virus. Couple of weeks ago I did corona test and it showed that I never had corona, in spite of, that my flat-mate had. I was so surprised and confuses in a good ways.

So, during the corona time, I think I had a good time, I am satisfied and it was a totally right decision to come in this country. I have left here 7 months more and I am sure that I will have more great time, I am waiting with full excitement to open borders to travel nearby Lietuva.

So, I am sure everything will be good, we must protect the rules against Covid-19 and I believe we can defeat corona. We have learnt a lot of from the last year. Take care and keep strong.

With love, Giorgi Kakhniashvili

ESC story from Lithuania - Salome Kvitsiani

Gamarjoba, Hello, Labas. My name is Salome, I’m from Georgia and I’m volunteer in Lithuania. It has been already 5 months since my arrival to this country.

At the  beginning it was hard for me to live new country, with new people but I adapted everything very fast.  I always wanted to make myself new challenge, get to know new culture, new friends, so now I think that it is the best decision in my life to came here.

Lithuanian people are very nice and polite, they are always ready to support us if we have any problems. Also we have the greatest teachers in kindergarten. Here are also other volunteers, we are friends already, we share each other our country culture.

We are busy with different activities, I work with children and they are amazing, I make everything what I can do for them and they already learn little bit English.

That project helped me to learn more about myself,  how to live far from my country and family, and how to be  strong in difficult situations and how to solve problems without someone's help. Also I discovered different skills and hobbies in myself.

Finally I have very good experience from this project, I already discover and learn many things in this time and I have more 6 months for this. I got new great friends. This project is great opportunity to work with people from all over the world I have to tell thanks all of them who make this project. I think if someone have chance, they have to use that and try to be volunteer and to help others.

Greeting from sunny city - ESC story from Lithuania

As you all know me, I am Ana Nemsadze. As a volunteer I am working at school Didzdvaris Gimnazia, Radio club project and it has been already five months living in Siauliai, Lithuania. 

December and itself January was quite challenging. As long as I love these holidays and it’s my family time, I was missing everything and got little bit homesick. But upcoming projects helped a lot to concentrate and have fun here, where I am now. During December I have prepared presentation about what kind of celebrations we have during at this time in Saqartvelo. In every classroom I would show up with decorations on my glasses or head to make if more fun and enjoyable atmosphere. Students were expressing and comparing our traditions to theirs, in that way we connected with Christmas spirit. After classes some even asked recipes of traditional meals. At home as much as we could have decorated house, have a challenge of Christmas movies and bake a lot of ginger cookies😊

Despite of this pandemic situation I have not stopped working and honestly it helped a lot. I got the whole idea about how cruel Baltic weather can be, but even in this -24 outside we have fun. Our lake was frozen and woods where covered in total white, as long as I love snow and I hoped to have some on my birthday my wish came true. I had marvelous one. We have been sliding, walking into the snow and enjoying every moment out of it.

I am also very happy that I was able to implement my first personal project as a volunteer. I decided that according to pandemic situation, we don’t know when we will return to our normal lives and travel again. So, I thought, why not let’s organize a story telling contest with the name “I have pinned my dream destination”.  https://www.facebook.com/RadijoKlubas

I have so many participants so far and it seems everyone is enjoying it.                                              I have been actively working for our school’s newsletter and blog.   https://radijoklubas994.blogspot.com/?fbclid=IwAR3KNi4TOgDzMvJGQfjNHboWvavgesWlp18UkmQmLiQP5pmUMrgGqxjykDo  

Also have been recording very interesting topic for my radio shows which you can listen on 99.4 FM. We are also working on to improve our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLsgfvbSxZGwwTGq6zy_PMA/featured

At this moment I am creating a small guideline, a short video about volunteering and why students should choose ESC projects. I am trying to be as involved in school life as much I can and have fun with the process. I love every moment of it. Wish you all an exciting year

Love,

Ana