Matthieu French volunteer: "Actually, I still can remember the first time I arrived in Georgia. Nana (EVS coordinator ) was waiting for me and  it was 4 a.m.  From the airport, we took a taxi to go to Rustavi where I gonna spend whole year. The day after, I met my 2 polish flatmates, they are nice persons and I have to live with them and get used to live with them. It was nice at the beginning when I met my coordinator, my flatmates, Aleks and plenty of youngsters in GYE office. I have done many things, for example participate in meetings, preparing the office for some events, teach French and Italian language, write some articles like I’m doing right now. I have been on-arrival training, where I met a lot of volunteers in kobuleti, where we have shared a lot of good moments. Then I became reporter and I do my best to do video editing as good as possible."

The time passes extremely fast

Mariusz Polish Volunteer : "December has come, which means that my EVS adventure in Rustavi is coming to an end. Since October my life became more organized, as the new clubs started, I had to stick to specific timetable and be more organized. Moreover, the new volunteers have come, which gave new energy and ideas to our work and life. I was responsible for Russian club (as well as private classes with my flatmates, because they had a will to gain some basic Russian knowledge), Polish club, documentary movies’ club (my favorite one) and on-going work in GYE. We prepared few interesting events – Halloween, book exchange, clothes swap, Polish evening. 

Besides the GYE work my life mostly focused on Rustavi and Tbilisi, as the weather wasn’t good enough for me to travel anywhere. Time passed on meetings with friends in Tbilisi, spending time in Rustavi together with flatmates and enjoying the last moments of freedom in Georgia. Also, I participated in midterm meeting in Kobuleti, which was amazing possibility to meet old and new friends as well as reflect a bit about my volunteering experience and think a bit more about future plans. 

The time passes extremely fast, those 9 months were amazing, sometimes demanding, but full of new experiences, new travels, new friends and gave me great view on myself, my thoughts and my future plans. Thank you Georgia, thank you GYE and definitely it’s not the good bye forever!"

[The untitled article about my EVS life]

Oil field in near Baku, Azerbaijan

Aga Polish Volunteer: "I went to Georgia for full year. I choose  my project  via EVS database and was considering 3 different programs in three different countries including Georgia. And I have to admit – I’m happy that was accepted for this project in the fastest. 

Choosing that opportunity to live in Caucasus region was not accidental, Georgia was one of my top destinations so an offer to even live there for that long was a nice perspective.

I already knew that my life would change a bit for that pretty long period of time. And in fact, I wasn’t mistaken… What’s more, I’ve started being surprised in a different ways almost every day.

I remember a day of my arrival like it was a month ago – cold, snowy night – I said to myself ‘oh, damn, NO!’ because leaving Poland I was so happy to live in a place with at least a bit milder climate than it is in Poland, but I failed – in fact, I flown here in January! Ok, a weather was discouraging, but at the airport I was welcomed so warmly , that my perspective has changed very fast. Later it was even better. I didn’t even have time to miss my family and hometown at the beginning, adaptation process has passed very quickly – thanks to my flatmates and people around me. Also Rustavi, specially that older part of the city I found comfortable to live in. 

And that’s a way I would describe my further months here in Georgia. Roughly.

During those passed 11 months I experienced really a lot – together with flatmates I’ve traveled by hitchhiking all around mostly Georgia, even in a wintertime and even 7 people in a regular car (checked – doable!). Almost each holiday weekend  we spent above 1500 m.a.s.l. somewhere in a mountains camping somewhere wildly and cooking high-value dinners on a bonfire. Those hiking trips perfectly kept balance between working time at GYE and discovering Caucasus region. 

Working at organisation ‘Georgian Youth for Europe’ itself  was fun for me also because before I haven’t done any activities for children and youngsters neither teaching my mother tongue – that was challenging for me. But a friendly atmosphere in our office helped me a lot to go through that. Later on, I come up with an idea for my own workshops in which I felt a need to show importance of ecology and environmental protection and eco-friendly lifestyle . While travelling around Georgia I noticed that’s really important to make aware people of that issue because any change starts in a local community, so in us, can start at GYE association as well.

Currently my thoughts are more at home in Poland because I’m leaving soonish. But on the other hand gloomy autumn evenings make me feel nostalgic about this year spent here with people I met here, things I did here and surprises that happened to me here". 

Uplistsikhe - on the old walls

Killing hiking in Racha

Sunny afternoon in Yerevan (in February!)

A trip to Dashbashi waterfall

This experience will change me

Tbilisi Waterfall

Abdou French Volunteer : "Two months already, now that I'm in this European adventure, well OK, we're not really in Europe here Georgia, oh sorry Hello from Georgia. So by or started dear friends I arrived all curious to know what this country will be able to bring me and to teach me, without real knowledge of that language, I even heard that Russian will be useful in the dailies life. Never, never have I ever thought that one day I will be here. I feel like a dream sometimes yes, a dream I adapt so fast sometimes but here I am at home now, so Gamarjoba bicho and gogo. Yesterday, I found myself in a shop doing my shopping, not understanding everything that people say to me and all that are normal.Now and therefore I'm no longer need to hear and understand all, one or two words are enough for me to sort of see what that person wants and then the context helps a lot. It's been two months since I was here, but I feel that this experience will change me, I had the opportunity to do some traveling and I would like to do more. The food here is just amazing Khachapuri, khikali. I wonder how I will be able to live in France without these dishes that we can buy on the street for 2 to 3 lari maximum.

In one aspect, I wonder how I can stay here in Rustavi for a period of 6 months because casually we quickly made the tour of this small town, situated in the south of Tbilisi. To make it short when you visited the park, Méria square, Megobroba qucha and New Rustavi and then to the bazari. Already you did the most of you can do the city. But to be quiet, there is no better, because when you want to do nothing and just rest or work, Rustavi is the best.

At GYE, I run the conversation workshops in English and French. The organization gives me the opportunity to have an IT workshop which is the right moment to discuss about computer programming, entrepreneurship and computer skills. Those topics are directly related to my degree in economics and Management Pathways Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics Applied to Economics and Management (MISEG). After we remain a mokhalisé (volunteer) that why I'm always ready to help when there are some things to do for others workshops.

Outside of my main mission here, I go once a week to Saponela which is a home for young people where I prepare things to do based on object of recovery or decorations for Christmas with string, chisel, and paper". 

Making a butterfly in Sapovnela Day Center

Borjomi

Acharuli Khachapuri

Rustavi Park

Working kids from Gardabani

Udabno festival

Georgia choose me.

Georgia choose me.

„How you choose Georgia?” This is the most common question I hear. I thought about this. When I was looking EVS project I didn't look to go to specific country. I was looking for a project which I will be interesting. I found few and sent my application. I didn't want to rush and I had a time. I got different answers and always was something wrong: time, details about project, tasks, place where I will be live.

Than one day I found old project in GYE. I red all information and sent my application. Unexpected quickly I got e-mail back. After few messages we set the date. Ours Skype interview was great and I was starting my EVS in October.  

I was very early flight. I was in Rustawi at 5 am. I was sat in my bed, take deep breath and said to myself: „I am in Georgia and I will be live here for a year”. For next few days I couldn't find my place. I felt a little confuse. I just walk around and try to know my new neighborhood better.

Now, I fell here more like at home. My two months here has gone by so quickly. I meet a lot of people not only from Georgia, but from all over the world. I lead two clubs. I have meetings with young people. We practice English. I am really happy when I see how they involve. I am very proud when they start speak better, and they are using word which I told them. Also, I learn a lot from them, about Georgia and how life look likes here.

I share my time with another volunteers, we cook and eat together, celebrate birthdays, travel and learn Georgian. I try Khachapuri, Lobio and I fall in love in Khinkali.

I spent few days in Kobuleti on my arrival treeing, I was in Kazbegi, Uplistsikhe, Borjomi and in Tbilisi a lot of times, I can even count all ready. I am happy that I have 10 months more to explore Georgia"- Marta from Poland