EVS в Латвии

 

Про EVS я узнал от друзей а мои друзья узнали об этом проекте совсем случайно. Сначала я не верил что может существовать такой хороший шанс познакомиться с другими странами. Но потом, полтора года назад два моих друзей уехали в прибалтику и приняли участие в проекте EVS.

После этого мой интерес возросло и я приехал в офисе „Georgian Youth for Europe“, организации которое курирует такие проекты. Там меня встретили очень хорошо объяснили все детали, и дали все информацию которое для меня было интересно. После этого визита вопрос принять участие в проекте или нет был рещен. Я подготовил все документы и уехал в Латвию, точнее в поселок Адажи где расположена свободная вальдорфская школа.

Здесь и начинается самое главное, мое незабываемое приключение. Сначала я немного волновался не знал как примут меня, "простого мальчика из юга там в далеком севере" но все мой волнения оказалис напросними. В течение моего проекта я познакомился с многими интересными людьми, с иностранными культурами, обычаями. Я узнал много новое и улучшил мое навыки в очень многих сферах, начиная с иностранными языками, заканчивая рукоделием.

Работа с детьми дал мне очень много, общение с ними каждый день делал меня гораздо богатым духовно. Общение с моими блестящими коллегами дал большой жизненный опыт.

Кроме этого я путешествовал очень много в разные страны и знакомился с разными культурами.

В конечном счете участие в этом проекте дал мне гораздо больше чем я бы мог ожидать. Очень трудно передать кратко мой чувство и настроение, это и радость вернутся в родине, и грусть покидать страну которое десят месяцов был второй родиной.

Я благодарю организацию „Georgian Youth for Europe“, который дал мне этот уникальный шанс. Также хочу поблагодарить JSPA, Латышского агентство международных молодёжных программ и всех людей которые помогали мне получить этот невероятный жизненный опит.

Я советую всем не упускать шанс и принять участие в подобних проектах. Познакомится с другими культурами с другими народами и расширить свой кругозор.

 С уважением Иовели Жвания

 

 

Tusheti trip

The most remote and probably one of the most beautiful place in Georgia so far? After the last trip to northern part of Kakheti region the answer is easier than before. Definitely Tusheti. It is not only about the picturesque landscape and unspoiled nature there. What made the trip even more amazing? People and luck that we had on the way. Yes, we are lucky Polish bastards. But let’s start from the beginning.....

 

As usual we chose hitchhiking as a mean of transport. Went smooth and easy as usual in Georgia;) First stop we made was to have a look at Alaverdi Monastery. After a short sightseeing  we kept on going, still having a long way ahead. 

Next stop happened, a bit unexpected, already in Pshaveli, in the house of people that took us by their car...yyyy a small correction: some kind of vehicle that used to be a car. Without windows, back seats, partly without floor (I have no idea how to call in English this part of a car underneath your feet...) but still, as for its condition, it managed to take us quite a long way....

 After a small and unexpected coffee/lunch  break we continued our trip to get as far as possible on the way to Omalo. It didn’t go so easy any more. No cars on the horizon. It started getting late, and slowly we started losing hope that we would reach Tusheti that day. Having no better way, we put our tent, getting ready to spend night in the place where our vehicle had left us. But suddenly, out of nothing, we saw a car coming to our direction. So we stopped the guy. He was going to Dartlo. “Why not?”, we said. He agreed to take us. It was the faster tent folding ever. 3 minutes and we were already on the way to Tusheti. Long and bumpy way I have to admit. BTW: we saw a bear somewhere on the top of the mountain;) After more than 3 hours we reached Dartlo. Sleepy and tired as hell. Got off the car and saw and heard nothing. Literally - nothing. Just felt the temperature is not as nice as it was a few hours before....much more chilly. The first thought: “ *****where are we? How the hell we will put the tent when we cannot see anything! *****”. But I forgot it is Georgia so situation solved after a few seconds. Our driver invited us to his place. Actually - hotel, as we realized in the morning.

So we stayed there. In the end two days, exploring Dartlo and the strength of its chacha.

Actually mentioned liquid was the reason why we stayed there one day more than we planned;) As all good things come to an end, the time to say goodbye came soon and we needed to continue our trip.

Next stop – Omalo. Finally we did some hiking, around 20 km. This time we decided that we have to use the tent that I was carrying all this time! As soon as we reached Omalo, we chose the perfect meadow. Put the tent and try to fall asleep to start early in the morning another, this time longer hiking. 

Omalo

Waking up in the middle of nowhere and seeing just overwhelming beauty and flock of sheep around you. Priceless. We started hiking without much hope we will meet some car on the way. Did some kilometres, stopped for a short break, ate something and start joking that just dancing can help us to find some lift from this wilderness. So we started. Believe it or not but again we heard a car coming.There it was: an old pickup. 

Funny way when you seat on the metal frames without anything preventing you from falling into precipice just behind u. Great feeling, especially when you suffer from fear of heights.In the end we survived, seeing breathtaking mountainous landscape, experiencing snow in the end of June and having cognac on the pick of the mountain. Safe and happy we reached civilization. 

Lucky polish bastards. I think our Czech friends – Eva, Libi and Petra, who had been in Tusheti one week before us and had to walk a big part of the distance on foot, can admit how lucky we were.

Alicja

EVS volunteer

Human Rights Workshop

During last month me (Alicja) and Anna (SIQA EVS volunteer) were implementing the idea that Anna came up with some time ago – workshop on human rights. After a long time of discussing it, we finally came to an action. Preparation period took less time than I expected. Thanks to Alek’s help we found interested school very quickly and just after two weeks started work with motivated, smart and creative young people from school number 2 in Old Rustavi. 

  


During one month of working together, we had chance to discuss many different topic including general significance of human rights but also gender equality, citizenship or democracy.

  

All workshops were quite busy, full of interesting observations. Seems we managed to create some kind of open space for our participants to express their point of view and share experiences in different fields. More or less connected with main topic of our meetings.   

What to say, times flies inevitably and  with the end of the school year the end of our workshop came.  As a way to thank for active participation we decided to reward students with certificates. A small piece of paper which can remind them after some time about our work. 

All in all, seems that both of us, Anna and me can say that realizing this idea was one of the best choices we could have came up with and fulfilled. Wish it could be a bit longer. There are still some topics we would like to discuss!

 

Alicja 

EVS volunteer

 

Kazbeg 5033m – unconquered

It was my georgian dream since I´m here. Reach the top of Kazbeg, biggest mountain in Kazbegi. It means not go just to this beautiful monastery. But still continue up and up and up somewhere in the hell. It was very difficult and because isn´t season yet, snow was everywhere, and more and more. And weather colder and colder. But perfect challenge for me. So bad weather doesnt exist, just bad clothes J. And I was ready for it. Unfortunately not my lungs. On the way to meteo station I needed one more for good breathing. I made five steps and then just stop and tried to breath. Sometimes I could make just two steps and stop. Plus I had heavy bagpack and sank into the snow all the time. Great walk. At one moment I was thinking if I can lie down to the snow and wait for I dont know what. But can you imagine stand up with this damned heavy backpack which was more and more heavier? I had to walk and silently curse which stupid idea I had. This meteo station is in 3700m with amazing view on Kazbeg. We cooked dinner and we were thinking about next day. It was hard for me to say but I had to admit that on the top I cannot go because of my breathing, I felt good just probably I have lungs full of georgian wine or I dont knowJ. I needed one more day for acclimatize but we didn´t have. So, next day I stayed in meteo station and my czech colleague went alone early morning. Anyway I had nice day. In meteo station in the morning stayed just one guide and me. Guide came wake me up if I want tea. So, he prepared for me very nice breakfast. He didn´t know english than we had to talk in georgian or russian. I guess, I have better georgian than russian. We were sunbathing in front of building because was very nice weather. And he had idea if I can teach them (4 guides who work on this basic camp) english, that they will pay me. Actually it was good idea, I liked it. But idea as I have to climb to meteo station again and again, I changed very quickly my opinion. And because I waited all day for my colleague, I had idea to teach this guide while I was there. So at the end I joined pleasure and useful. And it was fun. Then others georgians came and I had the strongest chacha ever. My colleague successfully returned from the top after 11 hours totally exhausted but happy. And I could just jealous. The same day we went back to village. It was more terrible than climb up. Never ending trip when we had to go down. Oh my god! In one day I fell down because of stones three times.

Still it was amazing trip but! I have to go back and this mountain conquer.

                                              Libuše

Rustavi – 22nd of May

Finally after almost 6 weeks of practice and training at the scout centre we went for the first bike trip with the 'Wednesday' group on the public road: 12 'bichebi' (boys) and 1 'gogo' (girl). The participants from the Wednesday group are aged between 12 and 16 years old. Before we went for our big trip we practiced how to ride in a straight line (erti khazi) without overtaking each other. (Which some of the participants forgot about as soon as we left the scout centre :)

After the usual registration - where we allocate bikes to the children - we left the scout centre and turned right over the railway bridge towards the  other railway bridge.

We made a pitstop at the new park in front of the Metalurgical Factory, this park is named after the Geyder Aliyev and has been recently renovated with help from Azerbydjan. After a refreshing dip in the fountain, we continued our trip to the main square in old Rustavi, 'Meria'.

We ended our trip by cycling through the park along the river. This is the park where the bikes that we're using for the bike project were meant to be used. But the the park is still under construction, so lucky us :)

It was 12 (challenging) kilometres through Rustavi with 13 young and energetic Georgians and I have to say that I'm really proud of them. It wasn't easy to keep them in one single line but everybody survived. They all passed the test and are ready for the next trip.

Special thanks to Wahid for smiling all the time and Dato and Luca for helping me translating form English into Georgian.

Tijs – EVS volunteer at GYE

Rustavi on Bikes – Scoutcentre Rustavi, Balanchivadze 9

Wednesdays 16.00 – 18.00 (12 to 16 years old)
Saturdays start between 11.00 and 13.00 (17 and older)