Kviečiame susipažinti su Rietavo atviro jaunimo centro koordinuotų tarptautinių projektų savanoriais ir jų patirtimi organizacijose.
RIETAVO ATVIRAS JAUNIMO CENTRAS
2014-2015 PROJECT “HANDS UP”
IVON BRANDAO FROM PORTUGAL
My year of volunteering in the Open Youth Center in Rietavas, Lithuania…
I will start speaking about how the youth center workers welcomed me in Lithuania. I couldn’t ask for a better welcoming. Ligita (the director of that time), Rasa (another worker) and Philippe (volunteer from France) came to pick me at Vilnius airport and we started with a pleasant trip to Rietavas with a stop in Kaunas to eat and visit a bit the city. Especially the old town. We continued to our destination and I was positively surprised with Rietavas the first moment I saw it. A beautiful small town and landscape with kind of houses, parks, forests, and other things completely different from what I was used to seeing in my southwest European country (Portugal).
Since day one in Rietavas, I felt comfortable especially because of the people. Everyone treated me well and rapidly I could focus 100% on my volunteering at the youth center.
Regarding my work I participated, organized or helped to organize several events like sports tournaments, pool 8, table tennis, football games, baseball games, orientation challenges, among others. Not everything was about sport. I also teached portuguese with some lessons and learned lithuanian with a lithuanian teacher and french with the french volunteer. Another kind of program or idea we developed was related to some “cleaning programs”, “fight the tobacco and alcohol” and plenty more.
I felt very realized doing my volunteering, but not only the good things came from the work. The first director (Ligita) and the second one (Ausra) gave me the opportunity to get to know Lithuania. I could use my free days well scheduled to travel around. Haven’t met all the country of course, but had a taste of all regions and that was quite satisfying.
To finalize I can say that today Lithuania is my second home. I spent quite a great year there. Teached, traveled, learned, but more importantly, I grew as a person. That’s why I finalize this article saying “Ačiū Rietavas ir ačiū Lithuania”
May, 2019, Portugal
I spent quite a great year there.
Taught, traveled, learned, but more importantly, I grew as a person.
KLAIPĖDOS APSKRITIES I. SIMONAITYTĖS VIEŠOJI BIBLIOTEKA
2019-2020 PROJECT “ISPIRE YOUTH”
NINO GELASHVILI FROM SAKARTVELO
Maybe the present is simple, but the future can be perfect! Let`s take a risk and realize this dream, Let`s forget a little bit about the comfort zone, and let`s go somewhere where I never been before. Simple – let`s have this experience, because it`s about now or never.`
This is a quote that helped me to make the final decision, that I was going to move to Lithuania!
I spent 6 months in Lithuania. Half-year isn`t so short time. I remember that I came here as a little, a bit scared girl, who had lots of goals and dreams in her head. And I`ve left this country more confident and grown! Of course it`s not easy to leave in a different country all alone and start to leave independently, especially in this period, when there is Covid-19 everywhere… But I`m proud that I found power in me and I passed quarantine time normally. This was the period when I started to get to know myself better and explore new things, that I didn`t know before.
During 6 months I collected lots of amazing memories and gained meaningful, international experience. This project gave me new friends, from different parts of the world. I felt how diverse can be the world!
I want to say thank you to my host and coordinating organization for all of the support and warmth that they gave me! And I wish you all the best things for Lithuania! It always will be in my heart as my second home!
July, 2020 , Klaipėda
KLAIPĖDOS KARALIENĖS LUIZĖS JAUNIMO CENTRAS
2019-2020 PROJECT “ISPIRE YOUTH”
ARTHUR ZADOYAN GELASHVILI FROM ARMENIA
Labas!
It’s 6 months that I’m in Lithuania! Time passes so fast! These 6 months were full of different feelings and emotions. Of course, there was sadness, missing, sometimes loneliness, because it’s not easy to live in a different country alone. But the main thing is that mostly there were good emotions with me. I collected lots of amazing memories and I gained a wonderful experience here!
I learned and improved my skills in my hosting organization. For example, I improved my language skills, I learned time management, I became more open-minded and creative, and so on.
This opportunity gave me a chance to think a lot about what I want to do in my life. I think that I found a piece of myself here.
I met lots of interesting people from different cultures and I think that all of them affected me differently. They left some mark in me. So, as you guess this is a goodbye letter from me. I want to say thank you to Lithuania for this amazing experience. This country is full of natural beauty and friendly people. I will always remember it as my second home.
May, 2020 , Klaipėda
RIETAVO ATVIRAS JAUNIMO CENTRAS
2019-2020 PROJECT “BEYOND BORDERS”
ERAN KARDES FROM TURKEY
First of all, this decision was very exciting for me. I had never been to a country other than my own. This decision was very bold for me. Because I was going to a country where a completely different culture and languages I never knew were spoken. My English was bad, I couldn’t speak much. Dime, another volunteer from North Macedonia, that was at that time in youth center was very helpful in this process. My colleagues also helped me adapt to a different culture and language. I traveled a lot on my own. During this process, I constantly met new people and in this way I improved my English.
I became a partner in new cultures and new experiences. I love all the youth in the youth center.I can understand a little what they feel. Because i experienced too before.
I talk to them occasionally and share my own experiences.I’m sure they trust me and love me and it really feels nice. Life in Rietavas was very difficult for me. I had no friends here and it was a very quiet little city. I can say that I had a lot of psychological difficulties, but it played a big role in my discovery. I’m psychologically strong right now. I can’t say that Rietavas didn’t add anything to me..
I love all of you guys
Eren ( with best signature )
May, 2020 , Rietavas
KRETINGOS DIENOS VEIKLOS CENTRAS
2018-2019 PROJECT “WITH OPEN EYES I SEE THE WORKD”
TIGRAN CHAPANYAN FROM ARMENIA
My volunteering experience is very nice. I have organized different activities with disabled people like theater, taught English every day, played games (basketball, tennis) and other games. I am always presented my country Armenia there. Together with disabled people, we are making puzzles and drawing different pictures together. It is nice to see and communicate with them every day in an organization. I am very happy to be a volunteer. It is a really good experience. In this place, I feel comfortable, it is quiet and cozy. I recommend for other volunteers, definitely come to Lithuania. There is a lot of nature, forests, the air so good. My tried and tested food is nice there. Buses are so cozy. I am living in a home which is a new homestyle for me. It is very nice to live alone, it is relaxing for me. Interesting to meet with other volunteers in on-arrival and mid-term training, it was a nice experience. I travel inside of Lithuania and visit Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda.
October, 2019, Kretinga
