What are you doing here, Mari?
You are not a volunteer anymore. Yes, but none removed my account on the blog… and that’s nice because I really want to write something this time. So, two days ago it was my birthday. It lets me think about my previous birthday, one year ago, when I actually was in Portugal from just 3 weeks. This thought gave me an idea… Nuno, the Rato’s Boss, asked us to write an article about the EVS experience – one month later. But, what about to write an article about EVS experience – one year later? I’m going to do it because I do believe it could be interesting for me and also for some readers.
How is my life one year after my EVS project?
Most of the time, I’m keeping to bore people saying something like “When I was in Portugal…”, but that is not just that.
I have to say that I had the lucky opportunity to improve my real job, during the project I did in Portugal because it was in the same working area. That makes me believe more in myself and in my job, opening new points of views about how to do my job in new areas. Actually, I find another job in Italy that takes me a lot of time, but I am still thinking about some personal projects I started in Portugal and that is motivating me a lot to work hard to reach my goals.
EVS also gave me some new soft skills. What do I mean with soft skill? To deal with changes, to accept other opinions, to listen more, to break the ice at the beginning of a new meeting, to be more available to get involved in new activities (I still remember how much I complained before to go at the On Arrival Training, that actually was a great experience). It could seem really simple, but it wasn’t for me. Maybe I was afraid or shy, maybe sometimes I didn’t have the willingness to do more… so I was lazy. Experience in Portugal helped me to recognize how much important is to start every next experience (working, traveling or making new friends, doesn’t matter) with a different attitude, less judgmental, more open. I’m still improving, in this. And this is what I learned more… to keep to improve, never stop, never think “so yes, now I’m done”. I’m never done. This is the best gift that Portugal gave me. It’s a big awareness that I’m going to bring with me forever, even one year later, and the next year and those to follow, I hope it is going to be the same.
Who knows…maybe I will write you!
Thank you for this opportunity especially to this special place that is Rato ADCC… you know guys, sooner or later I will come back to visit you. And thank you to keep my personal account 🙂
