Ola, chamo- me Laurane, sou da Franca e tenho dezoito anos. Eu trabalho com computadores na Rato – ADCC e escrivo para o blogo. Eu gosto do meu trabalho porque aprendo muitas coisas.
Today I decided to write about my motivations, the obstacles to do this kind of project, what I learnt for now and why I recommand the European Solidarity Corps to everyone.
I decided to do a project with the European Solidarity Corps because I want to be journalist, to learn new language, to travel, to meet new people and discover new things and the world by myself.
As I said I want to be journalist and I started University in this goal but I didn’t feel good. I felt lost and I realized that I needed to discover new things and the world by myself. That’s why I wanted to do new experiences so I was looking for a volunteering experience and I think that a project with the European Solidarity Corps is a good first experience. Indeed, firstly with this experience you don’t have to pay anything: you receive Money for food and for your pocketmoney and also, you don’t have to pay anything for the accomodation, you can use internet, gaz and water without pay anything. Secondly, with this experience you are not alone at all and it’s a good thing for me because I am only eighteen and it can be stressful to be far of my family or to manage everything alone. Indeed, for example when I was sick I went in three differents hospitals and everytime, someone of Rato – ADCC was with me. Also, before I went to hospitals I was too sick to go out so they bought me medications and others things like tissues. For me, being far from my family was a kind of obstacle to do this project but when I saw how they took care of us I understood that I was not in danger and I was not at all alone in my problems. Furthermore, I want to use the time I spent and I will spend in this project to think about my future and to build some projects for example in journalism and this project it’s the good moment because I have a lot of free time. Indeed, I work every days from 10 to 17 and I don’t work Sunday and Monday so I have time to think about this and to visit places like Lisbon.
In my life, I really want to travel as much as possible. Indeed, I want to discover new cultures, new people, new countries. I think that is really important to build my mind and myself and to work on my openmind. Also, there is again a link with the fact that I want to be journalist because I want to travel in part of my work. But I realized that if I want to travel and meet new people I will need to understand and to talk with people so I really needed to improve my english because it was very bad. So what could be better than going abroad to improve my english? Furthermore, I really like to learn new language. Indeed, I think that to really know new people the better way it’s to speak the same language. For me, a language it’s not only words, it’s also a reflection of a culture and of a way of thinking. That’s why I try to learn portuguese. In fact, I know that language can be a problem when you travel that’s why I think it’s really important to learn at least english. For me, it was a real obstacle when I came in Portugal. It was really hard to understand and to communicate with people. But three months later, I can see that my english has already improved and I’m proud of myself. Of course, it’s not perfect but it’s more easy to speak with my flatmates or with people generally. Finally, for me it’s really important to learn portuguese to understand their customs and others things and to adapt to my new daily life.
For now, I am at a moment of my project where I recommand a project with the European Solidarity Corps to everyone. Indeed, it’s a way to go abroad very accessible. I think we all know that when we go in another country we learn something like new langage, new custom, new people etc. It’s always nice to travel because thank’s to that you can work on your openmind and for me the openmindess is the most important thing and it’s a proof of intelligence. But in this case you not just go abroad, you will do a project with an organization. In this context you will learn new things, you will have news competencies. For example, in my case I learnt how to use some softwares like « Camtasia », « Audacity » or « Photoshop ». Touch to everything will first allow you to know what you like and also to have new skills.
It’s a new experience for your CV but first it’s for you to build yourself and maybe find your way for the future. That’s why I think it’s important to do this kind of project when you are young because it’s the best moment to think about your future.
As I said, with the European Solidarity Corps you receive money, you don’t pay anything and you are not alone but also, we share the accomodation with others volunteers in the same organization. In my case, I share my room with Rosa and my others flatmates was MihaI, Paulina, Ewelinka and Berk. For me it’s one of the better part of the project because you meet new people of differents nationalities, you discover new way of thinking and sometimes you have new friends. Finaly, I recommand a project with the European Solidarity Corps because everyone can apply, there is not language or diploma restriction and you can find all the areas you want and where you want to improve.
I hope you enjoyed my article and see you soon , world !
