Pousada EUROPA

gentiii!! alo alo Alegria....bem... Desisti do meu projecto em Istanbul... o trabalho estva a correr lindamente... mas... as coisas pelas redondezas e na organizacao nem por isso...deixo embaixo o meu email comunitario a contar tudo... "Hii there to everyone!!As some of you must know, I was making volunteer service in Turkey ( EVS) during this year... It as been quite an experience that started in March ... My first impact , when I first arrived to the area were I was going to live and work, was somehow positive... Ok, the area seemed hard... conservative...gray...But, once that I came to make volunteer I thought that everything would be fine.In the foundation the thing where going well for some time... I found a project to make with other volunteer ( Yann-my pretty pretty friend!) with children... It was really great... for 6 months we made handcrafts with children based on cultures from around the world ( awale, venetian masks, Japanese golden fish, puppets with papier mache, hand of fatma, south American ceramic, fairies representations, Chinese lamps,etc...), It was as funny for us as it was for the children. Off course that after some weeks making this workshops I fall in love with all the children that we were working. İn the meanwhile I also started giving English lessons to other group of children, Learned how to play arbani ( an Iran percussion İstrument), helped making catalogs, posters, organizing stands and social activities or meetings, helped in an handcraft project for young woman, and so many other things...the work was going well... but the way the organization was working was not... Everytime that we wanted to take our holydays ( that we have the legal rith to have) there was always huge discussions... they didn't want us to go .... than ... they started to be more and more rigid respecting hours and work... more work... more hours in the foundation with bad mood in the air... discussions more discussions... the things were starting to get to heavy!Than... other problem was becoming more and more visible: the neighborhood. We new that the we are responsible to break cultural barriers promote equality.... but... it was to much... for the most of the people around we where the first volunteers that they saw... and unfortunately the idea that most of the people have around here about us ( specially women) is not the best... so... pointing fingers.. pararel conversations judging eyes... The courtines at home were always closed ( once that we were man and woman living together), I started to walk looking at the floor...there was no possibility for social life ( as woman I couldn't even go to a cafe drink a tea and read a book).... I now that our presence was important for the people realize what are we doing here... but I also belie that the accommodation should been tough to be somewhere else...were we could disconnect once at home...ok... and because off all this and other problems I gave up the project...I don't regreat this experience... and I would do it all over again... but, it was time to stop... it was enough! In fact just because of the opportunity to get to know this country, to live with other 5 persons from diferent cultures and to works with the children...I would repeat this experience :)Yes... because not everything was bad!!! I learned Turkish... I traveled in Turkey ( Ancara, Capadokia, Fethye, İzmir, Selşuk, Epheus, Gaziantep, Antakya, Sinop, Çanakale, Antalya, Olympus... All beautifull places to go... beautifull landscape an warm people...) and around ( Sirya and now Bulgaria and Romenia), I met beautifull people in Istanbul and other places... I learned hoe to survive in big big city... without forgeting where my hearth is ( with nature)....I also believe that one of the best thing I had (together with the work with the children) was the possibility of living with other 5 beautifull people!!!.... Thank You Eleni ( Cici L'amorosa.... our Greek Gipsy Diva...), Yann ( My pretty pretty celtik elf friend!!), Fabio ( our İtalian Academic full of buths friend... I hope that you find your way şn Italy again!), Andrea ( hehehe... I am sorry but you wiill have to deal with me much longer!!! thanks for being so patient!!) and Humeyra ( our sweet heart romantic friend!!!).... we became family ( together also with our pretty pretty mentor Derya!!).I met also other brothers and sisters in the way....around Turkey... ın ecotopia...other Evs....they are so many...but... all of them toucehd me somehow... some more than others :)so.... ok.... Now I put an end to my project.... And my plans for now are: visiting Bulgaria and Romania, work in Spain for one month with other friends... coming back to Portugal ( maybe also going to Morocco... we shall see hoe the magic goes...) and In January I will be finally back to the Atlantic İslands were I will stay for 6 months... making an internal ship in UMAR, In S Miguel...A big Kiss and strong hug to everyone... miss you all!!!!" as coisas nao andaram como esperava... mas a experiencia valeu a pena... espero que com voces tenha sido melhor....e que esteja a ser.. beijinhos a tod@s!!! alegria***paz***liberdade***