Ola! I’m Francesca, an italian girl who find this really nice project on the ESC site:
I just finished high school and wanted to start the wonderful experience of volunteering abroad, to help where possible and learn a new language and a new culture and maybe find out what I'd really like to study after this year off.
I leafed through pages of projects and compared them with my abilities and adapted to the time in which I wanted to do them.
This one was my favorite since I read the informations about it, since I read this blog which is made by the volonteers that were here before us and after seeing the magnificent town, where I would have lived, of Viana do Castelo one hour away from Porto.
I left my country only 2 weeks after they told me I was selected for the project, so the travel and preparations were full of anxiety but the team of the association made it more confortable, giving me some informations that could help and being present for my needs.
I waited for the bus that took me from the airport of Porto to Viana do Castelo, where three of the nicest people were wainting for me. They hug me like we were friends and suddently I was less worried about being abroad for one year.
They took me to my new house, in Darque, a town between Viana and Deão, the place where I would have worked: I arrived in the afternoon after lunch so one of the volunteer that live with me takes me to one of the bar near the house so we could talk and then tidy up my room and went to the grocery shop to by some food.
At the end of the day I met the two young boys that would have lived with me, they were (and are) so nice and outgoing: one of them is from France and the other one is from Cyprus.
I immediatly felt at home and it didn't take me many days to adapt to the environment and the first responsibilities that included the Portuguese lessons and to play with the children during the afternoon in the association: they are very nice as all the people and the volunteers who are part of AJD, they were a lot curious and affectionate and they haven't changed yet, since they discovered my passion for drawing every time we see eachother thet ask me to do something different.
I am discovering the city easily and make friends very quickly thanks to the surf courses during the weekend and the meetings during the week.
I found everyone very helpful and kind: one things I can say for sure is about the communication here, because for any problem or doubt it is always better to turn to someone who will surely find a way to help.
It has been two intense weeks and it seems to me to be here and to know the environment as if it were the one at home. I’m so glad to have chosen this project and I’m pretty curious to see what awaits me.
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| Work in Progress |
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| New Home |
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| Team work |
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| Imagination |
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| Playing |
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| The Endless Ocean |
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| Relax |
Francesca, 18 years old
Deão, 24.10.2019
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