Alive in Tallinn...

Hello dear ladies and gentlemen, my fellow volunteers, honorable mentors, tutors and coordinators,

My name is Thomas Pinakas and I come originally from the city of Thessaloniki, region of Makedonia in Northern Greece. I reside in Tallinn in the legendary neighborhood of Mustamäe, a neighborhood which according to rumours has produced heroes, great politicians and famous artists.

I am currently working as a volunteer at Käo Päevakeskus in Tallinn, a centre for young adults and children with people with mental disabilities. The phasma of the main activities of the centre consists of Vocational education, Day care service, Social rehabilitation service, Counselling, Short term care.

I am really excited to be in Estonia since it is a country with an unparallel beauty, history and culture. Moreover, the organization I am working for gives me an additional motivation due to its harmonical and modern way of function.Until now almost all function with harmony and creativity and I am sure that in the same way we will continue...

I hope that great moments are coming for all of us and I am ready and eager to taste the real essence of these moments...so my fellow comrades enjoy every moment with passion, emotions but also logic.

For more information about me, my past, my present, my future or my experiences, please feel free to find me in my office, my appartment or during the parties!

What's up?

1. I am sitting at the "Office" of the Youth Centre with other Youth Workers. I just finished the first part of the “story” I wanted to write about the first impressions…

2. I am often downstairs, where the youngsters and the children are hanging around, play Ping Pong or Billiard…, but they will come a little bit later. That's why I am still upstairs. 


3. I like being here, because I get to know the youth workers. I get to know the work here in the youth centre. Sometimes I also like just to watch at the people here, and getting to know the “way of life and the way of thinking”. General in Estonia: The landscape, the language (even if it is difficult), I experience much new things

4. I don’t like, that the people sometimes only speak in Estonian, so I don’t understand so much, and I cannot follow the conversations (but it is also good, because I HAVE TO LEARN), I don’t like the travelling to Tallinn every Tuesday and Thursday for the language course, the times of the trains do not fit with the times with the course, I am more travelling then being in language class, Furthermore I don’t like just sitting around and just have a look at the people, but I think, this is a very important part of “settling in” in and getting to know the new surrounding here, so it is necessary as well. J

5. It was funny for me, when I just sat here, and the children were running and screaming around (very crazy) and I asked: What are the saying or doing? “They are playing school!” 

kai's: what's-up and where

1 where exactly am i, when i answer this question?
at noOR's office, listening the echo of my keypad, as there room is still very much empty:)

2 why am i here?
am preparing my work for october, cause i want to visit all our volunteers at their workplace then!

3 what do i like about being here?
that i can discuss things with myself out loud without getting weird looks from people, also it is warm here, i have radiator right next to my seat!! very important!

4 what do i don't like about being here?
am a bit afraid that everytime i go to bathroom, i lock myself out of the office and will have to go and ask a key from the scary owner...true! :)

5 what was the last thing that really made ma laugh?
it's the photo cruising around FB:)

6.....i love music and my latest discovery or smthing that haunted me afterwords was this:

lana del rey - blue jeans

that's my whereabouts!

what about yours?

what's-up-and-where-and...

hi all,
it has been a month for our EVS newbies, so i think it's a good time to gather your first impressions. here's a list of questions that are waiting to be answered and the last one, the 6th question is for you to come up.

let us know how' you doin' all over Estonia?

1 where exactly am i, when i answer this question?
2 why am i here?
3 what do i like about being here?
4 what do i don't like about being here?
5 what was the last thing that really made ma laugh?
6 ....

can't wait to read you lines! ps if you can make photos of your place then, please,  add some photos!

cheers,
kai

EVS invasion coming soon!!

Tere all!

It was lovely reading your posts and I can't wait to meet you all!

I am Diana, a 21-year-old Romanian who can't wait to escape the insanely hot Romanian summer in order to freeze in Estonia together with you all wonderful people! :D

Right now I live in Bucharest, where I've studied History and worked for the last three years, but my feet are aching to go somewhere far away. In Tallinn I will work with young people with disabilities, which is what I would like to do in the future, so I'm really enthusiastic about the project and I hope to learn loads from it.

I think we're all in for a wonderful and life-changing experience - and everything I've read about Estonia so far confirms it: that Tallinn is cultural capital this year, that Estonian grammar has 14 cases :)) and that winter looks like Santa Claus's land over there!

Really looking forward to be there and to start a meaningful year working as a volunteer, taking in and sharing as much culture as possible!

See you very very soon!
Diana

Hi! :)

Hi!

My name is Kamila, but my friends call me Lemur ;)  I’m  25 years old and I’m from Poland. I live in Kraków – it’s one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Poland.

I’ve just finished my studies, so I decided that this is a good time for a change and trying something new.  I’ve never been in Estonia, so just like you – I’m very excited.

Of course I’m a little bit scared (ok, maybe not just a little; ) ) but I hope it’ll be ok and I’ll improve my English… and learn Estonian. 

During my study, I worked with mentally and physically disabled people – both with children, youth and adults. Sometimes it was really hard, but it gave me a lot of satisfaction. I’m particularly interested in art therapy and outsider art.

What else? I like sailing and tacking. I love traveling, meeting new people and getting to know the other cultures.

 I’m glad that I come to  Tallinn and I hope we will spend great time together. See you soon!

p.s. Noemie, cinema-club sounds great!

Best wishes!

K.

Do dare to Live Curious!

Instead of National Geographic logo, imagine your EVS logo ;)

if you are, you breath
if you breath, you talk
if you talk, you ask
if you ask, you think
if you think, you search
if you search, you experience
if you experience, you understand
if you understand, you know
and if you want to know more…
you are alive!