This week we will learn more about impressions of EVS in Estonia of Jakub Zygmunt from Poland who is volunteering in Sakala Keskus / Viljandi Avatud Noortetuba from September 2016 for one year.
-Did you choose Estonia or Estonia chose you?
Estonia chose me, but I chose Viljandi. When I heard the first time about opportunity to go abroad as EVS volunteer, my supervisor from sending organization suggested me to go to Estonia, if I want to go to less popular, a bit cheaper and more wild part of Europe. So, I am here. I had two options to choose – project in youth centre in Tallinn and project in Viljandi. I chose the second one, because it was more sure and seemed more professional, attractive and challenging to me. And it actually is.
-What is your project about? How does your typical day look like?
I work in Viljandi Open Youth Centre. It means that I organize the time of children and teenagers coming there every day. My work day usually starts at 2 p.m., but sometimes it is 12 a.m. and finishes at 8 p.m. Every day I try to organize different activities for young people: 1. board games evenings on Monday, 2. English lesson on Tuesday, 3. Russian lesson on Wednesday, 4. Intercultural evenings on Thursdays. Moreover, I take part in many meetings with other co-workers from the youth centers, we plan together our work, reflect what happened, share ideas about what to improve. I am treated as an equal worker in Sakala Keskus, so I am informed about everything. After work day we sometimes hang out on bowling or other meetings.
-What do you think about Viljandi? What was your first impression and did it change after 3 months that you spent here?
Viljandi is absolutely amazing town in southern Estonia and I regret that people still don’t appreciate its value. At first it looks bigger, as it is in reality. As a town of 17 thousand people, it offers many opportunities to do after work. Music clubs, fancy pub, home wooden café or just walking around old town, which is full of small, cozy buildings. Viljandi is a good place for relax. And it actually relaxes me every day. After 3 months here I feel like in home, in my home city in Poland which is very similar.
-What was the most shocking cultural moment for you while you were here?
Language. I expected that it will be something absolutely different from my native language, but not as much. I remember that during first few days I didn’t understand anything in the shop and bought some things totally different that I wanted (e.g. potatoes pancakes instead of beef cutlets). But week by week it’s getting better and I got used to this specific melody and sound of Estonian language. Now I can speak basic phrases and sentences in this language and it makes me more comfortable in different situations. Second thing, which shocked me very much and is still shocking every day – landscape of Estonia. This country is totally flat, full of forest, lakes and fields. It is opposite to the area where I am from. I come from southern Poland which is quite mountainous, with huge population density and my home city Nowy Sącz is located even higher above sea level than the highest point in Estonia. Hopefully Viljandi is located on the highland and there is some small hills. It makes this place as more home for me.
-What do you appreciate most in your project?
Relations with co-workers is very important. Here I have good work partners who treat me seriously and can help me almost every time I need. Also I am very independent person in the youth centre and if I want organize something new, I can do this. My supervisor takes care about mental condition of each of us, because sometimes work is very tiring and exhausting. Young people coming to the centre are very problematic, noisy, disrespectful, impolite and behave unmannerly. It means that we, as the team, should keep together and do not leave anyone alone. People in work are like the real gold for me.
-What do you want to accomplish during this year?
At first, I would like to continue my current activities like language lessons and board games evenings. I want to intense my focus on “intercultural evenings” and invite more EVS volunteers to Viljandi to introduce their country, culture and traditional food. In my imagination there is one huge idea about organizing “cultural trip to Poland” for small group of teenagers with who I work usually. It will be something very useful, attractive and for sure expensive, but I have contacts with places which can help us.
Jakub Zygmunt is staying in Estonia within EVS project “Broadening Horizons II” supported by Estonian National Agency of Erasmus+ program.
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