Upoznajte Gunu iz Latvije, Justynu iz Poljske i Xavi iz Španjolske – nove EVS volontere Udruge Žmergo! Oni će s nama raditi 12 mjeseci te sudjelovati u različitim aktivnostima i projektima naše udruge.
Udruga Žmergo treću godinu za redom ugostuje europskih volontera u sklopu projekta EVS – Europski prijatelji za zelene trendove, koji traje 16 mjeseci u Gradu Opatiji (01.02.2016. – 31.01.2017.).
Guna Ludborža, Latvija
My name is Guna. I come from beautiful country Latvia that lies on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. I have always loved travelling, seeing new places, exploring new cultures and unseen landscapes so for my Bachelor studies I choose Tourism organization and management. As I love being outdoors I especially like active tourism – trekking, climbing, biking, etc. and not less I like capturing all the beauty around me with my photo camera.
I really wanted to participate in EVS project because in my previous experiences I have always liked to work in an intercultural environment and that is a great opportunity to meet new interesting, enthusiastic people
and gain new ideas. I choose Žmergo organization for my EVS because my personality coincides with this organization’s main goals as environmental preservation, natural and cultural protection and promotion of sustainable development principles.
I feel really happy about opportunity to work and live in such beautiful city as Opatija, where my morning starts with look outside my window at snowy mountain peaks, and lovely walk to work during which I can fill myself with fresh air. And whenever I wish to experience local culture and cuisine I find myself in some cozy cafeteria or restaurant with smiling and friendly local people around me. Whenever I go to some new place I try to explore it as a local. That’s why during my stay in Opatija I wish to get to know as much about Croatia as possible. I want to travel around this beautiful country and learn to make a conversation in Croatian language and hopefully do some good change for local environment and people with my work here.
Justyna Kotra, Poljska
Bok! My name’s Justyna and I’m a volunteer from Poland. I’m a Culture Studies graduate and a movie geek, who loves to travel as much as it’s possible. I chose Zmergo for EVS, because I’m interested in ecological topics, especially animal protection, and I want to learn more about healthy lifestyle. Also, Zmergo gives me a chance to learn more about event and project management in NGOs, which I’m interested in. Last but not least, I studied Serbian and Croatian and I was looking for an opportunity to improve my language skills and to explore diverse Croatian culture.
Opatija is such a pretty town. All around us are beautiful views. It’s so green, and the sea is so clean. And the air is so fresh! After living in a big, polluted city it is a big relief to breathe such an air. I cannot wait to explore more of Croatia! People here are so nice and helpful. They are similar to Polish people in some ways, so they make me feel like I’m home. I really like it here.
I hope that after my EVS I will know a lot more about Croatia and its culture, I will see new places and meet new friends. Also, I hope I will learn new skills and gain new knowledge of working in NGO’s field. And right know I’m sure of one thing – it’ll be one of the biggest adventures in my life!
Xavier Mata Badenas, Španjolska
My name is Xavi, and even though I was born and raised in the restless Barcelona, I went to study in a university of a small town next to the shore, in Gandia (Valencia, Spain). There I studied Audiovisual Communication (including one Erasmus year in Eskisehir, Turkey). After finishing my studies, I came back to Barcelona but soon I felt the need of living new experiences, so here I am, in Opatija!
I have been interested in the Balkan countries for quite some time; their story, culture and languages. But it wasn’t time to travel anymore… Recently graduated and living again with my parents, I had to look for a job! Then I discovered the possibility of EVS in Zmergo.
But I wasn’t sure because time was passing by and I was not getting any job experience in the filming field…. Turns out, my duty in Zmergo is going to be creating, filming and editing videos of all kinds! It was the perfect opportunity for me.
Opatija was as I expected. A really calm and peaceful place where I can clear my mind and get inspired. No stress, no smoke, no loud noises. And a relaxing sea calling for me to swim. Exactly like the town where I used to study and the perfect contrast I needed from a big, polluted and croweded city like Barcelona.
But if one day I am missing the action that my home city offered me, there’s Rijeka really close to here! Rijeka is a city full of life, not too big (which I prefer) where I can find more bars, clubs or cinemas. So I have everything covered!
I think that these twelves months that await me will inspire me. I will learn about the enviroment, travel as much as I can, speak new languages, meet a lot of people, laugh a lot (maybe cry the last day?) and even though it may sound corny, grow as a person. I hope that when I come back to my busy but beloved Barcelona, I come back as a different person: a better one.
