CLEAN UP

Here you can watch the movie of our firs EVS project CELAN UP!

The history of my experience in project Clean Up

Francesco Agnello, Italy

Hi everyone, today i have the pleasure the writting this my experience a that project EVS. I start with: When I arrived in the Pernik not knew nothing the language English and comunicated with my coordinator, mentor and big boss means google translate at the beginning the project. Now a distance the 6 months that I living in the Pernik and I abitued only day a speak only English language also with the another volounteers that be the my same project, I increased of the 500 % and I’m arrive a the medium level, and I’m very happy for this.

Another goal that I  reached it is be the la creation a garden in the Pernik where I live, now I explain for you: We have starting (I and Lilly) in the half past April, the creation a small composition of flowers and plants and the exacly position the composition it is outside the my appartament and a small distance  from office.

We have plant:

– Tagetes Patula;

-Lilium Longiflorum;

-Clematis;

– And finally the Geranium green.

Only days in the morning I have the homework the putting the water on the plants outiside and in the office ( we have the plants also the office), and I check the garden when there are the bad plants in the garden I remove (in the practice I take care of maintenance the garden).

For the work in the garden of Meshtiza, we have reach many goals including also the cultivation the vegetables and the plants of fruit; for example we have cleaning the land of bad plants, put a new vegetables, we have systemery the tomatoes and we have to do a experiment (this experiment consisting the creation the compost for the potatoes the do growl in the same compost.

We have worked very hard but finally be arrive the more fruit the our strong work (tomatoes, potatoes, straberry,apples,prunes ecc…).

The my experience in the festival herbate Madlen 23-24 June

In this festival also it’s during 2 days, the 24 june, we are started in the another part (in practice we went in the all part the nature) for take more herbate for the compositions and the preparing the packs of the tea. After having complete the collect the herbate, we have executed a special ritual in the circle for the blessing the herbate it’s a very normal for the local people in the festival. And in the afternoon in the centre  Mladen are arrivals more people the another village and the city for partecipating a this very important festival and we were ready for receive. And finally the festival has been fantastic and very great for me because I have more know well may people and above all I know Jana and your big boss (she’s another voluntary like me, but she partecipating in the another project in the Serbia, your job it’s more helping the disable children, and for me it’s a very well surprise because I share what it does and we have many interests in common, she’s have a great ability the give positiveness everywhere and for me are very honored the have known her, I have a beautiful conversation with Jana so much that I intend to go find her in Serbia).

And the this my experience in the festival I very more learned the recognize the herbate utility for the preparations the tea and the medicinals alternative for the problems body.

In the Festival once more music and more happiness among the people, I have the occasion to more dance with the people local and my companions the adventure.

In the 24 June in the night finish the festival herbate (for this I was very sad because in my opinion it lasted too little, but at the same time I was very happy). My consideration final are which I think is very fortunate and very honored to have participated in this festival because for me the state is very nice interacting with people and having learned so many things that I did not know before.

Relationships with another voluteers

For how much concern the relationships with the various volunteers the same project, we are a best group also commits during the work and also collaborating and help each other with each other.

And the results can be seen the river in the Meshtiza where in this period we have worked stronger but the results it be arrinving ( we have cutting the branches the big trees, cleaning the river from trash the various gender (plastic, metal, papel, waste bulky ecc…). And we have creating the points called compost, where putting the branches inside.

One more CLEAN UP story

Grzegorz Zygulski, Poland

I have graduated Computer Scence in Kielce. Teory at univeristy and atmosfere was good but when  I finished studies the true was diffrent that everybody were telling me, so I decided to try something new.  Because I like environment and I was previously in Bulgaria I choosen this project.

In this project, at summer, we are working mainly in Mesztica, where we are growing plants in garden ( we can take and eat them l8er) and cleaning river bed to make a free of waste area. People are admire us fr our job and givetknks in tomatoes (i have full fridge).

In bad weater conditions (rain,snow,cold,etc.) we are working in the office in Pernik we we live.

Durning EVS Developed  my english skills because i am stil using it and I am also developing Bulgarian language and culture.

I am disabled peerson, so other my objectve was show my self that I can surviive 😀 (I mean live on myself without any help). Now  I am ascertained.

We are not only working I was also participating in festivals – For Example in Sofia and Sliven.

I was also traveling and visiting attractions: Varna and Burgas

I planing trip to Greece.

MY EVS STORY

Patricia Hagleitner, Austria

Why am I here? After 12 years as student, I came to the point that I want to do something completely different in my life. As I travelled a lot in my childhood with my parents, I was interested in meeting new cultures and people. That was the reason why I “jumped into the cold water” and decided to be part of an environmental project in Bulgaria for eight months. I was looking for something that shows me more of this world and that helps me to find myself.

And now, 2 months after my arrival in Bulgaria, I see the world and the people around me with different eyes. This intensive 2 months helped me to reflect my previous life, to get to know myself better and to figure out what really makes me happy. I met people who changed my view of life, I have seen places which really inspired me and are the reason why I want to travel even more. The first time in my life, I don’t feel any pressure like in school. I discovered how much I enjoy it to work in nature, how much I like it to be creative and not think in “facts and figures”. EVS made me open-minded and showed me that you should never stop dreaming. You just have to be brave enough for new things in new surroundings. During my time here I realized how thankful I am for my family, my home, all the people who love me and who I love. And especially how thankful I am for this big chance. I want to make the best of it, I want to make many experiences and I want to support my organisation / project as much as I can.

EVS in my point of view

 Beata Nei, Estonia

The most common question after I choose my project has been: Why this project and why Bulgaria? So I will answer to that one more time here. I wanted to have environmental project because I just got BSc degree in Environmental management and before continuing my studies I wanted to do something different but still common with my studies. And why Bulgaria? Actually I would have gone anywhere, where is warmer than in Estonia and at that moment I just found a perfect project in Bulgaria.

Also, I really like to travel but as I am a student, I don’t have enough money to do that usually. So EVS is the best solution to me because I can live in another country, earn little bit of money, travel around here and get a lot of new friends.

In general I have been here 3 months but I have alredy traveled so much all around this country. And I Love It!! I had finally a proper summer and I spent most of my weekends near the sea. Black sea is not actually dirty at all, if you know the good and wild beaches where is not so many tourists J. And I need to point out mountains. I mean, there is no mountains in Estonia at all, whole country is flat. So to me it is very amazing to hike in mountains!

The other thing I want to tell you is food. I have travelled a lot before and always the hardest part have been to me to find a food I like. Bulgaria is different to me – I adore the food here!! All these fresh fruits and vegetables and cheese stuff – just perfect. Also I love these little bakerys in almost every corner.

Another thing what is awesome about this country, is that it is cheap. Travelling is cheap, food in restaurants is cheap, beer is also cheap… What else can I wish?

I still have 5 months here but I already feel that it is not enough to explore everything I want. In next post I will tell you more about my travels and feelings in here.

PROJECT RESUME

The project CLEAN UP! aims at raising awareness of local population in the village of Meshtitsa on
the problems of protecting environment and raising public awareness of mitigation and liquidation
of illegal dumps along the banks of rivers that run through them and in particular river Meshtishka.
The project and its activities are planned in the context of the European policy on environment
based on the precautionary principle, preventive action and eliminating pollution at the source. Two
main sub-activities are planned. The first one (in the warm weather) is cleaning a part of the banks
of the river Meshtishka (with the support of the local Mayor’s office), removing the small dump sites
there and converting the area into a park like one „FREE OF WASTE ZONE“ – planting trees to
strengthen the banks, decoration plants and flowers, building protective constructions for the
young plants and recreation facilities like benches and basic sports installations. This phase will
serve as a demonstration to local people of early results and motivation of keeping the area nice
and clean. During the period the volunteers will actively study the local language and the people
and start to acquire cultural, social and intergenerational understanding and build up relationships
with them. The second sub-activity during the colder months of the project is also directly
connected and leads to achieving the objectives of the project – namely with the help of our
volunteers to develop a strategy with measures to raise environmental awareness among the
population of the whole village and encourage more responsible action on the protection of the
environment in the locality and beyond. The specific problem that we want to solve locally, is
limiting the systematic pollution of the riverbed of the River Meshtishka through development and
conduction of environmental education campaign among the local population, and take concrete
actions together with local mayoral administrations to locate and eradicate illegal dump sites for
household waste within the settlement. For this purpose, we need to develop unconventional
strategy of effective measures and means to work among the local population, which could lead to
breaking of old-fashioned stereotypes and visions and build modern ecological thinking and
conscious actions that lead to the improvement of the local environment. For this we do rely on the
fresh thinking and ideas of our volunteers. Meanwhile throughout the project a lot of supporting
activities on EVS promotion will take place, as well as each volunteer will create and manage their
own personal mini project on their choice. Along with these main activities, our 4 volunteers will
establish many new contacts, will obtain a lot of new knowledge and skills acquired by the
methods of non-formal education and by the communicating with local people in Bulgaria. The
participating organizations will build capacity in project management and in solving problems on
environmental protection, as well as it will bring European context and dimension in their work.

The first activities with the local people.

During the project there will be supporting activities in Pernik such as: joint meetings with
local volunteers and youths; visiting local institutions and partner organizations to discuss
on environmental issues and topics interesting to young people.

Here you can find CLEAN UP in an italian news paper.

Here you can find us on local tv (20’52”).

Thanks to our partner organization in this project – Associazione Atelier Europeo, Brescia, Italy; Verein 4YOUgend, Linz, Austria; Seiklejate Vennaskond, Tartu, Estonia and Stowarzyszenie Rozwoju I Integracji Młodzieży (STRIM), Krakow, Poland.