While I can’t say that I have learned and understood Slovenian language quite yet, I can describe my experience during first month of volunteering as Ful Dober. From the places I have seen, to the people’s interaction to working and discussing ideas, this month has treated me well.
Starting the month, I was able to design and do a small workshop in a high school near our city (you notice how I already call it OUR city), that was a continuation of the training I participated last month about Addiction. What I loved about it is the fact I was given the freedom of being creative with the program of the workshop. My coordinators were there for all the times I had questions and doubts, but they didn’t interfere with the program. The day of the workshop I was quite nervous but after the first energizer with the group of pupils, every nervous feeling went away. The group even though shy at first didn't hesitate on being welcoming, kind and very patient through every exercise. They had many nice things to say by the end which made me feel great.
Designing programs has been a theme for this month as I have also been able to work with the team here about one workshop and an event for the next months. I get to learn about how youth work is different here, I get to know practices that make the youth work more effective, and I get to do all things in different languages.
Besides office activities, my adoptive Slovenian family has made sure to give me a taste of the culture literally and figuratively. We had a trip visiting a few of Slovenian landmarks such as Bled, Bohinj Lake and Vogel Ski Resort. I would call it one of the main highlights of my entire experience here for the rest of my staying because the scenery was breathtaking everywhere you lied your eyes, and it had such a peaceful energy, I felt recharged only by viewing across the horizon. Beside the cultural taste, I have tried Slovenian dishes and even more because the food has been great.
To sum up my situation, I feel inspired and rested during my first month of volunteering. I look forward to how the activities are going to unfold and I also look forward to visiting more of Slovenia because it so rich in nature and things to do I can wrap my head around yet.
In the end I wanted to write about the main thing I loved more about my experience so far. I placed in the end not because it's not relevant or important, but I wanted the reader to be left with the taste of it when they finish reading it. I wanted to write that within my first month of volunteering, the thing I enjoyed the most is the respect and kindness people show around here. It's not an overbearing welcoming, it's so human, gentle and touching that I feel lucky and honour for being welcomed in here first by my hosting team and also by the locals. You can always find people to help you, they always greet you on the street, especially the cute grandmas and they also have something nice to say about Albania even though they might not know much about it. Being a person that is very attached to my country (some would say nationalist) this experience has been eye-opening and heart-opening because I look forward to hugging the culture a little bit more.

V Knjižnici Mirana Jarca je bila uprizorjena v lastni produkciji predstava 𝐕 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢 pod okriljem ustvarjalcev Mije Kramar, Mire Giovanna Gabriel, Maše Macedoni, Maje Vidic, Špele Koščak, Marine Mihajlović in Jurija Dovića.
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Pripravili so eksperimentalno predstavo po motivih drame Veliki briljantni valček, Draga Jančarja.
Že pred samim začetkom predstave nas je pred vstopom v prostor presenetila Slavica, ki je vhodna vrata v prostor predstave najprej odprla, pogledala v prostor ter vrata hitro zaprla in zaklenila, ter jih preverila, če so zaklenjena. Počasi se je obrnila proti nam in nas pogledala z zelo resnim pogledom. Obiskovalci smo se med seboj spogledali in priznam, da sem kar pomislila sem kaj nas v predstavi čaka, saj pogled Slavice je bil po besedah mojega sodelavca ubijalski. Po vstopu v prostor nas je pričakala Lola, ki je sedela na robu police arkade in čez rob ji je bingljala ena noga. Na drugi strani je v kotu smrčal Oskar in nekaj metrov stran je Manika držala metlo za pomivanje tal.
Skozi celo predstavo sem bila na trnih kaj sledi, koliko je ura, kaj sledi po plesu… Na koncu predstave sem sama pogledala na uro in priznam nisem bila čisto prepričana, če mi prav kaže. Nad predstavo in igralci sem bila čisto vzhičena. Res se vprašaš kaj naredi človeka norega in koliko norosti je v tem našem sodobnem času.
Vsem ustvarjalcem in nastopajočim se zahvaljujem za prikaz norega, ki je v meni pustil nor občutek. Imamo vsi noro vlogo v tem življenju?

Začetek naše nepozabne Erasmus izmenjave se je začel 9. julija s štartom v Novem mestu. Ob 7.00 smo se odpravili do letališča Marco Polo v Benetkah. Po prijetnem letu smo prispeli v finsko prestolnico Helsinki. Utrujeni od potovanja, a polni pričakovanj, smo dan zaključili s sprehodom po mestu. Naslednji dan smo raziskali lepote Helsinkov, ob 15.00 pa smo se odpravili z vlakom do mladinskega centra v Piispali. Finci so nas pričakali z večerjo, udobno pa smo se tudi namestili in dan zaključili s prijetnim druženjem v kopanjem v jezeru. Izmenjave so se poleg slovenskih in finskih udeležencev udeležili tudi mladi iz Avstrije.
Prvi uradni programski dan smo začeli z ogledom Piispale in spoznavnimi igrami. Nato smo nadaljevali z veslanjem na vikingški ladji ter aktivnostmi na plaži, kot so odbojka in kopanje. Po kosilu smo imeli sestanek vodij skupine, sledila je delavnica o človekovih pravicah in še več spoznavnih dejavnosti. Po večerji smo se odpravili v savno in uživali ob prijetnih prigrizkih.
Drugi programski dan smo začeli z drsanjem. Kot zanimivost, v Piispali so eni izmed redkih, ki obratujejo ledeno ploskev tekom poletja in s tem privabijo hokejske klube, da izvajajo poletne tabor v Piispali. Popoldne smo nadaljevali z delavnico o enakosti spolov ter se skupaj s slovensko skupino pripravili na slovenski kulturni večer, kjer smo spekli belokranjsko pogačo, ajdove žgance in žličnike ter pripravili kviz o Sloveniji. Slovenska skupina je mlade naučila tudi plesov.
Tretji programski dan smo začeli s plezanjem in bowlingom. Vse pohvale našim puncam, ki so preplezale vse smeri na steni – »mini Janje Garnbret«. V Piispali smo izdelali tudi svojo majico, saj imajo prav temu namenjen prostor. Po kosilu smo imeli sestanek vodij skupine, kjer smo obravnavali aktualna vprašanja, nato pa smo nadaljevali z vožnjo s kanuji in supi. Popoldan so Finci pripravili svoj kulturni večer.
Četrti programski dan je Julija, naša mladinska vodja izvedla krajšo delavnico na temo človekovih pravic in strpnosti. Po kosilu smo obiskali mini živalski vrt in imeli lov na zaklad po celotnem kompleksu Piispale. Zvečer nas je čakal avstrijski kulturni večer, kjer je glavna debata tekla o »slovenskem tradicionalnem zajtrku«.
V soboto dopoldne smo imeli francosko kulturno jutro. S skupino smo izvedli zaključno refleksijo in še eno krajšo delavnico na temo identitete in odnosov med ljudmi. Po zaključeni delavnici smo podelili Youthpasse vsem udeležencem. Druženje ob ognju in v savni je bilo odličen zaključek našega nepozabnega potovanja.
Naslednji dan smo se, nekateri tudi solzni, odpravili domov, kjer naprej delimo našo čudovito izkušnjo!