Welcome Almada aka my EVS On Arrival training.

Olja & Sandra @Belem, happily not lost.

Before I go to explain my adventures, i`d like to give small introduction of what the EVS On Arrival training is made for. All in all its easy and simple, as part of every European Voluntary Service Program project happens the On-Arrival training, which for every volunteer is a must to do. In different regions of Europe the training are organized by different bodies and institutions, so they varies. Also in some of the countries, you are lucky that the training takes place in different locations that you are living in, so you have the opportunity to choose not only by date but also by place. Here in Portugal, its all connected with Anime NGO, which on regular basis organizes these training events. As it seems they happen every two weeks, as the volunteers rotate fast and projects are happening all the times. In usual conditions if hosting organization communicates correctly of the timings for the on arrival training, then you should have it on the time when you are three or four weeks here.

But now, well, its time to share the first of adventures...

S. goes to Braga and to Portugal Participa.

Welcome @Braga.

I like to think that one thing leads to another,so if you take action, other actions follows. So this what happened with me when i got the offer to travel to Braga for the weekend seminar of Youth Participation. Since i returned from Slovenia trip, these last two weeks, I have managed to meet bunch of portuguese speaking people, either going out for the party with friends of friend, later on joining the youth round table done by IPDJ or after all finally managing myself to join the Toastmasters meetings. The busy week with portuguese culture lead to get invited to join National Youth Council organized seminar in Braga which was about Youth Participation. For me having the chance to actually experience and see how the youth acts and reacts in Portugal, how they think and if they are any different by taking actions than in Latvia seemed to be a perfect match for my weekend. And more over I had the opportunity to travel to north of Portugal, to visit the European Youth Capital 2012 aka Braga.

a day when things goes other than you wish.

CITIZENS, Flashmob of fashion show @Lisbon this eve.

After a great Braga trip and a great time in Porto, today I woke up in my Lisbon house with a terrible mosquito bite on my face. Not using the anti mosquito stuff just for one night costed me the "lovely" bite.

otherwise, i went to work. Managed to do the tasks very fast and cool, oh, luckily one thing went good and smooth today. 

Then out of sudden i got the message in my FB asking if im going to Fun. concert tonight, as he just got the ticket and has no company...i was amazed...i looked up for tickets two weeks ago, and at wortens they told me that tickets are sold out...and here out of nowhere a guy tells me that he just got one ticket at El Corte Ingles...Damn.

S. finally meets the Toastmasters.

My catch of moment @Toastmasters MBA Club.

I remember myself browsing around and coming across the Toastmasters International name and the time when first time heard, i wanted to know more of this sandwich name and see what is this about. Have to say, got to think of the sandwiches for just a short time as my curiosity brought me the true answer. If im not mistaken, then like year ago this all happened. Then i discovered that its nothing to do with toasts nor any other sandwiches and its all about improving your public speaking. And since some time they also say its about the leadership skills development.

All in all the first time I was curious to join their organization and to see what`s it all up was in Ljubljana.

Dinamo rocks at Round Table about Youth and Mobility.

A new way of Round Table.

As Dinamo, my EVS hosting organization, promotes youth participation and as well likes to lobby their interests within the governmental level, then I got the great chance to go for a round table about the topic of "Youth and mobility" connected with the celebration of the European Single Market, which was organized by the IPDJ or in english saying the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth. Yes, thats right, they mix the sports and youth all in one place.  So yes, we were invited to participate in the round table, where to share the experience and out vision on the youth opportunities and how mobility works from Dinamo perspective.

Bday dinner in Portuguese style.

Lisbon @Night...and all the rest in the story to remember.

I am more and more discovering the Portuguese lifestyles and their traditions. One of the new traditions that  I recently came across my way was their way of birthday celebrations, asides all other activities that they may do, the cool thing that i got to enjoy and experience myself was the having dinner party aka meeting up with friends for dinner and drinks. I joined the friends friends birthday celebration where i manage to be the only foreigner in around fifteen portuguese guys and girls company. So yeah, the perfect way for the perfect experience.

rain and jogging is possible at Cascais

This last week turned to be a nothing much to do week, as most of Dinamo were out again to Amarante for another international youth training course, but i was left home alone. First days of getting back from intense week with many actions and activities to nothing seemed for me as nightmare...plus being home alone as from one side seems to be cool "do what you want" part, from other its indeed boring.

As I am the one who makes my life, then only i can get out of the nothing and do something. Luckily there are cool people around me and its possible to find activities after all.

My meeting with another Robert & PSD.

I will soon start to think, that every second man in Slovenia is named Robert. as in beginning of the year i needed to go for hair cut, and I found myself at Roberts` Salon. This time of my return in Ljubljana, i did got to see him again, but other than that, upon my arrival from Venice, I got to meet another Robert, the transfer guy.

As life puts me together with awesome people, then thanks to friend of mine, i got to hear of a new shuttle service and with all the great story of him, i was encouraged to choose exactly this shuttle company. If the first impressions may not been the best, as from the story I was told there was nothing such existing. However still the transfer was fast, nice and all in all very pleasant ride. Plus I have to tell, that so far the best price from all the shuttles.
On the way back, well, that was a piece of story to tell.

sum up of my recent Ljubljana days.

eleven days, great conference, awesome people and superb get back to Ljubljana times have finished, as since couple of days I am all back in Lisbon.

did i had any adventures? oh, yeah, I did. here comes couple of them for you to have the glimpse.

I think that peak of the week asides all awesome activities and super busy schedule of conference was the chance for me to present our group idea in front of almost two hundred youth and business people.Thank you my awesome team for such a great idea that brought us the spot light and thanks for giving me the chance to present. I have done public speaking and presentations, however it was my first time of actually presenting a business idea, moreover knowing that there may be investors listening about it. I enjoyed the show very much, hope the all of you who heard it too.

too many happening too less of time.

All of us after the nice arts workshop. We gotta talent.

This is the day six of the conference, and this is the first of the days that i finally have proper hour of just free time for myself and rest with doing nothing or as i am now doing a making a piece for my blog.

Yeah, as you may guess, the conference is amazing, not only because of the superb people that have gathered together, but also by the organized activities for us, that are at the same time not only new knowledge, also a learning process and challenge for our mindsets. So far like seeing some of us being provoked and left outside of their comforts, so finally they can not only speak up but develop themselves.