News from Mirian, a spanish volunteer

1) Hi Mirian ! Can you tell us why you have choosen this project in Bulgaria , what were your expectations ? Can you present now what was your project and your role?

I chose this project, firstly, because I thought it could be a very interesting place to live, very different of my country. Secondly, the cause was with who we would work. I mean, I studied to be a teacher and psicopedagogy, so, I was really motivated to work with them: young people, children, children with disabilities... My expectations were to live in another country, meeting people with another culture and with different forms to see the world. I wanted to help them, working about things in relation with the education. My project had good points and same bad points too. Now I can only think about my great experience there. I met incredible and nice people that I will never forget. Even, after 2 years, we go on talking, by phone, e-mail or visiting each other. So, if you ask me about my project there, I can only SMILE. My role… I worked with young people preparing project that finally we couldn’t make real L (like a volunteer shop). I was working with children with disabilities in different activities; for example we made a theatre opera with them. Also I went to visit to the children in the orphanage, teaching them in English language, organising workshops and preparing games to play on the weekend. But, finally I learn more from them that they could learn from me!!

2) After one year here (or less), what report can you do ? (tell what difficulties you have met here, what are your best and your worst souvenir, what you learn about Bulgaria , about yourself…).

Well, I have to repeat myself: MY EXPERIENCE WAS WONDERFUL. But I found a lot of difficulties too: -The language: I couldn’t talk with the people, my English was the worse. -My new flat partner: Uff, freddy… we had a lot of discussion and we fight a lot… But finally we liked each other. So, I have to recognise (don’t tell him) he was one of the most important people for me in Bulgarian. -The life there: Everything was different: politics, economic, ideologies… I had to learn how to understand point of views that I wouldn’t be agreeing if I wasn’t living there. For example, why young people voted to extreme politicians against “democratic” politicians. -Corruption: The corruption was present in all parts: cops, politics and even in YOUTH CENTER HASKOVO. Someone made projects only for one reason: GET MONEY. Some of them doesn’t care about if the project could help someone or improving the situation Bulgarian people were living. In the other hand, as I said before, Bulgaria changes my life. I learn a lot about them: How people could be happy almost without money, how they shared everything they had, how good they made you fell…

3)What are you doing now ? Is the project that you have done here helped your new activities ?

I’m working like a psicopedagogic in a school for parents. I am working with adults and their children in the same time, and I LOVE MY JOB J. My experience in Bg has helped me a lot. After being in Bg I decided to go on working with different ONG(s), using my free time working with people need help.

Thank you Mirian, and see you, maybe in Bulgaria ! :):):):):):)