This is an short article that our local Moldovan, Liviu wrote about his 1 year journey in the beautiful Vevelstad, Norway.
“I believe that one must love his or her country very much before one leaves for another place. I’ve always loved Moldova and I’ve been working with youth and developing projects here since the age of 15. After graduating high school, I desired to challenge myself even more and to test my skills in an international environment. Deciding to volunteer abroad for one year is the perfect illustration of how to be stubborn about your goal, but flexible about your methods. And because once in a lifetime experiences need to be chosen wisely, I chose Norway.
Never have I ever been afraid of moving so far North, nearby the Polar Circle. If anything, I am deeply fond of the Nordic culture. Hence, my expectations have been exceeded more and more every day. Living in a Norwegian host family has been, by far, the most powerful experience I’ve ever had. Besides, they taught me more than twelve years of school had, and talking to some young people from that small community felt like interacting with the characters from my favourite books. Vevelstad is an astonishing place and I want to believe that our service there has made it even nicer.
My colleagues at the Volunteering Central and I organized the most sundry activities for the children, teenagers, immigrants and the seniors of Vevelstad: filming course, youth house, sportive competitions, laser tag, events, fairs, a gala, beach cleaning activities and a lot more. We were even invited to the European Youth Week in Brussels to retell about our achievements. It has not always been easy, of course. There have been misunderstandings, but due to them I gained a better insight of who I am and who I want to be.
After work, I had all the time in the world (especially during summer time, when the sun never sets) to explore the raw nature, wandering through the forests and on the mountain peaks. Skiing, fishing, camping, swimming, kayaking, sailing, capturing the Northern Lights – I did everything for the first time! I learned the language, I got to know the culture and I travelled to the most picturesque parts of Norway like a local.
I’ve never thought that my heart can bear so much emotion or so much life, and now my heart is divided between to places… It is a tremendous feeling and I can only wish it to anybody who is brave enough to take such a challenge!”
Thank you for your amazing words Liviu.
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