SWEDISH NGO CENTRALASIENGRUPPERNA LOOKING FOR TWO EVS VOLUNTEERS FROM KYRGYZYSTAN!

We are currently looking for volunteers for an EVS project in Sweden. This project will enable two young persons from Kyrgyzstan to go to Malmö, Sweden, for a one year period and work with the two Swedish NGOs Centralasiengrupperna and Tamam. The placement will start in August/September 2014.

 

EVS (European Voluntary Service) provides young people with the unique chance to express their personal commitment through unpaid and full-time voluntary activities in a foreign country within or outside the EU. In this way, it seeks to develop solidarity, mutual understanding and tolerance among young people, thus contributing to reinforcing social cohesion in the European Union and to promoting young people’s active citizenship. All expenses related to the volunteer service is financed by the EU. More information about EVS can be found at: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/programme/action2_en.php

During the placement in Sweden the two volunteers will work approximately 70 % in the NGO Centralasiengrupperna and 30 % in the NGO Tamam.

In Centralasiengrupperna (www.centralasien.org) the volunteers will:

— Take part in our regular trainings, study circles, language cafés, educational seminars and workshops in Malmö. — Contribute with developing the long-term collaboration between Centralasiengrupperna and local partners in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.
— Assist with bigger projects and events of Centralasiengrupperna in Sweden, for example conferences, exchange programs, campaigns and our annual meeting.
— Develop personal initiatives and projects within the organizational framework of Centralasiengrupperna.
— Support the Centralasiengrupperna main office with various administrational tasks such as writing project applications.

In Tamam (www.tamam.se) the volunteers will:
— Be involved in local anti-rasist campaigns and projects in the southern parts of Sweden.
— Take part in in different Tamam groups in Lund/Malmö, southern Sweden, targeting immigrant youth and children. For example; homework support, study visits, camps/excursions and other activities.
— Functioning as contact persons for youth speaking Kyrgyz, Uzbek or Russian languages.

The possiblity to learn the Swedish language will be provided during the service period. To be eligible for applying you should:

• Be 20-30 years old.
• Speak English fluently.
• Have experience of working with grass root organizations within the field of Human Rights, Democracy, Gender and/or Youth issues.
• You should feel comfortable living abroad for a year.

The deadline for sending in the application is 16th of June. Please attach your CV and a personal letter, describing why you are interested in participating within this project (in English), and send it to info@centralasien.org!

We are looking forward to hear from you! If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,

Board of Centralasiengrupperna
info@centralasien.org
http://www.centralasien.org

Right in the middle of my EVS.

It’s always fun to travel, but not that easy to be in another country and to live in a totally different culture, where people have completely different values and different points of views on life.

Reading books about another country and learning about elements of new tradition is brilliant. However, when you come and face with cross-cultural misunderstanding you kind of understand that the books you read were just small parts of it.

The same story with being a tourist, when everything seems to you just perfect and ideal. Since everybody is nice with tourists, local people understand that they at least should show all the best sides of this or other culture. So, at the end of travelling tourist just want to stay there or always want to come back.

The elements of deep culture or tradition never appear on the first weeks or even on the first months of your being member of a new society. Everybody encounters with this situation in a different way in a different time, but soon or later we all meet it for sure.

As we know it is always fun and joyful to meet new people, to explore interesting places and crazy traditions. But time flies just like an arrow and later you will notice the first signs of «storm» coming when you dive into the society deeper.

The term cross-cultural misunderstanding means that when people from different cultures are interacting, and one of them acts in a way that is normal in their culture, but the other person does not understand the message in the way that it was sent, due to difference in culture.

Me, personally, found it’s a bit confusing and I guess now I am in a period of cultural disorientation. As I told I was really full of aspiration to get to know more and to learn to think differently and globally. So, now, I am right in the middle of my experience working and living in one of the best European countries, where people live without any borders, where you do not need to think about your safety and where you more or less just enjoy every moment of your life.

Since, I am doing my EVS in an international team it is even more interesting to get to know about cultural differences and it requires carefulness sometimes. But, i believe that since i am here, i have to take a risk and sometimes better to make a mistake and learn from it outright 🙂

Very soon I will participate in the mid term EVS training in Stockholm, so I believe that i can get answers to some of my questions there and i will try to keep my blog updated.

But for now I want your attention to be directed on the tips that I am going to give in order to keep your state of mind well.

Try to do not compare the new culture with your own culture. Especially if you grow up in a developing country and now you live in a country, which is on of the happiest countries on Earth.

Surround yourself with those people, who can always support you and give great suggestions.

Meet up those people, who has been traveling and experiencing new cultures a lot. Listen to their stories and become stronger.

Try to keep in touch with your parents. Talk to your friends, who are in a foreign country as well, so you have the same «problems». Discuss with them!

Make friends with those people, who are interested in your culture or even with the ones who speak your language.

Learn the local language, so you can understand their culture and show your interest.

Be open and easy-going 🙂

Always ask! If you do not understand some movement or gesture or whatever, just ask! I am sure, people will be just happy to discuss it with you.
Go to public places; cafe, cinema, concert, disco, organizations … Try to meet up different people with different lifestyle.

Accept new knowledge with humor and be like a «child» in your mind.

Be busy all the time! It is the best decision.

Understand that everything that does not kill you, makes you stronger, thats why you should keep moving forward.

In fact, you are not losing anything, vice-versa you are gaining a huge experience and sharpening your character. Just remember it.

Good luck.

I am a new EVS volunteer in Sweden, yay!

The first sentence that I want to say before starting my EVS story is that I am unbelievable happy to join a big family of EVS volunteers!
Let the next EVS story start! As well as the proverb says “We are alike, but all are different ” every EVS volunteer is very unique, full of life and energy. With a big desire to devote a whole year for totally new culture and new people.
I am a volunteer and i am not an exception, I am just an ordinary girl from the small, beautiful and warm city of Osh, which situated in The South of Kyrgyzstan. There I was born, grow up, study and enjoy my life. This year I am going to celebrate my 20th birthday in one of amazing, beautiful and interesting city, in Lund, Sweden. It was my dream to be somewhere in Europe, when I am gonna be in my 20th. Also, the fact that I am going to work as an EVS volunteer in Tamam makes me feel myself really excited. I have been to Sweden once before, in 2011 with 5 more girls from “Youth of Osh” where, actually I was volunteering. I can say that these 7 days were not enough for me to enjoy Swedish life and I felt in love with Lund. It was spring time and everything was blooming, even air was flowering. I liked the enigmatic and old buildings with flowers growing on them. I found this city safe, people are open minded and the main thing what i liked is that most of people take care of their health!

I have a very big expectations about this country and my future project. I am extremely interested in working with Tamam and CAG. Participating in a social life of Lund, getting experience of writing and realizing projects, living abroad, get to know culture of Scandinavian countries, new language, to make new friends – does it sounds awesome? To my mind it is that very thing, which I was waiting for.

Moreover, doing Evropean Volunteer Service in Sweden Is one of the best chances for me to feel myself a little bit as a citizen of the world. Being an EVS volunteer is not just a coincidence, because i had many steps to come to this place, and I am happy. In Osh I used to realize social projects about developing debates, volunteering and project in the sphere of journalism. One of my projects was supported by the program of Soros Foundation “Youth Action Fund”.

While I am in Sweden, I want to improve my skills of photographing. I want to check all facts about Swedish culture and people and share with others.

P.S: My name is Aida, my friends call me Aida, and you may also call me Aida