Wolontariusz Mateusz wziął udział w projekcie wolontariatu "Together: a common challenge, a common responsibility"(2018-1-PL01-KA125-050111), finansowanym ze środków Komisji Europejskiej w ramach Programu Erasmus+. Działania realizował w organizacji SOPRO - Organização Não Governamental de Solidariedade e Promoção w miejscowości Barcelos w Portugalii

1. My (great) rendez-vous with
Portugal

2. Introduction
• Hi everyone, my name is Mateusz and I would like to share with you
my experience which I gained during my volunteer’s activities in
Barcelos (North Portugal)
• Are you interested in?
• Let’s go!

3. • My adventure with EVS I started on August 2018, when I decided to
apply for project. First I found polish organisation and later free place
in Portugal.
• Next step was prepared required documents; I had to create
Curriculum vitae and cover letter
• Eventually I had interview with my (future) receiving organisation-
hopefully I dealed with everything ;)

4. • Finally I reached Oporto airport on 5th September. Later by bus I went
to Braga, where my mentor picked me up
• I was in sunny place, full of wine and cheerful people, where you have
always time…
• For me it was (almost) paradise!

5. • At the beggining my first ’’serious mission’’ was help to SOPRO (my
host) organise they basement where it was book’s and clothes
bank.We need to took old books to recycling and clothes to another
place.
• Another task was prepared invitations for over 200 guests
• Last think what I did with rest volunteers was create garden beside to
building; we made equal level of Surface, put flowers inside earth

6. • Finally we took part in opening ceremony a new building SOPRO on
29 September. There were for example local authorities (also from
Catholic’s Church), people from others NGO’s and of course local
community.
• First we sat in La Salle school and tried to understand the speeches
about organisation
• Next to we went to building, where President SOPRO with rest of
authorities made official act open
• At the end we enjoyed together meal in outside

7. • After the ceremony I started work in school. My main duty was
organise time for students during lunch break. I carried on
competition in board games (e.g chess), sport competition (racings),
team-building and playing football. Sometimes we just talking about
differents topics such as sports, compare Portuguese and Polish
school, music,etc.

8. • Although my primary task was work in schoool in the same time I got
involved in help to local community; one day we supported owner to
hotel make recycling old TVs. We help him to brought they to special
buses.
• Another mission was gave a gift from SOPRO to our neighbour. It was
kind of challange, because these days I knew just several words in
Portuguese…

9. • I had time also to got to know Barcelos as well surround. I was in
Braga (where is famous church on the hill-Bom Jesus), Esposende
(quiet-but only during winter ;) village next to Ocean a more
interesting places…

10. • In November I took part in arrival training in national nature park-
Peneda Geres (North Portugal, near border with Spain). I met people
from (almost) every country of Europe. We worked together, talked
together, had fun together and discovered new country where we
lived

11. • In the mean time I involved in live local community- met with people
from other NGOs (e.g we took part in supper in centre help Gypsys).
We talked with people whom help,support them, work with children
after their school. It was good opportunity to found out new things
about Portugal and not only

12. • In December I went to Christmas concert of my friend from supper. I
spend so nice time enjoyed live music. They were pretty good ! ;)
• During whole month I was a member of event ’’wrapping presents’’-
we went to supermarket, prepare presents to customers and colected
money (donation) to SOPROS’s activities in Mozambique

13. • On 24th and 25th December I spend Christmas with my colleague and
family President’s SOPRO. It was amazing time, full of differents (in
food, way of celebrate and of course laungage  ). Fortunately
everyone was glad even if sometimes we could’t understand well
each other.

14. • Last but not least is time to discover new places. I was in Oporto
(several times), Lisbon, Fatima and of course a few beatiful places
near Barcelos
• So this is end of my tail…
• Did you like? Are you interested in? I encourage you to let yourself try
a new experience-no one knows what will happen
• And remember: better is try something and wish what you did than
didn’t make and wish later you didn’t make