Sapes. Children and Non-formal learning

As I was explaining in my previous post… My project is quite flexible which gives me the opportunity to get involved in many activities, with a different format and from different places.

Another part of my work that I decided to do during my EVS is to have small training and workshops together with my mentor Ivi in a mid-school, located in an another locality.

The aims of this activities are to spread new technics, taboo topics that will help the new young generation that is coming after me to be more sensitive, to be more aware about human connections, and of course to familiarize with the voluntary work.

Together with another volunteer from Turkey - Burcu Yağmur which came for 6 months. We go to ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟ ΔΙΑΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΙΚΗΣ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗΣ ΣΑΠΩΝ, located in a village close to Komotini, named Sapes, an amazing place that has a mixed community, composed from Turkish, Greeks, Russians, Roma and others. Both me and Burcu were chosen because I can speak Russian and she can speak Turkish and in the school there are many pupils who speaks this languages.

Our first day started very early at 7 am in the morning we had to woke up and at 7:45 My mentor Ivi was waiting for us in front of our house to show us the way. So we went with her car, and at the border of the city Ivi parked her car and we got inside of another car, in order to have less expenses. Ivi with other colleagues from the same school that are living in Komotini, they are sharing the fuel, by going with only one car all together.

So we arrived at 8:15 at the school just before the classes were starting. I had the chance to assist at Ivi’s classes she is a teacher of physical education.

During the breaks I had the chance to discuss with other teachers. To share experiences. Everybody was very friendly and I am very happy for this opportunity.

After the classes finished Ivi took me and Burcu for a small tour to the village showing the best places also some historical places

On the way we stopped to a local newspaper called : “ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΗ ΑΠΟΨΗ”where the director χαριτοπουλος Nτινος is the ex-Mayor of the Sapes, after a short and very productive talk at the end I got a gift from him a CD with collection music made by greeks singers with songs from Armenia, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Roma songs. A gift that I will keep for many years I guess.

After we had to finish our small trip because we had to be on time for the non-formal activities with the pupils from the school.

The topic was: Team work, first Ivi started with an introduction about this term, and also about the reasons of why we need to work in a team. After I started with one activity that was of course related with the topic. I split the guys into two groups. The goal was to work separately as groups, but at the end to build a bridge together from different materials as papers, notebooks, pens, stickers and many others, and the bridge was supposes to hold my phone. This is a great game, and made the participants to work together as a team.

After this game we had some other activities coordinated by Ivi related with the same topic but more involving physical abilities.

For me it was something totally new and I totally enjoyed it. Also about the pupils if at the beginning they were very shy and they weren’t speaking so much English. At the eend the got really enthusiastic about the whole activities. And the said that is something totally new for them and they will enjoy it for sure next time again. Plus, they had the opportunity to meet someone from abroad, to find new things about other cultures, and of course to practice some English.

I am happy for this opportunity that EVS gave to me! And I truly recommend it to others.

For that you just need to find your perfect project for an EVS.