Mallinkainen Summer Camps 2016

In my EVS project the whole month of June I was doing voluntary work for the summer camps in Mallinkainen, Janakkala, Finland. I feel a bit tired now and some muscle pain...Here is the story about the camps shortly week by week, plus some pictures:

Week 23: camp with handcrafts in which kids made their own "Strange creatures" and had many outside activities. I had mainly night shifts and I was very comfortable with that, since I'm kinda "nighttime bird". Although I didnt get much sleep I enjoyed the Finnish midsummer evenings and light nights. In the mornings I had tasty warm porridge for breakfast.

THE NIGHT SHIFTS

DAY CAMP IN THE LOCAL YOUTH CENTER

Week 24: activities and workshops including travel back through the history of Finnish life and camps. The kids had to make decorations and they had a disco in the main hall, the dining room. That week I got badly sick and couldn't participate at all. So, I took antibiotics to avoid any bronchitis or pneumonia. But For the next two weeks I was still coughing, having a back pain because of that coughing and a little bit of sore throat, but in the end I got recovered. Nevertheless, as soon as I got home, I'm going to take a medical checkup, maybe x-Ray.

Week 25: camping into the green and wild nature, hiking trips and interesting handcrafts planned by Lisa, my EVS colleague. During this camp I had a morning shift and I participated in workshop in which the kids made ships out of nature materials and let their ships to float in the lake. They definitely had fun! I also enjoyed my time. Also, during this camp for me was interesting checking the mail and discovering a very suffisticated "alphabet" made up by three girls from the camp. Luckily, they revealed their secret letters to me. Here are pictures:

THE SCHEDULE AND ACTIVITIES

Week 26: The camp at that week was called Lapidarium. The name is not so important anymore, but what happened within the camp. I have planned some of the activities in this camp as well as implemented few art workshops (blackout poetry of course and painting stones. I got only two stones. One stays over the fireplace now in the dining room and says: "Mallinkain 2016"; the other one is made by one wonderful talented girl who I met in one of the schools in Janakkala, Tanttalan koulu. The teens also had handcraft activities in which 2 or 3 international leaders took part and made some art for themselves. 

BULGARIAN ~TRADITIONAL~ MARTENITSA

CAMPFIRE FUN AND THROUBLES:D

I'd like to share some personal impacts about the international workers sent by a Finnish educational institution Allianssi.

So, I had to work with 7 other international camp leaders. I think we didn't get on well very much. Yes, one reason is that the plan (schedule) I made has its flaws but it was open for any changes so we could work out any doubts or issues. That was taken correctly into consideration by the Finnish leaders in charge who helped me out and were supporting. I must say that in collaboration with the Finnish leaders I managed to go through the schedule successfully. I understand the Finnish style in working. 

Although, Most of the time I noticed so many judging looks without saying why, people looking at me, embarrassing me, estimating me with no clue about my personal background or skills; laughing at my back, calling me "cleaning lady" (which is not offensive for me but for them). When were supposed to clean up and tidy indoor area so the kids would feel comfortable The international workers started protesting "but why should we do it? Why 3 times when we did it in the morning?". Also, when they were asked to do cleaning tasks they didn't do their chores completely even when I signed a name on the schedule, assuming that this time they would do it. On Thursday they were given an opportunity to start an action independently (singing at the campfire) they declined saying: "no one else wants to start first, I can't no..." Or "I'm more advanced in singing, if I start first, then the teenagers won't sing"...

I blame nobody and nothing but they should have made more efforts to understand and participate. I trusted them too much, overestimated them maybe. I thought we gonna get more mature and professional people. They came more or less unprepared. I also arrived in Finland inexperienced but ready to learn, to listen and listen a lot, to accept, follow  and do what I'm told and after that to understand or ask. When I came to Finland no one told me what to do. It was really hard. But they give me a chance to decide, opportunities to use and change, and independence to do whatever I'm able and feel comfortable to help with. That's why I put the international workers in my shoes in Finland. I told them that we are all equal, we're all leaders and have to make decisions. I think that they chose the easy way to go with the flow for their own party and fake it. Lastly, I have to comment something on the general rules in Mallinkainen. I expected just a little bit a little bit of respect or that at least someone would remember what we said on the Orientation day. Rules are rules to be obeyed. Do not follow the schedule but regard the GENERAL RULES OF MALLINKAINEN! 

What I'm trying to say:

- using mobile phones to text and chat during working hours;

- One of the international leaders during workshop directly asked: can you guess what is the most famous drink for our country? It's an alcoholic drink very famous..."

My dear lord!! The kids started guessing :( 

- Another one read from a military book in their own language... :( Was it so hard to get anything else from your own country when you have been told to beforehand ?!

- no one of them (internationals) cleaned after their workshops and often misplaced the art supplies;

- no one kept or remembered the handwritten schedule which I gave it at the arrival on the Orientation Day (Lisa only kept and found 2 copies);

My last question is to Allianssi: how do they evaluate international camp workers objectives and skills? Do they?! If you ask me this year they missed that procedure for Janakkala, sadly. 

I feel bad I wrote this but I can't keep it in my head. 

The Good news:

- learned how to make a fire and keep it burning;

- spoke Finnish more than I thought I'm able to and was understood;

- the kids in the camp spoke English most of the time!!;

- everybody had a chance to relax and do what they like to;

- the kids participated in all the international workshops;

- the kids participated in my workshops as well;

- I practiced teaching some art and crafts ;

- I spent time with teenagers just chatting and found it pretty much like a good job;

I gave some hard time to the leaders but in the end we all survived, feeling very tired though. In the end we accepted everything with a smile. I saw lots of smiles and hugs, new friendships and... tears (of joy) :) 

..Peace ~..

June 2016 - Midsummer days and Moominland

The whole month of June was dedicated to the summer camps in Mallinkainen, Janakkala, a place of heavenly green and wild Finnish nature. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all had a short holiday from 24th - 26th of June, celebrating Juhannus (Midnightsummer Eve and Midnightsummer Day). I spent my time off hanging out outside, laying on the ground by the lake, drinking tea and coffee, picking and eating wild strawberries, wathcing the sky...

On Sunday, 26th, Janakkalan Nuorisopalvelut took us all together (EVS volunteers and the international camp leaders ALLI05 sent by Allianssi) to Naantali, Moominland!!! It was wonderful, wonderful:):):)

After that, week 26, started a new relaxing teenagers camp called Lapidarium, for which I have planned the timetable and certain activities. More about it on the next blog entry.

Adventurous April 2016

Week 14 of April was scheduled for youth work. On Monday I visited Tervakosken yhteiskoulu and presented some interesting information about the traffic safety, transportation and driving license procedure in Bulgaria and USA. I repeated the information from posters I had made in advance but also added some more new things- some teachers asked me to say few things about Bulgaria and me. Then I also used the chance to "advertise" voluntary work (EVS, European Voluntary Service/ #EVS20) at schools, for any cultural events and society in general. Then Three girls met me on my way out of the classroom and asked about my name. They spoke excellent English. I understood that one of them is going to work with us for the summer camps in Mallinkainen. After the school I went to the local youth center for my evening shift. 

I think The youngsters there know me already and maybe feel at least little little bit comfortable with me. The next day I just had my Finnish language course. I got awesome feedback: on my written assignment the teacher stated that I'm ready and well prepared for the next level- Suomi 2. However, I'm not going to continue, because that course has already started in January and I had a problem when I wanted to sign up for it:(

(1st: problem with paper work - receiving the course bill too late that I had to give up attending the course at all. 2nd: Consequently: sad, disappointed a lil'bit, reality). 

For the rest of the week I was in the youth center and done some office work- I transferred part of the campers' paper information on the computer. I stayed alone for a while in the office. Two people came totally unaware of my unsophisticated Finnish language skills and sooo randomly asked me in Finnish, but I sooo surprisingly understood them and answered!!! That was awesome:)

On Friday in the youth center the youngsters sat around me at the table I often stay and talked random things. I didn't do what I planned for Friday evening because I saw that the teenagers wanted to talk, to be listened which is more more important than any other activities. So, I'm glad that they just unconditionally finally broke the ice themselves and stayed sooo close to me! That's great!

Week 15- my great holy holiday in Istanbul, Turkey where I met distant relatives of my grandpa and they saw my parents for the very first time on skype. They cried and laughed laughed a lot. It was very unique unbelievable touching moment for all of us. 

Later I departed to Spain and visited Bilbao, Pamplona, Roncesvalles (places, part of El Camino de Santiago), Perdon, and San Sebastián in the company of a very good friend of mine from my childhood, Veselina:) 

Weeks 16 and 17 were dedicated to youth work, educational games, and Mallinkainen camps refreshing and cleaning. I talked with some youngsters in English (week 16,Friday, meaningful conversation, explaining some rules, small talk about behavior). On that week I also let the kids in the youth center eat the sweets I got from Turkey. 

Week 18 - A trip around Scandinavian countries with Lili (university colleague who studies now in Oslo and will arrange the board and accommodation; and Veselina, who is going to join me directly from Pamplona in Helsinki!!! I can't can wait for it! Yes!!! Helsinki-Turku-Stockholm-Gothenburg -Oslo +back (*** + a small ferry adventure Oslo-Copenhagen-Oslo:):):))) And then in week 19 back Unbelievable!!! I'm on the road now!!! 

Peace;)

Mid-term training camp

First of all, in the beginning of the year I'll start with a new personally achieved skills: listening proficiency and remarkable patience. In Finland I experienced the saying "Silence is golden/talking silver" and indeed learned to appreciate it more because it means that you are really listening to person next to you not replying in a casual conversation when you have nothing to say or help. Following this "golden" lesson we appreciate our own competence and utilise it. So I will be as concise as I can. On the last day before leaving they asked as to summarize our future plans and hopes in one sentence. In one sentence this is what I expect:

Having my home and income, working either with children in an international kindergarten/preschool when support education and educational reforms and rights in public schools and nonprofit sector in Europe or my home country. 

I also have a dream about starting my home based learning center or at least something like a reading room, a place for art and crafts for parents and children:) where my mom can run her dreamed healthy home bakery. Of course my father will build the center cause his dream is a small construction company to help other people building their own dreams. But those are just dreams! 

I'm now concern about continuing with the youth work. It's not my field, but it's very important as experience- professional and personal development. I would look at it as developing psychologist skills for "reading " teenagers better when I'm around them in the youth center. They are at very complicated (monimutkainen) age so there are pretty many ways to "read" them. 

Just wish myself some more confidence and good luck whatsoever is going to happen!

Here are my ups and downs regarding doing my EVS in Janakkala, connected mainly to my Youth work experience, which is the newest experience in my life, a big deal for me and I assume it will be even more meaningful and important (a bit stressful sometimes) in 2016; my private shared life in Vapari and still getting used to share it indeed:

Some pictures of the beautiful landscape of Sopukka:

#EVS20 

Peace and hope,
M.

EVS 2015 Reflection

 Moikka!

It's three months of doing EVS since I came in Tirenki (Janakkala), Finland. Time flies! It has hapened a lot so far, so I can surely say that my life has definitely been changed in some better and more positive way by all the children, teenagers, and teachers I met.

Firstly, I understood need to trust people more and accept their help. Indeed, in Janakkala, regarding school work, learning process, and teenagers' free time, I see that the people really care and work hard for better results. Not just because this is their job. I believe it's their native attitude, professional and personal experience and understanding. I'm grateful I can learn from professionals. Actually, on one side are the teachers, youth workers I met, try to help, and observe their work; on the other are all the young people (from preschool to lukio) I meet every day here. 

I'm happy to be in schools and around the students. Spending the time in three different schools and youth center Satama taught me that the biggest  and most demanding part of "my volunteering work" is to listen and let the others to talk and teach me how, what, when, or maybe why. I observed that younger students, especially preschoolers, 1st and 2nd grareds learn better when there is someone extra person like me to pay additional attention on them.

For example, they become more curious to speak to me and eager to learn and practice in English, maths, or doing some art or trying some crafty thing. I really do assure them they are good in English, because they really are. Having a "blackout poetry" class with 8th graders from Turenki is the most confident proof for that. It also shows, that I presented something very new, original, and educational to Finnsh students, which made us all happier, more excited and satisfied of doing an entertaining and educational task in English. It was my real time of being a teacher, who presents totally new subject, mentors and facilitate the class.

Additionally, I am very touched by the students and teachers from one small school I've visited recently. In near future, I would welcome every opportunity to work with them again. I don't know them very well still and I maybe don't know how serious and special their learning or personal needs are but at some moment I wanted to ask some of the head teachers if I could work there for real, so I can work with those students. I would say that to all the teachers and students I will be meeting during my EVS project because I'd like to work for better educational, social and healthy life for young people, and because I want a meaningful professional development.  

Also, I went to my first autumn camp with teenagers and youth leaders in Mallinkainen in October. It was great that we could talk for any changes, if  any issues occur can discuss, compromise and find common language. We speak different languages but there's always a way for common understanding. Mallinkainen camp showed me that a lot of patience, energy, and open-mindness are needed for understanding other's point. I've learned to regard positively all the difficulties I might encounter in future. I will smile and try to stay entirely wide open-minded.

Last, but not least, maybe the most important thing indeed that I'm highly glad about it is that I already know some of the full names of the youngsters, who visit the youth center I work. We just look at each other quickly, smile shyly, and I wrote their name in a notebook. I know little bit about them. I wish they knew me too.

Shortly, volunteering so far around three schools, autumn camp, and youth centers is helping me with answering to my questions:

What is my mission?                                       

Can I do that as a volunteer?
How and Can I make a difference? 

What does it mean to make a difference?
So, I simply know: the more I practice the better I can manage in my future tasks.  

Kiitoksia,
Monika B

Youth work. Carefully consider teenagers' life

This week I'm trying to help with preparing some decorations (and decorating maybe) for Halloween at the youth center I voluntery work. But I think I went a little bit far with some of my ideas that now I realize that I should consider more carefully some situations and young people around me. The thing is that I do not know them well, so I can understand if anything troubles them why and what. I'm trying to say that you never know about bumping into other people's skeletons from their closet. Especially, when you're involved in working with some vulnerable teenagers around. I feel bad I do not speak Finnsh and can't approach them anyway in their native language. Because as Nelson Mandela said:

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

I want to talk from my heart and there must be another way to do it! That way is ART in my case. I can't help it. For me ART is more bearable than life and its disgusting true hard reality sometimes. There is a lot of dying and death in my old skrap art trials but this is my way to conquer personal pain and lost of beloved ones. I protest and mock over prosaic daily life by art. Also, I know I can't keep my black sense of humor inside. It is unfortunately, very often misunderstood.

To the second botom line of this entry:

On Monday (Oct, 26th) I painted some fakе styrofoam "gravestone" and then I think I went a little bit (a little bit!) far into tricky, weird, or spooky Halloween spirit, painting "see you soon" on it, when there are some quite young people sick enough with their difficult life and probably don't need such mocking over life anyway. I apologize if I offended anyone. I did not mean ti at all.

However, I painted something for the first time since 2 years and 3 months (july, 2013). I stoped any painting or drawing when I went to US. I couldn't. I lost all kind of inspiration. Back at home in august 2014 'til now I haven't done any sketch or something... until now. Strange... I feel I want to start painting as my hobby and passion again... 
Thanks, Turenki!