Three Green Learning Month! :)

        After some days will pass first three month while I arrive in Romania to see more, to learn more and to understand more - during the Learning By Doing project in Green Sun Association! Already can say that this is one of my life biggest and unique experience!

    And thanks to all involved who make's my staying here more productive! Work in non governmental organization is something totally different than i had ever experienced in the other jobs! Each day bring new things and new changes. Its never stays the same and that is the most exited part of this volunteering project day by day!

Green Actions!

    As a part of Green Sun Association work is to learn and teach more about various aspects of environmental protection!

    In project Learning By doing its started with "Winter oil and paper gathering" action! People could bring the used household oil, papers, dry batteries, CD’s and DVD’s for recycling! Its the way how we all togehter step by step sorting things could help to save the world from too much trash.

    One of the year biggest and important event what organize Green Sun Association is "Spring Green Days". It is three days long measures with various educational lectures, round table discussion, green organization meetings and other actions what are focused to educate more and more people in local area on enviromental protection and green thinking!

    "Earth hour" was also new and inexperienced action during these month. It is a worldwide event annually, encouraging households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change. Green Sun Association organize event for all local peoples come together with candles, make number 60 and get to know more about this worldwide action! Event more special make girl who sing Hungarian folk music and guitar player.

    And spring is not spring without "Spring cleaning day". Where Green Sun members come together to clean some theritorie of Kézdivásárhely (Târgu Secuiesc) town!

Visiting the schools!

    Work with child's is usually a bit challenge. Even more in different country where mostly with childs at school is not so easy to communicate in english! Then we use other senses and learn from each other! Child's are clever, active and like to explore the world more than other generations. And what is very important - they are honest!

    During these three month we had visiting several Schools for different activities together with child's!

    National level contest called “Give me soldier, king!” at Nagyborosnyó (Boroşneu Mare) school. 

It was competitions for pupils from 4th to 8th grade. The mentioned age group (10-15) forms the layer which is on the threashold of adolescece, their approach of life and world view still can be shaped, formed. For me it was first chance to see school in small village and to get deeper understanding and view of life in Transylvania.

    As in all Romania was the week - school without the books, representatives from Green Sun Association  visited Petőfi Sándor school in Kézdivásárhely (Târgu Secuiesc) to prezent for  5th grade students Green Nemere Trail.

    Nemere Trail have a good influence on the developing of the society in our region by helping and spreading the news about easily attainable healthy ways of living, and it also might contribute to the development of the local tourism. The complete route goes through around fifty settlements, touching at least 30 different mineral water sources and 187 mansions. It reveals the unique natural and cultural treasures.

    After presentation and quiz child's had the chance to ask questions for me and another EVS volunteer!

    During these month we has evolved good cooperation with one of the Green Sun Association member english teacher from Turoczi Mozes School in Kézdivásárhely (Târgu Secuiesc). Within the Week without books we visited 5th grade - taking part in Poetry Contest and learning together to make quilling Cards. And as well presented Latvian and Armenian cultures to students. It was nice to see so big interest from child's during these day and answer to a lot of questions!

    Pupils are so different in each of school and we also had a chance to work with smallest one's from Felsőlemhény village primary school. This was the biggest challenge becose I and my EVS friend Gayane needed to teach childs make origami without possibility to comunicate in one language with them. But as i mentioned before - they are very clever and this was nice day together learning a lot of new things inclooding new paper making from already used one!

Practicing new skills!

    One of the famous thing what i had learned in Green Sun Association is working with program Adobe Photoshop. As we have a lot events it is good way how to practice and make posters about them to inform people and invite to enjoy! It is just beginning of knowledge, but I keep practicing and enjoy the working process!

Easter in Latvian style!

    After my two months life in Romania (Transylvania) become first serious celebration where i can start even more to feel big differences between countries and cultures!

    Till this moment all Latvian Easter traditions for me seems very simple and self-evident, but now i must say - Nem Nem Nem! So let's take a look what Latvians are doing during this celebration!

    One of the important thing what i realize - Latvians don't follow a lot to Church traditions, we have a lot more funny things what we do in these days! :) And Easter is celebration for Spring who is coming and Sun who is rising more than before!

    So everything starts with "Palm Sunday" (last sunday before Easter - in this year 1st of April and in Latvia its not called really Palm Sunday... but day the same). One of the oldest traditions are carried on this sunday is beating each other with pussy-willow branches!

    

    You need to be the first one in morning who run into the room and beat others with saying in that time: "illness out health in!" (and a lot of other sayings what is hard to translate in English)! Remember this very good from my childhood when we was afraid to sleep long in that day, because mother brought Easter health in early morning!

    In Easter we are painting eggs in onion leaves - then it's become beautiful brown. But its not just putting eggs in water and boil it.. there are very complicated process before!

    

    We put on eggs natural materials like little leaves, wood sticks, flowers, pieces of coniferous trees also can be used rice, pearl barley and anything else what you can even imagine! Cover all that with peace of textile or thread and just then put in water with onion leaves and boil! :) 

    

    All this process the most excited part is when can took off all materials and see what left on eggs. Its always a little piece of miracle!

    And after that we are fighting with eggs to find out who have the strongest one and eat it with a lot salt - then we are not telling lies all year! And we have also competition with eggs who rolls it to the longest way! Like in following picture!

   

    And one more very important tradition ar swinging in Easter! Everybody are searching for some swings during the celebration! Strange why? Were simple... If  you are swinging at Easter mosquitos dont bite you at the summer!

    And in City centres are big celebrations with concerts, souvenir markets, swings, songs and dances and egg competition! The people come together to celebrate Spring solstice when the day become longer that the night! And summer is not as far away any more!

    Ah and i remember that eggs are bringing Easter Rabbit! And parents (but meant rabbit) for child's usually hide eggs in garden or house and they go out and search for them!

    It's a small review how i see and feel my Easter and how Latvians are celebrating it from long past ago! A bit strange in this year to be in Romania and don't find so usual things! But it's good chance to see more and to aware how different cultures are all over the world!

Ieva

The 15th March!

    One of the famous question from local people are - Did you knew before that there are living Hungarians, how did you feel when you get to know it, how it is for you to live here between Hungarians in Romania... etc.?!

    Yes, I will not deny before arriving I didn't know a lot about Romania and it was a big surprise got to know fact that actually I am going to live in county where are mostly Hungarians and also learning Hungarian language during this year!

    I am here already 40 days and there are a lot of people who teach for us history and we had some very great chances to see local culture!

    One of the brightest culturas celebration was 15th March! Shortly - The Hungarian Revolution of 1848! Its big celebration in Hungary but also Hungarians in Romania come together and remember this important date of history!

    For me it was great cultural awareness!

    So day was starting with nice ceremony in Lisznyó (Lisnău). Priest and mayor of village in church was saying speach and childrens from local school presented historical facts! Even when i didn't understand what they are speaking about, there was good feeling  - like at important celebration also for me!
     Followed by wreath laying at the monument!

   And as we are at Romania of course there are a lot of horses! And i would be strange girl if i didn't use the chance!  For horses in this day is important meaning and from villages people are going with them also to towns.

    My dear friend Gayane stop the carriage and we continue our way by it! And don't matter how cold it was, we enjoy the moment! 

    And as it was cultural learning day and we was at village... Visited also local mini farm! And like real tourists took some nice pictures with animals!

 
    It was one more day when had a chance to meet a lot of new local people and get to know deeply this amazing country! I don't feel here like stranger... it's feeling that people even dont know what this word means. They are very open and kind and don't afraid to be friends from first moment!
    Its something what I would like to bring back in to my country after this year!

Köszönöm!

Foxes group at Arrival training!

 
    Firstly i was thinking, what we are going to do 6 days in training, are there realy so much what to speak about EVS!? But days running very fast and it was full with adventures and interesting tasks!

From the beginning!

    According to the Youth in Action Programme Guide, all volunteers have the right and responsibility to attend EVS training sessions in order to receive information about the European Voluntary Service, support during their service and tools that will help them achieve as much as possible in the time of their service.

    So... me and twelve other EVS volunteers who are recently arrived in Romania took together in beautiful mountain town Predeal!

    As you know in Latvia we don't have a mountains like here in Romania. Highest point in my country are 312 meters (we can not say that its even a mountain). It's why I am looking here around with open mouth! :) And enjoy the landscape!

    Predeal are just 80 kilometres from my home town Târgu Secuiesc, so it wasnt wery long trip in this case!

   

    This seminar helped understand more why we are here and how to do our best during the project!

    It was also a great chance to meet people from all over the world: Argentina, France, Peru, Uruguay, Spain, Turky, Nigeria, Germany, Austria and Armenia! In international cultural evening we introduce everyone with our cultures and dance some national dances. During the European Voluntary service is very important learn to live together with people from different countries, accept a lot of differences between cultures and personal characters.

    

    For me it's also the way how get to know more about myself and my abilitys. By the time become more understandable for another... and as more as we are seeing and experiencing, as more capable and flexible we can become!

    As i noticed Arrival Training is important start for all EVS volunteers. Help to find the answers of any interested questions and trainers also teach more about country where we are going to live and introduce with specific cultural features.

    

    For example this great sign before forest! I need to say again - as you know in Latvia we dont have bears! Not at all! None! So i am seriously afraid at the moment! :) And i am pretty sure that I will run like crazy if i will meet any bear... against all what you said about it! :D

    

    We had great time together and we all are here for many different reasons!

So good luck to everyone during this adventure! I wish you unbelievable brave to reach dreams step by step!

    

    See you soon!

Life through Latvian 4H club!

    As I am new one here in Romania (Kézdivásárhely) and meet a lot of new people, its would be interesting to tell more about me!

    Organization in which I am member in Latvia are "Latvijas Mazpulki", but in English and more familiar title in Europe are Latvian 4H club (Its international organization who born in United Stated, but now are all over the world)! 4H means - Head - Heart - Hands - Heals! These are four important things which we cultivate through organizations work.

    "Latvijas Mazpulki" is the biggest rural children and youth non govermental organisation in Latvia. It was founded in 1929 (at the soviet times it was forbidden, but now again restored).

    We have aproximately 1500 members in more than 100 local clubs in all regions of Latvia. The main idea is learning by doing and every member younger than 18 has to do his own project every year. Our members mainly are in age from 8-18. Local clubs are lead by midle aged teachers. As our local clubs are located in towns and vilages in rural areas a lot of activities are bound to rural life. But also we are open to new ideas like green thinking and enviroment protection. 

    We have Riga 4H club which is a group of volunteers. There are 30 members and most of them are students now but before that they were members of the local clubs. Riga 4H club is doing all the planing and organising for "Latvijas Mazpulki" national level events. Every year we have summer camp, annual spring conference, four autumn forums in different regions of Latvia and also a lot of other events. Mainly we are working with our members but sometimes we do activities for wider society like visiting children and youth centre and leading games and other educational activities.

    I am part of Riga 4H club already more than 4 years and before as my mother is local club teacher (leader) I am member to this organization since I remember myself (Its around 16 years ago). As I said to Katalina (my mentor), I even have no idea how it is not to be in some organization and learn through informal education!

    Its my lifestyle and through "Latvijas Mazpulki" I am grow up, do a lot of interesting things in Latvia and also see the world and different cultures in International seminars and training's.

    And also come here to Romania as EVS volunteer to be part in Green Sun association (Zöld Nap Egyesület) in this year!

    P.S. About me out of organization - in last summer I graduated The University College of Economics and Culture and now i have - Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Cultural Management!

    Born in city Sigulda, but last 4 years studying and living in capital of Latvia - Riga. In school age was dancing in folk dance ensemble "Vizbulīte". Like to read books and drive by bicycle.

     Always to be in move and get to know new things!

Have a green day!

Have a green day!

   

  It was dark night when I together with my new Armenian friend Gayane come to our home town Kézdivásárhely!

   Flight was fast and we find easily train station and continue our trip from Buchareste to Sepsiszentgyörgy.

   Before I arrive I already have a good impression about Green Sun asociation. We had a good contact with Attila (head of organization) and Katalina (our mentor) and a lot of new friends at Facebook which we slowly start to know in alive! Its why I was quite sure that everything will be good at new place and don't worried a lot!

   

   Even more when we saw two Attilas waiting for us at train station with this nice poster! (now it is decorate our apartment main wall)! It was around 3 o'clok at night - cold outside, but warm at heart! :)

   I can say that after first days here.... I realy start to feel like at home! Our apartment are very warm and homy (AND big hug and thanks to everyone who helps to decorate and makes it like now). Peoples are so open and friendly here. As we are first EVS volunteers in Kézdivásárhely, a lot of are interested and its nice to feel it.

   At the moment we mostly get to know city, organization and new peoples around. But soon we will start to work at Green Sun Asociation deeply at all green and good things what they are doing!

Keep in touch!

Some years ago...

    It isn't accidental that I decide to come exactly to Romania!
I remember very strongly from my past one situation which, in my thought, bring me again to this beautiful country.
    Before five years I with my family and excursion group crossed Europe from Latvia to Greece by bus. It was winter time between Christmas and New Year. The weather was similar like at the moment with a lot of snow and sunny!
    And I remember how I was sitting in bus and looking out of the window while we driving through Romania! As we in Latvia don't have mountains like here, any city in mountain valley was looking for me like a miracle. In that trip I didnt have a chance to get to know Romania and peoples who are living here, but it seems wery interesting to me!

    And i promised to myself one day come back and get to know more this wonderful and different country!
    So here I am!