08.06.19

Hi!

It’s the second week of June, I’m sitting on the train to Žilina trying to write a blog about May. The EVS life has become a metaphorical train that doesn’t really want to stop. I’m not complaining, I have an interesting life and I really appreciate it. It’s just that it’s a bit difficult to find moments when I can sit down, not be tired, be somewhat inspired and just write. So, I waited for the arrival of Mr. Stress to get productive. It really improves my time management.

Let’s do this!

May was an annoyingly rainy month. At times, I felt very low: I didn’t have motivation to do anything and I my thoughts were walking on dark roads. There was a weekend when I got really ill and for the first time here, I had to take a sick day from work and spent the whole weekend in bed.

At the beginning of the month, though, although it was such a rainy weekend, I was still cheerful and positive and didn’t let the weather ruin my trip to Budapest. Elena went a few days earlier, Ivan and I joined her for the first weekend of May. We stayed at a really cool party hostel – Hostel Vitae – in the city centre. I think it was the evening programme that made the whole trip worth it despite the cold rain. The hostel enabled us to meet super cool people and the best thing was that even though it was a party hostel, the sleeping area was quiet at night. I want to go back for sure with a better weather, maybe in August or September.

 

In Slovakia, May 1 and May 8 are bank holidays so we had some time to stroll around the city. Ivan and I explored Slavín while Elena was in Budapest and the week after we hosted Lea aka Little Chicken who we met at the on-arrival training. We also hosted another Tea Meeting on May 6, which was a music quiz this time. Sadly, there were not so many participants but all who came seemed to enjoy it a lot. 😊 You can see some photos of the quiz by clicking on this sentence :D. 

 

On May 15, the beloved Funnylicious Improv Theatre had their five year anniversary show in Kalab. There were guests from Vienna, there was shampagne and cake and we even managed to convince Ivan to come with us this time. And he liked it! Here are some photos of the show.

While the others were preparing for the DemoCamp, I was making plans for my first visit back to Estonia since the start of the project. Steneli, my dear friend and classmate for 12 years was getting married, of course I had to go to her wedding! I had booked the plane tickets for a couple of days before and after the wedding so I wouldn’t be in too much of a hurry. Eventually I still managed to make so many appointments that I couldn’t fulfill all of them. It was so great to see my friends again, go to a birthday party, hairdresser’s, meet my ex-colleagues from the theatre and attend a wedding – all in five days. Although I hadn’t seen my people for three and a half months, everything felt so natural. It was as if we’d only met the week before.

As I mentioned already, the next weekend I got ill. Can’t have too much fun. 😀 My body didn’t agree with my ambitious plans. So I took time off and rested properly.

On the last Wednesday of May, I presented my workshop at the Tea Meeting. Elena and Ivan had the opportunity to do it at the DemoCamp but since I was away, I tested it out later. I think the workshop went well, I felt confident while presenting and people seemed to enjoy it. I also got feedback and tips how to improve it. 😊 It was really nice that people had practical advice that I could use. Check out the album for the workshop!

The next day, Elena and I went to discover a new place for us called Bystro. It’s described as a community living room. It’s possible to hang out there, play board games, buy some drinks and get free leftover food from the restaurants. The people who run the place are very welcoming and what’s best, they speak English. Since then, we’ve been back one more time, and I’d like to keep going there. It’s only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though.

The month ended with a first aid lecture for the camps. Now I should be fully prepared for my camp in Zlatna na Ostrove that starts already in less than a week! I’m still cramming the study material that the others went through in the DemoCamp, I still need to finish polishing my workshop and I still need to pack. Otherwise I feel excited! We don’t have 10 volunteers but we also don’t have 4 volunteers, which was the case a month ago. It’s going to be great! I’m sure about it. 😊

So, the next time I’ll be writing I’m going to be more tanned, fitter from doing physical work, enriched by a new experience of being a leader, and hopefully also smarter and wiser.

Until then!