Before coming to England, I was working in Spain in a children centre. Therefore, I wanted to participate in a project in which I could work with children and young people. My EVS project is in Leeds Youth Service, carrying out activities aimed at young people. My project is not carried out in just one place, but every day I'm in different sites, developing different activities like football sessions, cooking, crafts, motorbikes sessions, or simply talking with the young people.
Personally, this experience let me meet different people from different countries. In our house, we are living with volunteers from Hungary, Czech Republic, Sweden and Spain, and it´s fun to talk about our own cultures, and the differences between them.
In these first few weeks I have learned a lot about how to work in England, rather than Spanish, as well as see the cultural differences between the two countries. Perhaps, the most important cultural shock for me (ignoring the ¨siesta time¨), is the difference about the hours to eat. Even in my first weeks, I refuse to dinner at 6 pm.
So I am very happy to live this EVS experience, and I hope that the coming months are as rewarding as these first weeks.
Marcos, long term volunteer in Leeds Youth Service
Project part of With YOUth in Mind
and supported by the British Council
and supported by the British Council
and the Youth in Action programme
of the European Commission
