Imagine that you had to leave work, family, office, apartment and native Zhytomyr and go to a distant land for 61 days. Have you thought about it? Anna Kryshtal did not think long, but did just that, although in fact she did not give up, but simply took part in a two-month volunteer project, which was implemented in Antalya. We asked Anna 15 questions about the volunteer program abroad
1. How did you get there?
For a long time I wanted to volunteer abroad, because in Ukraine I got enough of such experience. However, each time there were moments that did not allow to agree to volunteer immediately. And here my favorite quarantine, to which I am repeatedly grateful, reminded me of an old dream.
2. Where did you look for information?
I found information about a European project in which a tandem of non-governmental organizations – Ukrainian and the host country (in my case, NGOs in Turkey), realize the dreams of volunteers around the world. You can look for opportunities on the Internet resource «Group», the pages of NGOs «UNIT» and «ISKRA», which publish information about such projects. I was convinced that there are opportunities and they can be used.
I found my volunteer opportunity on the Facebook page of the NGO «UNIT». The project I volunteered for was implemented in Turkey by the NGO Engelli Egitim Kültür Sağlık Spor Vakfı.
3. What is the duration of projects?
In most cases, volunteer projects consist of two or nine months, sometimes one year. I chose two months for myself – this is the golden mean for me, not a little and not a lot.
4. What are the requirements for volunteers?
Motivation is a prerequisite for participation in volunteer projects. There are usually English language requirements and age requirements. Requirements for participation in my case were knowledge of English at a conversational level and age from 18 to 30 years.
5. How to get to the project?
I carefully browsed the sites and pages – looking for opportunities. When I found and understood that I met the requirements, I filled out a questionnaire and waited for confirmation of my candidacy. This is the standard way. Of course, things don’t always work out the first time, but you shouldn’t be upset when that happens and keep looking for opportunities.
6. Who pays for it?
Volunteers usually receive a lot: plane tickets, free accommodation and meals, insurance and even pocket money. All this is covered by the project budget.
7. And what about work?
While I was in Antalya, I had time to work remotely. Therefore, I must thank everyone who knows how to trust and can cope without a personal meeting.
8. Did you miss home?
Of course, in the distance you feel sad for your family. Everyone was sad, I was sad, but I felt comfortable and almost at home. In two months, many people from Ukraine visited me.
9. What was the volunteer work like?
Our task was to meet the elderly and teach them modern technology. We taught people to use gadgets and various applications: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram. We taught people to make appointments online and learn many other useful and vital options that can be implemented with a smartphone.
10. How was life organized?
We lived in a four-story house in Antalya – six Ukrainian women, two Italian women and our Turkish mentor. We bought food online at the expense of the organization and did everything together: cooked, ate, cleaned.
11. Was there free time?
There was enough free time, even for me to be able to «break away» and make many trips – I managed to see everything and everyone. I even managed to visit where not all locals have been. But the main thing is that I didn’t do it alone – my companions were always with me, who supported our joint plans.
12. What people did you meet?
I met a lot of good people. From the volunteer girls from Ukraine, whom I met for the first time, to the locals we worked with, everyone was just adorable. Either fate makes me happy with people or I make them happy, but I spent two months only with Mr. and Mrs. «cuties». I could talk and talk about everything and every one of the people I met during my volunteering. And of course, I would like to see them again – to enjoy communication again.
13. Have you changed during the project?
It seems that a serious evolution of thoughts has taken place inside me during the project. For two months I was away from home, a new language and culture around me, but I managed – I became more resilient, resistant to change, flexible in communication. I spent the time participating in the project for the benefit of myself and the people around me. It’s like going to university after school: you’re like the same as yesterday, but you feel anew. The experience is hard to describe, but I think my inner changes are easy to notice.
14. What are the most important conclusions you have made?
I am convinced that it is always worth making a choice in favor of active action, not to deny yourself something today, because, unfortunately, tomorrow may not come. It is worth doing everything today to develop, travel and understand that not everything can be measured in money. There are situations in life when money is not very important.
15. Will you go again?
I will definitely go! I would very much like to work on a volunteer project again every two months. First, it is simply unreally helps the person as a whole as well as those around him. And secondly, when not now?
Volunteering is popular all over the world. This is an honorable, interesting and useful lesson that helps to understand yourself, find new friends and see the report. So if you are not yet a volunteer, start looking for someone who needs help as soon as possible.
