Intercultural Learning in Afterschool Activities

In this new series we get familiar with volunteering possibilities of different ICYE voluntary workplaces all around the world.

This time the staff from Centro Social Marista (CESMAR) tell about their activities and tasks for volunteers. CESMAR is a Brasilian organisation based in Porto Alegre that coordinates projects with ICYE Brasil.

Could you tell us something about the projects you have in CESMAR?

We mainly work in the field of social assistance. We have two different projects, which assist children and adolescents from 6 to 14 years of age, who study in the partner schools. In the inverse shift opposite to the school hours, the children participate in artistic, cultural, sports and learning workshops. Activities vary a lot and can include for example theatre, environmental education, computer lessons or dance. The projects are partly supported by the municipality of Porto Alegre.

How many volunteers do you receive per year and from where? What tasks do they have?

CESMAR currently receives about four foreign volunteers and 15 Brazilian volunteers per year. Volunteers from many different countries have already participated at CESMAR; they have come from Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, United States, Mexico, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Romania and Italy. Volunteers accompany the children and adolescents in cultural and sports workshops. They learn the Portuguese language and exchange knowledge and their culture with the pupils and the educators.

What has the cooperation given to your working community?

The work carried out by the volunteers is extremely important in the lives of our children and adolescents, as they encounter new cultures, new languages and learn to live with different people. The pupils are more willing and interested in learning new languages and to understand and talk to volunteers. We hope that many people feel motivated to volunteer and can make their experience at CESMAR. We would also like, that the cooperation and actions developed can continue and thus expand the understanding of volunteering as a space for the construction of a culture of solidarity.

Vapaaehtoistyöpaikka CESMAR, Brasilia:

  • Perustettu vuonna 1998
  • Järjestää iltapäivätoimintaa koululaisille
  • Vapaaehtoiset pääsevät järjestämään ja toteuttamaan aktiviteetteja lasten kanssa
  • Toimii Porto Alegressa

Text: Kaisa Rahko, photos: CESMAR

The article has been published in the magazine MaailmanVaihtoa 2/2018 -lehdessä.

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Tim Dieltiens: EVS as a lifeline

The speech of EVS volunteer Tim Dielties at the 60th anniversary year celebration of Maailmanvaihto.

I came here in 2000. Back then, I was a child of the 1970’s from Belgium. As an 18-year-old from high school, you were supposed to choose the university or degree and stick with it for the rest of your life. That was the mentality in 2000 in Belgium, sort of. I think it was a bit different already here in Finland but maybe Belgium was a bit more old-fashioned: you choose a degree and you go from high school to the university without a välivuosi [gap year], without taking a bit of time off.

So, here I was an 18-year-old, a bit stuck I suppose, because there are a lot of questions for a teenager, choosing something that you are going to do for the next fifty years. I did what I was supposed to do: I went to study car mechanics for three years and with that degree, I worked for half a year and realized it was not for me. Then I heard about ICYE and in more particular about EVS, European Voluntary Service.

“I made them clear that for me it is Finland. I did not give them other choices – or I think I gave them Sweden, because if I would go to Sweden, I could take a boat to Finland.”

I think we were supposed to give three options for countries you wanted to go to, but I was bit of a stickler: I had visited Finland two times before and I wanted to come back, but not as a tourist. So, I made them clear that for me it is Finland. I did not give them other choices – or I think I gave them Sweden, because if I would go to Sweden, I could take a boat to Finland. But anyway, it was Finland or nothing for me. I got what I wanted because nobody wanted to go North, everybody wanted to go South.

I ended up doing a totally different thing from car mechanics: I ended up in the social field working in the kindergarten as an assistant. I had wanted to live in a small village far away from the city – I ended up in Sipoo. It is not too far away from the city in the standards of Finland – 30 kilometers away, which is in Belgium standards a lot.

I ended up in a very nice host family. I think I was a bit of a naïve youngster, maybe I should have appreciated them more. I really enjoyed the nursery I was at.

One anecdote that I have is related to the Christmas: For decades, in my family we started on 24 December at six with a dinner and kept on eating and eating until it was midnight and party time. So, here I am in Finland with my first host family and we start the dinner on the 24th of December. At nine or ten o’clock I feel there is time for a little siesta because there will be another two or three hours to go, so I go upstairs for a little nap. After fifteen minutes I come back downstairs and all the lights are off, everybody has gone to sleep.

“You know how it goes. That this EVS and ICYE in general are a bit like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.”

Eventually I went to another host family and finally to Jussi [who was present at Maailmanvaihto’s 60th anniversary year celebration] who sort of made me to have this speech – so I think we are even now. You were my favorite host family.

Then I decided to stay. I had been here on holiday before and now I wanted to make a bit more contribution. I went to study in the social field and I, very easily actually, found a job in the same field as I was qualified to work a kindergarten teacher. After more than ten years in English, I have now enjoyed for two or three years Helsinki city in Finnish. And I am still here.

I feel a bit like I am preaching for the converted. You know how it goes. That this EVS and ICYE in general are a bit like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. For me who was stuck in this car mechanic business, it was an easy way out. When I was looking for new directions for the future, I found this great opportunity.

So, I want to thank everybody involved in EVS and ICYE, it has been a lifeline. Thank you.

In Maailmanvaihto’s 60th year anniversary celebration Tim (on the right) met with Jussi, his host family member in 2000.

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Open your mind by volunteering

Volunteering in Finland started for me just after I finished school in Germany. When I was still in school, I started to think about what I wanted to do next. I always liked traveling and I wanted to try something else before continuing to study or starting to work. Furthermore, I lived with my parents and a year abroad would gain me some independence.

I started to search on the Internet for different possibilities of “work and travel“ until I found information about volunteering. That sounded really interesting and I spoke with someone who already volunteered for one year with the German IJFD program (Internationalen Jugendfreiwilligendienst / International Youth Voluntary Service) in Iceland. The program matched with what I wanted to do and Finland was one of the countries I chose because I am a big fan of outdoor activities and nature.

“My application was accepted and I got a project in Finland: I would be working in a primary school in a small Finnish town called Alavus and living with two different host families over the next 12 months.”

My application was accepted and I got a project in Finland: I would be working in a primary school in a small Finnish town called Alavus and living with two different host families over the next 12 months. At the primary school, my main task was to help in the English lessons – e.g. to support the children in their exercises and make photocopies etc. for the teachers.

Besides this, I had the possibility to do school clubs. I started at two sport clubs and a Minecraft club, which were first established by former volunteers. Another possibility was to have small English lessons on my own. In these lessons, with usually 3–5 children, we normally repeated the grammar from the lesson, played some English games or learned the vocabulary.

“I realized that the stereotype of Finnish people being very quiet and not open to foreigners was not true.”

During my voluntary work year I had two host families which both included me in their family activities and life. They took me on vacation in Lapland three times and I celebrated birthdays, Christmas etc. with them. At the same time, I had my own room and lots of personal space if I wanted to. I realized that the stereotype of Finnish people being very quiet and not open to foreigners was not true. Many people were were really interested and wanted to talk to me a lot.

I had many challenging situations during my time in Finland. When I arrived in Alavus, I knew nobody and I did not have any friends at first. Luckily, I had a good connection with my host family and I could do things with them in my free time. In general, it was hard for me at first to be the “new one” everywhere, but after the first two months I met new people and found some hobbies. I obviously had rewarding situations as well: I was really happy, for example, to see that the children with whom I had some extra lessons actually improved in English and had better grades at the end of the year.

Living in a different country for a year, I learned many things and gained a new perspective on some topics. Before I went to Finland, I had never been away from my home for more than a few weeks, so I gained more independence and self-esteem. Moreover, I learned so much about Finland and experienced the Finnish way of living. At my project, I saw what it is like to be a teacher and even if I had a really great time at my project with so much fun and different activities, I realized that I would not want to work as teacher at a primary school in the future.

“I became more open-minded because of my volunteering, which according to me is one of the main reasons to go abroad for a year as a volunteer.”

In Finland, I met many people, learned a lot about Finnish culture and met volunteers and other foreigners. All this helped me to lose stereotypes and improve my understanding of other cultures. I also became more open-minded because of my volunteering, which according to me is one of the main reasons to go abroad for a year as a volunteer. You will change your own beliefs and values and you can do the same for others. At least I hope that while I learned about Finland, the kids in my school, my host family and other people could learn something from me about Germany.

The camps organized by hosting organisation Maailmanvaihto and my German sending organization ICJA prepared us volunteers for this intercultural interaction. In the end, I know my volunteering did not make a big change, but I think some people are inspired now to meet new people from other countries and cultures.

Max Schodry

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Creative work at Kisälli

This special opportunity came to me during my last year in high school, when I was supposed to decide what to do in the future. Still unsure of my steps, I went to ask about possibility to go abroad and volunteer. I did not have any special expectations or dream country, but somehow I knew that project in Finland will be the best option.

I immediately fell in love with Finland and its wonderful forests, countless lakes and people whose personality is so close to mine, even my family and friends sometimes joke about how I was probably Finnish in a previous life.

As volunteers, we have to do a lot of crafts by ourselves, for example finishing “pannunalunen”.

I have worked in a small workshop called Kisälli-Harjulanmäki where my task was to help and support people with special needs. During my project, I also had the opportunity to learn about looms and other types of art and crafts. Although working with people with disabilities can be hard, I have found working with them very easy and somehow freeing. Every day we found something creative to do and broke the routine with games, walks, excursions, and trips.

“I would suggest for everyone to try to do some kind of volunteer work and explore the world while doing something good for community and yourself.”

But of course volunteer period was not just about working in my project; it is mainly about people you meet and friendships you make. Sharing stories, customs, traditions, and ideas that make you realize that no matter from which part of the world you are coming from, we face the same problems and as long as we have good friends with us, even the Finnish weather can be bearable.

After all, this year has been beneficial for my personal growth. I have learned a lot of things concerning art and creative work. Tried to speak Finnish and failed completely. Traveled a lot both within Finland and other countries. Met extraordinary people and made friends for life.

I would suggest for everyone to try to do some kind of volunteer work and explore the world while doing something good for community and yourself.

Miroslava Sloviakova
EVS volunteer in Finland in the season 2017–18

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Minä lähden Pohjois-Eurooppaan…

How it all began

I would like to start this off by looking back about one year from when I am writing down these words: It is June 2017, I am finished with all my graduation exams, I am looking forward to finally getting my graduation diploma and there are no classes left to attend nor any homework left to do. I have all the free time in the world, I am travelling and meeting friends, to make it short: life is nice. But besides all that, there is something else on my mind that gets me the most excited: in about two months’ time, mid-august 2017, I will be headed into quite an adventure. For one year, 12 months, 365 days or however you want to put it I will be living abroad; about 1.600km apart in “the country of thousand lakes” as we like to call it in German. One year later I know at least one thing: A thousand lakes is an unheard-of understatement when talking about Finland.

But how did I end up in this situation? Why is one year younger me looking forward to sheer coldness, depressing darkness and more grammatical cases than even Chuck Norris could ever manage? Well, it went down like this: already about 9 months before my graduation I knew that directly going to university was not an option for me. On the other hand, I also did not want to spend a year doing nothing, so I began looking for different options. My online research led me to the homepage of ICJA, ICYE’s committee in Germany. It did not take long before I fell for the idea of joining one of ICYE’s 12 month volunteering programs. I could easily identify with their values and goals and it seemed like the perfect way to take a break from school while still learning new things and gaining valuable experiences.

“It did not take long before I fell for the idea of joining one of ICYE’s 12 month volunteering programs. I could easily identify with their values and goals and it seemed like the perfect way to take a break from school while still learning new things and gaining valuable experiences.”

No sooner said than done I found myself filling in the online application which made me face an important decision: where exactly was I going to become a volunteer? Decision making is an exhausting process anyways and it does not necessarily become easier, if basically the whole world would be up for grabs. However, I’d be lying if I said that it was a particularly hard case for me. I knew pretty quickly that I did not want to melt in the brutal heat of Australia, India or the Philippines, which are among the most common destinations for young Germans to go to for volunteering. No, I was a lot more fascinated by the perspective of quiet lakes, lonesome forests and the realest of winters that the north has to offer. In addition, being a hopeless freak for languages, I got interested in the challenge that is trying to learn Finnish immediately.

Luckily, things ended up working out perfectly for me: not only did I get a place as a volunteer, I also got it for Finland. Jumping back forward in time just a little more than a year to June 2018, I can now say that I am still very happy with how things developed. Instead of two months until my departure to Finland, now it is only two months more until my return to Germany. I have a lot of tales and thoughts to tell from the past ten months and I would like to share them here. I hope you will enjoy reading about my experiences, whether you are yourself pondering to become a volunteer or just interested for some other reason. So, let’s jump right into it!

What has my work here been like?

Since I am writing this while being at my working place, I guess it makes sense to dive right into describing my project. Practically, it has already ended recently, since the last day of May was also the last day of school for the students that I had been with for the time of my volunteering period. At the moment, I am taking part in the school’s vacation program. It consists of a lot of being outside, doing sports and all kind of other fun things like karaoke. That makes it a very nice way for me to spend my last working days for this place.

“Basically, the goal is that the students get to have a say in the planning of their future rather than only being directed by others.”

The name of the school that I have been volunteering at is Keskuspuiston ammattopisto. It is a vocational school for people with disabilities. Its aim is to prepare the students for independent living and help them to find a transition to work life. For that purpose, the lessons on one hand contain tasks like cooking, cleaning or math to the students’ abilities. On the other hand lessons like itsetuntemus (knowing yourself) are supposed to help the students get to know their feelings and make them able to express how they are feeling or what their opinion on something is. In addition, the school organizes short internships at working places like supermarkets or fast food restaurants to give the students the possibility of experiencing different kinds of work areas. Basically, the goal is that the students get to have a say in the planning of their future rather than only being directed by others. Finally, the program also holds quite a lot of physical education or excursions to similar institutions or places like youth houses.


Exploring the Finnish summer with a friend

Personally, I have mostly been working with two groups of students, one consisting of ten students, the other of six. My tasks as a volunteer included helping in lessons for example with math exercises, motivating and helping them during PE lessons and just generally talking to them and trying to get to know them. To break it down, the role of volunteer is rather a social one instead of being an actual teacher. That is something that I wish I had prepared myself better for before I started working here. In the beginning it was quite a challenge for me, since I had to figure out my position and also overcome the language barrier, since almost all of the students did not speak English. With time, as my Finnish progressed pretty quickly and I started figuring out how I had to behave in certain situations, it got a lot better and I began to feel a lot more confident in the social aspect of my role as a volunteer. I also spoke with the head secretary of our host organization and together we found ways to incorporate my skills better into the project, for example I began to assist in language classes outside of those two groups. That is certainly I something I would strongly advice: if you are not completely satisfied with something as a volunteer, communicate it!

What was my living situation like?

Next to my work as a volunteer, Keskuspuisto also provided me with my accommodation. I have been living in one of the dormitory buildings for the students. In those dorm rooms, they can practice living on their own and having to organize their own household. It also works as some kind of boarding school for some of them. As a volunteer for Keskuspuisto, I was also allowed to live in one of those dorm rooms. It was a really nice flat, I have to say. I had my own bathroom, living room with beds, kitchen and even a small balcony that was perfect for warm and bright summer nights. I really enjoyed staying on my own instead of in a host family like most other volunteers. I had never lived alone before and therefore got the chance to practice that. It was nice to figure out a rhythm for cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping etc.; that is definitely something I learned for life.

“I had never lived alone before and therefore got the chance to practice that. It was nice to figure out a rhythm for cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping etc.; that is definitely something I learned for life.”

Also the location where the dormitory is situated came in really handy for me. Keskuspuisto has different offices and school areas all around Helsinki and its surroundings. I worked in the one in Espoo, a town directly in the west of Helsinki, but living in one of the places in Helsinki. From there it takes about 25 minutes to get to the center which made exploring Finland’s capital quite accessible for me.

I used that possibility a lot to go and wander around Helsinki. For that reason, I have gotten to know the city quite well and after having experienced all the seasons here, I can say that I have overall enjoyed living in this city. I have often been asked, by foreigners as well as Finns, what I like or do not like about Helsinki. This is how after ten months I am answering people:

I like the city, since it offers a lot of parks, nature venues and possibilities to be outside, whether just hanging out with friends or doing some sports. It is one of the greenest bigger cities that I have been to which I really appreciate. I also enjoy the city’s atmosphere. Helsinki is not a place of busy, rushing, hectic people. It has something very calm and relaxed about it, it invites you to walk around and maybe sit down somewhere instead of forcing you to run from place to place. Of course, other people might tell different stories about the city and it is as fascinating as funny how strongly those can diverge. I have heard from some people that the city is a bit too quiet for their taste, that there is too little buzz from full cafés or people on the streets. On the other hand – and this relates mostly to Finns who are not living in Helsinki or its surroundings – people have called out the city for its grey skies, muddy winters and its anonymity between all the people of different origins who are only focusing on themselves. Now this is kind of a typical image that people from more rural areas have of their capital city that can bee seen all over the world. And yes, it is not only pretty and peaceful: construction sides, pale apartment blocks and filthy bars sometimes disrupt the cityscape. However, in the case of Helsinki I definitely do not agree with those people. What prevails for me is that I like the city for its diversity, open-mindedness, friendliness and all the beautiful new spots that I keep on discovering all the time.

What will remain from this?

So what do I make of this experience? One year in Finland – what will I take home with me? Besides more winter clothing than any bag in this world could carry, I mean. Well, first of all I found a country that I enjoy for its wide forests and dreamy lakes, for its friendly people, for its difficult and tongue-breaking language, for its cold winters and bright summer nights, for its absurdities and quirks. I have also been asked quite a few times, if my view on Finland has changed while living here. In regard to that I have to admit that my image of Finland before did not reach any further than “Well, Europe.” That, of course, is not untrue. It has been a pleasure though to dig a little deeper and get to know the country better than that. Yet, I would not dare to say that I have gotten to fully know this country, if that even is something that is possible for any country. There is still a lot more to discover: places that I have not been to yet, traditional food that I have not tasted yet or winter sports that I want to able to exercise at least to an extend that is above total failure. I have also found quite a lot of Finnish music that I like. I am mentioning this, since this article’s title is a tribute to a Finnish classic. There it says “Minä lähden Pohjois-Karjalaan”, in English: I am leaving to North Karelia. Karelia is a region in Finland that I am yet to visit but that I adore anyways for its great pasty. The meaning of “Minä lähden Pohjois-Eurooppaan” should not be hard to guess now. By the way, I also would like have one of those student overalls for my own at some point, because they are damn cool in my opinion. Long story short: Finland is definitely a place that I will be returning to in the future to see even more of it than I already explored and catch up with the people I have gotten to know here.

“Even though I might not work in this field in the future, I for sure can transfer a lot of skills that I have acquired here to all kinds of other working places.”

Secondly, there is a couple of things that I learned from my voluntary work at Keskuspuisto and living in one of the school’s dorm rooms. I gained a lot of independence in the past ten months and got a lot braver in showing initiative and including my own ideas. I also learned that it is important to openly speak with others about what is on your mind that might be hindering you from feeling better. I also was forced to train myself in mental flexibility and allowing myself to not have to do everything perfectly. For example, when I prepared a lesson for the students, that lesson did not always go exactly as planned. But I learned to improvise in those situations and change my plans accordingly – and it always worked, at least kind of sort of. One of the most precious learning experiences is probably the thing as a whole: working in an environment that is probably far from what I will ever be doing in my future life. I did not have a lot of experience in with working with people with disabilities before, so in ten months I learned a lot about this kind of work, the nice sides as well as the difficulties. It was interesting to talk to teachers and also hear their praise as well as worries about this kind of job. Even though I might not work in this field in the future, I for sure can transfer a lot of skills that I have acquired here to all kinds of other working places. Overall, I have gotten a glance into work life and collected valuable experiences in this work field which I am very thankful for.

Lastly, I learned a lot from interacting with the other international volunteers and also Finnish people – intercultural learning is the term here. I can think back to a lot of deep and interesting conversations that often showed me a new perspective I had never thought of before. That is why it is great to have quite an international and open-minded environment: people coming from different countries or even continents have a lot of thoughts and experiences to share, be it weird food traditions, costume festivals or political issues. In a group of people with as much various backgrounds as there our in our volunteer community, there is a lot to talk about and exchange which I really enjoyed. In relation to that, we maybe also gave the Finnish people we have interacted with some new ideas and made them look at themselves and their home country in a new way. Although keeping these kind of international relationships alive is not an easy thing to do, I hope that I can stay in touch with at least some of the international friends I have found here.

Coming to an end

I could go on for a lot of pages more writing about my volunteer experiences but I feel like this is a nice note to find an end on. I hope this was as enjoyable to read as it was for me to write. I had a great time going back in time in my head and recalling all those memories and experiences I got to collect in the past ten months. Hopefully I was able to give a profound insight into my life as an international voluntary worker in Finland and give some answers, if you reading this yourself are considering to apply for such a program. I can with all certainty say: it is worth it! I personally was able to take a lot out of my volunteering period and would without a doubt recommend becoming a volunteer.

To finish this, I would like to thank you for reading this if you have made it until here. I hope I could give you some food for thought on the way. If you are going to apply for a volunteering period yourself, I wish you all the best for your own journey! I still have two months of my own journey left, which I am really excited for.

Now there is only on thing left so for me: kiitos tästä ja moi moi!

Christoph Scheike
ICYE volunteer in Finland in the season 2017–18

In the photo at the top: Our group of international volunteers

Christoph participated in Finland in the International Cultural Youth Exchange program in which the participants volunteer for 6 or 12 months. Would you be interested in ICYE volunteering? Read more about the program and apply!

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My special opportunity

Everyone asks me, why Finland? We have always dreamed of being in paradise, in some remote place, full of palm trees, white sand beaches, and crystal clear waters. But there is a paradise much closer and with a totally different landscape!

This is Finland, a magical country that has two faces: depending on the time of the year, its landscape changes radically, that makes it special. In the winter everything is covered by snow, the lakes are completely frozen and the cold takes over the environment, the skis are your best friend. In the summer, it becomes a landscape full of forests where the strong green of the trees contrasts with the brown of its trunks, where the lakes emanate large amounts of water and the light takes over the country.

Arts & crafts at Kisälli

During this year, I have worked in Vihti municipality in an organization called Kisälli-Harjulanmäki with people with special educational needs – who I call people with a different gift. The solitary talks and the silence together make this place of work special, we all form a small-big family.

“Volunteering is the best choice I have made. I stepped out of the comfort zone, the life crossed my way with this choice, and I decided to say yes.”

This family is formed by ten creative people who do their best in arts & crafts and four supporters. Even though they are the ones that I have to support, many times they are the ones supporting me. Sometimes they think outside the box and it makes them unique, for example when they combine two completely opposite colors and the result is crazy and funny. In Kisälli there is a daily routine, but at the same time we have freedom to change the way we do it. The creative people of Kisälli know their tasks and they are happy and confident because of that.

Kisälli is not only a workplace, we do a multitude of activities together (going to museums, galleries, and forest excursions, having picnics, meeting together) with a single purpose, being part and parcel of society.

Each one of the people in Kisälli-Harjulanmäki gives me a reason to smile in different situations. They give me much more than I could have imagined, and that is when I start thinking about how lucky I am to have them in my day to day life. They are the ones who have made this year an unforgettable one, during which I have learned many things.

Out of the comfort zone

Volunteering is the best choice I have made. I stepped out of the comfort zone, the life crossed my way with this choice, and I decided to say yes. In the beginning I was a little bit afraid to go to an unknown dark-cold-wet-place far far away, or that is the stereotype of Finland… but after living here for a year, I have gotten used to what Finland gives me, and sometimes the stereotype does not apply. I encourage everyone to be brave and not waste the opportunities life offers you, because the big risks give you bigger satisfaction.

“During this year in every place I have stepped in, I have found something unique. I think this is because my perspective on life has changed. I see the world with eyes of another culture.”

I feel, that this experience has changed me a lot, but at the same time I feel that I have stayed the same I always was. I am one of those restless people. During this year in every place I have stepped in, I have found something unique. I think this is because my perspective on life has changed. I see the world with eyes of another culture. One sees it, if one puts behind ones fears. This special way to see the world can only take place when you are out of your comfort zone and you start to write your own story.

This is my place and for the moment I stay, in a country in which you are amazed by the immensity of the landscapes, where the seas are not waves but trees, where the sand is changed by snow and where the seasons are completely unique.

Carmen Cobos
EVS volunteer in Kisälli-Harjulanmäki in the season 2017–18

Carmen participated in Finland in the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Maailmanvaihto receives EVS (nowaways Erasmus+ Volunteering Activities) volunteers for volunteer periods of 6–12 months. Would you be interested in participating? Read more and apply!

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English lessons and club activities at a primary school

In April, Max Schodry was looking forward to volunteering for the last month at a Finnish primary school and experiencing the summer in Finland with his host family and friends.

1. Hi Max! What kind of tasks has did you have in April?

I volunteer in a primary school. In April, my main task was, like all the other months, to assist my mentor in her English lessons. In these lessons, I usually help the children with their exercises. Especially children who have problems in English I try to support. Moreover, I do little tasks to help my mentor prepare her lessons.

A few hours a week, I have little supportive English lessons on my own with 2–5 children. Most of the time we are just rehearsing grammar and words they already know, but because I plan these classes myself I can integrate own ideas. In addition, we have different club activities at our school, and I have a few clubs on my own e.g. a sport club and a Minecraft club. Those are the most fun tasks, because I am free to decide what to do and how to it. Of course, if I ever need help I can ask my mentor or other teachers.

2. What are your expectations for the rest of your volunteering period as well as the year?

The Finnish school year ends in the end of May, and I expect that my last month at the school will be as good as all the months before. Besides my work, I look forward to having an awesome time with my host family and my friends. Especially my host families made my year here to what it is. Furthermore, I want to travel more and get to know new people. After my voluntary work year I will go back to Germany and start vocational education there.

3. Maailmanvaihto is working to advance intercultural understanding. What do you think is the volunteers’ role in this?

In my opinion, it is rather simple. On the one hand, because I live in Finland I learn about the Finnish culture through my host family, my friends etc. On the other hand, they learn about the German culture through me. Because I live for a year here, I have better possibilities to learn about this country than someone who stays for a few months, for instance. I can get the whole amount of Finland.

4. How would you like to see Maailmanvaihto’s activities evolve in the future?

All the training camps and events I participated in were nicely organized and a lot of fun. I would not know how to improve the activities, but for me there was another problem: I missed most of the other activities besides the camps because they were organized in Helsinki – it was hard and expensive to take part in them because I live around five hours away. I would suggest organizing some activities in other bigger cities, too.

5. What is your own experience of intercultural learning in Maailmanvaihto’s activities?

An example is not hard to find, because all the time when you are at a camp or an event of Maailmanvaihto, you are in contact with people from all over the world and you talk, play games and go to sauna together. Through this, I learned so much about other countries – about the food, music and living circumstances in general, for instance.

6. Three reasons to join Maailmanvaihto’s activities?

My first reason is that you get to know people from all over the world and make friends with them. This leads directly to my second reason. You get new viewpoints on different topics and you learn that stereotypes are not always right. My last reason, and maybe the most important one for me, is that the activities are just so much fun to participate in. There are not many places in Finland where you find Indians, Mexicans, Finns, Germans etc. sitting together and playing cards.

Finally, your greetings to the 60-year-old Maailmanvaihto?

You are doing are great job with all the events and the organization. Keep it that way!


In the photo Max is with his host family. From the left: Tanja, Markku, Max, Terhi, Tiina, Tuja and Kirsti.

The article series My anniversary year presents once a month during Maailmanvaihto’s 60th anniversary year what’s going on in the lives of people connected with the organization. The anniversary year is filled with different kinds of activities and people!

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Happiness in daily life in South Korea

Last August Jussi Poikkeus left for South Korea to volunteer for a year. Now, around the midpoint of his volunteering period he feels he has learned a lot about the world as well as himself.

 1. Hi Jussi! What kind of tasks has did you have in March?

From the beginning of the project, my work tasks have been very structured; each day of the week follows its own agenda. For example on Mondays I work in a library and in a restaurant for retired people, but on Wednesdays I spend my day in a kindergarten. On top of these tasks, my week includes supporting children with disabilities and teaching English to seniors. March hasn’t differed much from the previous months in regard to work tasks; still, I’ve noticed that I’ve gotten more responsibility.

2. What are your expectations for the rest of your volunteering period as well as the year?

Now that’s a tricky question! Of course I’m hoping to develop my skills in Korean even more, but I wouldn’t dare set the bar too high anymore. My priority is to create more lasting friendships with locals. When I get back home in autumn, I’m planning to continue my studies at the university, including the Korean language.

3. Maailmanvaihto is working to advance intercultural understanding. What do you think is the volunteers’ role in this?

Maailmanvaihto’s activities have their base in volunteering, so the role of the volunteers in building intercultural understanding is substantial. The volunteer is often perceived as a representative of their home country and culture, which is why their acts and behavior are viewed in relation to the conception locals have of those things. However, this doesn’t mean that we as volunteers should carefully plan our every step, but rather bring forward our cultural attributes as we see fit.

Volunteering opens the door to the so-called grass-roots level of daily life, which for example an ordinary tourist can’t access. Working with local people offers a glimpse below the surface, which helps to understand the traditions, cultures and beliefs of the destination country better than tourist attractions.

4. How would you like to see Maailmanvaihto’s activities evolve in the future?

I think Maailmanvaihto is already a very nicely functioning organization. I guess I’m a bit lame for not coming up with anything to improve. Maybe that’s a good sign. Still, if I have to say something, I hope that Maailmanvaihto remains a small organization. For us volunteers it’s comforting to know that we are looked after in our home country!

5. What is your own experience of intercultural learning in Maailmanvaihto’s activities?

It’s hard to describe how much the past six months have taught me. For my part, intercultural learning has covered more than just Finland and South Korea, as I spend a great deal of my time with other volunteers, especially with my French flatmate. The local cultural environment shares many common features with Finland, but it also has its differences. I think here respect and being considerate towards others is something else entirely. For example, even though the metros are often crammed, people make room for everyone who wants to get in.

6. Three reasons to join Maailmanvaihto’s activities?

Three amongst a multitude, right. Well, internationality, expanding your worldview and finding yourself. Before participating in the volunteering project I used to dream about living abroad; because of the project I finally had a chance to do that. It is still impossible to say how much my understanding of the world has changed during my stay, I believe I’ll notice that better after I have returned to Finland. I would say the same thing about myself; I’ve learned to read my mind and find new aspects of my personality, but the process will be brought to an end in Finland. Happiness is found in the daily life, small acts matter and you learn from your mistakes. I don’t regret coming here a bit, thank you Maailmanvaihto.

Finally, your greetings to the 60-year-old Maailmanvaihto?

Let’s continue in the same way and not let the fire die down despite the old age. Congratulations Maailmanvaihto 60 years!

Photo: Jussi enjoying the weekend off with his colleague’s firstborn son. 

The article series My anniversary year presents once a month during Maailmanvaihto’s 60th anniversary year what’s going on in the lives of people connected with the organization. The anniversary year is filled with different kinds of activities and people!

Jussi participates in International Cultural Youth Exchange program (ICYE), where volunteers work for 6 or 12 months in Asia, Africa, Latin America or Oceania. As an ICYE-volunteer you get to see the world and build intercultural understanding on a grass-roots level. Read more about ICYE!

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Tackling racism requires common acts

Racism can only be combated by unity, that is the idea behind United for Intercultural Action (UNITED), the European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants, refugees and minorities. We asked Ana López Carlassare from UNITED to share thoughts about Europe’s situation from UNITED’s point of view.

In 1945, Europe thought to have defeated fascism, but nationalist, fascist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic ideologies still remain alive in today’s political rhetoric. Although the way fascism is voiced has drastically changed, the basic characteristics of fascism and the methods for gaining support from the wider public remain the same: populism is a virus. And in the whole continent this plague has reappeared, changing its colors depending on the context and has reached a strong presence even in countries with strong democratic traditions.

Fascist ideas gain support among different social groups especially in times of political and economical crisis, destroy democratic liberties and discriminate members of specific minorities and people with different views. People are looking for someone to blame. Hate not only leads to violence, discrimination and exclusion, but is a dangerous threat to democracy and peace as well.

Opinions are hardening in the public discussion

All over Europe, there are politicians who find numerous threats against their respective societies, and these threats are almost always ‘foreign’, from outside the dominant social group. According to these politicians and leaders, they are the only ones that are capable of finding appropriate ‘solutions’ to the problems in society; and they offer a solution which rejects all that is different. The hardening opinions in the field of politics make it clear, that Europe today is facing many different forms of racism, xenophobia, anti-migrant and anti-minority attitudes resulting in exclusion, hate speech, and in extreme cases in hate crimes.

Fallout from the on-going economic and fiscal crisis, coupled with the heightened threat of terrorism, and the high number of refugees and migrants arriving on Europe’s shores, have combined to create an atmosphere in which racist rhetoric and far-right extremism are thriving. As multiple crises engulf Europe, many people are questioning their commitment to the shared European values of democracy, human rights and tolerance that have been at the heart of the European project since the end of the Second World War. Meanwhile, a record number of people trying to reach Europe for safer life continue to see their human rights violated.

Attitudes can be deeply rooted in the culture

Furthermore, racism and discrimination are also found in commonly used cultural expressions. Racism is not just an isolated act, but part of a collective, continuing system of social relations. It is not always easy to see; sometimes we need each other to point discrimination out to us.

“We can change the way society looks at differences.“

People in a rapidly changing society have the tendency to become protective of what is known and fearful for what is unknown. Dividing and categorising “others” into over-generalised groups as well as only selecting “the similar” in the core group is deeply embedded in our societies and everyday activities. Racism and exclusion can take the form of a negative look in the subway, or crossing the street to avoid someone, or portraying people with certain words, images, etc. based on prejudices instead of individual capacities. We should rethink why we give voice to these prejudices and perceive others as lesser beings.

We can change the way society looks at differences. Effective anti-racism is a joint effort; we start by opening up our own minds and then encourage those around us to see another future. It takes courage to speak out against exclusion, discrimination, hate and racism wherever we see it: in our streets, at our schools, on the Internet, in the media, or within our institutions and governments. It takes an open mind to rethink discriminative tendencies in society and to change people’s view.

Taking common stand against hate of all kinds

Such a complex situation in Europe presents unprecedented challenges for the anti-racist movement. Across Europe there is a great need for individuals and organisations to challenge the ideas and warn about the dangers of the far-right, present a positive message about diversity and migration, and provide on-the-ground support for newly-arrived migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Linked through UNITED, more than 560 organisations from a wide variety of backgrounds, fields of experience, ranging from local grassroots associations to national and international NGOs work together on a voluntary basis to take a common stand against hate of all kinds. UNITED coordinates campaigns, organises conferences, takes part in projects, produces publications and undertakes advocacy work to protest against discrimination and promote our shared vision for a diverse and inclusive society.

Though in numbers there are not many fascists throughout Europe, however, the constant voicing of xenophobic messages in media and politics causes ‘normalisation’ and leads to ‘acceptance’ of hate. Society keeps silent. People become bystanders to their own fate and to the fate of the whole European society. So, what can we do about this? We can Think. See. Listen. Speak. Protest. Resist. We can remember and make sure the past is not forgotten. Diversity is more than just living our lives next to each other. Intercultural understanding and cooperation are the goals.

UNITED is an European-wide organization founded in 1992 that coordinates, supports and strengthens a network of over 560 organisations from 46 European countries to improve intercultural communication, diversity and human rights.

Text: Ana López Carlassare

The article has been published in the magazine MaailmanVaihtoa – Volunteers’ Voices 1/2018.

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