Volunteering, Week 1
Day One:
1. I’m hyped up on coffee. Had two small cups this morning, then was offered a frappe on site, and then was offered a hot coffee. 4 cups. Upchucked at least one of them but still pretty caffed up.
2. Had a great first day volunteering.
3. Details: Ritsona Camp, outside of Chalkida, Greece. Open camp, which means, from what I understand, that residents are temporarily there while seeking more permanent asylum in other countries. This can take months, but more usually, years.
4. Vocabulary: Residents or Beneficiaries, not refugees.
Day Three:
5. Prepare for an alphabet soup...I am volunteering through U.S.-based Cross-Cultural Solutions. I have both volunteered with and worked for CCS throughout the last 8 years. Through CCS, I’ve been partnered with Lighthouse Relief, a Swedish organization with operations based in Greece. LHR operates a number of programs specifically in Ritsona camp, and the one I’ll be working with is the Youth Engagement Space, or YES. Youths are defined here as 16-25. Younger children, teens, and pre-teens are served by the Child Friendly Space (CFS), and adult women are served through the Female Friendly Space (FFS).
6. A typical day, if such a thing exists: wake up around 8-9 am, breakfast between 9-10 am, 10 am leave with the CCS van for Ritsona. 10:30 am arrive at Ritsona. 10:30 am - 12 pm help volunteers prepare/set up the FFS. 12 - 1 pm lunch. 1-4:30 pm volunteering in the YES. 4:30 pm catch CCS van back to hotel. 5-7 pm update blogs, decompress, hang with other volunteers. 7 pm dinner provided by CCS at a local Greek restaurant. 8 pm + see 5-7 pm, and around 9-10 pm bed.
Day 4:
7. What do I do with YES? I am a facilitator, not a teacher, which means things are much more informal. From the outside it can look like I’m just hanging out with youth. This would be a correct but not complete assessment. This week was my first of ~8 weeks, so I spent it just getting to know people and getting comfortable with the space. Next week I’ll start introducing some workshops and projects related to creativity and writing. All this to say that sometimes my work will be more “formal” and sometimes more “informal” and that flexibility is definitely going to be key.
8. I’m really tired today so I think I’ll leave it at that -- feel free to ask me questions, and I’ll try to blog at least weekly if not more frequently.
9. Oh! Also! If you’re into creative writing, check out my more poetically-voiced blog of creative work at meganeheise.wordpress.com. I’m endeavoring to write off of a daily tarot draw for each day I volunteer (usually M-F).
10. Weekends are free -- I’m doing a little day tour tomorrow, and maybe going to a wedding at Ritsona that the volunteers were all invited to. I’ll keep you posted!