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This post is about first two weeks that I have spent in Poland. Enjoy!!!:

I have been a couple of weeks in Poland now. I feel like have been more and at the same time, I feel l have been less than two weeks. I came to new culture, language and country of which I didin't know much about in advance. I came to lost myself in order to find myself again.

Me and other volunteers, 

my family here<3

We use zlotys in Poland, not euros. One euro is about 4 zlotys. 

Why Poland? What I am doing here? When I was in the last grade of the upper secondary school, I decided to have a gap year and do volunteering abroad after graduation. I didin't have no idea where I would go and what to do. Then I acted as a clown in one performance and get to know a girl who was volunteering in Germany. She went through EVS, The Youth Exchange Programm organized by Alliance. In this programm people can do volunteering with the money support from EU. After she told her experience to me, I felt like this is what I will try to apply for.

My room~

Then I applied to maaaaany different kind of projects through Europe. I really wanted to go to France or Italy. Nevertheless, I applied to projects which were interesting and I felt like this would give me much. After some time waiting, I got rejected a couple of times and I thought what will I do now. I don't have no idea how I will spent my gap year. Then I got a message from Poland that they will call me the next day. It was a project which description was really interesting but I felt nervous to apply at first. I pondered for a long time whether I would apply or not. And it was the only project in which we needed to do a creative work when applying. I wrote a poem called "Dandelions grow in Poland" and send it 15 minutes before midnight, before deadline. Then they called me from Poland and asked whethet I'm still interested to come to Poland. I felt so nervous and excited and I said "YES OF COURSE!!!!".

In the first day, me and Migle went to eat vegetarian burgers. 

After eating I felt creative and created food art.

French fries tower made by Migle ~

One of the best burgers I have ever eaten.

Then our project applied money support from EU. At first, I was planned to go in September in 2016 but the project didin't get money support for long term volunteers (which I am). Then they applied again in Autumn. I waited the whole Autumn and didin't know where I am going next year. To Poland or somewhere else? But all this time I felt in my heart that I am going to Poland. Then, day before Christmas, I got a message. The project was accepted!!! I also got to know that the project will start in 10.1 and I am going to be 9 months in a little and beatiful town called Leszno!

The first time eating together in a milk bar nearby.

Milk bar is a cheap place to eat in Poland, for example I paid 2,5 euros for tomato soup, juice and potato pancake. So crazy!

Tomatosoup in a milkbar.

Potato pancakes~

It has been interesting to me to find food because I am mostly vegan but here I have been more vegetarian. 

It isin't diffucult to cook vegan food but to find vegan food is. 

In bigger cities there are more vegan food also. 

Fortunately in almost every restaurant there is vegetarian options like tomato soups, pierogies with spinach and so on.

I had couple of weeks (perhaps two?) to arrange practical things such as plane tickets, say byebyes to people and prepare myself mentally to the most biggest adventure in my life this far ;) It was really stressfull time but at the same time things just happened and everything worked out. It felt weird to say to my friends byebyes äand have goodbye parties. I didin't understand that I am going to stay for 9 months in Poland. Poland will be my new home and Leazno my hometown. And I couldn't believe that my dream is coming true and all the waiting was worth it.

 My new hometown Leszno <3 

Little and beatiful!

Most people have been friendly and excited when I speak Polish.

Some people have been rude but mostly friendly and hospitality.

The townhall~

Then the day came. I hugged my parents, said byebyes and stepped to the train that tooked me to Helsinki. The train left in 12.17 and was in Helsinki maybe 22 o'clock or something. Usually it takes perhaps 5 hours but for my luck there was problem with the train. It stopped for many hours. So, my adventure began when I stepped into the train. Strangers talked with each other and we got tickets to buy free food and drink (well 4 euros but it is better than nothing). I laughed that this is the humour of God: when you start to fulfill your dream, things start to happen. Or mybe God wanted to prepare me for bigger challenges in advance.

In the next day, I arranged all practical things in the office of Alliance and got to know basic information about volunteering, rights of the volunteer and so on. Later that afternoon, I flew to Prague and then I went to Wroclaw by buss. After two days of exhausting travelling, I was in 1:30 am in Wroclaw. I felt so cold, tired and hungry while waiting to Adam to (one amazing man who is working where I am a volunteer) pick me to Leszno. In that momen,  I was thinking whether I made a mistake to come to Poland. Same feeling continued in my new home Mala when I arrived at 3:30 am. It has been the worst night this far.

Next morning we had the first meeting in 9:00 am. Oh how I loved the first meeting! I get to see other beatiful volunteers from different countries. Let me introduce my family for two months, now perhaps one is leff (most of them are short terms so they are only 2 months :/): Nicholas&Daniel from France, Laura&Massimiliano from Italy, Pablo&Suzana from Spain, Ana&Margarita from Portugal, Migle from Lithuania, Nikoleta from Greece, James from UK and of course Iida from Finland. From the first moment, I felt welcomed. Also our staff were kind and telling as all the basic information we need to know. ÄOther volunteers were friendly and open-minded. Everybody has their own stories to share and reasons to come. They are people from different cultures, backgrounds, education, religion and ages. And the funny thing is that before I came here, I was practising Italian and French by myself. Of course there are two Italian and French people! God sees dreams in my heart!

Activities from the first week:D

First week was about getting to know each other, the office, our tasks/accomodation/money and of course Leszno. And playing fun games together, thefor example we needed to chooce three Flixit cards and describe what they tell about ourselves. I also liked an activity in which we were split into smaller groups and we brainstormed ideas what we would love to do. We said all ideas without judgnent or limitations. I loved it! Then we though those ideas in the practical and critical point of view which was really teachfull (back to reality...: D).

Everything happened very quickly. Soon, I was part of CATfoundation family. In the first week we also did many things. We had meetings in the office, went to eat to restaurants, danced in clubs, visited bars and spent time with other volunteers. The grand finale of the first week was the welcoming party which was in friday. There we met many new people, tasted food from different countries (I had Salmiakki, liquorice, Marianne candies and chocolate from Finland hahahahaa) and played games together. Party continued in Antidotum night club where some people drank and danced. In Finland, I didin't go to nightclubs because I didin't feel like it. And also because I don't like drinking lots of alcohole. But here I have enjoyed dancing and tasting Polish beer. Dance floor is a good place to be weird and just enjoy dancing.

Welcoming party in the office!!!<3

"Real" work started in the second week. We started to work on our cultural presentations that we will present in schools for different ages (kindergarden, secondary, junior highschool and high school). And winter workshops that we will do to children from different ages and initiations that we would like to do while staying here. In winterworkshops we arrange games, activities and workshops for children in their winter holiday time. It is time that we can put our crazy and creative ideas into practice.

I painted Northern lights with nail polish and put cute clitter! 

I loved it, crazy and fun ;)

The second week was very stressful because I needed to think many things at the same time. In addition, I applied to one school in Finland so I needed to write an application. I didin't know how to manage time so I could finish all work and have enough rest and social life. It was teachful, challenging, exhausting and the same time so much fun because I could use my creativity.

In the second week, everybody had a secret friend which meant that the person can be extremely nice and do nice things to his secret friend. 

My secret friend bought me chocolate and was very nice to me <3

It was lovely to think about ideas how to surprise my secret friend and to be nice to him. I ended up writing a nice poem to him. 

Secret friend - week taught me how important little acts of love are and what kind of  a friend I want to be.

I had my first cultural presentation in the school of people with disabilities. It was interesting that I was chosen because before I came here, I worked one month with people with disabilities and I liked it. Firstly, employees showed the place to me and Migle who was assisting me. Then they offered us tea (they were really friendly like Polish people in general) and I did my presentation. I had a short powerpoint slideshow and the rest of time we played and did something active. Because they were children, I told my dias as a story of which protagonists were MOOMINS. Then we danced Finnish dances, painted Northern lights and played other games. It was lots of fun but also challenging in some moments.

Photo of my first Finnish cultural presentation in the class of children with disabilities.

God surprised me again because in the Autumn I was in the work trainee and worked with people with disabilities. 

It was awesome to have my presentation there!

We played games, painted Northern lights and they put pictures from Finland in the map of Finland. And they gave me tis jewellery <3 

This week we have done animation and had english conversation classes in the junior high school. In wednesday, our Italian volunteers taught as juggling and magic tricks. It was really beatiful and awesome. I didin't know how physically activating juggling is. It is good for the mind and the  body. And it reminded me how much I love theater and things related to it. Also, one local Polish volunteer showed us face painting and balloon shaping. It was a nice day because I learned so many new skills, at least had a glimpse of them.

Baloon shaping ~

This heart is for you dear reader, 

You are beatiful and loved <3

A horse~

Thursday, me, James (UK) and Daniel (France) went to junior high school to join in English conversation classes. We basically played different kind of games and energizers. In every three classes we attended, they asked us ten questions and tried to answer where we are from. It was so much fun to listen to their quessing. I was from Greece, Turkey and Georgia. Sometimes you can't say where the person is from based on his appearance. Eyes can lie.

You look so British! Because he is, James from UK! :D

Beatiful Nikoleta from Greece!

Daniel from France ~

Before I came here, I didin't like much Youngsters but after these classes I started to like them more. Well of course there are different Youngsters, but in these classes students were active, happy and open-minded. We had lots of fun together. Moreover, it is good to practice to be a "teacher" and to be in charge. It reveals interesting things from ourselves, we can learn, develope and grow as a human being. And it was really rewarding to see them enjoying their time and laughing. When we played games together, we forgot nervousness and other limits in ourselves. We just had fun.

 Susana from Spain~

Tu sei una Italiana,
Buongiorno Laura from Italy ~

Nicholas-Mario from France,

Au revoir!

Cute Migle from Lithuania~

After teachfull and stressful week me and Laura(Italian volunteer) went to Poznan for the weekend. It was an amazing weekend. I will tell more about it in another post.

Also, I will tell more about what I have learned this far,  Polish culture (oh crazy Polish people, wintercamps and many more. As you can read, lots of things have happened in a couple of weeks. When you go to do something new and change something in your life, everything changes. That's what has happened to me. I'm not reading the same chapter anymore. Now I am writing and reading a new one. I am the writer but also the reader. Sometimes I will write and sometimes there happen things that I will read. The book of life.

Go after your dreams. Think what is the craziest thing you can do and do it. If you can't do it, do the next craziest thing. Change things. Change your life. Learn, grow and develope. Do things that makes you feel scared. Go out of your comfort zone and feel the flow of life. Enjoy your life as much as you can. Love fully. Hug deeply. Smile a lot. Laugh as loud as you can. And have a nice day <3

See you!!! :-)

With love DIFFERENT EINSTEIN