It is obvious that after already 6 months of my EVS I pay less and less attention to writing in the blog. But I find it pretty normal – the initial excitement of my new life has slowly turned into a quiet satisfaction. I feel already so much used to everything around and, thinking about it, I am grateful for choosing a project of one year. Actually, I would recommend to all the future volunteers to search mostly for that duration of their project. It simply gives you the chance to adapt first, then to get into the language and the way of life and after both the pleasure and the work become much more satisfactory. After all, this is one of the best things about making a voluntary service – it is a period, in which the process of learning is based on the living experience, having enough time to do whatever and combining it with some volunteer work. That I would call learning directly from the source, from life, from the simple communication and even only from observing. What I mean… for example for me the experience of living in such a small place as Ribadavia for longer period is something I am living through for the first time. I have also never thought that I will have some friends, with whom I would only communicate in Spanish (together with all the mistakes I make of course :) ) ! It feels some much different to what I am used to and at the same time … I love it!
But anyway, back to the monthly report of the events for October…
First are appropriate to be mentioned the achievements of the three brave young volunteers in Ribalandia… In the beginning of the month Casa da Xuventude welcomed one exposition of a young painter from nearby, a girl with a lot of talent but with no individual presentations by now. She was really happy to have the first chance to show her works, and that was moer than enough to make this exhibition worthy taking place! The initiative was lead by Santa. Meanwhile, Aleksander was working on another cultural event in the town. He collaborated with a local young poet, called Jaime to prepare visuals for a literature reading, organized in the honor of a poet from the previous generation. So one warm October evening a bar at the central square of Ribadavia hosted a world of imagination, words and beautiful slides that we had painted together at home previously. I was as usual in the whirlpool of organizations, projects, events and activities and also was really glad with the help I gave to some young people with ideas, consultations and information; and of course with the boy that already arrived for his one-year stay in Italy for making EVS – a chance he didn’t know about just 2 month earlier! Similar satisfaction of being helpful I usually feel after the English conversations/classes that we still successfully give in the office twice a week.
But the weekends remain to be my favorite time of the year J My mission to get to know the world around brought me in the first weekend of October to the last fiesta for the season – the celebration of San Froilan in Lugo, one of the bigger Galician cities (still not really big), the last one I still hadn’t been to. The event itself was the next prove on the row for the Spanish passion about the Fiesta – 8 days full fiesta program with concerts and events which brought huge amount of visitors in the town. And the town itself is beautiful! It is known for the unique fully restored Roman wall, surrounding the beautiful streets and houses of the old town of Lugo, famous touristic destination as well. During my experience I could experience also the Erasmus spirit once more, together with people from Brasil, Peru, Mexico and Ecuador… Quite colorful experience! On the way back I stopped for a train change in Monforte de Lemos, another small, but beautiful Galician town, and walked there for hours in a quiet Sunday, being a proper tourist with my camera J
Next weekend, I kind of unexpectedly found myself in Madrid, where we made a little Bulgarian reunion with my friends. Meeting periodically people that I know from before and communicating freely with them in my language is a good moment to look from aside to all the experience I get here, as sharing always makes the things more real. We spent great time together, as usual, and also got involved into the protest movement that is spreading around Spain (and not only) since May, soon after I arrived here. The 15 of October flooded the wide streets of the capital with uncountable amount of people, in a peaceful walking demonstration for a change in the messed up system of society and politics… It is hard to say if all this actually leads to something… but the emotion to be in the middle of this crowd of people, gathered with the one idea, and smiling, so much different than the usual way they all are frowning and pushing each other on the street… There was something special! Actually in those 3 days in Madrid I managed to see a lot, the long walks helped to get to know all the centre, some interesting neighborhood, parks, squats… And to be honest, I loved the feeling to be in a capital with the taste of the big city, so much alive, intercultural, interesting; moving with all the little people going all around, breathing with them, speaking with their voice and with the noise of cars, traffic lights, ambulances, street musicians… and to know, that I am not to stay in this mess, but enjoy it for a while and get back home in my quiet little place.
Next weekend on the go and another amazing place to be visited. After not seeing for a long time Barcia, the first person I got to know when arriving here, this weekend we visited together a friend living in Baiona, a beautiful town on the coast which I have probably mentioned, because I have been there twice before. But never before I visited a place in the mountains above it called Muinos with beautiful old stone mills, situated in a row down the hill following the stream of a little river. Same day we also went to a place I wished to see already some time ago – the point where the river Mino, the big one passing next to Ribadavia and later becoming the border with Portugal, flows into the ocean. This can be observed from a high hill called A Guarda/ La Guardia at the corner of the land, with an enchanting view. Centuries ago the celts chose to build there a village of theirs, which is nowadays one of the most visited archaeological sightseeings in Galicia (together with the Muralla, the wall, in Lugo).
Adventures are not only to be taken far away from the place of residence though J The love for hiking brought me and Aleksander many times this month on nice autumn walks around – to the hot springs of Prexigueiro, to the nearby villages, and our latest discovery - some marked touristic routes such as Ruta Verde – 35 km along river Avia, and Ruta Azul – 27 km along the river Mino. A daily hike such as those is full pleasure, consisting of movement, precious views and getting to know all the surroundings.
Ribadavia was also once more in fiesta mood in the last Saturday of the month. The occasion - Noite Meiga, or Helloween in Galician style. And as here they are quite respected as part of the folklore, it is the fiesta of all the witches, together with the vampires, corpses and all the scary fantastical creatures one could ever imagine! And after a perfect preparation almost everyone in the village had an amazing costume or at least professional make-up and was part of the common celebration of the evening. There was a defile of the all the scary creatures, a pumpkin face competition, the biggest queimada on Praza Maior with a theatre show and more and more… Town was back to life again, streets and bars filled with people (or zombies and beasts), a good concert of a new local band gathered big audience as well. I was amazed once again – not only by the realistic make up that gave me the goose skin, but mostly about how seriously the fiestas are taken… People definitely know how to enjoy, each time of the year J
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