Friday 25 July 2014

Erasmus vs Volunteering: Liverpool VS Szczecin

“Patience and Tolerance are the key”


Hello everyone! My name is Javier, but everybody call me Soto, I'm 23 years old and I am the typical spanish who has been in an Erasmus program just with spanish people. This is the second time in my life I'm living out of my home, the first time was in Liverpool from nine wonderful months, and now, during one month and a half, it's time to give a chance to Szczecin.

I've been living here just one week and a half, but you don't need more time to realise of the big difference between be in an Erasmus program and be in a volunteering.

First of all, and although it can seem stupid to say, being in a volunteering is not being in an Erasmus program. I say this because before to arrive to Szczecin I thought that this it would be more or less like Liverpool, but fortunately or unfortunately this has nothing to do with it. There my life was about be with Spanish people and parties, here my life is surrounded by a mix of Italian, French, Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish people and less party (if you compare it with Erasmus), that for now is not bad.

Then in addition, during my stay in Liverpool I was living in a student flat in where I had my own room and my own bathroom, here I share my flat with an Italian punk (Noodle Guy for the rest of superheroes) and I share bathroom with two French guys and a couple of Polish. At first, also because I didn't know my roommate, I felt the urgent need to have my own personal space, but little by little I have grown accustomed to the presence of "intruders" in my territory and I think I can survive.

Third difference: language. Have you ever tried to learn Polish? (very typical...) Well, I'm sorry to inform you that you didn't choose the easiest one. Before coming I knew more or less that the Polish language was hard, but until I arrived I did not realize that the structure of my jaw is not made to speak Polish. And then moreover there is the issue that English is not abundant here (but still it is better than the level of Spain...), so if you find some Polish that can help you, you better invite him/her to drink a beer if you see him/her in a party later (Tyskie is pretty good).

And finally, the difference of differences, in this case comparing Poland with the rest of the world: the zebra crossings. Not a single time on your life you will see a Polish crossing a pedestrian crossing with the light on red, NEVER! May already be at 5 in the morning in a small suburb where almost nobody lives that if the traffic light is on red the Polish patiently will wait for the green light.

Well, that's it for now, as Erasmus similarities to mention the joy of making great friends in a short space of time and my return to Skype (once a week with Mommy and Daddy because if not they bother with me... ñiñiñiñiñi)

I hope you have found this article at least enjoyable, because for me it has been a pleasure.

Take care,
Javier

Javier is one of 10 European Volunteers and is taking part in a MULTI KULTI project co-financed by Erasmus+ Youth Programme. 

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