by

summer 2012

IN THIS MONTH... We are coming to the end of our European Voluntary Service in Leeds. First of all I have to be grateful, I have to say thanks for the collaboration and warm welcoming of this newsletter each month. It has been done every

month by us and for us, to have a list of events and good memories of our months as volunteers and as a big family in the UK.

Secondly, you have this copy in your hands (or computer). Keep it. It´s the last one! And the most important part...it´s done with the collaboration of almost every volunteer!

This is my personal present for you. Explore it. Read it. Enjoy it. It´s been written and designed for you.

Eva de Luis Iglesias

SPECIAL EVENTS20th July to 27th August - Edinburgh Summer Festivals

22nd July - Party in The Park, Radio Aire Festival in Temple Newsam Park

26th July to 3rd August - Youth Exchange “Jump Through the Rings” in London organized by Everything is Possible

27th July to 12th August - Olympic Games London 2012

24th to 26th August - Leeds Festival in Brahman Park

29th August to 9th September - Paralympic Games London 2012

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DISCOVERING UK

One Friday morning I took my back-pack and I met with my volunteers’ colleagues and the staff from BEES. We were ready to go to Buckden, where we wanted to enjoy a residential weekend.

My volunteer is in BEES (Service Environment Education in Bradford). Every Friday, the volunteers from BEES do a Conservation Task somewhere. It could be a national park, a school garden, or a city park... We learn skills about it, we speak between us and we enjoy the nature. Apart from that, BEES organize twice a year a residential weekend because volunteers spend altogether a weekend in a nice area and of course do some staff there.

The last residential weekend, we were in Yorkshire Dales National Park, in a village called Buckden. Our task was to build some pieces of wall that had been destroyed. Are you surprise because we built walls? Me as well! :P But the just name is “dry stone walling”! Around England you can see in countryside: sheep, grass, trees… and stones walls!

There were a lot of stones long time ago. In Bronze Age people started to do something with the stones and when Agriculture Revolution (1750 – 1850).They started to use it for construction of walls and barns.Depend of the area there are different types of stones.

The rocks of where we were date from 350million years ago (Carboniferous Period), the main rock is limestone, and this kind of stones was format in the warm tropical sea. For this reason now you can see a lot of fossils in the rocks! The first fossil that I saw

I was very happy, but after two hours there… you lost enthusiasm..The mean of “dry stone walling” is basically the construction of a wall with stones, without any comment or speak between us, only it´s necessary to found the perfect stone to put in the just place. Like to do a puzzle!!

I’m very happy because I’ve learned a lot of things and all under the rain!!!!!! Can you believe is it possible “dry stone walling” with rain? I tell you: Yes… everything is possible in this life!! :P

It’s been lovely to work outside, under the rain, with a good team… of course! A lot of tea – time… but under rain as well! And you know that after drinking a lot of tea you need to go to the… amazing toilet! There isn´t price go to the toilet with the same layers of an onion (because is raining and you have your clothes and then waterproof clothes… ) and next to you there is a sheep that is looking at you, the raining drops fallen on your leg, and you can see the green view…. Sorry but it was a lovely toilet!

Maybe you can think: These crazy people… is it really an experience?! It could be, but I´m grateful to this people. They go during the weekend to do something to preserve the culture and environment under the rain, with wind… to receive nothing material, only a lot of things immaterial. This people show us the great values of life! So… please, let’s become all crazy people!

Montse Ribalta

Dry Stone Walling in Buckdenby Montse Ribalta

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DISCOVERING UKThe Lake District

In this summer edition, I’m going to tell you about my last adventurous long week-end with Montse! We took our backpacks (with a tent included) and we headed to Lake District during 4 days with the protection of Luispi, our faithful friend the elephant.

The Lake District is a mountainous region in North West England, plenty of lakes and marvellous landscapes. We started our adventure in Kendal, peaceful and little town where you can visit on the top of a hill the interesting Kendal Castle. Probably late 12th Century, is now a ruin, but worth exploring. From here you can get brilliant views over the town. We were thinking to sleep there, but as in our first night we were doing couchsurfing we decided to left the big Castle and go to a nice small apartment in the town centre. The second day we wake up and after a British breakfast to take some energy, Montse convince me to do hitch-hiking to arrive to our next stop: Windermere. It wasn’t easy but the man who gave us a lift was really nice and he dropped us in Bowness-on-Windermere, the low part of the town where the lake is located. After a walk and a free tea in a Gospel concert for the Queen’s Jubilee, we decided to cross the lake by boat with our camping equipment. We arrived in Ferry House and we started following a footpath around the lake to the north. After a nice walk we climbed (with a big map in our hands, don’t do it without it!!) to the top of a hill next to Hawkshead. After having dinner on the top

and have enjoyed the views of the longest lake in England, we pitched our tent next to a big wall (it was really windy) on the way to go down. This second night was very uncomfortable but we were so exhausted that finally we could sleep some hours in our first time doing wild camping.

The third day we wake up really early and we start walking to Ambleside, really nice touristic town where we realised we hadn’t any bus to go to our next destination: Glenridding. After this bad news, we decided to come back to Windermere by bus and then we will find a solution there, where there is a direct road. Of course Montse convince me again to do hitch-hiking and a really nice woman from the area gave us a lift until Glenridding town centre. She recommended us what to

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visit there and witch mountain should we climb: Helvellyn via Striding Edge.

In Glenridding we met with Felix, Mayra and two of her Spanish friends. After a lunch under the sun in Ullswater Lake we started climbing Helvellyn (950m). The views were amazing during all the way and sadly our flatmates left us in the middle of the way to Helvellyn. When we arrived almost to Striding Edge we were completely fascinated with the landscape, but not as much as we would be one hour later at the top of Striding Edge (the picture below). I have to recognize that I understood why everyone said: if you are afraid of heights don’t go. I don’t use to have, but there...it was impossible not to be afraid. We were climbing to a staggering height of rocks with our great backpack and a lot of wind. Montse was really calm and helpful so we reached the top after all. Then we went to another part of the mountain called Hole-in-the Wall, where we pitched our tent and we slept comfortably there with full moon and calm weather.

The next morning we went down the mountain to Glenridding, and after a hot breakfast we went to Penrith (by hitchhiking) to visit the town and return to Leeds (by train, £28railcard/£42full rate) after our adventure.

I have to thank Montse for this trip, because it was her idea, she was a great companion for the adventure and it has been an experience not to forget in life.

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SUNNY DAYS

Party in The Park - Radio Aire FestivalDid you enjoy the concert in Temple Newsam Park for the Olympic Torch Relay?? Here you have another chance to have a Party in The Park! We have 4 tickets to go on the 22nd of July to this one-day-Festival with a lot of concerts! So...why not? For the moment some of the artists that are coming are the

following: Alexandra Burke, Alyssa Reid, Conor Maynard, Cover Drive, DJ Fresh, Labrinth, Little Mix, Marcus Collins, One Direction, Professor Green, Stooshe, Taio Cruz, Tulisa and Wretch 32. I don’t know any of them, but I think the music it’s quite known here in the UK and I’m sure it won’t be boring.

Where: Temple Newsam ParkWhen: 22nd of July

Cost: 4 tickets for freeMore info:

Leeds FestivalThis summer Festival is well known by every volunteer in Everything is Possible, but as it’s one of the most important in the UK, it must appear on this newsletter! This year, with an amazing line-up and 7 stages to enjoy, the Leeds Festival is coming with energy and as almost every year, rain!

In this bank holiday we can enjoy groups like The Cure, Kasabian, Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machines, Kaiser Chiefs, Justice and many more great artists from the international

scene.Have you ever heard about the Green Messengers? These volunteers help work the recycling initiatives throughout the festival. You need to be full of energy, not mind getting your hands dirty and be a passionate recycler. If you think you can do that, you have your entry FREE*!!*You will have to pay a deposit that will be refunded afterwards if you complete your shift (working timetable)

Where: Brahman Park, Leeds When: 24th to 26th of August

Cost: £197.50/Free*More info: www.leedsfestival.co.uk

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FESTIVALS

Edinburgh Summer FestivalsEdinburgh is the world’s Festival City. It’s where people come together from across the globe to share their passion for arts, culture and ideas. This welcoming, inspiring and open-minded atmosphere is heightened by the accessible beauty of this breathtaking historical city. With 6 different festivals in one month and a half, there’s a nonstop selection of events, performances and spectacles to enjoy! Not everything is free, so have a look on the different websites and make sure you book the spectacles you are interested in!

Where: Edinburgh Cost: Free - 50When: Summer 2012 More info: www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk

20-29 July - Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival Featuring international stars, exciting newcomers and the hottest local talent spanning the earliest jazz forms to the thriving contemporary creativity of today.

3-25 Aug - Royal Edinburgh Military TattooNo, it’s not a festival about military tattoos. It’s a tremendous outdoor spectacle. the Tattoo presents a host of international performers, military and civilian, set against the incredible backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

2 August - 2 Sept - Edinburgh Art FestivalThe city’s galleries, museums and visual art spaces combine to present the most exciting and intriguing of the modern and contemporary visual arts world.

9Aug - 2Sept - Edinburgh International Festival The finest in classical music, theatre, opera and dance gather to present one of the most innovative and accessible Festivals of the performing arts. www.eif.co.uk

3-27 August - Edinburgh Festival FringeThe largest arts Festival in the world transforms Edinburgh with live theatre, cabaret and comedy performances in the streets and across over 200 venues around the city. From my point of view, the most interesting! www.edfringe.com

11-27 Aug - Edinburgh International Book FestivalThe largest Book Festival of its kind, with over 700 world-class writers and thinkers taking part in more than 800 events.

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As part of the London 2012 Festival, join the street party for Showtime, London’s largest ever free outdoor arts festival. From the 21st of July until the 9th of September, wherever you are in London this summer, it will come alive with seven weeks of fantastic outdoor performances for everybody from top UK and international artists, as part of the London 2012 Festival.

The entertainment on offer includes British street arts, acts from around the world, plus a feast of alternative music from beat box to electro swing. See a man that spurts water choreographed to Ravel’s Bolero, a crazy Spaniard that shoots bullet babies 50m into the air, a hip hop bungee dance show about love, a ladies percussion group last seen at the Beijing opening ceremony, and a beautiful large scale Bollywood dance troupe featuring floating angels suspended by cranes!

More info: www.molpresents.com

If you don´t have any ticket for the Olympics, don´t loose the opportunity to live their atmosphere in London! Five different sites in the capital will host events and live coverage of the London 2012 Games: Hyde Park, Potters Fields, Victoria Park, Waltham Forest and Woolwich. Well, if you are too lazy to go there...it´s been installed another big screen in Millennium Square (Leeds) but I am pretty sure it won’t be the same atmosphere...

The most interesting of these live sites in London it seem to be the one in Hyde Park. It will be deliver unparalleled viewing of the Olympic Games by a series of big screens, including the largest one in the UK. The live BBC coverage will include London 2012 medal events, with cultural entertainment and live music also on offer. BT London Live Hyde Park will be free to access between 28 July and 11 August. The Opening and Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert on July 27 and on August 12 will be ticketed.

More info: www.btlondonlive.com

OLYMPIC GAMES LONDON 2012

BT London Live

Showtime: Enternainment Everywhere

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The Olympics 2012The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered to be the world’s foremost sports competition and more than 200 nations participate.

The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Games for ice and winter sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with a physical disability, and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes.

One interesting historic fact is this one: In 1948, Sir Ludwig Guttmann, determined to promote the

rehabilitation of soldiers after World War II, organized a multi-sport event between several hospitals to coincide with the 1948 London Olympics. Guttmann’s event, known then as the Stoke Mandeville Games, became an annual sports festival. Over the next twelve years, Guttmann and others continued their efforts to use sports as an avenue to healing. For the 1960 Olympic Games, in Rome, Guttmann brought 400 athletes to compete in the “Parallel Olympics”, which became known as the first Paralympics. Since then, the Paralympics have been held in every Olympic year, in 2012 from the 29th of August to the 9th of September.

This year the Olympics are hosting 36 different sports and the Paralympics 21, wich makes it a sports competition to suit all tastes. You can love or hate sports, but this competition is the most important in the world.

Each year the athletes attending the Olympics beat new unimaginable records. Are you ready to see what is able to do the human body and mind?

Enjoy and share the spirit of the Olympics!

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AMAZING EXPERIENCESby Felix Moya & Laura Lukewille

Our adventure in TurkeySaturday 23:15 The trip started. Our luggage was packed and the taxi arrived at home...the adventure had started!! At that time we had to say bye to Maira, one of our flatmates, because she went back to Spain just the next day...sad times in Beechwood House.

After five hours by bus to go to London Airport and four hours flying to Turkey we landed in Istanbul and we had our first Kebab. It was really tasty...but that it was not the only one of the trip. We had to spend another six hours by bus to go from Istanbul to Eskisehir, the city where the workshop “Let´s share our experiences for the disabled” was going to take place. Finally we arrived to the hotel.

The first day in Eskisehir, during the breakfast, we had the opportunity to meet the group that was going to do the workshop with us, people from Latvia, Romania, Italy, Germany, Lithuania, Spain and Turkey were there. We were going to share our experiences with people with special needs and learn together. We were excited!! Then we went to Anadolu University, the place where the theoretic themes were treated.

In the workshop we had the chance to learn how is the Turkish way to work with people with special needs in comparison with the others countries. Also we visited 2 different projects that are being developing in Eskisehir, one of them is a coffee shop where all the waiters are people with special needs. The second is an allotment that is offered by the government for families with disabled people to grow vegetables there for one season.

Other days we visited four centres that are working with people with special needs. Also we went to visit three families with disabled people at their houses and we felt so welcome. They offered us a lot of food and tea!

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Friday was our last day in Eskisehir. We received our workshop-certificate and visit a old village on the countryside with high, historical rocks. Amazing view!

In the night we left Eskisehir to had a short trip again to Istanbul.

The week was more a holiday trip than a workshop. We visited a lot of nice parks and attractions. For example a planetarium,

a typical turkish bazar and some beautiful mosques.In addition we ate every day for lunch and dinner in different restaurants. One night with a turkish band where we have seen even a traditional hen night.

Finally we can say: The week was awesome! The country is very beautiful with all their facets. The food was amazing. And the people are really kind and friendly.

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- “Do you speak english?”

- “Euh yes yes, a little bit :)”.

That’s what I used to say when I worked in Belgium, in a chocolate shop... So customers started to speak english with me and I could understand them. Now, I realize that these people I used to speak to, in my chocolate shop, didn’t come from Yorkshire !

Why? Well... Let’s start at the beginning. When I arrived in the UK in January, I was a bit worried about this new life in a country where people don’t speak your native language.. but in the other hand, I was also confident because before arriving in the UK, I attended english courses.. How proud of me I was the first week I arrived! I could understand almost everybody despite their accent! Well, let’s be honest.. most of the people I spoke to were other volunteers from all around Europe, but actually nobody from the UK :).

And then, the second week arrived... Meeting with my mentor, visiting my new project, meeting with the other teachers from the school and, of course, with the children ! That’s when I realized I couldn’t understand the english from the UK as well as I thought !

- “Hi, nice to meet you”, “What’s your name?”, “Where do you live?”, “Whereabout?”, .... all these questions so easy to understand and that you learned, but so so difficult when you hear it from someone who lives in Yorkshire.. In this case, two solutions : either you smile (and you hope the person in front of you didn’t ask any question) or you ask “pardon”? Well, actually, at the beginning to be honest, the word I used instead of pardon was “what?”, until I realized that it was rude to say that :D.

But come on! I attended an english course, I could have daily conversations, so I decided not to give up and make an effort to understand them, even if most of the time I could only understand one word in the sentence and I had to make the rest up depending on the context of the conversation :).

But don’t worry, after some weeks, I started to be able to understand them almost every time ! And when I couldn’t, they were there to help me hopefully ! But in a school, you have teacher and ... children ! Yeah yeah, children... Tell me about !

AMAZING EXPERIENCESby Aurelie Lemaire

My EVS in Roundhay School

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I can say that I am very lucky to work in this school because even if I couldn’t understand them, they repeated and repeated the same sentence until I got it! Really, you don’t believe me? During the first weeks, I saw a lot of children coming to me, crying or not, and telling me things like : “Ooin, I fell over..”, “Ooin, he pushed me and blablabla”, “Aurélie, he took my ball, ...”, ... yeah actually I can’t tell you the rest of the sentences because these are the only words I could understand at this time :D. And they were so patient with me! I remember that sometimes I asked them to repeat what they just had said 2 or 3 times before getting it! And sometimes, well, I gave up and said: “Go tell the other teacher over there !” Finally, I think they suffered quite a lot with me and my problems of comprehension :D.

Working in a school give you a lot of advantages: you improve your vocabulary, and, of course, your comprehension! I remember one time, during phonics (lesson where the children learn how to spell words), in Reception (children of 5 years old), I realized that it existed a lot of different ways to say “book”. You can say “bok”, “buk”,

“bouk”, and so on. So how do you one us, volunteers, to understand english people if even in their own country they don’t speak the same language?

Finally, after these 6 months, I can say that my comprehension is much better than before. Now, I am even able to understand children despite their accent when they say sentences like : “My mum gave me a bo’el of “wa’er”. That makes me smile... Moreover when I hear the teacher behind me saying “Charlie, don’t speak like this ! If you don’t pronounce your t, you will not be able to write these words properly”.

So, what can I say finally about this pronunciation and comprehension? Well, let’s just say that it’s “same same but different” ;).

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VOLUNTEERS PROFILEEva de Luis

Date of Birth: 25th of August 1988

Where do you come from? I am from a little and beautiful town in Spain called Palencia. Yes, with P, not with V...

Place of residence in England: Beechwood View, Leeds

Arrival and Departure dates: Well it´s complicated but...officially I start my EVS on the 5th of January and I will finish on the 5th of August. Departure date...I don’t know what does it mean :P

Culinary speciality: I like prepare good meals and I don´t have a “speciality” but my chicken stew with rice it’s amazing!

The thing you can’t forgive to put into your suitcase: My camera!

Which is your favourite...Movie? : La vita è bella (The life is beautiful)Dish? : Canelloni from my grandma! or her croquettes...Actually I love everything what she cooks! :)Song?: Uf! I don’t know! Probably it’s “The funeral” of Band of Horses or “El Aire de la

Calle” of “Los Delinqüentes”

Which is your favourite place in Leeds for... Going out?: Call Lane Having dinner? : Little Tokyo, it’s an amazing japanese in the city centre. Shopping? : Food in the Leeds Market. Clothes in H&M and Fat Face (just on sales)Having a walk? : Golden Acre Park or Roundhay Park. But I prefer to cycle on the Canal Path..Route 68!

What did you do before coming in England? I was finishing my studies in Advertising and Public Relations, working in a Radio and in the International Relations Office in the Uni were I was studing. At the same time I was helping to organice one On-Arrival Training in Palencia for Volunteers like us!

Did you travel in England? If yes which was the place you liked most in England? Yep! mmm... The Lake District I think! Climbing Striding Edge was an adventure for me, and doing wild camping...just amazing! I would like to do it again!

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VOLUNTEERS PROFILEMontse Ribalta

Date of Birth: 12nd of November 1983

Where do you come from? Can I say from the world? OK, I was born in Catalonia.

Place of residence in England: Beechwood View, Leeds

Arrival and Departure dates: I arrived on the 13th of November and I’m coming back on the 11th of August.

Culinary speciality: mmhh...my dishes don´t have any name! :P Something with vegetables!

The thing you can’t forgive to put into your suitcase: My notebook.

Which is your favourite...Movie? : Dirty Dancing Dish? : Something with vegetables, ecological and without hot spices!Song? : I have a lot! Depend of the moment... in this moment? “Hoy vas a descubrir” from Bebe

Which is your favourite place in Leeds for... Going out?: pff...the Grassroots parties, BabyJupiter... alternative locals. Having dinner? : I don´t know the name, but next to Nandos. It’s an English pub. Shopping? : Charities in Headingley, Leeds Market or the green shop in front of the Market! Having a walk? : In some park from Leeds!

What did you do before coming in England? I was working in some environment projects and I was enjoying my time in the job, with my friends and with my family!

Did you travel in England? If yes which was the place you liked most in England? Of course! The Lake District, especially Helvellyn.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained

therein.