16th ASEF University * 16ο Πανεπιστήμιο Ιδρύματος Ασίας-Ευρώπης

It was with a great success that the 16th ASEF University on the topic of «Public Health and Vulnerable Groups: Access to Quality Health Care Services», in which I had the honour to participate as the representative of Hellas (Greece), was held in Łódź, Poland, on 29/06-10/07/2010.

The Asia-Europe Foundation
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) was founded on 1997 and is the only permanent institution of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), founded on March 1996.

The forty five (45) participating partners are: the twenty seven (27) European Union member-states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hellas, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom,  the ten (10) Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,  Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam, six (6) more Eastern Asian countries: China, India, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, South Korea, the European Commission and the ASEAN Secretariat.

On October 2010, this number is expected to increase to forty eight (48), because of the entrance of Australia, New Zealand and the Russian Federation.

The ASEF University
The University, a two (2) weeks intensive programme of competences (knowledge, skills, attitudes) enrichment, dialogue development and experiences exchange, which is held once annually in places alternating between Asia and Europe, is one of the ASEF's flagship-projects,  having as its purpose the promotion of intercultural exchanges and networking between undergraduate and graduate University students and young Scientists form Asia and Europe.

After the end of the programme, the participants participate automatically in the ASEF University Alumni Network (ASEFUAN).

The 16th ASEF University
This year's, 16th, University was implemented in co-operation with the Medical University of Łódź (UMED) and the participants, coming not only from different countries and cultural backgrounds, but also from a variety of scientific fields (Medicine, Nursing, Law, Environmental Studies, Political Science, International Relations, Economics, Journalism, et.c), had the opportunity to attend lectures by internationally reknown University Professors and experienced high officers of international organisations, to dialogue creatively and to exchange opinions, to participate in experiential exercises and to share experiences in a multicultural context.

Some of the topics developed in the University include: Challenges for Public Health in Asia and Europe, Challenges in Health Care Policy, Patients' Rights, Public Health  and Development, the Connection of the Scientific Health Research and of the Production of End-user Health Products, Social Co-operative Entrepreneurship and Public Health, Initiatives on Public Health by Non-Governmental Organisations, Population Health after Natural and Human-generated Disasters, Migration Health and Health Workers Migration (a topic of important interest for Cyprus and Greece), Arts and Health, Young People and Public Health Promotion.

To conclude, it must be mentioned that the participants worked in groups, which authored Policy Recommendations on the topic of the University, which will be discussed during the 8th ASEM Summit of Heads of States and Governments, that will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on October 5th & 6th, 2010.

If you want to have a better view of the University, you may browse the relevant Photo Album by Timo Uustal (Estonia), to read the Article by Tim Goudriaan (Netherlands) on Health Workers Migration, or to read the short essay I wrote for application purposes.

---

Με μεγάλη επιτυχία πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Γουντς (Łódź) της Πολωνίας, από 29/06 έως 10/07/2010, το 16ο Πανεπιστήμιο του Ιδρύματος Ασίας-Ευρώπης, με θέμα «Δημόσια Υγεία και Ευπαθείς Ομάδες: Πρόσβασι σε Ποιοτικές Υπηρεσίες Φροντίδας Υγείας», στο οποίο είχα την τιμή να συμμετάσχω ως εκπρόσωπος της Ελλάδας.

Το Ίδρυμα Ασίας-Ευρώπης
Το Ίδρυμα Ασίας Ευρώπης (Asia-Europe Foundation – ASEF) ιδρύθηκε το 1997 και αποτελεί τον μόνο φυσικό θεσμό της Συνάντησης Ασίας-Ευρώπης (Asia-Europe Meeting – ASEM), η οποία ιδρύθηκε τον Μάρτιο του 1996.

Οι σαράντα πέντε (45) εταίροι που συμμετέχουν είναι: οι είκοσι επτά (27) χώρες-μέλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης: Αυστρία, Βέλγιο, Βουλγαρία, Γαλλία, Γερμανία, Δανία, Ελλάς, Εσθονία, Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο, Ιρλανδία, Ισπανία, Ιταλία, Κάτω Χώρες, Κύπρος, Λετονία, Λιθουανία, Λουξεμβούργο, Μάλτα, Ουγγαρία, Πολωνία, Πορτογαλία, Ρουμανία, Σλοβακία, Σλοβενία, Σουηδία, Τσεχική Δημοκρατία, Φινλανδία, οι δέκα χώρες-μέλη της Ένωσης των Χωρών της Νοτιοανατολικής Ασίας (Association of Southeast Asian Nations - ASEAN): Βιετνάμ, Ινδονησία, Καμπότζη, Λάος, Μαλαισία, Μπρουνέι, Μυανμάρ, Σιγκαπούρη, Ταϊλάνδη, Φιλιππίνες, έξι (6) ακόμα χώρες της Ανατολικής Ασίας: Ιαπωνία, Ινδία, Κίνα, Μογγολία, Νότιος Κορέα, Πακιστάν, η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή και η Γραμματεία της Ένωσης των Χωρών της Νοτιοανατολικής Ασίας (ASEAN Secretariat).

Τον Οκτώβριο του 2010 ο αριθμός αυτός αναμένεται να αυξηθή στους σαράντα οκτώ (48), λόγω εισόδου της Αυστραλίας, της Νέας Ζηλανδίας και της Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας.

Το Πανεπιστήμιο του Ιδρύματος Ασίας-Ευρώπης
Το Πανεπιστήμιο, ένα διεβδομαδιαίο εντατικό πρόγραμμα εμπλουτισμού ικανοτήτων (γνώσεων, δεξιοτήτων και στάσεων συμπεριφοράς), ανάπτυξης διαλόγου και ανταλλαγής εμπειριών, το οποίο λαμβάνει χώρα άπαξ ετησίως εναλλάξ στη Ασία και στην Ευρώπη, αποτελεί ένα από τα σχέδια-ναυαρχίδες του Ιδρύματος, έχοντας ως σκοπό την προώθηση διαπολιτισμικών ανταλλαγών και δικτύωσης μεταξύ προπτυχιακών και μεταπτυχιακών φοιτητών Πανεπιστημίων και νέων Επιστημόνων από την Ασία και την Ευρώπη.

Με την λήξι του προγράμματος, οι συμμετέχοντες μετέχουν αυτοδικαίως στο Δίκτυο Αποφοίτων του Πανεπιστημίου του Ιδρύματος Ασίας-Ευρώπης (ASEF University Alumni Network - ASEFUAN).

Το 16ο Πανεπιστήμιο του Ιδρύματος Ασίας-Ευρώπης
Το φετινό, 16ο Πανεπιστήμιο, πραγματοποιήθηκε σε συνεργασία με το Ιατρικό Πανεπιστήμιο του Γουντς (Medical University of Łódź – UMED και οι συμμετέχοντες, προερχόμενοι όχι μόνο από διαφορετικές χώρες και πολιτισμικά υπόβαθρα, αλλά κι από μια πληθώρα επιστημονικών πεδίων (Ιατρική, Νοσηλευτική, Νομική, Περιβαλλοντολογία, Πολιτικές Επιστήμες, Διεθνείς Σχέσεις, Οικονομικά, Δημοσιογραφία, κ.α.), είχαν την ευκαιρία να παρακολουθήσουν διαλέξεις από διεθνούς εμβέλειας Καθηγητές Πανεπιστημίων και από έμπειρα ανώτατα στελέχη διεθνών οργανισμών, να διαλεχθούν δημιουργικά και να ανταλλάξουν απόψεις, να μετάσχουν σε βιωματικές ασκήσεις και να μοιραστούν εμπειρίες σ’ ένα πολυπολιτισμικό πλαίσιο.

Μερικά από τα θέματα που αναπτύχθηκαν στο Πανεπιστήμιο ήταν: Οι Προκλήσεις για την Δημόσια Υγεία στην Ασία και στην Ευρώπη, οι Προκλήσεις στην Πολιτική Φροντίδας Υγείας, τα Δικαιώματα των Ασθενών, η Δημόσια Υγεία και η Ανάπτυξι, η Σύνδεσι Επιστημονικής Έρευνας Υγείας και Παραγωγής Τελικών Αγαθών Υγείας, η Κοινωνική Συνεργατική Επιχειρηματικότητα και η Δημόσια Υγεία, οι Πρωτοβουλίες των Μη Κυβερνητικών Οργανισμών για την Δημόσια Υγεία, η Υγεία Πληθυσμών μετά από Φυσικές και Ανθρωπογενείς Καταστροφές, η Μεταναστευτική Υγεία και η Μετανάστευσι Επαγγελματιών Υγείας (θέμα ιδιαίτερου ενδιαφέροντος για την Κύπρο και την Ελλάδα), οι Τέχνες και η Υγεία, οι Νέοι και η Προαγωγή της Δημόσιας Υγείας.

Στο σημείο αυτό, πρέπει να υπενθυμίσουμε ότι ο όρος «Δημόσια Υγεία» έχει συχνά διπλό νόημα στην γλώσσα μας, αφού μ' αυτόν αναφερόμαστε είτε γενικά στην Υγεία του ευρύτερου κοινού (του δήμου, με την αρχαιοελληνική έννοια της λέξης), είτε ειδικά στις παρεχόμενες από τον Δημόσιο Τομέα (δηλαδή, από τον μηχανισμό της Πολιτείας) Υπηρεσίες Υγείας. Οφείλουμε να διευκρινίσουμε ότι εδώ χρησιμοποιούμε τον όρο με την πρώτη, την γενική, έννοια.

Αξίζει να αναφερθή, τέλος, ότι οι συμμετέχοντες εργάστηκαν σε ομάδες, οι οποίες συνέγραψαν Συστάσεις Πολιτικής σχετικές με το θέμα του Πανεπιστημίου, οι οποίες θα συζητηθούν κατά την 8η Σύνοδο Αρχηγών Κρατών και Κυβερνήσεων της Συνάντησης Ασίας-Ευρώπης, που θα λάβη χώρα στις Βρυξέλλες στις 5 & 6 Οκτωβρίου 2010.

Αν θέλετε να έχετε μία καλύτερη εικόνα του Πανεπιστημίου, μπορείτε να περιηγηθήτε στο σχετικό Φωτογραφικό Λεύκωμα του Τίμο Ούουσταλ (Timo Uustal), από την Εσθονία, να διαβάσετε το Άρθρο του Τιμ Γούντριααν (Tim Goudriaan), από τις Κάτω Χώρες, για την Μετανάστευσι Επαγγελματιών Υγείας ή να διαβάσετε το σύντομο δοκίμιο που συνέγραψα όταν απέστειλα την αίτησι συμμετοχής μου.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Young People's role in Promoting Better Health for All!

Some time ago I applied for the 16th ASEF University on "Public Health and Vulnerable Groups: Access to Quality Health Care Services", which will be held on 29/06-10/07/2010 in Łódź, Poland, in partnership with The Medical University of Łódź (Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi).

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), founded in 1996, gathers together 43 member states from Asia and Europe, the European Commission and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat.

The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), founded one year later, in 1997, is the only permanent physical institution of the ASEM.

For the application purposes, I had to submit a short essay on "How can young people play an active role in promoting better health for all in the context of the ASEM countries?", which you can read below:

Young people are a major agent for the development of a country and can play an active role in promoting new ideas and fields of (social) action or revitalising and empowering existing ones. Promoting better health for all in the ASEM countries is such an area of action and Young people can contribute through a variety of ways.

Participation in (Youth) NGOs and Social networks, while building on the benefits of the Voluntary Service and the Non Formal Education, to start with. Through creative projects, Young people can raise awareness (their own and the one of the public) on (Public) Health issues, Human Rights and Equality issues, Vulnerable Group issues; they can raise project-oriented funds for dealing with specific Public Health issues rising in their area of action; they can develop new ways of dealing with them; they can promote local action, as well as intercultural understanding and international co-operation, which is quite often necessary when (properly) dealing with Public Health issues

Moreover, Young people can be active in other fields of social life which are (directly or indirectly) linked to the Public Health and the Vulnerable Groups. Young scientists, for instance, can play an active role in studying the Public Health topics and provide a fresh context of reference and sustainable solutions for dealing with them, while Young businessmen can provide a more fair and responsible economic environment, which takes Public Health seriously into account and supports Vulnerable Groups.

Last, but not least: from the today's Young people, the future Leaders will rise. What is always necessary is Young people to seek for their own role in decision-making and older generations to have the courage to step back and provide the space needed. Young people carry the potential of shaping the future, and better Health for all can be part of this future!

Thoughts

It's been two months since the moment I left Poland to come back to Crete.
Two months without "dzien dobry" and "dzęknuje".
Two months without "my Polish family".
Two months without my mentor.
Two months without the friends I made there, in work and fun.
Two months without the Orthodox community of Koszalin.

A lot of things have changed during these months. Poland seems like an old memory now, like a dream from the past. Koszalin is faraway now, like an untouched vision in my mind.
Shall I see this country again? Shall I walk in this city again? Shall I drink its water? Shall I smell its perfumes? Shall I dance its dances? Shall I taste its food? Shall I feel its girls? Shall I pray with its people? Shall I...? Who knows...

But, this distance in space and time makes things more clear. Poland appears like a dream, but a living dream. Koszalin is like a vision, but not a cloudy one. It's a vision in a crystally clear sky...
This distance makes me see my EVS and my life in Poland in an other way. Makes me think about in an other way. Is it a more clear one? Perhaps. No doubt that it's a different one. It's a way with less passion, less temptation, less confusing feelings. But, full of sadness. Full of nostalgy. Full of eros. Full of love.

Yes, it was hard living in Poland. It was hard sharing a house with these three girls. A lot of times it was hard to communicate, it was difficult to find a common ground. Often we were eating in the same table, but not together. We were drinking in the same garden, but not together. We were dancing in the same place, but not in the same rhythm. Yes, sometimes, it was over my powers...

On the other hand, it was nice sharing things with them. Even if we had problems. Even if they never really liked me. Even if we never crossed some borders. Even if I never crossed some borders...

My last night in Koszalin, we made a farewell party for me and we exchanged some gifts. I gave to each one of them a card, with a poem in their own native languages and some thoughts of mine in English. All cards had the same ending, something like: "Perhaps we will not meet each other again. Possibly you will not think about me anymore. Sure you will not miss me. I doesn't matter. I wish you..." and my personal wish.

I still remember Meltem's surprise when she got a card written in Turkish, I stll remember Alejandra's reaction "It's Neruda, it's Neruda, it's my favorite poet, it's Neruda!!!", I still remember Amanda's hug.

And since that day, Meltem's question, in her lovely Turkish accent of English, has been fixed in my mind, has been stuck in my mind: "Michail, how can you believe that I'll forget you? Do you really believe that we can forget someone that we lived six months together?".

No, Meltem, no, Girls, I don't believe it. I never believed it. Neither now, neither when I wrote the cards. But, when you possed me that question, I already knew a Truth. I already knew a Truth written by cries, encraved by pain, taught by life. A Trurh which I learned by experience. A Truth that all Travellers, all Life Travellers know. I already knew the Truth which says that we tend to estimate things and people only when we miss them. That we must feel the distance to realise the lack of their presence, to understand the loss.

And when this moment arrives, we are ready to ask for forgiveness and to be asked for forgiveness. To give it and to take it. As we say in my language for forgive, to "sygchorein" (συγχωρείν), to "co-exist in the same space". Even if we live in far distance.

Good bye, Girls! Good luck in your life! LIVE YOUR LIFE!!! It Worths! It's Yours and it's Life...

Powered by ScribeFire.

Meltem has birtday!!! * Η Μέλτεμ έχει γενέθλια!!!

Yesterday, Meltem had birthday and an other great opportunity for one more party appeared (as you have perhaps already realised we don't need too many reasons for a party here in Koszalin, and of course birthday IS a reason!!!).

In the morning she prepared sweets that shared with all the people of our association during the breakfast time, when gifts were exchanged.

Later in the afternoon we (girls and me, I mean) went to "Villagio", a pizzeria-restaurant here in Koszalin and then to the pub "Graal", where we met "our Polish parents" and some other friends to celebrate the day.

Happy, Purple and Sexy Birthday, Meltem!!!

We did it!!! * Τα καταφέραμε!!!

In my previous post I wrote that we were preparing a theatre play, based on the Hellenic (Greek) Mythology, to be presented in a Meeting of the Annexes of my Hosting Organisation in Mikołajki.

What I didn't write, because I didn't know, was than the Meeting was actually a competition!!! The 5th National Polish Competition on Theatric Arts for Mentally Disabled People.

So, we wen't to Mikołajki, we presented the play and we got the Second (2nd) Prize!!! A Prize that we had to share with the 2nd Workshop of Koszalin (WTZ-2), that presented a play about the Holocaust.

Following are some photos from the play. Good job, don't you think so??

Here are also some photos from the 5-stars (!!!) Hotel Gołębiewski, where we stayed. Any comments???

And the Church of Święta Lipka, near Mikołajki, where we spent our first night and where we went for an Organ Concert./div>

Theseus and the Minotaur travel to Poland!!! * Ο Θησεύς και ο Μινώταυρος ταξιδεύουν στην Πολωνία!!!

There's no doubt that, if you are a Hellen (Greek), you do know the Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. If not, then you can visit Wikipedia, to learn more.

Why am I writing all this??? Because, nowadays, Theseus and the Minotaur are visiting Poland!!!

What that means??? Simply, in my Hosting Organisation we are preparing a theatre play based on that myth!!!

The play will be presented next week at a meeting of all the Annexes and Workshops of the Association, that will be held in Mikołajki, in Masury Lakes, on the occasion of the Day of the Dignity of the Mentally Disabled People.

The need to create a kind of presentation for the meeting, on one hand, and the request of the Hosting Organisation, expressed by both my Director and Mentor, that elements of my culture to be presented in the Project, on the other hand, gave birth to the idea of this drama play.

The preparations started some weeks ago, just after my return to Koszalin from Toruń and I think everything is going great. Following you can see some photos from the preparations:

BBQ at our Hosting Organisation!!! * Μπάρμπεκιου στην Οργάνωσι Φιλοξενίας μας!!!

Today was a really funny day in our Project!!! We had a BBQ breakfast!!! The weather was great (sometimes I'm wondering if I am in Poland or in Greece :) ) and we had great time!

The menu included sausages, kaszanka (traditional Polish sausages from pork blood and cereals) and two surprises: Hellenic (Greek) salad and tzatziki (traditional Hellenic sauce with yogurt, garlic and cucumbers).

And after (or should I write during) our breakfast we played football, tennis and other sports in the garden of our Association.

EVS MidTerm Evaluation Meeting, Toruń, 11-16/04/2007 * Συνάντησι Ενδιάμεσης Αξιολόγησης ΕΕΥ, Τόρουν, 11-16/04/2007

Like a glass of fresh water! That was for me this Meeting, organised by the Polish National Agency of the European Commission "Youth in Action" Programme.

The Meeting took place in Toruń, a beautiful medieval city of Poland, famous for its ginger-bread (in Polish: pierniki) and motherland of Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik), the astronomer who "stopped the Sun and moved the Earth".

The main aim of this event was to encourage the EVS Volunteers who participated in to reflect on their EVS Projects as well as on themselves and after that to plan better their Projects and (most important) their life.

That was fully achieved through a wide exchange of experiences, opinions, knowledge and skills about EVS Projects, EVS in general, Volunteer Work in general, Polish and other European Cultures, values and future plans.

Our Youth Trainers, Marta and Eliza, were really great and succeed to create a good climate and an open atmosphere, that really facilitated our learning process. Moreover, perhaps inspired by the beginning of the Spring, they picked-up as symbol of our Meeting the Flowers, giving that way a symbolic framework and a new dimension to our work.

So, let's leave our Flowers to grow-up!!!

"Mama" has birtday!!! * Η "Μαμά" έχει γενέθλια!!!

Yesterday was a really important day for "our Polish family":
"Mama" had birthday!!!

So, we were invited to our "parents" home for a small party.

And after that to went together to pub "Graal", one of the best in Koszalin and girls' favourite one to enjoy.

Happy Birthday, "Mama"!!!

Valentine's Day at our EVS Project!!! * Ημέρα του Αγίου Βαλεντίνου στο Σχέδιό μας ΕΕΥ!!!

It's true that I don't really believe in Valentine's Day. It's not just because Saint Valentine isn't a Saint of the Orthodox Church. It's mainly because I do believe that people in love don't need a special day to express it or to memorise on that. Every day for them is a Valentine's Day!!!

On the other hand, I do recognise that this day is a good opportunity to organise parties :) . And of course a great opportunity for Organisation like my Hosting one to create events. So, today we had a big Valentine's (in Polish: Walentynki) Party.

The people of the Educational, Social Rehabilitation & Inclusion Workshop together with the staff and the people of our Kitchen prepared sweets and Meltem with people from different workshops created a choreography that you can see in My Videos.

So, we danced, we ate, we drunk (not alcohol, of course!!!) and we exchanged Valentine's Cards and wishes.

Happy Valentine's, buddies!!!

Yea, we are famous!!! * Είμαστε πλέον διάσημοι!!!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are famous!!! The whole Koszalin is talking about us. What do I mean? Oh, it's simple, too simple: we had our first Press Conference!!!

Well, for telling the real truth, the Press Conference was mainly Amanda's and Alejandra's, but we (Meltem & me) were there to support them. And I think everything was fine!!!

For the history, everything started some days ago, when our "dad" Marcin (that, as I've written before, is a journalist here in Koszalin) arranged a public presentation to local media about EVS and the girls' project.

So, yesterday afternoon we went to their Hosting Association, where a lot of journalists, cameras and of course questions were waiting for us. Amanda and Alejandra made a short but in deep presentation about themselves, their families and their lifes in their countries.

Moreover, they talked about EVS, their desicion to realise EVS, why they choosed to participate in this project, why Poland, e.t.c. ...

After that, we went to the local radio station, "Radio Koszalin", where a journalist took an interview from all of us and from Iwona. Now, you can ask who is Iwona. Well, she's a Polish ex EVS Volunteer in United Kingdom.

Conclusion: today, three local Newspapers have articles about us, one local Radio Station is broadcasting about us, two local TV Channels broadcast on News about us!!!

In the queue for the autographs, please!!!

Polish Language Courses * Μαθήματα Πολωνικών

How does Polish sounds??? Like a radio, while searching for stations!!!

That short joke, told to me by Poles, shows how difficult can be to learn Polish, a language full of "close" sounds, such as "z", "ż", "ź", "rz", "s", "ś", "sz", "cz" e.t.c. .

Moreover, with a quite complicated declination of nouns and adjectives (7 causes!!!) and many rules for orthography, the scene becomes even darker...

On the hand, even if it is to early to have a complete image, Polish seems to be a language that gives to its user a wide number of ways to express his/herself and due its rich vocabulary creates a framework for both concrete and analytical expression.

Why am I writing all this??? Because today we had our first Polish Language Lesson!!!

It's an obligation for the EVS Hosting or Coordinating Organisations to provide language courses to their Volunteers and of course a Volunteers' obligation to participate in them. So, last week "our Polish family" had a meeting with our teachers, Kasia and Magda, we arranged the timetable and today we started.

What can you wish us??? Good Luck!!!

Finally, snow!!! * Επιτέλους, χιόνι!!!

It's been one week that I'm in Poland, but I've seen no snow. Neither the weather was particular cold during this week. All here we started to be desperate:

"We came to Poland during the winter to see snow, but there's no snow!!! Where's the snow???"

Et voila!!! Yesterday evening started to snow!!! I'm posting some pictures, just to see how it looks!!!

Έχει πια μια βδομάδα που είμε στην Πολωνία, αλλά χιόνι δεν είχα δει. Ούτε ο καιρός ήταν ιδιαίτερα κρύος αυτήν την μια εβδομάδα. Όλοι εδώ αρχίσαμε να 'μαστε σε απόγνωσι:

"Ήρθαμε στην Πολωνία μέσα στο καταχείμωνο για να δούμε χιόνι, μα δεν έχει χιόνι!!! Πού 'ναι το χιόνι;;;"

Και ιδού!!! Οψάργας, που λέμε στην Κρήτη (εχθές το βράδυ, δηλά δη), άρχισε να χιονίζει!!! Αναρτώ, λοιπόν, μερικές φωτογραφίες, απλώς και μόνο για να δείτε πώς μοιάζει!!!

(Polish) Home, Sweet Home... * (Πολωνικό) Σπίτι μου, Σπιτάκι μου...

Now, let me share with you some information about our house, that is ABSOLUTELY GREAT!!!

It's a big, two-floors house, with a small garden. Each one of the four of us has his/ her own bedroom. Moreover, we have a kitchen, a big living room, three toilets and a bathroom.

But I think is better to leave photos to speak about:

My Mentor * Η Μέντωρ μου

Now, I think I should write some things about an other important person in my life here in Poland: my EVS Mentor, Kasia.

Kasia is an therapist/ instructor in my Hosting Organisation, responsible for the Workshops of Art & Pottery. She's now realising a weekend Master's on Artistic Education (spesialised on Mental Disabled People) at the Academy of Fine Arts of Poznań, where she has also studied Design.

She's the only real English-speaker in our Hosting Organisation and that's the reason she's been chosen to be our Mentor.

But, speaking English is not the main reason that makes her precious for our Project: Kasia is a really supportive person, both in professional and personal levels. Always available to share experiences, exchange opinions and give solutions makes her more than a Mentor a Friend. And when I write Friend, I do mean Friend...