Volontiranje - Sara Blažeković

 

On Arrival 

Kada sam saznala da ću ići na On Arrival edukaciju bila sam malo uplašena i razmišljala sam kako je to nešto poput seminara gdje se sjedi I sluša pa poslije se ode na piće I svi sretni. Ugodno iznenađena dobivenim mailom s popisom dnevnih aktivnosti bila sam još više uplašena ali I iznenađeno uzbuđena (pogotovo jer je pisalo kako je bazen u sklopu smještaja, iako nije radio što je bilo jako tužno).

Došao je prvi dan putovanja, spremni kofer u ruke I ajmo se naći s Biserkom koji je također volonter I njegovom prevoditeljicom (inače budućom socijalnom radnicom) Sarom na Glavnom kolodvoru. Biserka I Saru sam upoznala prije no mislim da tih pola sata nikome nije bilo dovoljno I veselila sam se bolje ih upoznati. Biserko ima oštećenje sluha I komunicira znakovnim jezikom, Sara mu je kao asistent I prevoditelj tu da njemu pomaže u razumijevanju cijelog seminara. Biserko je mladi dečko I jako drag, iako ja ne znam znakovni jezik osim osnovnih hvala I bok , iznenadilo me njegovo razumijevanje mojeg pokušavanja da razgovaram s njim. Sara je puno pomogla u tome svemu a ja iako je početak nadala sam se da ću do kraja ovoga putovanja bolje upoznati Biserka I naučiti malo bolje znakovni jezik.  Nakon brzo popijene kave Tri Amigosa (Sara, Sara I Biserko) ukrcali su se u vlak I krenuli na avanturu života. Nikada se nisam vozila dulje od sat I pol vlakom I znajući HŽ mislila sam da će biti potpuna katastrofa. Ugodno sam se iznenadila koliko je zapravo bilo ugodno putovanje. 4 sata kasnije i skoro cijela Slavonija prošišala je pored nas I vlak je stao I izbacio nas u Orahovici. Bilo je dosta kasno pa smo tako jadni, žedni I umorni nekako pojavili pred vratima Doma Crvenog Križa u Orahovici. Na moje još veće iznenađenje I šok u sobu sam bila stavljena s potpunom strankinjom Rose koja je došla iz Francuske. Prvi dan smo se upoznali I izašli van na pivu, te dosta ran krenuli u krevet.

Sljedeći dani prošli su brzo, puno vježbi, edukacija, prezentacija I igrokaza. Naši treneri Martina I Domagoj bili su vješti voditelji I predavači I uspjeli nas potpune strance ujediniti u raznim zadatcima. Mogu puno pisati o svakom danu no najvažnije je spomenuti sjajne ljude koje sam upoznala. Najveći heroji bili su tete I ostala ekipa u kuhinji koji su nas hranili i kuhali nam kavu da preživimo.

Biserko je prvi koji mi je došao na pamet jer sam njega prvog I upoznala, Kao što sam I rekla on je drag I veseli dečko kojem ne fali zabave, veseli se svemu I nije mu teško naći prijatelje iako I ne imali mogućnost direktne komunikacije. Sara koja je tu mu uvelike pomogla bila je nekako spas I podrška ne samo Biserku već I meni jer sam pomoću nje uspjela naučiti više o Biserku, njegovom komuniciranju, korištenju znakovnog jezika I općenito o njima kao ljudima a usudim se reći I prijateljima.

Sljedeće moram spomenuti drage volontere iz drugih zemalja koji su došli volontirati kod nas u Hrvatsku. Rose, Francuskinja, je prva strana volonterka koju sam upoznala jer mi je bila cimerica, što me skoro strefilo kada sam čula da ću biti s kompletnim strancem u sobi, ispalo je gore za nju jer hrčem pa sretno joj bilo I nadam se da se oporavila nakon odlaska iz Orahovice. Đorđe je iz Srbije I volontira kod nas, visok I jak poput ličkog medvjeda, imala bi ga uz sebe kada nastane neki nered. Šalu na stranu naš prijatelj Đorđe je proputovao 70 zemalja I u životu nisam bila tako ljubomorna na nekoga. Neka mu je sa srećom u najskupljem gradu Splitu. Aleks iz Sj Makedonije I Yulia iz Ukrajine sljedeće su koje sam upoznala malo bolje, Aleks je vesela, čak I previše za moje pojmove I moja grumpy osobnost nije mogla toliko sunca podnijeti, ne znam kako joj to uspijeva, Yulia je s druge strane pak mirna djevojka koja je draga I vesela iako to iz prve ne pokazuje. Ivana je smiješna djevojka  s naše obale koja volontira kao I mi ostali u hrvatskoj, njezin je smijeh apsolutno zarazan.

Ayš je cura iz Turske koja je u Zaboku I vrlo je draga osoba koja se trudi pomoći drugima u svakoj situaciji, kreativna I snalažljiva. Tu su također Luna (Njemačka) I Ola (Poljska), Divne dvije cure koje su mi uveselile dan svaki dan. Ostali su jos Leo (radi u Zagrebu sa imigrantima), Medo Leo (radi s medvjedima u Kutarevu) I Salaheddine (Vukovar) tri Francuza koji su bili dragi I veseli kroz cijelo putovanje, naučili nas kartati francuske igre. Biserko nas je naučio malo znakovnog jezika što nam je puno pomoglo u zajedničkoj komunikaciji.

Kada bi pisala o svakom danu I svemu što smo radili trebalo bi mi 300 stranica, možda jednoga dana to I napravim, no za sada morate se zadovoljiti ovom objavom, bilo je veselo, naporno, smiješno, tužno i uzbudljivo. Drago mi je da sam mogla iskusiti ovako nešto specijalno. Orahovica je također lijepo mjesto I Slavonija specijalni dio naše zemlje. Vračajući se vlakom sa svima bilo mi je teško vratiti se u stvarnost, oprostiti se od dragih ljudi koje sam upoznala. Nisam sentimentalna osoba ali ovo putovanje mi je bio odmor za dušu, veselo opuštanje za tijelo, novo iskustvo I ponovna obnova moje želje za upoznavanjem drugih ljudi. Hvala vam na čitanju, sretno dragim prijateljima volonterima u njihovom poslu I nadam se jednoga dana ponoviti ovo lijepo druženje.

 

When I found out that I would be going to the On Arrival training, I was a little scared and I thought that it was something like a seminar where you sit and listen and then go out for a drink and everyone is happy. Pleasantly surprised by the email I received with a list of daily activities, I was even more scared but also surprisingly excited (especially because it said that the swimming pool is part of the accommodation, even tho it didn’t work in the end which was really sad).

The first day of the trip has arrived, suitcases ready and let's meet Biserko, who is also a volunteer, and his translator (otherwise, a future social worker) Sara at the Central Station. Biserka I also met Sara before, but I don't think that half an hour was enough for anyone, and I was looking forward to getting to know them better. Biserko has a hearing impairment and communicates in sign language, Sara is there as his assistant and translator to help him understand the entire seminar. Biserko is a young boy and very nice, even though I don't know sign language except for the basic thank you and hello, I was surprised by his understanding of my attempts to talk to him. Sara helped a lot in all of this, and even though it was just the beginning, I hoped that by the end of this trip I would get to know Biserka better and learn sign language a little better. After a quick cup of coffee, the Three Amigos (Sara, Sara and Biserko) boarded the train and set off on the adventure of a lifetime. I have never traveled longer than an hour and a half by train, and knowing HŽ, I thought it would be a complete disaster. I was pleasantly surprised by how pleasant the trip actually was. 4 hours later and almost the whole of Slavonia passed by us and the train stopped and kicked us out in Orahovica. It was quite late, so we somehow appeared in front of the Red Cross Home in Orahovica, so miserable, thirsty and tired. To my even greater surprise and shock, I was put in a room with a complete stranger, Rose, who came from France. On the first day, we met and went out for a beer, and went to bed quite early.

The following days passed quickly, a lot of exercises, trainings, presentations and plays. Our trainers Martina and Domagoj were skilled leaders and lecturers and managed to unite us complete strangers in various tasks. I can write a lot about each day, but the most important thing is to mention the great people I met. The biggest heroes were the aunts and the rest of the team in the kitchen who fed us and made coffee for us to survive.

Biserko is the first that came to my mind because I met him first. As I said, he is a nice and cheerful boy who does not miss fun, he looks forward to everything and it is not difficult for him to find friends even though we did not have the possibility of direct communication. Sara, who helped him a lot, was somehow a lifesaver and a support not only for Biserk, but also for me, because with her I was able to learn more about Biserk, his communication, the use of sign language and generally about them as people, and dare I say it also to my friends.

Next, I must mention the dear volunteers from other countries who came to volunteer with us in Croatia. Rose, French, is the first foreign volunteer I met because she was my roommate, which almost scared me when I heard that I would be with a complete stranger in the room, it turned out worse for her because I snore, so good luck to her and I hope she recovered after leaving Orahovica. Đorđe is from Serbia and volunteers with us, tall and strong like a bear from Lika, would have him by my  side if there was a mess. Joking aside, our friend Đorđe has traveled to 70 countries, and I've never been so jealous of someone in my life. Good luck to him in the most expensive city of Split. Aleks from N Macedonia and Yulia from Ukraine are the next ones I got to know a little better, Aleks is cheerful, even too much for my standards. And my grumpy personality couldn't stand so much sun, I don't know how she manages it, Yulia on the other hand is calm girl who is nice and cheerful even though she doesn't show it at first. Ivana is a funny girl from our coast who volunteers like the rest of us in Croatia, her laugh is absolutely contagious.

Ayš is a girl from Turkey who is in Zabok and is a very nice person who tries to help others in every situation, creative and resourceful. There are also Luna (Germany) and Ola (Poland), wonderful two girls who made my day every day. There were also Leo (he works in Zagreb with refugees), Bear Leo ( he works with bears in Kutarevo) and Salaheddine (Vukovar), three Frenchmen who were nice and cheerful throughout the trip, taught us how to play French card games. BIserko taught us sign language which helped a bit with communication.

If I were to write about every day and everything we did, I would need 300 pages, maybe one day I will do that, but for now you have to be content with this post, it was happy, hard, funny, sad and exciting. I am glad that I could experience something special like this. Orahovica is also a beautiful place and Slavonia is a special part of our country. Returning by train with everyone, it was difficult for me to come back to reality, to say goodbye to the dear people I met. I'm not a sentimental person, but this trip was a rest for my soul, a happy relaxation for my body, a new experience and a renewal of my desire to meet other people. Thank you for reading, good luck to my dear volunteer friends in their work, and I hope one day to repeat this beautiful gathering.