LINK #159 by NGO K.A.NE.

LINK #159

Oct ober 15t h 2020

nature

Content K.A.NE. 4-7 VOLUNTEERS & COLLABORATORS QUOTE OF THE WEEK 8 ALICE WALKER GET TO KNOW US 9 - 12 THREE QUESTIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS QUOTE OF THE WEEK 13 “LEAVE THE ROAD, TAKE THE TRAILS” HOW TO SAY? 14 - 15 ALBERT EINSTEIN MAIN ARTICLE I 16 - 19 HIKING CLUB KALAMATA QUOTE OF THE WEEK 21 ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY COMPARING 22 - 24 DIFFERENCES: GREECE AND FRANCE MY PROJECT 26 - 27 MAGDALENA AS GRAPHIC DESIGNER MY SENDING ORGANISATION 30 - 31 BONA FIDES INTERVIEW WITH AN ESC VOLUNTEER 32 - 33 INTERVIEW WITH ELISABETH ART REVIEW 36 - 37 NATURE AS PIECE OF ART PLACE TO TRAVEL 40 - 41 ELAFONISOS EVENTS 42 - 44 FUTURE RECIPES 46 - 47 PIEROGI RECIPES 48 - 49 PIZZA A'LA AGA

LINK

Editorial

VIKT OR EDITOR

TANIA

DESIGNER

fb.com/kane.kalamata instagram.com/kanekalamata

info@ngokane.org www.ngokane.org www.kentroneon.wordpress.com +30 272 108 188 2 Salaminos 8 24100 Kalamata Greece

VOLUNTEERS Γεια σού, cześć, hello! I’m Agata and I’m a world curious person. I like new challenges, hiking and dancing. Every day I solve logical puzzles, read and jump. I like to smile at others. I decided to apply for ESC because I think it really is an opportunity: I didn’t want to miss the chance to visit a different country, make friends and learn a language that is kind of unheard of in Poland. I believe my two months in Greece will be amazing and I hope I’m gonna bring a lot of good for the dogs I’m gonna look after.

A N N A L I SA

A G ATA

Hello! I am Annalisa, I come from the wonderful city of Bologna (Northern Italy). I have an academic background in International Relations (European Affairs) and look forward to become a project developer in international cooperation, tackling social issues through the participation of civil society. I am spending a year in Kalamata, volunteering at the K.A.NE’s office, helping out with the design and management of youth mobility and social projects.

BAPTI S T E Hi everyone!!! My name is Baptiste and I come from France. I’m working at the office making videos for K.A.NE. I’ll stay here until the end of September and I’m pretty excited about this whole experience. It’s the first time that I’ve been away by myself for this long, it’s a huge new experience for me.

K A SS A N D RA Hello! I am Kassandra and I come from Germany. I am eighteen years old and I’ve just finished school, so now I have time to experience something new and to travel. This is why I take part in the ESC in Kalamata for one year and I am pretty excited about it. I work in the Dog Rescue Center, because I love dogs and I want to support them.

KATER I N A Ahoj, I’m a red hair, open-minded designer from Czech Republic. I lost my job in the film industry for a while because of the virus, so I decided to come back to lovely Greece for two months as a volunteer to meet inspiring people from all over Europe and also Kalamata. Because all of us are different outside but the same inside. Art is an important part of my life and the best moment for me is when life becomes an art piece. It seems possible here in Kalamata! 4

MAGDALEN A Hi, my name is Magda, I come from Poland and will stay here in Kalamata until the end of January. I have a degree in Civil Engineering, but I didn’t like working in my profession, so now I’m switching to graphic design. And that’s what I will do here as a volunteer - help with all the design issues and create a consistent visual identification of K.A.NE. My idea of a time well spent is hiking, road tripping and checking out every cafetería in town.

PA U L A Hola!!! My name is Paula. I come from Buenos Aires in Argentina, but I’ve been living in Madrid, Spain since last year. I studied audiovisual production and web development. I decided to volunteer and travel as much as I can because I think it’s the best way to discover myself and learn about cultures, history and life. I will only stay in Kalamata for 2 months making digital content, teaching Spanish and writing in this wonderful magazine.

TANI A Yuhu! My name is Tania. I come from a town in the northeast of Spain. I studied psychology, although now I don’t have in mind to dedicate myself to it. Honestly, now what I want is to know new places and live new adventures. My life plan is to live in as many different countries where I can. I will stay in Kalamata for a year and I’m volunteer in The Dog Shelter. I love the nature, sea, music, photography and enjoying the life.

VIKTOR Čau, I am Viktor, a 20 years old dude from Czech Republic. I’ll stay here until August 2021 so I will be here for a one whole year. Actually I have just moved from my parents house and this is for the first time when I am living on my own. Most of my time I watch some TV shows or read good books. Looking forward to writing many amazing articles for you.

COLLABORATORS FI LAR E T O S Hello, I am Filaretos Vourkos. For the last 15 years I am working in the field of Non-formal education as a volunteer, youth worker and youth trainer. 10 years ago, I decided to create the Youth Centre of Kalamata, in order to initiate youth work in Kalamata and promote active citizenship as factor for change.

JELE N A Hi, I’m Jelena Scepanovic, an EVS coordinator in K.A.NE. and a volunteer of the Youth center. I came from Montenegro in 2012 as an EVS volunteer. I really liked the idea of the youth center and the work that K.A.NE. does, so I decided to stay and be part of it.

NAN T I A N A Hello everyone! I am Nadiana, ESC & VET coordinator in K.A.NE over the last few years as well as Greek teacher. I am passionate in travelling around, meeting new people and organising festivals.

SPIR O S Hello, my name is Spiros Koutsogiannis and since the beginning of 2020 I am a project manager and responsible for the Research and Development department of KANE. I hold a degree in Civil Engineering and I have been working in the EU funded projects field since 2010, having implemented almost 65 projects.

ANNA

Hi, I'm Anna Charalampous. I'm here to help with K.A.NE. social media, website and administration. I'm happy to be part of the team promoting youth work, education and volunteerism, both locally and globally.

NANCY Hello World! I’m Nancy and I have been working in K.A.NE. since 2017 as a Project Manager and EVS/ESC coordinator. I’m passionate about meeting new people and exchanging knowledge, experiences and ideas. I love the fact that many young people visit every year my hometown Kalamata and contribute to our society.

Quote of the week

“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” Alice Walker

Author: Katerina

Te ll u s a n ane c do te , w h i c h hap pe n e d to y o u in n a tu re .

AGATA Once, I went on a trip with my sister, we packed the food for the whole day, at the beginning of a forest we saw animals and decided to come back. We were scared so it took approximately one hour.

BAPTISTE

ANNALISA

When I was 13 or 14 years old, I was cycling with my friends in the countryside. I fell down really hard. My hand, my shoulder and my hip were bleeding. We didn’t have any phones so we had to go back home by ourselves. Of course we got lost, we walked for 3 hours. Well, for me it was more like limping than walking.

I don’t know if it counts as “anecdote, which happened to you in nature”, but when I was 7 I went skiing with my dad and my big sister (9). As we were going up the mountain in our car, it was snowing, then the temperature got very low very fast, and in a matter of an hour the road was covered with ice. My father decided to stop to put on snow chains and he told us to go up to the chalet-refuge, where the host lady was expecting us. Up we went, carrying skiing gear and everything, walking on the side of the road, cars passing while the sun was setting. One of the longest afternoons of my life.

KASSANDRA Once, I went on a trip to Sweden with a group for one week, where we hiked, went kayaking and slept in tents in nature, far away from civilization. When we arrived at the place, where we wanted to spend a night, my friend and I decided to go for a walk near a lake. After one hour of walking, we wanted to come back to our camp directly through a forest, because it was a shorter way. Of course we got lost and everyone who has already visited Sweden knows that the landscape is formed by lakes and moors. After two hours of walking, we got to a place from which we could see different lakes and we started panicking because we did not know if one of these lakes is our lake where we started. We just wanted to go for a small walk, so we had no phones, jackets or flashlights and it was getting darker and colder in the middle of nature full of wolves, mooses and other wild animals. In the end, we found our camp and I was crying because I was so happy about being back. Do you think the others of our group were afraid and tried to find us? NO! They just thought we wanted to have an “intimate time“ in the middle of nowhere.

KATERINA When my friends and I went to the island of Elafonisos, we decided to sleep there on a beach because it is a paradise there. During the night we wanted to swim naked. One of us - Magda, stayed next to our loungers to take care of our belongings. When we were swimming, we saw someone with light coming to Magda (as we thought). We were all scared that he was a security guy. "What can we do? Probably nothing, we're naked in the sea!" So we decided to wait until he left. But he didn't leave and started talking to Magda, and it seemed like he was searching for her things. We started to worry and we were cold. Then we saw another light of a security guy from the other side. We were freezing in the water for 20 minutes! And then we realized that our friend Magda was on the other hand and she was the second security guy. The first security guy was just some random group of people talking on a lounger. We said that we are all blondies and we swam back with a laugh.

PAULA When I was young, every year, the school took us on trips to different parts of the country. One year we went camping, I think I was 10 years old more or less. The teacher said…. “go to the bathroom before go to sleep”. Like always, I ignored them. In the middle of the night I woke up and started running to the bathroom. The problem was that when I arrived I noticed that it wasn't necessary because I peed while I was running. At least, I watered the grass. TANIA When I was a child, one day I went to play in the field near my house. It turns out that the previous days it had rained a lot and it was all muddy. When I stepped over the mud, my feet started to sink and I was trapped unable to get out. I remember that my father had to come with rubber boots to rescue me. VIKTOR When I was drunk at the village party I decided to go home, alone and through a forest, it could be okay if I realised that google maps need internet connection and in forest is not a very good. But unfortunately I wasn't in the mood to think all I wanted was to go home. So anyway I went to the forest and got lost. Spent there 4 hours after that I found a signal and called my mom for help and sent her my location. I was 10 min close to my home.

MAGDALENA When I was a child, I used to visit my family in Lower Austria every year twice or more. They had their special place to relax - a lake in the forest they “rented” from the local Benedictines. We usually took a boat, loaded it with many sweets my aunt bought us and stayed in the middle of the lake, looking at trees and laughing. Oh, and my cousin also had a tree house there! 10

KATERINA

What is your re l a ti o n s h i p w i th n a tu re ?

I love nature until I am alone in the forest at night. MAGDALENA My relationship with nature is quite good, I would say. I hope it likes me back, too! PAULA

AGATA

I need a full page to explain it. I really like nature and feel connected with the earth, water and my hippie side. I'm the first to say yes if the plan is to go camping but i'm a little scared of insects. Apart from that, I'm not a big fan of feeling dirty, so I can enjoy it with a shower close or at least shampoo and a river.

i like nature very much. I feel very good in a quiet place. ANNALISA I grew up in the countryside and I realized that if you want a good relationship with nature you need to draw lines: for example, I love spending time outdoors, but I know I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t if I hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a place with a roof, a decent bathroom and a bed to go back to. In general, I think I am on good terms with nature because I know to which point I like to deal with her and let her deal with me. BAPTISTE I grew up in a little village, in the countryside so I feel really connected to nature. I played a lot in forests and rivers.

TANIA I feel absolutely connected to nature, especially to a sea. Discovering new places surrounded by nature is one of the greatest pleasures in life for me. VIKTOR It depends. For example I don't like Czech nature but I am absolutely amazed by Greek nature. KASSANDRA I really love nature and it really makes me feel good and gives me strength. I think I have a close relation to it because I spent a lot of time outside in nature as a child. There is so much to experience like landscapes, plants and the behaviour of the animals. To put it in a nutshell, trips in the middle of nowhere, just surrounded by nature, are the best. 11

W h a t’s th e m o s t i n te re s ti n g pl a c e y o u h a v e be e n to ? AGATA MAGDALENA

The best place where I have been is the Neda River. It was an adventure combinated with beautiful surroundings.

I can maybe mention French Alps. I love skiing and this is the perfect place to do this. I have been there two times and already planning to be back in 2021. The pistes are very well prepared, and never crowded. The views are amazing - all the snow-covered peaks! And the food - we always buy the smelliest camemberts and eat them in the mornings with freshly baked baguettes. Perfection!

ANNALISA As of lately, I have been to many beautiful Greek natural sites. But the one I found most interesting were the Uros floating islands on lake Titicaca, an example of what living by nature’s rules in 2020 looks like. I spent a week there, and I really felt like I was living in a parallel universe for a month. I could talk about them for days, just check them out to see what I am referring to.

PAULA Villa Epecuen. It was one of the most touristic cities in Buenos Aires. In the 80's, the dam broke up so the water destroyed all the city. Since that moment, nobody could live there. There are still houses under the water and everything stopped in time. You can find cars, toys and imagine where the streets were and how life was going there.

BAPTISTE El Misti. It’s a volcano next to Arequipa in Perù. I climbed it with some friends and a guide. It was 5.800 meters high. It was the craziest thing that I did in my life.

TANIA KASSANDRA

Maybe it’s not the most impressive thing that I have ever seen but for me it is one of the most interesting. In the Cap de Creus Natural Park there is the Paraje de Tudela, an area of important geological interest, here we can find some of the best examples worldwide of ductile deformation structures in metamorphic rocks and granite rocks. And all these rocks, eroded over millions of years by water and the north wind appear to us in a whimsical way: a camel, an eagle, a rabbit, an elephant, ... which were a source of inspiration for the painter Salvador Dalí.

I cannot decide because too many places are very interesting, but maybe I will choose the Alps. KATERINA Iceland for sure. It's like another planet. You don't know if you have to smile or cry from the beauty. You can feel how small you are compared to the power of nature. You can see hot geysers coming from the ground, black volcanic beaches with ice pieces like diamonds, mountains shining with blue color, warm spots in the middle of nowhere, wild horses everywhere and up of all this beauty, unbelievable Aurora Borealis!

VIKTOR Probably the Chernobyl, which I mentioned in the previous LINK. 12

â&#x20AC;&#x153; Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.â&#x20AC;? 13 Albert Einstein

Author: Katerina

HOW TO SAY? “L e a v e th e ro a d, ta k e tra ils .” — Py th a go r a s

t he

Dé l a i s s e l e s g r a n d e s ro u t e s , p r e n d s l e s s e n t i e rs .

O p u ś ć d ro g i , i d ź szlakami.

Αφήστε το δρόμο, ακολουθήστε τα μονοπάτια.

Opusť silnici, jdi stezkami.

Ve rla s s e die S tr aĂ&#x;e , nimm die P fade .

La s c ia la str ada, pre nd i i sentier i.

De ja e l c am ino, tom a los senderos.

S a ia da estr ada, vĂĄ pe las tr ilhas.

Author: Katerina

HIKING CLUB KALAMATA 16

Author: KASSANDRA

The best chance to experience the wonderful Greek landscapes is to join the hiking club in Kalamata. The trips usually take place on Sundays and they are about one whole day long. The hiking club meets at their office in the morning. The costs for the trips are mostly between 5 to 15 euros. A very big advantage about the hiking club is that you don‘t need to care about how you will reach the destination like you would if you want to go on a trip on your own. You just have to go inside the cars or busses of the hiking club and I am pretty sure that it's almost impossible to go to the places where the club goes with public means of transport. You can find many different people, some hike every week, some do not. It is a very good chance to get in contact with locals and to get to know new people in general. It just makes fun to speak to them and to enjoy Peleponnese‘s beautiful landscapes. I have already participated three times and it was amazing!

dark. Moreover, we saw bats there and it was exciting to go inside this cave. In front of the cave, there was a big waterfall and we could dive under it. We could also jump off a rock into the water and as we wanted to get out of the canyon, we had to climb with the support of a rope. Outside of this canyon, there was another big waterfall with turquoise water. After finishing the trip, the whole hiking club went to a restaurant where we ate together. Another volunteer and I sat together with one Greek guy who is still a good friend of mine. His father offered to take us home with his car instead of the big hiking club bus and he

“ ”

(...) was a great experience because I never hiked with normal daily clothes and trainers in a river before.

We went to Neda on my first trip, which is a small river in the western Peloponnese. We hiked in the river which was a great experience because I never hiked with normal daily clothes and trainers in a river before. The river was too deep to walk at some places, so we had to swim or even slide down some currents. In the end, we reached a cave where we went inside with a rope because the current inside of it was pretty strong and the cave was totally

stopped in a small village to introduce his family to us. This was my first experience with the huge hospitality of Greek people. During my second trip, we hiked to the peak of Mount Profitis Ilias, the biggest mountain in Peloponnese. Firstly, we went to a camping place to build up our tents where we slept until 2:00 AM. After this short sleep we started

to hike with headlights. The landscape looked amazing with the moonlight and the shades of the mountains and trees. Arriving on the ridge, I had one of the best views I have ever had in my life, Lakonia on the right side and the Messinian bay on the left side covered by the wonderful colours of the sunrise. We could see the whole sunrise on the peak, it was so wonderful to be on the top and see every mountain next to it.

“ (...) I had one of the best views I have ever had in

”

my life (...)

We went a third time to Taygetos and the way up was difficult because there was no way. The mountain was very steep, so in the end it was more about climbing than hiking. However, everyone was pretty proud after succeeding the 1000 elevation gains although the goats were laughing about our way up to the mountain peek. We were surrounded by fog and the way down was so interesting because most of the trees were burned by the fire in 2007 and the burned trees with the fog created such an interesting dark atmosphere. 18

The trips of the hiking club are very varied and interesting and everyone should participate at least once to see Greece‘s wonderful landscapes.

Profitis Ilias

“

The trips of the hiking club are very varied and interesting and everyone should participate at least once to see

Greece‘s wonderful ” landscapes. 19

“Whether it’s a house or the stars or the desert, what makes them beautiful is invisible.”

Author: Katerina

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

DIFFERENCES: GREECE AND FRANCE

Since I've been in Greece, I must admit that I haven't noticed that many differences from there and the France I know. As I come from the Southwest of France, not far from the border with Spain, I am used to this way of life which is more quiet and open than in the rest of France.

Author: BAPTISTE

Even at the landscape level, it remains familiar to me. The only real difference I notice is the proximity of the different landscapes. Kalamata is surrounded by the mountains and the sea. Where I live in France is in the countryside in the middle of nowhere. The sea is more than an hour's drive from my home. It is the same for the mountains. It is still not so much but everything seems even closer in Kalamata. However, the sea is different. In my region, we are more used to the Atlantic Ocean with its big waves. To go from that to the Mediterranean Sea without waves to have fun in was a small disappointment.

but some people still have difficulty in knowing what is being recycled or not. The management of plastic is different. In France there are more and more measures to limit the use of plastic in packaging, cafes, bars, restaurants... In Greece I find that there is a lot of plastic everywhere. One of the first things that struck me when I arrived in Greece was that the packages of bread have a wrapper inside another wrapper, which is pretty much useless. When you order a coffee, even when sitting on the terrace, you usually end up with a cup, a lid and a straw (wrapped in plastic of course). In France, if you are sitting on a terrace you are served in a cup with a spoon. These are small things but you can feel a different treatment of the waste.

Having said that, I decided to try to find differences in the relationship that the French and the Greeks have with nature and the environment in general. This is also complicated because in 2 months of volunteering, I didn't have time to observe the environmental habits of the Greeks. However, I noticed some differences with France.

What is most striking is the state of the beaches. They are much cleaner in Greece. The sea is also much clearer than in France. On this side the Greeks are much more respectful, it's obvious. The French beaches are covered with garbage, plastic bags and cigarette butts especially, even the less touristy beaches.

In both France and Greece, the population is more aware of environmental issues. On the whole, everyone is ready to make efforts to improve the state of the planet. But the measures taken to preserve the environment are not yet sufficient.

I also noticed many photovoltaic panels on the roofs of buildings in Kalamata. Upon inquiring I discovered that Greece was 8th in the European ranking in terms of its commitment to solar energy. This is a good result. There is also a significant amount of wind turbines. So the cou-

In both countries recycling is being put in place, 23

ntry is rather well engaged in alternative energies. All these elements clearly show that France and Greece are two countries that are doing well on the environment even if it is still far from sufficient.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The French beaches are covered with garbage, plastic bags and cigarette (...)

â&#x20AC;?

MY PROJECT

My name is Magdalena and I am a volunteer at K.A.NE.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office in Kalamata, where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m responsible for graphic design and branding. K.A.NE. is a non-governmental organisation that promotes national and international youth work, volunteering, education, community actions and events.

Author: MAGDALENA

WHAT ARE MY TASKS?: My role in K.A.NE. is to take care of anything connected to graphic design that may be needed at the moment. I started with organising K.A.NE.’s existing logo and creating user guidelines. Then I did logos for future projects, along with instructions, worked on a LINK magazine template, to improve its general appearance and visibility, and prepared some ideas for future branding. I also designed a short animation of K.A.NE.’s logo, so it can be used in videos. Oh, and I am trying to help with Instagram a bit.

WHAT I AM LEARNING FROM IT: I guess that I haven’t learned many new things yet (luckily I still have four more months) but for me it’s more like experiencing the work and the situations that will happen to me during my career anyways, so I can be familiar with them and prepared. And of course - practice practice practice. The more logos, icons, infographics and other elements I’ll do, the better I’ll become. Hopefully!

PEOPLE I WORK WITH: I mostly work on my own and complete personal tasks, but in the office there is also another designer, Katerina from Czech Republic. We sometimes discuss some issues together, and I can always ask her for advice, as she is way more experienced than me!

name of the project "Solidarity network" and Polish engagement for Kalamata! place of the project K.A.NE. office

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MY PROJECT:

address Salaminos 8, 24100 Kalamata, Greece

I love that I can gain experience! I graduated from Civil Engineering and I worked in my profession for a while, but I didn’t like it, so I decided to follow something that I was definitely more passionate about - graphic design. I did some courses and postgraduate studies, but I haven’t had a chance to land a “real” designer job yet - and now, here in K.A.NE. in Kalamata, this is a really good start! I already face the problems and situations which are also going to happen to me in a corporate job and I like it - because I can improve.

website www.ngokane.org email info@ngokane.org instagram kanekalamata

MY SENDING ORGANISATION

Bona Fides is a public benefit organisation, which for more than 15 years has been actively building and supporting groups of inhabitants and local leaders, teaching local officers how to conduct an open and effective dialogue with inhabitants and nongovernmental organisations and enabling young people to gain new experience through volunteering. The association is seated in Upper Silesian city Katowice and focuses its attention particularly on this city, however they also carry out activities throughout Poland.

Author: MAGDALENA

INTRODUCTION: Bona Fides wishes that Polish villages, country towns and cities would be pleasant places to live in, and open to the needs of their inhabitants. If this could happen, the involvement of individuals in activities for the local surroundings is important as well as presence of reliable authorities who act in an open and transparent way and take into account the voice of their inhabitants in the decision making process.

needed before my departure. I found my volunteering opportunity through a Facebook group with offers for polish youth and I got in contact with the coordinators immediately. Even now they write to me every 2-3 weeks to ask if I am doing well, if there is anything I need or about possible problems that I can face. I am really positively surprised, as in the past I also tried to do a long-term EVS in Croatia, but in the end I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, as the communication with Polish partner was unsuccessful.

They realise their mission through: 1. Activities aiming at engaging inhabitants in the life of their villages, country towns and cities, like organising local neighbourhood initiatives and providing both education and legal support; 2. Activities aiming at supporting local authorities in building social dialogue; 3. Activities involving young people - both for personal development with support of local experienced employees and within EVS / ESC (European Voluntary Service, now European Solidarity Corps). Through volunteering in other European countries young people have the opportunity to gain new competences, develop their passions and create civic sense. They can also involve in activities with foreign volunteers in Katowice.

name of the organisation BONA FIDES - Stowarzyszenie AktywnoĹ&#x203A;ci Obywatelskiej address ul. Warszawska 19, 40-009 Katowice, Poland website www.bonafides.pl & evs. bonafides.pl email mariachiara@bonafides.pl

MY EXPERIENCE WITH BONA FIDES:

facebook www.facebook.com/ bonafideskatowice

I am very pleased with the contact with the volunteering program coordinators - Mariachiara and Iryna. They were both super nice and helpful, so I could get all the information 31

INTERVIEW

ESC

To talk about the nature, this month we asked some questions to 1 volunteers that work in a farm culture.

Name: Elisabeth Surname: Pereira Fernandes Nationality: Spanish Hosting organization: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Re:Think Social Cooperativeâ&#x20AC;? - Rethink Koinsep Place (city and country): Kalamata, Greece Volunteering project (name): Re: Think. Novalis Cultura, Vreating Regenerative Culture.

1 Why did you decide to become a volunteer, and why Greece? Elisabeth: One of my closest friends volunteered a year ago, and when she told me about her experience, I thought that it might be a good idea for me, too, so when I finished university I decided to look for a ESC project that I might like and that was related to my studies. I chose Greece because I really liked the project I saw, and also because Greece is a Mediterranean country, with a good climate that allows many outdoor activities even in winter.

2 What's your project about? What do you enjoy and value the most about it? Elisabeth: My project takes place in a permaculture farm, where we carry out different activities (planting seeds and plants in the garden, take care of the different areas of the farm, keep up 32

the seed bank’s database. There’s also a composting network articulated through the whole city of Kalamata and in other cities. The part I prefer takes place in the garden and is all about non-formal environmental education: groups of children aged between 3 and 8 come to the farm and we provide workshops and games for them. This allows them to get familiar with nature and develop their imagination, have fun with something different than video games and television. It’s also good for them to get out of the city: shifting to a more natural setting and meeting other children is beneficial to them. Education is my favourite part and the one I find more interesting because I believe that if people are educated to carry a more environmentallyfriendly lifestyle since childhood, it is very likely that they will live a more sustainable life and a good relationship with nature, which nowadays is very necessary for the planet’s future.

some places to drink some water along the way). We ate, we took some pictures and for a while we forgot that we had to go all the way back, until we realized that, and we wanted to cry. We couldn’t wait too long to go downhill again, since, although in Norway in summer there’s almost no night, the light is still much weaker. Of course we got lost and we ended up on more ice sheets than on the way up. In the end, we got back to the car alive, and we were so exhausted that we fell asleep in the parking lot. For sure, the Trolltunga trail is incredible, but you have to be better prepared if you want to enjoy it.

4 What is your relationship with nature? Elisabeth: I like being surrounded by nature and I take every chance I can get to get out of the city and be among trees, rivers and mountains. When I am in Granada, I take my dog with me. The truth is that in the future I’d like to live in the countryside, not in the city, and being able to work on the coast surrounded by nature is what I’d like the most.

Can you tell us an anecdote/episode that happened “in nature“ (while you were in the outdoors)? Elisabeth: Once, we went on a trip to Norway pretty unprepared and we decided to go on a 27 km hike without having breakfast, with a water bottle to drink and two cans of precooked chickpeas to eat among the five of us, one apple per person and half a bag of fries. We didn’t have proper shoes for the hike either. After 4 km, the water bottle fell into the river, so we had to go all the way up with no water. 2 km later, we bumped into some snow and ice sheets we had to cross, so our feet got really wet and they didn’t dry up until we got back to the camping. We kept going and there were moments in which we didn’t know whether to cry or to laugh, because it was really difficult to climb those ice slopes: we kept falling. After this bumpy climb, we reached the top and there we met some guys who must have felt pity looking at us and gave us a bottle of water (maybe I should clarify that, from time to time, we found

What's the most interesting natural place you have ever been to? Elisabeth: Honestly, I’ve been to places that I found very beautiful and interesting. For example, Estonian woods have nothing in common to what I’m used to in Spain: there are no mountains, just lagoons, and it is a wonderful landscape both in summer (when it’s all green) and in winter (covered in snow). Of course, the Norwegian fjords were also spectacular: sometimes we don’t value all that nature gives us and when we travel we prefer to visit cities, not natural landscapes. And, to conclude, the most incredible places I’ve been to in Spain were both the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada. I couldn’t pick just one, it’s too hard to choose among these wonderful places.

Interviewer: ANNALISA

NATURE AS PIECE OF ART Author: KATERINA

Land art or earth art is art that is made directly in the landscape, sculpting the land itself into earthworks or making structures in the landscape using natural materials such as rocks or twigs. Land art was part of the wider conceptual art movement in the 1960s and 1970s. The most famous land art work is Robert Smithsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spiral Jetty of 1970, an earthwork built out into the Great Salt Lake in the USA. He paid for his art work with his own life. On July 20, 1973, Smithson died in a plane crash while surveying sites for his work Amarillo Ramp in the vicinity of Amarillo, Texas.Though some artists such as Smithson used mechanical earth-moving equipment to make their artworks, other artists made minimal and temporary interventions in the landscape such as Richard Long who simply walked up and down until he had made a mark in the earth. Land art, which is also known as earth art, was usually documented in artworks using photographs and maps which the artist could exhibit in a gallery. Land artists also made land art in the gallery by bringing in material from the landscape and using it to create installations. Concerns of the art movement centered around rejection of the commercialization of art-making and enthusiasm with an emergent ecological movement. The art movement coincided with the popularity of the rejection of urban living and its counterpart, an enthusiasm for that which is rural. Included in these inclinations were spiritual yearnings concerning the planet Earth as home to humanity. 36

As well as Richard Long and Robert Smithson, key land artists include Nancy Holt, Michael Heizer, Dennis Oppenheim and Walter de Maria. In this monumental installation placed in a remote corner of New Mexico desert the artist seeks the complicity of nature to assemble an ever amazing event: a thunderstorm. The work consists of 400 stainless steel posts arranged in a calculated grid over an area of 1 mile × 1 km. The natural environment is not a mere site for the artistic matter but the authentic leading actor. The locale was scouted precisely for its distance from other signs of human development and its ability to reflect the enormity of the landscape. During the storm, the steel posts gather and multiply the power of lightning at the service of a magnificent spectacle of light.

“

I don’t think art can stand up to nature. Put the best object you know next to Grand Canyon, Niagara fall, the redwoods. The big things always win. Walter de Maria

” The Earth art of the 1960s were sometimes reminiscent of much older land works, Stonehenge, the Pyramids, Native American mounds, the Nazca Lines in Peru, Carnac stones and Native American burial grounds, and often evoked the spirituality of such archeological sites. Land art uses nature to make art and also shows natural stuff like artwork because Earth itself is a most amazing piece of art. 37

PLACE TO TRAVEL ELAFONISOS: Emerald water

In the southeast Peloponnese, you will find an exotic island of just 19km, Elafonisos. All you will need here is a hat, sunscreen and good vibes. The most famous beach is Simons, between two small peninsulas, Fragko and Sarakiniko. 40

Author: PAULA

To go to the island you have to take a ferry that takes 10min to cross. The price per person it's just 1euro but I will recommend you to cross with your car. In that case, the price of the car will depend on how big it is.

With the hours, it's going to be more warm and warm and warm; but you will deal with this swimming on the sea. The water is so transparent and clean that you are going to be fascinated. Some fishes may follow you and try to bite you but don't worry, you wont feel it.

We went at the beginning of September. Our idea was to try to sleep at the beach, so we arrived at 7pm and looked for a good place to leave our stuff. There were some people with tents but that is not allowed. We decided to sleep looking at the stars, and for me it was the best idea. You don't have cities close, so this allows you to see the most beautiful dark sky full of stars. Take good sleeping bags because at night it is more cold. However, before going to sleep, go for a night swim. I promise that you will not regret.

For lunch, you have some close beach restaurants and bars. I can recommend you one called Simons, the food is really good and the people are really kind. Before you leave remember to clean everything and don't leave there your trash, so whoever goes can enjoy a clean beach. If you want, you can go to Monemvasia, a medieval city. It's just one hour far from Elafonisos and it's amazing.

The sun is going to wake you up but you will see a nice sunrise and a turquoise water.

I hope you have such a good weekend as we had.

EVENTS FUTURE

*Events after the 15th of October

Ημέρες Ισπανόφωνου Κινηματογράφου 2020 / Días de Cine Hispanófono 2020

Seminar: Aerial silks and aerial hoop - Σεμινάριο Aerial Silks και Aerial Hoop από τον Αντώνη Πασβάντη

When: 12th - 15th October 2020, h. 12.00 Where: Online event - https://video.fecha.gr Organizer: Hellenic American Union, Embajada de México en Grecia, Petit Plan: Κινηματογράφος για Εφήβους, MoovieReel, Conversemos en español, Embajada de España en Atenas, Fecha - Φεστιβάλ Ισπανόφωνου Κινηματογράφου Αθήνας Participation fee: Free access Link: https://www.facebook.com/ events/254621745876659/

When: Saturday and Sunday 24th and 25th October 2020 - 17.00 - 19.00 p.m. Where: Skycrew Circus Arts, Ethnikou Stadiou 14, Kalamata 241 00 Organizer: Skycrew Circus Arts Participation fee: 40€ per person (comprehensive of both sessions) Link: https://www.facebook.com/ events/398357751345240/

Author: ANNALISA

10th Anniversary Kyttaro Rock Bar Kalamata

Kyttaro Rock Bar Halloween Night Kalamata

When: 27th - 28th - 29th October 2020, 21.00 - 00.00 Where: Kyttaro Rock Bar, Amfias 12, Kalamata 241 00 Organizer: Kyttaro Rock Bar Kalamata Participation fee: Free entrance Link: https://www.facebook.com/ events/645863902978417/

When: Friday 30th October and Saturday 31st October 22:00 Where: Kyttaro Rock Bar, Amfias 12, Kalamata 241 00 Organizer: Kyttaro Rock Bar Kalamata Participation fee: Free entrance Link: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1100759367007711/

EVENTS FUTURE

Documentary: The Road to Santiago - Το ντοκιμαντέρ της Δευτέρας: Ο δρόμος για το Σαντιάγο When: Monday 12th October 2020, 21:30 23:30 Where: Μπενάκη 11 24100 Kalamata, Greece Organizers: Κέντρο Δημιουργικού Ντοκιμαντέρ Καλαμάτας - Kalamata Creative Documentary Centre Participation fee: Free entrance Link: https://www.facebook.com/ CreativeDocumentaryCenter/

RECIPES FROM POLAND PIEROGI

Author: AGATA

Medium 1h 5 servings

INGREDIENTS: DOUGH:

STUFFING:

• 400g of flour • 1 spoonful of butter • 1 egg yolk • 3/4 cup of hot water

• White cheese - curd. Boiled potatoes. Black pepper. Press the ingredients together. • Meat cooked in broth. Pickled cabbage. Grind the ingredients. • Peeled apples. Small pieces of apples.

PREPARATION: 1. Give flour to the table, add butter and chop with a knife. 2. Add yolk and chop. 3. Pour water and knead the dough. 4. Roll out and cut round shapes with a glass. 5. Add the stuffing and bind the dumplings together. 6. Cook in hot salted water for about 7 minutes.

RECIPES FROM AGATA PIZZA A'LA AGA

Author: AGATA

Easy 1 h 30 mins 5 servings

INGREDIENTS: DOUGH:

STUFFING:

• 400g of flour • 1 teaspoon of sugar • 1 teaspoon salt • 50g of fresh yeast • 3/4 glass of lukewarm water •5 spoons of oil

• Tomato sauce • Oregano • Olives • 400g champignon • 12 slices of yellow cheese • 9 slices of bacon (no addition necessary)

PREPARATION: 1. Pour the flour into a bowl, make a cone out of it, drill a hole, pour yeast into it and pour water. Set aside for 10 minutes. 2. During this time, slice the champignon and fry them without additives in a pan until all the water evaporates. 3. Add salt, sugar and oil to the flour with the yeast and knead the dough. Set aside for 15 minutes to rise. 4. Put the baking paper on a baking tray and grease it with oil. Spread the dough. Add salt. 5. Grease with tomato sauce, sprinkle with oregano, add champignon, olives, spread the cheese, put bacon on top. 6. Bake at 250 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes.

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