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February 2014
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EDITORIAL Apokries is the Greek word for the carnival and in small villages is still traditional (having nothing to do with Rio’s as the cities’ carnivals) and it comes directly from ancient pagan Greece but with the Cristian touch. A great, but strange, combination... the history in action! This year, after Kalamata’s modern carnival,
we will celebrate in Nedousa the nature; tilth, sowing, marriage, death and resurrection... ehmm with an extra phallus-decoration... as in Dionysian celebra- Have a wonderful time!!!!! tions!!! Filaretos
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Editor:
Fiachra Mckeever
Design:
Lina Šuminaitė
Cover Photo: Lina Šuminaitė Staff Members Of Kane: Filaretos Vourkos Fotini Arapi
Long Term Evs:
Melina Savvidis Fiachra Mckeever Carmelo Márquez Eda Tandoğan Ahmad Ayyash Amaia Vilas Erika Funa Danae Lehmann Mehmet Ali Şirin Uğurcan Pehlivan Abdurrahman Ermiş Ece Zihni Lina Šuminaitė
Contact us: K.A.NE. Social Youth Development Youth Centre of Kalamata Plateia Othonos 10 Kalamata 24100 Greece Tel: +302721110740 e-mail:
amaiavilasarasua@gmail.com; info@ngokane.org url:
http://www.kentroneon.wordpress. com http://www.ngokane.org facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/kentroneon
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ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΕΡΓΑΣΤΗΡΙΩΝ Κ
ΑΝΟΙΧΤΑ ΔΕΥΤΕΡ
kentroneon.wordpress.com - ΤΗΛ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ
ΩΡΑ 1ος όροφος 17.00 - salsa για 18.00 παιδιά
18.00 19.00
19.00 20.00
20.00 21.00
Latin
2ος όροφος μεγάλη Ισπανικά αρχάριοι A1 LEVEL
Ισπανικά προχωρημ ένοι
Salsa
21.00 αρχάριοι 22.00 τμήμα 1ο
Χορωδία
20.00 21.00 Αραβικά αρχάριοι στο γραφείο στο βάθος
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2ος όροφος μικρή Λιθουανικά
Τούρκικα αρχαρίων τμήμα 1ο
1ος όροφος
2ος όροφος μεγάλη
ΩΡ 2ος όροφος μικρή
17.00 - R&B για παιδιά 18.00
Σκάκι
Κιθάρα Για 17.0 Παιδιά αρχάριοι 18. τμήμα 1ο
18.00 - Σύγχρονο 19.00 αρχαρίων
Μουσικοκι νητική Αγωγή Για Παιδιά (τμήμα 1ο)
Τούρκικα 18.0 αρχαρίων 19. τμήμα 2ο
Κιθάρα για 19.00 Παιδιά προχωρημέ 20.00 νοι
Capoeira* από 10 Μαρτίου
ΤΡΙΤΗ
ΩΡΑ
Οriental
Μουσικοκι νητική 19.0 Αγωγή Για Ελληνικά 20. Παιδιά για ξένους (τμήμα 2ο) αρχάριοι
Κιθάρα για Σύγχρονο 20.00 Γερμανικά Ενήλικες προχωρημ αρχάριοι 21.00 αρχάριοι ένων
20.0 21.
Κιθάρα για Γερμανικά Ενήλικες 21.00 - Νοηματική προχωρημ αρχάριοι προχωρημέ 22.00 ένοι νοι
21.0 22.
ΚΕΝΤΡΟΥ ΝΕΩΝ ΚΑΛΑΜΑΤΑΣ
ΡΑ ΕΩΣ ΠΕΜΠΤΗ
Λ. 2721110740 (ώρες 17.00 - 22.00) ΤΕΤΑΡΤΗ
ΡΑ 1ος όροφος
2ος όροφος μεγάλη
ΠΕΜΠΤΗ
ΩΡΑ 2ος όροφος μικρή
1ος όροφος
ΩΡΑ
2ος όροφος μεγάλη
2ος όροφος μικρή
Aγγλικά
Τούρκικα
00 Reggaeton Καλλιτεχνι .00
17.00 - Internation 17.00 Σλοβένικα προχωρημ ομάδα al Latin 18.00 18.00 ένοι συζήτησης
Παραδοσια 00 κοί χοροί .00 αρχάριοι
Τούρκικα αρχαρίων τμήμα 3ο
κό Εργαστήρι
Παραδοσια
Ισπανικά 19.00 αρχάριοι Α2 20.00 LEVEL
00 - κοί χοροί .00 προχωρημ ένοι
Προβολές ταινιών
Γαλλικά
20.00 21.00
Εισαγωγή
Νοηματική
00 21.00 στην Τέχνη Yoga αρχάριοι Προχωριμέ του .00 τμήμα 2ο 22.00 τμήμα 2ο νοι Flamenco
19.00 20.00 Πορτογαλι κά στο γραφείο στο βάθος
κιθάρα για 18.00 παιδιά αρχάριοι 19.00 τμήμα 2ο
Αγγλικά 19.00 αρχαρίων 20.00
Μuay-Thai
00 - ζογκλερικ .00 ά
Salsa
Ρώσικα 18.00 - yoga τμήμα προχωρημ 1ο 19.00 ένοι
Νοηματική τμήμα 2ο
20.00 21.00
Αραβικά προχωρημ ένοι
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20.00 21.00 Αραβικά αρχάριοι στο γραφείο στο βάθος
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ΜΙΚΡΕΣ ΑΓΓΕΛΙΕΣ With the Youth Centre opening again its doors to the public, for the 5th year, there are still some things, where we could use your help!!! For the beginning of the workshops, and throughout the year, the Youth Centre needs:
* CHAIRS
Strange as it may sound, the Youth Center is in need of chairs! As the Youth Centre acquires more and more members, and the use of the chairs is extensive, our poor old chairs are breaking down. As it is, it is impossible to have all the chairs that the workshops need. If you have any chairs that you do not use, or you think that you can spare, you can bring them!
* MARKERS for the white board
* COMPUTERS
Unfortunately, the Youth Centre at the moment has only 1 working (almost) computer to be used in the info-point. Temporarily, and only for the registrations, volunteers of the Youth Centre have brought their computers from home… however, eventually they will need them back… We need at least 1 more computer to be used in the dance workshops and 1 more for the outside activities… :(
* GUITARS
As we are very musical this year, if you have any guitar that you do not need anymore and can give it to the Youth Centre, please do
* MIRRORS
This may be a bit of a longshot but we also need full-length mirrors for the dance room.
As all of the language workshops make use of the white board, we We know that it may be unlikely consume approximately 3 mark- that people have spare full-length mirrors lying around in their gaers per week! rages at home, but then again,
* PENS
if you don’t ask, you’ll never reYou can never have enough of ceive! those! 6
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Example of cynicism and immorality By: Carmelo | KALAMATA
Of course, make it clear that I am not against the Olympic games: illustrious and ancient tradition characterized by fellowship, sportsmanship and healthy competition (in theory). What I want to criticize with this article is the shameless and monstrous price that the population of the host country has to pay (and not their governors, let alone Vladimir Putin, the richest man in the world and therefore the most corrupt politician on the planet) through many taxes or social cuts. Private donations are minimal in the total cost of the Games. The Olympic Winter Games in Sochi are not an exception. 8
Russia takes the gold medal for organizing the most expensive Games in history, even ahead of China (Beijing 2008). What Putin seeks with this isn’t hard to guess. However, the exact price paid by Russia for the Games is quite difficult to know, because of little transparency of the Russian government. The most critical of Putin speak of about 50,000 millions of dollars approximately. While, the official figure is 6,400 million. Embezzlement of funds? In Spain there is an expression “think wrong and you will be right”. In this edition of the magazine I will ask you, with the greatest effort possible, together, to imagine what the homophobic Vladimir Putin could do with 50,000 million. A much more useful expense
this money, Russia would vaccinate about a hundred thousand children in the world (according to UNICEF, the three dosages sufficient per child costs half a dollar). than an Olympics, which are nothing but propaganda of the power of an overbearing and totalitarian political entity.
1.Diminish the harms of innocent people from Syria. There are already hundreds of thousands of people have These are my five humble suggestions. Only five. I have surely left many more things in the pipeline: Totally eradicate poliomyelitis (*) once and for all. With died in this interesting and bloody civil war. And two million people have fled for refuge in other countries, such as Greece. 9
2.Feed the 280 million children. For a child to eat once a day for a year costs $180, according to the NGO, Feed the Children. Malnutrition and under nutrition accounts for 45% of infant mortality. 3.Financing education for almost the entire planet. If we assume an average salary of a teacher is $38,000 (according to research of the Varkey Gems Foundation), Russia could pay a million educators throughout the world. 4.Give a breath to our world. You have to be a fool to ignore the effect of climate change. The weather conditions of last year and how little of 2014, have been extreme. Natural disasters have travelled the blue planet. Pay attention to this curious fact: a single tree costs $25 and generate enough oxygen for two people for a whole long life. Then, Putin and his friends could plant two billion trees. Now, stop dreaming and turn 10
back to the real world, where the people that have lees are those who must fight and work to make this hell a better place every day. “To be part of the change”, as the KANE’s slogan says.
Interview with Fiachra, a decent sorta fella By: Erika it. I like communicating, talking to people, although I also like my personal time and space to think. I like speaking in Greek! That’s a new experience for me actually, having to communicate in another language.
Fiachra, tell us a little bit about your EVS project here. What I find challenging about my work here is finding time My project here is working in for myself, I find it hard to say the Youth Center, I also give no and live up to that, it’s hard English classes and guitar les- to balance things sometimes. sons for children and adults. We are finishing work at ten Another thing I do here is p.m. so that means going to confusing people with my bed late, waking up late and English and enjoying it. going straight to work, and then the cycle continues. It is Do you like your work? Is hard to break out of this cycle it the way you imagined and seeing the morning when it? What do you like most waking up, not before sleep! about it and are there any challenges that you are Do you remember your facing? last day in Ireland before coming here to Kalamata? The project lived up to my expectations and exceeded Yes, I was in Dublin with 11
my friends and family. I have been going to Dublin for many years now, since I was a baby… Before coming here I was up there for a few days, we had a big party on the last day. My last week in Ireland was filled with parties all around the country. How did you imagine Kalamata? Were you nervous in the last moments before comig here? Well, I was digesting as much information as possible about Kalamata and the activities of the Youth Center and my project here, videos, the place itself. I was a little anxious definitely, didn’t really know what to expect…I didn’t know exactly how warm it’s going to be…but I knew what each of you (other EVS volunteers) looked like because I did my »research« on Facebook, so I kind of had the idea about what to expect from the people I would be working with, Like you and I had a friend in common, for example! 12
Is your life here similar to how you imagined it before, in Ireland? Yes, in certain ways it’s similar to how I imagined it, the tasks were very well and accurately explained, the daily routine…But there are some other things that are completely new and unexpected. I didn’t exactly expect to be playing in a bar weekly, didn’t expect people to be so cool… Or the drastic response I get when I say I’m from Ireland, still not sure why that is! They
seem to really like Irish peo- now that you have alple here! ready spent some months here? What do you enjoy most about your EVS? What is Open, honest, good fun, up your favourite aspect of for the craic (seriously!), it? friendly. I hope to stay in touch with them even after Making people smile, laugh. the EVS… I mean even at And the weather, of course. home I don’t exactly talk to I like the sea, love the lan- my friends every week (evguage…and some of the peo- ery other week even), but for ple – I want to take them with friends it doesn’t really matme! ter how long we don’t keep in contact (obviously, keeping You seem to have made in touch works both ways). If many friends in Kalama- we are friends once, that’s it ta, everybody knows Fia- for me, that’s the job. Aυτα. chra, everybody likes you! Like no time has passed next Tell us your secret, is it time we meet. the Irish charm? If I asked the people here Ah, Jesus. I don’t know. »If to describe you in two you want to be a hero, well words, what do you think just follow me.« Haha, I bet they would say? nobody’s going to get the reference! People love you. Interesting question. Yeah, Whats your secret? interesting question. Nice guy. Yeah? The interview is not Hopefully (*laughs*). Alabout me . though they say that nice So, how would you de- guys finish last. scribe the people here 13
And do you agree with it, is it true? Yeah, I suppose. I’m a decent sort of fella, like. Yeah. I make an effort to be nice to everyone, more than I do it to be nice to myself actually. Why is that? Why are you Greek culture is that they are very comfortable with touchso nice to people? ing, affectionate touching, Because people like it, they if you know what i mean. I like to be considered, re- dont know if it’s me personspected, appreciated. They ally or the culture at home, like it if you are nice, if you maybe it’s a combination of are cool to them. Not being both, since I’m a product of a d…., you won’t get very far my country to a great extent. like that. Well yeah, in fact The thing is, I have become you probably will, you’ll get more comfortable with myself to the top. Haha. But if you and my body. Dancing salsa and bachata for example, fall, you will fall hard. you have to be f… comfortWhen you went home for able with yourself and your Christmas, did you notice body! I’m an awkward fecker any changes in yourself? sometimes when it comes to How have you changed that, So when I went home since the start of your for Christmas, I think that change kind of showed, mayEVS? be not showed, but I felt it. Yeah, yeah….Um, hmmm. I feel comfortable in myself One of the first things that now, I feel like I extend to the kind of struck me about the ends of my fingertips, don’t 14
know how to describe that, but it’s the thing that occured to me. I was uncomfortable with myself before, well I suppose everyone has their own hang ups about their appearance, but I feel the diversity of experience here has increased my confidence, which is good. Can you think of your most memorable moments here, moments that stand out, that you will always remeber, things that have happened that are special to you? Yesterday was one of them… when you told me you felt a bit down the first weeks here and that hanging out at the beach and that song I wrote helped you and made you happy, … I didn’t know it and it meant a lot that you told me. Some verses of the song are for you…And this is exactly the answer to that question before, why I’m so nice, here you have a concrete reason, explanation.
And salsa, I like salsa. That reminds me – I must make Mexican food. :D What song verses best describe your current state of mind? They say beauty comes in waves, fit for songs of praise. It’s some lyrics that I wrote recently and I am trying to make them fit into a song, they keep rolling around in my head. Ok, because people are going to read this: any line from »Working Class Hero« (by John Lennon) is a good one to study. Also, oh Jesus, we could be here all day… »Uprising« by Muse. Every single line, word, phrase of the song has a meaning, it’s definitely worth figuring out what they’re talking about because its very important. Not just random »I love you baby« shit. That kind of stuff is…every word means nothing, while in this song (»Uprising«) every word is care15
fully referenced. Exact same as in »Working Class Hero.« What song best describes you in general? Is there a song that is a pefrect description of what you are about? About what the craic is all about with you? I’m sure there is, but not sure I know of it. Let me think. Oh Jesus…Ummm, Fisherman’s blues! Thats why I sing it every time, I relate to it very well and I enjoy singing it. olescent angst on my drums Yeah, that’s definitely it. to express subtler aspects of my personality on the guitar, *Dimitris Georgopulos comes piano, drums. On the drums by and overhears my ques- you can say four different tion to Fiachra. He thinks for things at the same time, kind a second and suggests: »Jer- of. emy« by Pearl Jam!* And now? What does it How important is music mean to you? to you? Now still sometimes. It’s a pity that not everyone plays Very. music. Sometimes I want to shout and scream, so as a lot Could you live without it? of other people, and at least if you have a guitar in your No, f… no. As a teenager, I hand, it’s a little more acceptused to blast out teenage ad- able. It means… it’s company 16
actually, it’s very much sym- of applause. Well thanks anypathetic company. way! Sometimes I’m a perfectionist, but there are certain How does it feel to be on aspects that I can’t control or stage? What is it like? do something about. In general …Oh Jesus, I love it! I It’s a bit strange. I’ve been would do it at home, on my on stage as a kid, acting in own, in my room anyway. But plays in front of a couple of people generally seem to enhundred people playing vari- joy it when I do it in a bar, ous different roles, some of so killing many birds with the them extremely fun, some of same stone, hehe them extremely embarrassing. When youre doing some- Is it different to play just thing like that, you try not to for yourself? In what think about the audience. way? When playing music, you try It is a little different when to judge where people are, you’re just playing for yourhow much drinks they’ve had, self because you know no what form they’re in… When one is listening to you. You’re you have a limited set of songs not under pressure to perand extra amount of time you form, to do everything perhave to see what’s going to fectly. In a bar it’s quid pro go down well… But it’s good, quo, it has to be f… good. At funny …I mean, you’re al- least you have to not make ways going to be a little in- mistakes. You’re free to exsecure, you never know if periment when you’re alone, people are clapping because you’re just playing for yourthey enjoyed it or out of po- self, so that’s nice, almost like liteness. I always think about meditation or something… that. There were times when especially when practising I though I was shit and they acoustic routines, it’s like a were giving me a big round trance kinda thingy. 17
Who or what is your in- like. What? It’s an interview, spiration? its not about being f… cool. :P John Lennon probably. A lot of things. My friends. Basically, And now, Fiachra, last paying attention to the world question. What is your around me and wanting des- message to the world? perately to make things better for everyone because they Yeah, I’m trying to think about are people in the world who what I’d write in my epitaph… are doing the opposite. I get »Wake up and keep dreammy inspiration from talking to ing.« people, observing them, obserivng myself and the world. Thank you, Fiachra. Because something is rigged and I dont like it. Who is your favourite TV character and why? The dad from the Modern Family. Phil is his name, I can’t remember his last name. He’s a f… legend, the funniest f…! What’s your guilty pleasure? In songs? Theres a few, just trying to think of an example…Cheesy love songs and romantic comedies. Not for breakfast lunch and dinner,
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Why the long face? By: Fiachra This LINK I decided to write about the blues. Not the ‘My baby left me, she done gone an’ found herself another man’ type of blues, but the mood, the feeling also known as depression. Depression is.... actually what is depression? How and why does it happen? How do we know if someone is depressed, and what can we do, if anything, to help? According to Oxford dictionary depression is “severe, typically prolonged, feelings of despondency and dejection” and “a mental condition characterized by severe feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy, typically accompanied by a lack of energy and interest in life”. Pharmacologically, depression is the result of lower levels of the neurotransmiters dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain; the so-called ‘happy
chemicals’. Antidepressants work by inhibiting the brain chemical that breaks these down (monoamine oxidase), resulting in them staying active for longer, thus making you feel happier. It is estimated that worldwide depression affects 121 million people, or 1.69% of the population. A quick internet search has yielded estimates that between 1 in 4 19
and 1 in 10 people are likely to be depressed. Admittedly this analysis of mine is hardly scientific but there is still no doubt that even the most conservative estimates still paint a very blue picture. The causes of depression can vary and are numerous. They can be due to life circumstances: loss of employment, heavy debt, loss of a partner, relationship troubles, financial troubles etc. They can also be a result of other medical problems such as Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, cancer or diabetes. Also it is known that chronic 20
or excessive use of alcohol and other drugs, legal or illegal, is linked to depression. Depression can manifest itself in a number of ways, such as poor diet, abnormal sleeping patterns (sleeping a lot or sleeping very little), or lack of enthusiaism for things once found to be pleasurable, o mention a few. So what can we do? What steps can we take to kick those blues? There are in fact numerous things we can do. We can listen to music: a study conducted in 2006 found that lis-
tening to music can reduce chronic pain by up to 21% and depression by up to 25%. We can talk to a friend. We can pet an animal – studies have shown that petting an animal causes the brain to release brain chemicals called endorpins, which are designed to counteract the body’s response to pain and produce pleasurable feelings. There is another, perhaps less considered, way to treat depression. That is meditation. A recently published study has found that “...meditation appeared to provide as much relief from some anxiety and depression symptoms as what other studies have found from antidepressants.” The meditation practiced in this study was mindfulness meditation. Lead researcher Dr Madhav Goyal, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, US, explains: “A lot of people have this idea that meditation means sitting down and doing nothing, but that’s not true. Meditation
is an active training of the mind to increase awareness, and different meditation programmes approach this in different ways.” Mindfulness meditation is typically practiced for 30 to 40 minutes a day. It emphasises relaxation of the body and mind, and the acceptance of feeling and thoughts without judgment. Generally in meditation you sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes, take long , deep breaths and relax your body, starting with your toes and working all the way up to your head. You try to focus on your breathing and nothing else. When thoughtseter your mind, you accept them without judgement and let them flow out again. You can do this in complete silence or you can look through YouTube and find some guided meditation videos, or just some nice music to have on in the background. Science also has something to say about meditation. A 2003 paper entitled: “The neural basis of the complex mental task of 21
meditation: neurotransmitter and neurochemical considerations” found increased levels of serotonin and dopamine in the subjects while they meditated. In this crazy world there’s a lot of potential for depression. Someone once said that “It is sometimes an appropri-
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ate response to reality to go insane.” As understandable as the observation may be, I myself wouldn’t recommend it all the time! If things are getting you down I would recommend going for a walk in nature, find a dog, sit under a tree, and just chill. And remember, as one of my favourite pieces of writing, Desiderata, says: “...you are a child of the Universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the Universe is unfolding as it should.”
Interview with Fotini By: Danae
In working for K.A.NE. that is really ideal for me. and the Kentro Neon did I get to communicate with you find your dream job? people, think and assist people in thinking out of the box First of all, I need to clarify and becoming more openthat I do work in K.A.NE., but minded, meet new people all I am a volunteer in Kentro the time and of course live Neon, like everybody else :-D new experiences and travel Being a youth worker and around a bit! trainer seems to be the job Although I have to work a lot, 23
and truth be told, 2/3 of what I do might be administrative work… sitting on a desk behind a computer, it is the other 1/3 that makes up for everything. As for the Youth Centre, I am in love! I really do not mind spending my free time and energy for it. The Youth Centre is the living example of what people can accomplish if they put their mind to it. Maybe we cannot change the world, but we can definitely try to offer something to the community we live in. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to be part of the team of volunteers, without which the Youth Centre would not exist and I hope that more and more people will realize its value and support it. What did you do before working there? I was always interested in the work of Civil Society organisations and international 24
NGOs. That’s why, after obtaining my Master’s degree in Violence, Conflict and Development from the University of London, I went for an internship in the Centre for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, Bulgaria. After that, in November 2006, I went to work at the Cultural Triangle of Prespa (CTP), an NGO on the borders with Albania and fYROM, active in the fields of Children and Youth, NGO Networking and sustainable Tourism Development. After three years of working there as project manager and general coordinator, I decided to leave Prespa and move to Athens, where I was working as a book editor, while still collaborating with CTP as external associate. While in Athens, I collaborated with ASANTE, an organisation for people with African origins that are born and live here in Greece. Together, we organised a youth exchange about cultural identities and immigration.
I moved back to Kalamata in filled with colours and happiJuly 2011 and, working for ness! K.A.NE. just came naturally. Someone gives you a time What do you like about machine. Into which time Kalamata and what do would you travel? you not like? Hmmm, tricky question… I love that it is a city that which one to choose…? If I it is always changing and I had a time machine I would love all the things that it has use to go everywhere and to offer… city life (bars, res- experience all the periods taurants, shops), mountain, of history. However, if I had sea, beautiful places to visit to choose only one, then I around… would go back to the RomanAs for the things that I do not tic Era… (late 18th – early like, as I said above, my mot- 19th century). It is a period to is Be Positive… so I do not of amazingly beautiful mureally think about things that sic (Verdi, Berlioz, Mozart, I do not like! Haydn, Beethoven, etc), the impressive paintings of Goya Do you have a philoso- and Delacroix, and of course phy/ motto of life? great literature, with writers such as Victor Hugo, AlIt might sound a bit of a cli- exander Dumas, Lord Byron, ché, but I would have to say Walter Scott and, of course, “BE POSITIVE”! my very favorite… Miss Jane Austen. You have a free wish! What do you wish for? What is the most beautiI wish that our lives would be 25
ful experience you’ve had not sure… it depends on the recently? things I could find around me. I am sure if the situation Difficult question! What to comes, I will think of somechoose… I am torn between thing. participating in the Tool Fair in Delphi, where I had the What languages do you chance to meet old friends know? and colleagues and make new acquaintances, while being in Learning languages is one of the magical place that is Del- my hobbies. My father says phi, and spending Christmas it is because I cannot stand with my nephews! not to be able to speak…! I learned English and French Try to be arrested for when I was a child and then public indecency. What moved on to Russian, Buldo you do? garian, Italian and Spanish. I also speak some Serbian, Have you met me??? I do a little Turkish and I am now not think that there is an uni- learning Arabic. verse, where I could be arrested for public indecency… Which places would you really like to visit? Your plane crashes over the rainforest. How do Cuba! This is really my dream you get out? destination. I would also love to go back to St Petersburg Get out? What on earth for? one day. It is by far the most I would just stay there, build beautiful of the cities I have a shack for myself and re- visited. lax… No, Ok, seriously, I am
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Something you’ve always Brad Pitt or George Cloowanted to say? ny? Nothing really. I most of the times just say what I want to say at the time when I want to say it. Describe yourself words?
Neither, really. But if I had to choose I would say George Cloony. Blond was never my thing.
in 3 Summer or winter?
SUMMER!!! Sea, sun and fun! Adventurous, open-minded, Who needs winter! adaptable Tequila or Jägermeister? Biggest fear? Definitely tequila! I was never Not being able to travel any a big fan of Jägermeister. more Favorite dish? Spaghetti Bolognese or, as we say in Greece Μακαρόνια με κιμά. Chocolate or coffee? As much as I love chocolate, I cannot live without coffee (addiction is bad, but what can you do?). So, I would say coffee. 27
My days in Kalamata By: Ece Hello Dear Reader ;) As from yesterday, I’m in my 4th weeks in Kalamata. During all this time I did too much things. So, I accomodated to Greek life. Last week I went to Messini for a workshop with my volunteer friends. There were an atelier. People were working inside for Carnival. They were creating some big toys, like Sponge Bob. We found very funny to their place. Then, we started to working with Bamboos. Our purpose is make pan-flute. Firstly we cleaned too much bamboos with our sponges and rasped them with some kind of knifes. Dare I say, it was so tiring job. When we finished we ate something with tsipoúra. This was first time for me and I liked taste. After that we sang songs which the same sound between GreekTurkish. 28
Last Sunday, I went to trip with my bike as alone. My route was from Port until the nearest mountain. I very liked landscape during my way. In my opinion, Kalamata’s best special feature is that too much opposite things are together. Like that; sea and mountains, towns and city center… One night I joined in a Bar to Balkan Party. The Bar’s
name is Προσεχως Κοινσεπ. There were Balkan’s musics, Balkan’s dance. Some people wore appropriate clothes like Balkan people. I enjoyed with them in there. Another night in the same bar I watched 2 French Musicians. P.S: You can try hot wine in there ;) 2 weeks ago my flatmates and me went to the cinema to watch a documantery about Bob Marley. With Greek subtitles, English language was not so easy for me. Because people’s accents was not understantable. But really it was qualifite and informer.
In addition to these, in Youth Center I’m joining to every dance lessons. Latin, Salsa, Bachata, Oriental, Traiditonal Greek Dance, Modern Dance… I figured out in here that, dance is very important in my life; because it feels totally free. Of course, everything is not just going somewhere and enjoying. Every week I have Greek lesson as regularly. Sometimes it can be hard, but if I’m studying regularly, it is not more difficult. Firstly the Greek Alphabet was mixed in my mind, but now I can speak some basic sentences about me. In a nutshell, I adapted to here. And I’m glad to live in here. See you on my next text.
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Latin By: Melina Latin is a dancing lesson that I’m offering in the Youth Centre. It is about the dances from Latinamerica that are often very close to Salsa and express happiness and lightness. We are going to dance Merengue, Bachata, Brazil Samba, Cuban Afro Rumba, Reggaeton... which are danced by all the Latin-American people (grandmothers, teenagers or young children) on the street to have fun and enjoy life. I want to bring a little bit of this lifestyle to Kalamata because it is just awesome, relaxing and enjoying. But to avoid any misunderstandings I want to explain quickly the difference between my Latin and the International Latin. The International Latin is often danced in competitions with a fixed partner and contains dances like ChaChaCha, Salsa L.A. Style, Tango, Rumba, Samba etc that often demand a strained posture. In my lesson there is no part30
ner required and the age is completely uninteresting (I heard sentences like “But I’m only/already ...”). I want to put the focus mainly on moving the body, dancing and enjoying the music. Since these dances demand a lot of body movement, hips and is often very sexy, there is no space for being shy! I want my students to be relaxed, open minded and self confident like a Latina or a Latino. Thoughts like “I can’t dance!” are not allowed! We will train all parts of the body to move them finally separately that the moves become smooth and natural. To give an overview about
some dances, here are short and simple explanations: Merengue: A very simple dance that is actually only walking with using a lof of hips. Bachata: Is a romantic and sensual dance that is danced really closely and sensual with the partner. The Dominican Bachata is more focused on very fast steps. Brazil Samba: Everybody has seen the half naked girls dancing on the carnival in Rio
de Janeiro, we are going to dance this! Very fast but easy steps with a lof of hips. (It is also danced by the men!!) Afro Cuban Rumba: It has its origins in Cuba and Africa. It requires a lot of body movement because it is danced with all parts of the body. It has nothing to do with the International Rumba. This dance is an open dance be-
tween a man and a woman. The aim of the guy is to fertilize the woman (with a fast kick or throwing his hand). The woman of course tries to protect herself with the hand
or the skirt that she is imaginary holding. Reggaeton: is Latin-American HipHop that is danced very sexy and often for Non-Latinos very offensive. Especially here is nobody allowed to be shy!! Although I’m not a professional trained teacher and this is the first time that I’m teaching, I’m trying to give all my best! I love to dance, this is what makes me absolutely hyper happy! And I need to share this! We are dancing to have fun and feel good! So everybody should come to turn off the everyday and enjoy the latin fever! 31
Friendship By: Ugurcan I was going to write something about friend, but i saw this post and it said it better than i could. I liked this story because the wars always bring very bad things behind it. This is the worst thing in the human life and you have to read. Because the most 32
important thing is friendship in human life. REAL FRİEND Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier, as he saw his life-long friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench
with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the “No Man’s Land” between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back. “You can go,” said the lieutenant, “but I don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away.” The lieutenant’s words didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company’s trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. “I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded.” “It was worth it, though, sir,” the soldier said. “How do you mean, ‘worth it’?” responded the lieutenant. “Your friend is dead!” “Yes sir,” the private answered. “But it was worth it because when I got to him,
he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, ‘Jim, I knew you’d come.’” Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not really depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in life. May each and everyone of you be blessed with the company of true friends.
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Learning a new language By: Abdi
I really want to speak English perfectly since a long time, one of my purpose of EVS was for improve my English. I was part of youth exchange projects for practice but i couldn’t be successful don’t know why. Maybe because of the projects was in so short time I don’t know why exactly. My mission 34
is speak really good English. And than it was really huge problem for me, that was the one negative thing for me I want to do something, but I can’t. I saw this here also I am same sometimes. I have to talk more add more things I think EVS is this. I am not same that when I came here
first time. I am not just listening without saying anything now. I am also trying to talk. This is completely negative and this is not me if I can not learn and speak English. And one of other reason why I can not, I think because of I have a lot of Turkish people here. If someone gave me the chance to go another place that there are no one knows your language for sure I will go, I prefer it. I have five months more for my English this is also good change for me I have use moments and the time. Because I want to be project writer after EVS, and I want to coordinate projects. Enjoy the time.
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Imagine By: Ali
Imagine me in the sea drinking coffee and whiskey imagine sun imagine Sea imagine that all around me playing card playing hard every vosu wana be Smart hit me one hit you two my body gonna go throught over you love you moon see you soon that’s what Ĺ want to tell you home
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My favorite team My name s ahmad and I am gonna tell you about the best team ever which is for sure real Madrid Real Madrid C.F Real Madrid Club de FĂştbol, commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, has traditionally worn a white home kit since. Location : Madrid League: la liga Maneger: carlo ancelotti Stadium : Santiago bernabeu Nick names :Â Los Vikingos (The Vikings), Madrid Football Club, Los Blancos (The Whites), Los Merengues (The Meringues)
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OFFICE:
WHO
WE
ARE LONG TERM
EVS:
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Hello! I’m Ece from Turkey. I’m 22 years old. I studied Economics at the Istanbul University. I’m happy as a volunteer in here. I believe I will do great things for K.A.NE. My Project is for 9 months. It will be finished in October. After the volunteering, I hope I will stay with K.A.NE. Although this is the first week for me, I’m feeling like I was already here in the past. So now that’s all.
Filaretos Vourkos / Last 7 years I am working in the field of non formal educa- tion as a volunteer, youth worker and youth trainer. 4 years ago, I decided to create the Youth Centre of Kalamata, in order to initiate the youth work in Kalamata and promote active citizenship as factor of change.
Danae Lehmann/ 20 / I’m Uğurcan Germany Pehlivan. I’m I like being from Turkey. around people, I’m working in photography, ecological farm. greek lifestyle, I’m playing bas good food, guitar. I will be swimming in in Greece until the sea. 31 of July. My I’m volunteername become to ing at the my country and youth center the meaning is from October Ugur - fortune 2013 to August and Can - soul. 2014.
Hi my name is Fotini Arapi and I am project manager at K.A.NE. organisation. I started working here in September 2011 and fell in love with the Youth Centre, its dynamic and most of all its incredible team of foreign and local volunteers! See you around :-D
Hello, my name is Fiachra (the English translations are: hunter/tracker or Erika Funa From Slovenia raven), I’m 26 (half Greek), 26 and I come from years old, uni- Ireland. Here at versity gradu- the youth centre I teach music, ate (English, English, make Philosophy) good frappes in Likes: bethe café and bad ing outdoors, languages, art, jokes in Greek. Χαίρετε! nature, yoga.
Γεια σε όλους! My name is Carmelo Márquez. I am from Cadiz, a city of Andalusia, in the south of Spain. I’m 25 years old and I have finished my career in journalism. So, like good Spanish, I love flamenco, football (my team is F. C. Barcelona), sea and his waves, philosophy, literature, music... My work here in Kalamata, besides teaching Spanish and Flamenco in KANE center is to help as possible to workers KEFIAP (center children with disabilities) and equestrian therapy until June 2014.. Τα λέμε.
I’m Mehmet Ali Şirin. I’m from Turkey. I’m working in ecological farm. I’m playing elektro guitar. I wil be in Greece until 31 of June.
Hi everybody! My name is Melina/18 years old/ half german/ half greek and I’m working in the Therapeutic Horseriding and in the K.E.F.I.A.P. I love chocolate and to dance, so I teach Salsa for children and Latin and of course German! And all of that I’m really enjoying!
Abdurrahman Ermiş I am Abdurrahman. I am from Turkey. I am working in ecological farm. I am playing drum. I will be in Greece until 31 of July.
Hi, My name is Ahmad Ayyash and I am from Jordan iam 23 years old I love to play chess and football. I am fan of Real Madrid club and I am a construction engineer. My project is about autistic children.
My name is Eda Tandoğan. I am from Turkey. I am 21 years old, still a university student. My project is about disabled people in kekykamea.
My name is Amaia and comes from Basque roots, since my mother is from San Sebastian, the meaning of my name is “the end” but in turn is an warrior woman of Basque mythology. But I born in a beautiful land north of Spain, Galicia, Atlantic ocean.
Lina /28/ Lithuania/ volunteer in K.A.NE. Youth Centre from August 2013 to July 2014. Teaching lithuanian and art. Hobies: design, history and museums.
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The volunteers responsible for this publication are hosted in Greece in the framework of the European Youth in Action programme, Action 2- European Voluntary Service. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, anvd the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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