Editorial I was arranging my files the other day(s). My New Year’s resolution. 10 years of work kept in stacks and boxes, never really willing to keep it as an archive as a weird act of defence against time. When you are filing your stuff you discover 2 things; 1. How many useless things you keep and 2. How easy is to retrieve memories! By just holding one object, things you had forgotten for long time, they just pop up in front of your eyes. I remembered my beginning in international youth work, working as an engineer before and having absolutely no idea about it. People I met and changed my life. Well trained youth workers holding university degree made me wanna become one. I also remembered the frustration I had when I was searching in Greece a school to study youth work and discovered that this profession doesn’t exist in this country. 10 years later and still doesn’t exist but I will complain in another editorial about that. Then I went through the achievements we had with different groups of people. The sandy beach in central-east Italy we helped to remain as it was - free entrance and pure. These kids in that youth exchange in Poland which changed their life as they decided to go off drugs. One now is a youth worker himself and the other a photographer. This girl who thought she couldn’t study because of lack of money but now she’s a doctor, leaving her “ghetto-future” behind. This Ukrainian boy who travelled for the first time in his life and later discovered the whole world. This bank employee, bored with his life, who returned home, quit his job and now he is a well respected clown. This french anarchist skinhead who was arrested in Ecuador for fighting with neo-nazi skinheads
and decided to be a different kind of activist. He created a group which up to now helped more than 200 teenagers to stay far from their neo-nazi background. And many many more... I “saw” the faces of the people who, through international youth work, decided to change their life and who are changing our world everyday. With actions, not with words. Everyday invisible heroes. Then I remembered my work in local youth work. My decision to create a youth organisation in Kalamata in 2006 which was 2 catastrophic years. My decision to overcome my disappointment and frustration and give another try by creating K.A.NE. in 2008. My stubbornness in making things work without money or experience and starting another 2 initiatives before even being able to see the sustainability behind them. K.A.NE. organisation, the Youth Centre, the Street Festival. 3 different things started within a period of one year. But I remembered this kid, 16 years old, totally lost teenager, who participated in the Youth Centre, discovered her life and now studying making her dream a reality. This other teenager, who discovered that he’s not made to be a school drop-out but wants to do something in his life. This antisocial guy who now is the funny guy among his friends. The other guy who quit drugs and became a dancer. This lonely 20 years old immigrant without papers, who is now working at the bank. And many many more... Some of them decided to change our world. They are doing it with actions, not with words. Everyday invisible heroes. My heroes. My heroes are the reason I love my job and most of all K.A.NE. youth organisation. Hundreds of youth got benefit through the international youth work and thousands (literally thousands) through the local youth work in our small Kalamata. This is why you should not be afraid of the change. Enjoy the new year. Make it worth it!
Filaretos
What is Youth Center and does it offers for local ? Youth Center of Kalamata is cultural center located nearby Historical Centre of Kalamata. There are approximately 50 volunteers including two long-term EVS volunteers involved in project activities. There are variety of workshops dedicated to youth as well as to children and middle-aged people. Everything run by volunteers, who do not get profits for leading workshops or caring of the place. The idea of the center is to enable locals to develop their interest, fulfill their free time and create for them place for hanging out. This year there are plenty of different kinds of dance workshops including salsa, danspeak expression, reggaeton. contemporary dance and traditional Greek dances, activities for children, martial arts, language exchange workshops leading by all EVS volunteers, language workshops leading by locals and the choir.
How does casual day of EVS-volunteers in Youth Center look like?
We have weekly schedule specifying general tasks for specific day. We work alternately as EVS coordinators of the day, in the info point and coffee place. As coordinators we keep an eye on everything, if time of the workshops is not extending or if place for the workshops is set up before the class starts. In the Info Point we help people to make a registration to YC, which is necessary to join the Youth Center activities. This is also a place where locals can consult with us possibilities to participate in different European mobility projects. Every day we offer locals coffee served in the coffee point of the Center.
Something else? Yes! In The Youth Centre you can find library, which contains books in many different languages available for everybody who belongs to the Youth Centre. In the entrance you can also find a Book Crossing. What does it mean? You can take any book, which stands on the shelf and if you have any in exchange you can leave it there. Besides that in Youth Center there are plenty of different events and parties, cyclical and one-time events. One of the cyclical one is Intercultural Party organized by current volunteers of Youth Center, in which volunteers present their local culture including cuisine, dances, music and more others! Entrance is open not only for those who belong to the Center but also for everybody who wants to join our Cultural Center community.
Agnieszka Lul
About the importance of pets
Why are there so many unwanted cats and dogs ? There are three main reasons: Many people fail to spay or neuter their dogs and cats, who then reproduce, creating enormous numbers of kittens and puppies. People still buy animals from breeders or pet stores instead of adopting homeless animals. And people acquire pets without
neutering/ spaying your considering the lifetime commitment that caring for them requires. Eventually, people abandon their loyal companions when they become “inconvenient” or “too much work.” The single most important thing that we can do to save cats and dogs from all the suffering and death that their overpopulation causes is to spay and neuter them. It’s an affordable surgery that can prevent thousands of animals from being born, only to suffer and struggle to survive on the streets. It is the only proven method through which the overpopulation of strays can be dealt with effectively and humanely. Neutering prevents unwanted pregnancies and improves the health of female animals that otherwise get pregnant very regularly and become weakened by the constant demands of their young. Males become less aggressive and less likely to run off and get lost. Sterilized animals live longer, happier lives. Spaying eliminates the stress and discomfort that females endure during heat periods, eliminates the risk of uterine cancer, and greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer.
Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight, prevents testicular cancer, and reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Stray dogs and cats In many parts of Europe dogs and cats are considered as livestock. Especially dogs must have a purpose. The owners of these animals have very little knowledge about their social behavior and their needs. Another problem is the treatment of guard dogs, which are tied on barrels, trees and kept on terrace and in cages, day and night. Female dogs are at the mercy of stray male dogs, so they bring many puppies into the world. Keeping pets is popular throughout Europe. “Breeders� multiply uncontrollably dogs and cats and sell the cute puppy to its numerous customers. In many countries you can still buy puppies in pet shops. These puppies serve as playmates for children. Are the dogs grow up, they quickly lose interest in them, then the animal has to go. The cheapest way is to abandon it. But there is nothing natural about that. Dogs and cats are domestic animals and not wild animals. They suffer from hunger, cold, disease and fear from aggressive interactions with both humans and other animals. Also feral cats live a short and hard live on the streets.
Also feral cats live a short and hard live on the streets. They never die of “old age.” Contagious diseases are common in cats left outdoors. Even easily treatable conditions can become deadly for cats who are not seen by veterinarians and are not routinely handled and examined. Even minor cuts or puncture wounds can turn into raging infections and abscesses. Untreated upper respiratory infections can cause cats’ eyes and noses to become so caked with mucus that they can barely see or breathe. Others die from blood loss or anemia because of worms, fleas, and untreated injuries.
Ines Hofer
I was in Naxos during Christmas holiday. It is a bit late to tell about Christmas but this is our first magazine after Christmas. And I want to tell you about My Big Fat Greek Christmas. ( Yes, I came back with extra kilos.) As EVS volunteers, being in Greece for Christmas is a good opportunity to learn about culture in a different way. But for me, it was more different because I am from Turkey and I am not Christian. So we don’t celebrate Christmas. This Christmas was not first for me but it was first in Greece and I was lucky; because I was in my friend’s family house in Naxos. I was with a really friendly Greek family. I experienced a lot of cultural things during 10 days. At Christmas time, previous night of Christmas, I visited Γιαγια with family and she gave money to her grandchildren and me to burn a candle in church. On Christmas day, my friend’s mother cooked a big stuffed turkey and we had lunch altogether. Also we had μελομακαρονα and κουραμπιε during the holiday.
After lunch we went to the center for celebration and we watched traditional Naxian dances. For New Year’s Eve we had μπακλαβα, καδαιφ and βασιλοπιτα with a coin inside. And we got pocket money from Γιαγια. I always told about foods. =) Actually we also have the same foods but for me it was more traditional and more Greek during those days. Because it was a part of tradition and I liked it.
I also liked Naxos, my lovely island with Temple of Apollon. People are really friendly and nature is amazing even in winter. You can see green and blue and also mythology together on this island. My friends family was amazing and the first minutes of 2015 was really peaceful for me, in front of fireplace on the rocking chair and with my book. I loved the beginning of the year, I hope whole year will continue like that. Ach, by the way, I am invited to Naxos for the traditional carnival in February. So, not for the next magazine but for the next month, I will tell you about this carnival.
Burรงin Bezirkan
Help needed There are certain thing that the Youth Center is always in need off and it could use your help:
* Chairs * Marker for he white board * Pens * Computer (even old one as long as they can play music for the workshops) * Volonteer to help with he coorination
Codfish with cream Now a portugese receipe to enjoy together. Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • •
4 posts (s) of desalted cod 6 dl milk 1 onion (s) cut (s) into slices oil 2c. flour soup 1 kg potatoes (s) nutmeg 2 dl cream grated cheese qs salt qs pepper
Preparation: 1. Bake the slices of cod in milk. 2. Cut the onion into thin slices and saute in olive oil until soft and transparent.
3. Drain the cod and undo it in chips and add the onion. Let it cook slowly. Sprinkle with flour, stir and pour over the strained milk, where baked cod before. Let thicken, stirring occasionally. 4. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes and fry in hot oil not in order to make them more cooked than chips. Drain the potatoes and add them to the cod. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. 5. Pour everything into a greased baking tray, spread over the cream and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake until gratin. Serve with a fresh salad of lettuce and tomato.
Nuno Davide
The Epiphany is a religious feast day that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. We celebrate it the 6th January but when it’s not a holiday in the country people celebrate it the first Sunday after the 1st. It’s also call Theophany which means: manifestation of God. In the origin and until the IV century, the Epiphany is the biggest and only celebration of the manifestation of Jesus on Earth. The word Epiphany is a Greek word Ἐπιφάνεια (Epiphaneia) which means: manifestation and the verb φαίνω (phaïnò), which means: appear, be obvious. This word was use before the Christianity, because the Epiphanes are in Greek culture the deities who appear to men like Zeus, Hermes, Athina…
And the brioche which is prefer in the South of the France
In Greece there is not such cake, there is the Vassilopita which is in honor to Basil of Caesarea. It prepares on the New Year Eve and is eaten on the 1st January birthday of the death of the Saint.
Laura Doddi
Interview with local volunteer I would like to introduce to you, Dimitris, one of the volunteers of Kentro Neon. Dimitris is already 4 years working as a volunteer for Kentro Neon. His job is to coordinate in the youth center, helping in the organization, being a member of the board and he is also a mentor for EVS volunteers like me. It is nice to get to know Dimitris a little bit better. He likes to ride his bikes, his favorite cars are the 2001 Subaru Impreza WRX and the 2004 Landrover Discovery. And if he would take a dog he will give the dog a human name.
What is your favorite place in Kalamata? In the winter that would be the city center. During the summer my favorite place is the Hobo Bar at the beach side.
What is your favorite place in Greece and why?
Antiparos Island. Because on this island there is an amazing vibe. Easy going but uplifting. There are no do’s and don’ts without being stupid. And very famous are ‘the five lies of Antiparos’. They explain a lot about this vibe: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Tonight I will not drink Tomorrow I’m leaving Next summer, I will visit another island I have visited “the cave” I love you
What is your favorite European country? That will be The Netherlands. I never saw a country with this big variety of people. You see all nationality’s living and working next to each other. It is really nice to see.
What is your favorite song? That is Bohemian rhapsody from Queen. It is really hard to explain why because it is music. And to explain a taste of music is almost impossible. Ok, the composition of this song is really good, but I can name at least 10 other songs with also a really good composition. So my choice is Bohemian Rhapsody.
What is your dream in life? Short term: I really want to visit the West Bank in Palestina. I would love to meet the people and see how they are living. I think it is really important to see and I think afterwards I would more appreciate the small things in life. Long term: I would like to stay healthy, ride my bike and enjoy the time with all the people I love.
Last question, Do you want to share with us your favorite quote? Actually I have 2 favorite quotes: “Every cloud, has a silver lining” Dimitris. “Don’t regret something that you haven’t done” Dimitris.
Daan Roorda
Who we are K.A.NE people Fotini Arapi Filaretos Ferioj Nun Argyris Papadopoulos
EVS Volunteers Laura Doddi Lolita Rita Agnieszka Lul Ines Hofer Daan Roorda Nuno Davide Burรงin Bezirkan Bresia Chojnowska
Horse Therapy The horse therapy is a mental and physical care based on the presence of the horse. Every child, Teenager, Adult elderly person can receive care if she has psychological, physical and behavioral difficulties. Example: Autism, language disorder, hyperactivity, psychomotor disorder or difficulty of integrating ... When we use the session sensory integration, also working the vestibular system, which is the sense of balance and gravity then proprioception is the perception of the body, movement and strength.
To exercise vestibular child we can ask him to change his position on the horse. The child can do exercises to carry, catch, lay, hang to stimulate proprioception. The objectives of this therapy is to reduce the psychological symptoms and pathophysiology of the person such as communication, confidence may be, movement coordination, balance, motor activity planning and organization of the body in space.
Lolita Rita
Interview with greek volunteer Ina Hello Ina, can you tell a few words about yourself ? What are you doing in your life‌.? I am 24 years old,I live in kalamata and I study economics in university of the peloponnese . Hmmm what am I doing in my life? It is a difficult question because I only want to live every moment of my life without thinking!
‌ And what about your free time, do you have some hobby? In free time I prefer to meet my friends for coffee , for a walk next to the beach, I watch many movies to ride a bike and of course I have one big potion to play tennis this is my hobby!
What kind of books can you recomend us? I will not tell you what kind of books I recomend to you because there is a big range but I likemto read many authors for example Jane Austen -Mansfield Park, Edgar alan Poe , Jose Saramagu, Uberto Eko , Charls bukoufski etc etc etc
Favourite song? Why? Allison sail on , it makes me feel happy and relax! Favourite place in Kalamata? My favourite place in kalamata is the costal area.
Why you want to be volunteer in Youth Centre? What is your job here? Because I belive in youth center and it offers to other the possibility to do activities that they want bun they dont have efforts to pay . My job in youth center is in info point for the people that want to ask about the program , I give information about the lessons that take place in youth center .
What kind of possibilities you see in this place (Youth Centre)? You can meet knew people , you can take part in many lessons that are taught by the volunteers you can learn many things for the other cultures and countless other things ! Thank you very much for this talk and see you in Kentro Neon ;)
Bresia Chojnowska
The volunteers responsible for this publication are hosted in Greece in the framework of the European Erasmus+ programme, KA1/youth - European Voluntary Service. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.