I would love to reflect on the past time in Hyvärilä. The first word that comes to my mind is intense. October was a month full of new experiences and learning processes. I had the opportunity to organize a volunteering team and be the camp leader for three weeks. I learned a lot, I discovered new strengths and, noticed some of my weaknesses. I discovered a new topic: kekri, I felt inversed in the Finnish culture once more time. I spend my time with new international people plenty of new ideas and full of energy, some of them will be always in my heart.
What is life if it is not sharing experiences with human beings?
Over again I experimented a nice connection with new people. More than ten nationalities, an international atmosphere that gave me a new way to see the reality.
My role was to run craft workshops and, thanks to that, I learned and I did for real. They showed me different ways to approach the activities, they shared all their creativity, stories and, passions. This learning process goes in both ways. Share our interest goes even further than in the work time. In our free time, we enjoyed doing sports, making fire, dancing, hiking, etc. I discovered that I love to play badminton and that not all the trails that are shown on the maps are suitable for all the seasons.
This experience brought together international people with the local community, from the youngest ones to the elderly people. This is one of the aspects that I most appreciated and, for me, it is the reason to be of these kinds of projects. Share, listen, create, discover something together. Act in a small and concrete place with people from different parts that give their own perspective and knowledge. It doesn’t have to be something big, tiny gestures make a huge impact. During these three weeks, the volunteers participated in different tasks: visiting the elderly home in Nurmes, running craft workshops for kids in different locations, helping to build up an event, making a nature path, collaborating with a local farm, making a horror movie, etc. I was involved in some of them and, I comprehended once again how important is our role as a person in society. Just a simple action can make someone happy and grateful. For example, visiting the elderly home was an emotional moment with a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, happiness to realize that with a simple visit we can make the day of some people and, in contrast, an attention call to myself, realizing that I can do more, that I should do more even with my family members.
Not only this moment will remain in my mind but also seeing how the kids enjoyed the craft workshops made me blissfully happy. Two girls gave to me some draws that they did and it is wonderful remembering that we did a nice job.
What did I learn so far?
I learned about life in general. I go deeply into my values, discovering which are my strengths and my weaknesses, appreciating my most powerful features and, working on my lowest points. I have to say that at this point I feel so grateful for the learning process that already brought me so far, doing things that I had never thought that I’m able to do and, here I am doing it.
As I said before what it’s life without the people that share with you this difficult process that life is itself. If I am at this point is thanks to some people that believe in me. People like my family, friends, and, without doubt, Katya. I warmly say thank you with all my heart, for encouraging me and supporting me always.
It is time for new goals and, I am ready to face a new stage.
With love Laura Glez.
Hyvärilä Volunteers 