The EuroAsi – From Europe to Asia: Capitalizing Experience in Youth Work is now on its most exciting section of the project. How so? Job Shadowing and the European Voluntary Services are fairly new to the Philippine setting and these activities should be a first of a kind that provides opportunities to Filipinos on how volunteering works in Europe, focusing on capacity building and youth development.
My Jobshadowing experience is no accident so they say. I was drafted as one of the Jobshadowers, along with 5 other Boracaynon youth workers having been part of the capacity building in 2015. There are also 6 joining the European Voluntary Services. The process of going to Europe is one difficult task. Visa processing alone is one agonizing experience for a lot of our countrymen. Past the visa approval, the trip is another experience one could have traveling thru time zones. My trip to Cagliari is as similar to the trip to Malta last February where I was on 4 different planes- yes, which would be 8 in total. The major difference is that on Jobshadowing, I am able to integrate with the life of a European worker in the context of an NGO worker providing opportunities to those in need and transfer the best practices from Europe to Asia.
The First Week in Cagliari
The first week is where one newcomer integrates and learns about the history of the place. My first impression of Cagliari is that buildings are built like castles. Cagliari or known as Casteddu literally means castle. The city dates back to being inhabited in the Neolithic times. The city has a rich history with numerous Kingdoms; Cagliari became the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia during the 14th-19th century, a predecessor state of the present Italy. Cagliari is one beautiful and vibrant capital of Sardinia. I am staying in the central district of Marina, near the office of the TDM 2000 International and a few walk away from the office of the TDM 2000. There is a clear difference on what the two organizations are working on, one is the International Network that closely provides opportunities to numerous member organizations all over Europe and the other one provides services to the young people in the region or the Italian country.
The TDM 2000 International team knows how to welcome us well in their country – I felt the very warm welcome despite of the cooler weather compared to what I am used to – the tropical heat. I am with the Indonesian counterpart named Hudry Muhammad, a radio anchor, university professor, speaks French and Italian, and well integrated in the Italian culture as he has been in Sienna, Italy for a year in 2004, he is one lucky man. I have to catch up and learn more about the Italian culture, cuisine, and many more.
For a start, food is delicious. Breakfast favorite is the ‘diplomatico’ with a cup of cappuccino. Lunch could be the famous Italian Spaghetti but to my surprise, no Sardinian menu offers the Spaghetti Bolognese; this dish is common in the Philippines and should be common in the northern part of Italy but not in Sardinia, and other says it is not entirely an Italian cuisine. Pizzas are another favorite lunch in huge servings, can be served and eaten by one person. Cheeses are just everywhere and sweets are all over. I learned to have espresso, not my common coffee in the Philippines but I love good coffee. And also, beer in the afternoon, well it should be similar anywhere in the world. The common 3 in 1 coffee sachets in the county are quite cheap and very sweet. Dinner can be skipped with all these consumptions during the day but a small pizza will do; a glass of great wine and chocolate or cheese in between. All of these favorites are needed to be managed with the ample amount of euro in hand. I do have to keep in mind the value of euro and Philippine peso, as well as the time differences between these two countries.
As a young kid, I always wanted to go to Europe but not in Malta or Italy as a start. I was trying my best to learn German but ended up learning the Italian language more, thanks to the TDM 2000 International who authored this life changing project. Not entirely easy, it will take me ages to do so. Italian language is very challenging.
The work in the first week entails more on the orientation of the day-to-day activities and projects of the TDM 2000 International and TDM 2000. They started as a humble organization in 2000 and now empower more youth all over Europe thru the international network and embarked on an ambitious project with the Philippines and Indonesia.
Throughout the orientation, I have learned that the team behind TDM 2000 International wishes that the ASEAN be able to replicate the work that the European Union does for its people, provide more opportunities to the younger generation funded by the government, and not at the expense of the younger population (parents that is).
Marlo Schoenenberger , Boracay Island, Philippines