I finally arrived in Cagliari after a 27 hour journey from the Boracay, Philippines to China to Rome then to Sardinia. It was a long and tiring trip to get here but the excitement I had for this great opportunity kept me alive.
First thing I did when I got to my apartment in Cagliari was to rest and recover so I can make it to the amazing Italian seafood welcome dinner that the organization had prepared for me that night. I was introduced to the people of the organization that I am volunteering for, TDM2000 and EuroAsi. The EuroAsi – From Europe to Asia: ‘Capitalizing Experience in Youth Work’ is an Erasmus plus program which goes on for 3 weeks where I, as a job shadower, experiences TDM2000’s day to day activities and projects and learn how the organizations in Europe collaborate with each other.
Since I’ve been here I got to work on different projects like advertising the different events for the organization, fundraising, updating the online library for members around the world and visibility through social media. We also got the chance to join a class at the University of Cagliari to present and speak about youth mobility and the different programs students can join through the many projects of Erasmus+.
We got the chance to meet the University students, made new friends and contacts and hopefully influenced them to join a youth mobility program in the future. We also had a TDM2000 booth at a big youth festival called Cityfest where interested people could come to our booth and ask information about the different volunteer work they could do from all around Europe. It was so much fun meeting new people and dancing to the music from different Italian bands playing on stage.
The best part about this EuroAsi program is that not only do I get to work in this awesome organization, but also at the same time get to travel and explore Sardinia, Italy on the weekends! On my first weekend here we hiked up the Sella del Diavolo, a 30 minute hike up a mountain which had the most amazing panoramic view of Cagliari. It’s definitely a must see for anyone who comes to Cagliari, it is so beautiful my photos don’t do it any justice. After seeing Sella del Diavolo we drove to Poetto beach and of course enjoyed some delicious Italian gelato and Cappuccino in the sun while watching the kite boarders and wind surfers show off their tricks in the water.
After just my first weekend here I was already so in love with Cagliari, the culture, the friendly locals, and especially the delicious Italian food!
Last weekend I watched a soccer match with new friends I met who are exchange students of Erasmus+ and volunteers for TDM2000 as well. It was a home game and tickets were sold out, we had reserved seats at the North of the stadium which is basically for the hardcore Italian fans of team Cagliari so we brought with us our 5 euro scarves that had “Forza Cagliari” in red and blue and waved it in the air whenever the fans went crazy and an exciting play happened in the game. The game was so exiting and we were screaming and cheering along with the fans the different chants and cheers they had for their team, some of us even lost our voice from all the cheering, “Forza!!! Cagliari!!!” In the end the score was a tie 2:2 between Cagliari and the opposing team, Livorno.
To be able to travel to another country and work for an organization where I can learn so much and be a part of an NGO is a dream. I have grown so much and learned so many things already and the program isn’t even over yet, I still have 10 days to keep exploring and learning as much as I can so I can share my knowledge with other people in my country, and possibly the rest of Southeast Asia.
Tara Lee Parvus, Boracay Island, Philippines
Job Shadower in TDM 2000