If you choose to spend one year in another country as an EVS, as I did, you definitely know that what you expect is not always what you find. No one is here for the same reasons and no one is looking for the same things. Different ages mean different experiences. Different backgrounds mean different expectations, and above all, different ways to live the EVS.
Now I am leaving from Cyprus after almost one year spent as an international aid worker. Gaining experience, once again, with the purpose of growing professionally in a field as charming as this is challenging. Leaving a comfortable life, living far from parents, friends and loved ones, choosing to survive with a small amount of money every month. But still, one step forward in coming closer to acquiring a job in one of the currently most competitive fields in the non-profit sector. EVS surely gives an added value to your experiential profile. Questionable or not, this is the meaning that I gave to my volunteering experience as an EVS in Cyprus.
Besides, the concept of volunteering has changed considerably over years. Not only volunteering has a specific meaning for who actually volunteers but also for the organization who hosts volunteers. A volunteer can work as an intern or an assistant, or can even get responsibilities as an officer. In other words, the term “volunteer” contains a multitude of facets which means different tasks, responsibilities and activities, with the exception of a salary. Recently, contracts of employment as a volunteer started also to circulate, which can cause a misinterpretation of the concept of volunteerism itself, as well as giving rise to dangerous mechanisms.
As a volunteer, you might be asked to do something that you would never expect, even something not related to your profile and qualifications. Being multi-tasking and flexible is important in those situations, as well as trying to find the bright side from any experience in a learning perspective. You will even feel like a burden at certain times. In those cases, sense of initiative and proactivity are fundamental to overcome frustration and boredom.
Be ready to live a volunteering experience that not always meets your expectations. Be ready to adapt yourself. But especially, be ready to accept failures. Learn from them and help others learn from you. This is the best contribution you can provide – this is what will probably give your experience the meaning it deserves.