INEX Workcamp - EcoSlatinka

Hello my pretty readers, how you've been doing? I hope everything's fine.

Well, this post is going to be a hard one for me to write because many things happened in Slatinka during 2 weeks. Exactly, it was double time and also double people (15 volunteers), which means it was twice challenging being a leader -but Peto and I managed pretty well, or it least that's what I would say.

I just arrived to Zvolen from Banska Stiavnica's APV (it went pretty well, btw), early on 11th of August, Sunday morning. Fortunately Michele -former EVS in Slatinka, nowadays working in Bratislava-, was waiting for me to give me a ride, so I put all my stuff and INEX bag in his trunk and took advantage to buy some snacks for the volunteers before finally arriving to Slatinka.

Once there I met Peto, Janka and Dasa, who had been cleaning and arranging the place since the previous day. We discussed through some important issues about how would be our welcome day and the next working ones and then we started with the picking up of people -they looked so shy and quite that first day, aww.

When arriving to Slatinka, we showed the participants the facilities of the centre: the dry toilets, the 'high-tech' shower and their places to sleep. Later when everybody arrived we had a presentation of Organization Slatinka, our local partner, and we also introduced them some facts about INEX, together with house rules and some games like kiss killer and secret friend (great success, lol).

And after that first encounter the days followed and they are now in my head with non specific order. We had working hours (around 5 a day), and we worked in the garden and roof of the centre, cutting some grass in Zvolen city parks, clearing a touristic path from Slatinka to Zvolen and renovating the wooden bridge of the village, which needed some painting and new oiled wood. I attach some pictures, made by Sarah.

Of course, wortkcamp is not all about work. We had plenty of good times during our free time, playing card games (I specially enjoyed Uno, Russian style, everything's allowed!), creating our international dictionary or just chilling spending some time by the fire.

For me, being a leader in this project has meant a lot. During the first workcamp I perceived Dasa like an experienced support, which gave me the confidence enough to develop basic but solid leadership skills. In this time, I felt like Peto and me where more or less in the same level, which implied having to invest more energy and time for managing the group. In any case, watching the group eventually evolve and reinforce their bonds it's always nice, and I'm very proud to have taken part in this process.

For summing up, I'm a proud mamma who is very glad she met all this lovely kids in Slatinka -see how pretty we are. I think the project was amazing because of them, because they are amazing. I miss them quite a lot right now, but I have the feeling that we will meet sometime again, who knows where and when -to nevadi.

Last but not least, I also want to mention Slatinka like a magical place in the middle of nowhere. Just sitting in the morning by the river and breathing in its natural air made me feel peaceful and complete. I wish people will really be more aware about the importance of taking care of places like this -and I'm glad that's the job Slatinka's organization is doing.

That's all folks, take care and warm hugs,

Ali

PS: All pictures I used were made by Sarah. Here you can check the whole album from her visit to our workcamp.