Minu Eestimaa - Estonia and me, an exhibition in France

Hello Everybody,

Long time no see!! or no writting better said. I haven't forgotten Estonia. Not the least. I am preparing a photo exhibition like I did in my organisation just before I left the country. I would like to raise 500€ to print the pictures in a foam-board to give better results.

If you want to help me in this project, go to this page. It's a crowfunding website like Kickstarter if you know it. It is safe as it is regulated. The money will not be withdrawned from your account before the end of the period (April 10th) and only if we reach the goal of 500€. According to your pledge, you could receive a great reward: a copy of one of the pictures I will pick up for the exhibition. The higher you pledge, the bigger the picture could be. 

Don't wait more and visit the page for my exhibition, Minu Eestimaa - Estonia and me.

Merry Christmas!! Joyeux Noël!!

Merry Christmas and all the best for my readers, their family and friends and everyone in between for who health, joy, good fortune and work will bless them in the coming new year.

Here is a map of all the countries I received visits on my blog. It might not be 100% accurate but pretty close. The darker it is, the more visits I received on my blog.

They will be sad when I will leave.

    Last week we launched the exhition about our pictures and art in our organisation. We had the surprise to have some TV reporter from Estonia national channel coming to shoot something to make a short news report about our event. so if you want to watch it, just click on the link below. It should open in another window. Tell me it is not playing in your country. 

News Report on ETV1, Wednesday Sept 12th, 2012.

all right reserved.

Dinner's Ready!!!!

    A few days after I arrived in Estonia, I was invited to a cooking class for a dinner with a south-african Chef working in Tallinn, Paul Senosi. Uudo told me then I had to see how he was doing since I would need to do the same sometime in the future. When I was what Paul did, I was a bit worried of what I would have to do as we had a feast that night. I ended up with all the rest of food in doggy bag since nobody wanted it. I had enough food for one week!! Some months passed without notice about this until Uudo asked me to think about what I would do for a training he will have a few weeks later. So I had to think about one or two dishes to do for around 25 people.

   He advertised very soon about the French and Macedonian cooking classes as he knew since October last year. The people divided themselves like 2/3 for French cuisine and 1/3 for Macedonian cuisine. As we expected nice weather for that day, I had to prepare something really French, easy and cheap for a barbecue. That BBQ part was the most difficult one. I couldn’t think about something we are doing especially for bbq. Uudo went to France last year and he told me he really enjoyed the brochettes he had there. When he told me that, I thought it would be a good idea to do it since in Estonia, they don’t really have it the way we do in France. 

    I didn’t want to use pork in my recipe as I had enough and beef was a bit too expensive for so many people. So I choose marinated chicken as it was easier and I finally had an occasion to try it. I went online to find good recipes, mixed them somehow and ended up with something I like. I decided to try it a few days before just in case I had to change it. I used Provence Herbs and this proved to be quite successful. All participants took it in picture to try to find it in Estonia. I was sorry to break it but this mix of herbs is hard to find outside France. It is used for BBQ mainly but it is not imported in Estonia where BBQ is like a national sport in summer. Everybody participated more or less actively in cutting the chicken, the peppers, press the lemon and lime, pour the olive oil and leave it to rest for one hour at least. Then we prepared the brochettes before grilling them. It was actually the longest part of the whole day since everybody eat it in a snap!!

Minu Eestimaa - L'estonie et moi

    Now, I'm in the final month of my European Voluntary Service in Nooruse Maja. So I have to think about how to arrange things to go back to France and how I can leave a footprint here. The latter being of course exceptional because I will do it. XD

   When I arrived here in Estonia, my tutor Uudo told about an exhibition we should do by the end of our EVS with Katerina. He told us to think about this when we are travelling around the country to take some very good quality pictures to be used for this exhibition.

   And now have come the time to do it. We agreed on the dates (Sept 8th-19th), the preview (Sept 8th, same day as our open door afternoon). I selected about 19 pictures from which I should only take half since I have to share the frames with Katerina. I also asked for some help from Hana, the new volunteer from Czech Republic who will take our place. She did a really great job for the photo montage I kindly request her to do for the exhibition. You can see it on the poster i made today. It is a montage made of pictures I took, except one I must say (thanks Daire ;) to recreate a map of Estonia and its provinces. 

   I'm trully happy with this work. The montage also shows the effort of dissemination and collaboration between EVS, the handover of our work here to the new person volunteering in our organisation. During my EVS, I had to help Uudo about reports for projects he took part in and lots of times we had the question how we could do follow-up and dissemination. Having Hana preparing this with my pictures can be also a good presention of her skills. 

    So if you want to join us for this exhibition, please come in Nooruse Maja, roheline 1b, Pärnu 80036 from Saturday Sept 8th to 19th and enjoy our pictures and arts about how we see Estonia, the places we visited. I haven't thought much about it, but if there are some pictures you like, it might be possible to make a reproduction so you can get it back home for a fair price.

Finally a good selection of French cheese

     What was my surprise to find this good selection of French cheese in this supermarket. I wasn’t looking especially for that, just trying to find some place where I could be covered from the rain. By chance, I stumble upon that fine area of the supermarket.

     We already found a small shop in the big market next to the bus station where they were selling French cheese. I didn’t know Latvians enjoy so much this national treasure the world envy us.

     We couldn’t wait to buy a cheese in each of those shops, one of lunch and one for dinner. When I say lunch or dinner, we litteraly eat only this with some good bread. Some turkish bread went with the first cheese and a ciabbata bread was used for the camembert for dinner. We bought it around 5pm but we didn’t get home before 10pm. So the camembert was very runny, so much we could eat it with a spoon !

     I almost forget about the other culinary treasure I found in Riga. That friend who knew Riga brought us to this French café where I could find some really nice croissants and « pains au chocolat ». They really tasted like home. The first day we went there even though I had my breakfast, I could’nt resist having one of each. My body and my mind would never thank me enough for that. I had to go back there before I took my bus back to Pärnu to get some croissants and « pains au chocolat » for my breakfast.

Riga

     When I went to my on-arrival training for my voluntary service, they reminded us not to focus only on working. I couldn’t agree more on that. I know for a fact if I don’t have a way to relax somehow, I’ll go crazy and won’t be able to work properly. So when I was asked to go to Riga, capital of Latvia for a few days, I jump on the occasion as this city was one of the things on my list of prospective visits.

     (Side note in the middle of the text : one tip to remember in which order the baltic countries are located on the map if you mix them together. You have to take them in alphabetical order –Estonia, Latvia & Lituania- and place them from north to south on the map, next to the border with Saint Petersburg, in Russia)

     I also didn’t hesitate to come as my friends already took care of the accomodation finding someone for couchsurfing. I didn’t have a clue about the cost of living there until I met this group of american students who came to Pärnu for a Choir Festival. They told us the exchange rate was 2USD for 1Lat. i found later for €, it was 1.4EUR for 1Lat. So In decided to be on a budget time. Luckily for me, one of us knew the city and showed us where to go eating for a cheap price. Next to the bus station there is this huge market where in one of the four halls, you could find some bakeries which offered snacks for a cheap price. We went there for our breakfast and some time for some of the other meals.

     Concerning the visits, we essentially went to the old town on Thursday afternoon and nothing much the rest of the time as it was very cloudy and rainy. It’s sad as I wanted to see the different parks in the centre. Unfortunately there isn’t much very old building due the bombs in the 2^nd World War. The remaining building are still very nice to see. On a lot of them, we could feel the russian influence. They are in serious need for a renovation. They already started but i twill take time to renovate everything.

Dalida travelling to Estonia

     As I was visiting a different area in Tallinn, usually not well known by tourists, the port and Kalamaja or Fish House, I stumble upon a second hand shop with lots of vinyl discs. Among other things, this french singer from the 1970's, Dalida. Yes, you read it right. I found a vynil disc of Dalida, one of the most famous French singers in a small country like Estonia. It was indeed a bit unrealistic to see it but I enjoy this view.

Bon Appétit: Wheat Fricassee in Provence style

For the recipe, click on the picture (in french only).

Preparation : 15min, cooking : 20/25min.

Ingredients :

150grs of bulgur - if you can’t find it, use wheat grains

1 big can of tuna in brine or oil – around 100grs or 3.6 oz of fresh tuna

(if you want to do it with meat, 250/300grs of chicken will do the trick)

2 big tomatoes

½ a medium onion

I red pepper

1 courgette/zucchini

½ eggplant

1 big can of Tomato Purée

Olive Oil, salt, pepper

Preparation :

Wash, peel (except the pepper) and cut all vegetables, and meat if needed, into small cubes.

In a big frying pan, cook until golden the onion along with the pepper

Then add vegetables, salt, pepper and stir

At this moment, you should put the bulgur or wheat to cook like rice

Just before the water is completely evaporated, add the chicken if you choose meat. In case of fish, wait until there is no more water from the vegetables.

Pour the tomatoe purée diluded in water (to your convenience) ; let it stew for a few minutes at low heat

About 5 minutes before the wheat is al dente, pour it into the frying pan with the preparation and let it stew during a few minutes on low heat.

Be careful : do not let the tomatoe sauce stick onto the pan. You should be able to have lots of sauce ; Add more water if you want.

Media Review: on the net

Hello all,

Here is a link to a blog whose owner interviewed us last week. We talkd about our implication in the EVS projects, why we came to Estonia, what our plans are beside working in our organisation.
http://blog.maaleht.ee/parnumaa/?p=39889
Yup, the link is in estonian, the translation will follow (hopefully soon).

Media review: In the press

Here is an article published in a local newspaper, the Parnu Postimees, about me and Katerina, the other volunteer in Nooruse Maja. English will follow next week.

Welcome to the Penguins!

When we were given a small tour of of the city on Friday afternoon before going shopping for food and necessary things (hurray for a warm pair of shoes), our driver showed us briefly where was the river that flows inside the city. As it was very cold outside, we just saw it from the car window. We saw some people on the icey river and we were told they were fishing. Some people are coming during winter times to the river, make a hole and then fish by -20°c/-4°f with some wind of course. They’re called the penguins by locals as they try to get their fish from the ice. 

As I wanted to do almost like them, walking on the ice, I decided to do it on a better day. I can’t really warmer day as I had to wait for temperatures of around -10°C/14°F. This was done this Thursday morning when I was going to my organisation. I went with the other volunteer walking from the simpliest way possible and it implies going over the river. I told her I would do it and she was a bit scared of falling in the ice. I wouldn’t have done it in France but here, it’s ok as we have around 30/40cm/1.4 feet of ice. If local people are doing it, why not me? After we both arrived on the other side of the river, she was relieved I was ok. I wouldn’t mind though doing it more times…

Au revoir la France, Tere Eesti !! (2)

Upon arrival at Charle-de-Gaulle, I went directly to leave my registred luggage at the counter to be more free to wander in the airport. As I suspected, the stewart asked me to weigh both of my luggages which was a first time for my hand luggage. Even when I was travelling with other low cost companies, they never did that !! so I feared to pay for those 3 extra kilos. He asked me to take away enough things to put in my registered suitcase to finally « offering » me those 3kgs. He told me he won't make me pay this time but I should be careful next time. My flights went ok, except the lay-over in Riga. We were all waiting for the plane to take off but we heard several times the pilot telling us not to worry as they were waiting for the control tower to give the green light. I still don't know why we left the airport when we were supposed to arrived as I didn't understand the reasons for that. 

After we landed, I rushed to the luggage claim to take my suitcase and join my tutor, Uudo, and the other volunteer, Katerina from the Former Yougoslavian Republic of Macedonia who arrived 5h earlier than me. I couldn't make her wait more time as we were all tired and wanted to crash in our beds in Parnu. Uudo directly took us to our guest house where we will be spending all our night while in the city. After quickly connecting to the Internet to leave a message to the parents (very important!!), I went straight to the arms of Morpheus zzzzzzz

Au revoir la France, Tere Eesti !! (1)

Going to Estonia wasn't that easy to prepare at home and thanks to the different transport companies, tt would have been even « better ».

Preparing my suitcase wasn't an easy task. I could only take 20kg/44lbs in my registered luggage and 8kg/17.6lbs in my hand luggage. This is not very much when you're supposed to travel an stay in the same place for 8 months. I didn't know how this company, Air baltic would do with my suitaces, if they will be very strict or not about the weight. I finally ended with 20,2kg/44lbs and 11kg/22lbs which was still ok I thought. I haven't counted my laptop and kept my finger crossed for the check-in not to weigh this and make me pay for some extra kilos.

So I woke up on Thursday at 5am (ouch!) to get prepared to go to the train station for my train to arrive at Paris Airport Charles de Gaulle around 10.45am. Until my first change, it was ok but from there until a lay-over near Paris and the airport, I got delayed. Usually the french TGV (High speed train) is going very fast and on time but that day, other trains had problems and we had to wait for them. In the end I was about 45 min late at the airport. It's for those kind of events I prefer to arrive early at the airport as I don't want to rush to the registring gate.

My sending organisations

Maisonde Quartier du Val d'Ornay (Neighborhood House of Val d'Ornay)

This a place of gathering for people of this district locate in the south-west of my home town, la Roche sur Yon in France. She offers permanent activities like art and crafts, a choir, yoga, hiking, gymnastics, sports (basket-ball, BMX), sign language classes, judo, activities for mums and very young children, etc.

Maison du Monde et des Citoyens

The « Maison du Monde et des Citoyens » is a department dedicated to international affairs created by the city of La Roche sur Yon more than ten years ago. Citizens can find : information on international subjects (solidarity, twinnings, development in less-favored countries, the European Union), advices and help for individual and collective projects on international matters, a section on animations and organisation of lectures on Europe and international themes.

Accredited Centre Europe Direct, she also aims for helping the internationel mobility of young people thanks to the documention and information at their disposal on financial logistic supports (Grant « Ulysse » to help for solidarity, discovery and intercultural exchanges ; Grant « Discover Europe » to encourage youngs from 16 to 30 years to discover at least two european countries outside any school or job programs), travelling and internships in foreign countries. Inernet information.

Nooruse Maja, my host organisation.

Nooruse Maja is a non-profital organization based in Pärnu, summer capital of Estonia, 130km from Tallinn and 190km from Riga, on the Baltic shore. Nooruse Maja is a cultural house that provides many opportunities for the local community but also with many people we have contact with over the world. they offers with their Folk University languages, computer, art classes but also they have associations who offer a wide variety of activities throughout the year such as zumba, ballroom dances, etc.

Nooruse Maja is more than just a cultural house, they are also a gateway to Europe, a people's university, a place to talk about your project, to share and meet with new people. To make it short here you can learn, enjoy and share with different kind of people.

The EVS, whatisthat?

First, I will explain what is a European Voluntary Service or EVS.

What ?

The EVS is a part of the european program « Youth in Action » which includes among other actions youth exchange, youth in the world, the European Voluntary Service.

Every young european from 13 to 30 can apply for a voluntary work in one of the accredited organisations in another european country, other than his native country. They can choose among a wide range of subjects like environment, health, social exclusion, art and culture, children, minorities, european awareness.

How ?

The EVS is rely on a contract between the sending organisation, the volunteer and the host organisation. The volunteer will have a tutor who will help them to set up their application, to prepare for departure and in the host country.

After the application receives the ok for the project, the host or sending organisation will receive fundings from the EU to cover for all charges (transport, accomodation, food, insurance, training). It allows all EVS hopefuls to have an interesting and great experience without declining due to money problem, thus impeding the mobility of young Europeans. In the host organisation, the volunteer will receive some pocket money to cover for personal extras.

When ?

From 2012, all projects can be sent to the national agency on three different dates each year, instead of five before. All applications must be sent at the lastest at the date of the « round » that correspond to the date of departure and it's usually done by the host organisation. The deadlines are now :

February, 1^st: for projects starting between May, 1^st and October, 31^st of the same year

May 1^st: for projects starting between August, 1^st of the same year and January, 31^st of the following year

October, 1^st : for projects starting between January, 1^st and June 30st of the follwoing year.

The EVS can be short term (from 2 weeks to 2 months) or long term (from 6 months to 12 months). After completion of the EVS, the volunteer will receive a Youthpass, a personal accreditation and recognition of his abilities developped or learned during his EVS.

For Further information :

Youth in Action: Site dedicated to the European program

Database of accredited organisations: you can have a look on the different organisations and themes of the projects.

Welcome to my blog !

In this tiny piece of Internet, you will find texts and news about my experience as a European Volunteer in Parnu on the west coast of Estonia.

I will share my thoughts, what I like or hate, my visits, my photos and all those little things that make an experience unforgetable.

Whether you like or hate, want to make comments, do not hesitate to write a message in this blog. I will try to answer to all and update as often as possible. 

Enjoy!