This week we are visiting Annika, 20 years old, from Germany. She is doing her EVS in the children’s center in Rakvere.
What was your main motivation to do EVS?
After school, I did not want to study straight away. And when is the next opportunity? Probably I will directly work after studying, so I said to myself: Let’s do it now.
And I actually wanted to study social work and my project here is also connected to social work. It is good to check out if I really want to study social work and to get some experiences.
And could you confirm your study plans so far?
Yes, I already applied to two universities 🙂
How does a normal day look like?
I come to work at 12 and the children arrive at 1. Before that, we can organize some stuff or do some computer work. Once the children are here, first they start doing their homework. As I now know some Estonian I can help them with it like doing math or English exercises. After homework, sometimes we have a dance day where we put videos or dance with the Wii. Or on other days we do some handcrafting. And every month we are doing a birthday party which is kind of a big project as there is every time a different topic where we do the decoration, costumes or masks.
And how is living in Rakvere?
I really like it. It is a quite nice city. All the volunteers who came to visit me here really enjoyed it as well. Especially because it is not as big as Tallinn but we still have everything like a nice castle, a cinema, and a theater. Most important of course the “Aqua&Spa” with different saunas, slides, and waterpark 😉
Did you choose Rakvere from the beginning?
Not really, first I chose three different projects all over Estonia. One of them was in Tallinn another in the middle of nowhere but all kind of connected to social work more or less. But I am happy that I am here now.
Why did you choose Estonia?
That is the question everyone asks! Actually, it was a lucky choice. My home organization sent me different projects that I could choose from. So, in the end, I didn’t choose the country but the projects. And then I applied and got accepted!
And do you feel any big changes?
I’m way more independent now. I have to do my clothes by myself, to cook for myself. I also have to get out of bed by myself and motivate myself. I plan all my travels by myself. Back in Germany, my parents would have done it but now I can do it myself and I won’t die. I am way more open to new experiences here! I just did some car drifting on a lake and I am still alive!
