Caravan of volunteering

On 8th of October we had international guests in the library. They came with "Caravan of volunteering". It was organize by DEINETA and the route of it was going through few Lithuanian towns Shvenchionys - Zarasai - Anykščiai - Tytuvėnai - Plunge. 
At list 8 guys came. Among them were 5 lithuanian volunteers and 3 international  - 2 girls from Italy Francesca and Gioia and Judith from Germany. They had a mission to promote and share with young people information about volunteering oportunities, DEINETA's work and projects. 

This meeting was very interesting. Girls shared their huge volunteer's experience. For example, Francesca and Gioia participated in some local Italian projects and projects in Nepal and Brasil. And Judith had her project in Armenia. Her project was long term but it wasn't EVS.
Girls was coming to Lithuania first time and was impressed of Lithuanian nature and culture. 

We spent time in very interesting discussion and everybody after it was really inspired. Hope some of that young guys will try volunteering even just once!!!

Salakas. Ignalina. Palūše

At the second week end of September (from 13th to 14th) I was in Salakas with some other volunteers. We celebrated all together birthdays of two volunteers Max's from France and Angels' from Spain. There were 14 guys from Franse, Russia, Lithuania, Armenia, UK, Spain, Netherlandes and Ukraine. We spent nice week end all together. We played in active games on a beach, walked to the forest, drove bicycles, made barbeque - meat for non-vegetarians and vegetables and mushrooms for vegetarians. On a brakfast is was a pankakes with zucchini and apples. It was cool and fun time and unusual international birthday party I ever have been!!! 

After Salaka at the same week end (from 14th to 16th). I was in Ignalina. I desided to visit Alba also volunteer from Spain who works there and visit Aukštatia National Park in Palūše where she works. It's one of the biggest parks in Lithuania. It's really huge and very beautiful. I was impressed. This park is quite popular and well known among not just local people but also among foreign tourists. There are a lot of activities for visitors. The park is full of different tracks (for cars, foot walking or boat trips). I was on one foot track - "Botanical track". It's very short distance just 3,5 km with 7 stopes. On each of that stopes you can read and learn some info about protected lithuanian plants. Also there are a lot of wooden sculptures around the park but unfortunately most of it is destroyed or in a very bad condition. And Alba as a restaurator tries to take care about it. She cleans and covers each of it by protected material. I think she is doing very good and useful job for this park! It was nice meeting and I happy I could see one more beautiful Lithuanian place and meet with Alba now my friend!

Night of reading. Book fair. Day of Zarasai

In the middle of August in Zarasai and in the library was several events.

At the 14th of August was a "Night reading". It's an every year event. People could come to the library, relax and listen some poets.

This year this event was organizing in very interesting way. It was not just simply poetry but it was combined with jazz and sand drawings. I could say it was amazing combination )))

So people came at 9 pm. Our reading hall of the library was full. Everybody wanted to see how it would be. And it was interesting. People set and listened some lithuanian poets. The event started at 9 and finished at midnight. Everybody enjoed the event and for my opinion had very interesting evening. Hope next year it also will be something similar!

On a 15th of August our library participated in a book fair. The event took part on the main square. There were some publishing houses who presented their production. I really liked "Nieko rimto" (www.niekorimto.lt).It has very interesting and beautiful design of books and postcards. Each design is unique and made by different artists and illustrators.

At the same day as book fair also Zarasai celebrated birthday. So in the evening on that day on the main square was a big concert. The main band played there was pop-folk band "KITAVA". The guys were very energetic and funny. Volunteers from Salakas and some other volunteers from another short-term project in Antalepte (about 15 guys) also came to Zarasai and we spent time all together. It was nice evening with fireworks at the end of the day.

Volunteer's festival

At the beginning of August I was on the volunteer's fest "SAVAS FESTAS". It was from 9th till 10th of August in small place Rėkalnis 2 km far from Trakai. The organizators was SALTES one volunteer's organization in Lithuania. The festival was during weekend.
It was a big festival. Mostly there were lithuanian volunteers but also were some EVS volunteers like me (about 15 totally).
To get the place of the festival you could by hitchhike. SALTES offered to all participanse join hitchhike race. And for example I did it with one girl from Spain ) It was really interesting. In the morning I came to Ignalina from Zarasai to meet with that girl (also EVS) by hitchhike and after we were going together to Vilnius and than to Rekalnis (place of the fest) by hitchhike too. It was so amazing and interesting. We met so many interesting and kind people on the road. 
The festival was organize on 4 different stages: organizations fair, eco zone, volunteer's zone, extreme zone.
So everybody could chose a stage and workshop he is interesting more that others and participate in it. The programe was very intensive and interesting.
The organizators also organize one free dinner for everyone. And in the evening and during the night there was interesting concert of the few lockal bands. Actially the fest was near the lake so nobody was boring! 
So my main conclusion about that event can be just positive. I could say my weekend wasn't boring and I really enjoy the time and company we were together

                                                                 Rėkalnis. Trakai. Place of the fest

Music festival "Roko Naktys 2014"

At the middle of August from 15th till 17th of August Zarasai toke place for another big music event. It was festival of a rock and similar music styles. Everything was organized as "Galapagai" on an island of the lake of Zarasai. It's interesting this fest normally take place in a different places each year and the organizators told before they wants to organize it in Varena but they changed their mind and finaly decided to do it in Zarasai.
Many people came to this fest but not too much as to "Galapagai". It was I think due to the style of music cause not so many people likes 'hard'. For sure pop music is more popular among people.
I didn't go on it due to my personal reasons (music style, money - ticket was not so cheap for me)  but as I know it was great!

So next year welcome to Zarasai or enother place to visit this fest )))
And more info about this event you could find on the official web page www.rokonaktys.lt

300 lakes rally

From 7th till 9th of August in Nothen-Easten region of Lithuania was big event - rally "300 lakes". This rally is very populas among lockals. The route is always the same. It starts from Visaginas, goes throught Zarasai and ends in Salakas. Different cars participated In the rally professionals and non-professionals. The participans was from different countries Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. Mostly the drivers on their cars were from one country but at the same time were also mix. For example I checked one car the drivers were from Russia and Poland.

First day the drivers represented their cars. And they started one by one each 5 minutes a new car. I also looked on the cars it stayed on the main square before start. I even found one car from my region in Russia! When I did I couldn't belive in it ))) But it was funny! It would be like a memory about this event )))

I saw just part of the rally in Zarasai cause it was for free. Normally the price for one ticket was 35 lt - not so expencive and not so cheap.

The part I saw was enough to imagine how it was at all. So I could say it was amazing, incredible and exciting ))) Could you imagine a car goes very fast at the same time has to move in difficult turn! Some drivers were crazy and their cars overturned just on the road. Yes, from time to time there was a little bit dangerous.

To tell the truth this rally is one of the favourite events of people. Not only me came to watch rally. I could say there was the most big fans of it!!!

It was my first time I saw this kind of event. And I liked it very much! Especially for emotions I get during and after )))

Marathon for disabled

On 7th of August I participated in marathon for disabled.
It was a special project from 6th till 13th of August organized all together by 3 countries Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus. It called "Green routes without obstacles". There were about 30 disabled from this countries. They had to drive about 350 km on wheelchairs during about one week. One day they were staying in one place.
The organizators in Lithuania was Grazhute regional park. The road of the marathon was going through Zarasai and I desided to join to volunteers from Grazhute and help them.
Our main task was help to disabled to moving in hard parts of the way. Also we organized accomodation for them  - were preparing a camp with tents to sleep, making food and organizing eating place.
It was totally new experience for me. I couldn't say it was easy to do but I happy I get it and could help to guys.

 Marathon. Day in Zarasai.

Music festival "Galapagai 2014"

Last weekend (at 1th and 2th of August) in Zarasai was organizing big music festival "Galapagai 2014".
This year like everytime there was many-many people. All people was from different countries but of course mostly from Lithuania and Zarasai. Galapagai toke place in one big island which situated in Zarasai and surounded by the lake. People could come and stay in their tents. It's very comfortable cause you can every time enjoy the fest and music.
On the fest was a few stages with different kind of music. Main stage was with rock - pop music. The most interesting band for me have played there were The Baseballs (rock-n-roll) from Germany, also SKAMP (rock-r'n'b), Lemon Joy (pop-rock) and Leon Somov & Jazzu (soul) from Lithuania. Another stage was mostly with different kind of electronical music. I really enjoyed Mr.Woodnote and Lyl Rhys (hip-hop/jazz) from UK and Jurgis Didžiulis (electronica) from  Lithuania.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Mary and me
 

I was on the fest together with some other past and present volunteers who also interested in it. So there also were Alba (girl from Spain). She is working in National park in Ignalina. And Mary (girl from Armenia) who works in Anykščiai regional park. Also there were two italian girls Barbara and Cinzia. They worked in the library last year. They came to Zarasai to visit library and their lithuanian friends.
We spent amazing weekend all together. I could say it was one of the most interesting and unusual time I had during EVS. The company and atmosphere on the fest was really friendly and cozy. If I ll be able to do it again in the future I would be happy to visit Galapagai once (but may be not once) again. And I definitely recomend you doing the same and you ll try to feel the same emotions I had.

                                 International team on Lithuanian festival. Cinzia, Barbara, Alba and me

Weekend in Dzukija National Park

At the end of June from 21th till 24th I was in Dzukija National Park in Marcinkonys exactly. This Park is situated on the South of Lithuania.
I was there with some other volunteers. Generally there were 11 EVS volunteers from different regions of Lithuania. We spent very interesting weekend all together.
We slept in a tents and cooked on a open fire.
First day we made a cycling trip around Park. We saw beautiful Park's nature. There are so many lakes! That place very popular among lockals and tourists. They come to the Park fo rest, fishing, gether berries and moshrooms on a wild nature.
At the evening we cooked potatoes with different vegetables. That meal was very delicios cause everybody was very tired after interesting and eventful day.
Next day we stayed in our tent's camp. We swam in the lake and got sunbathing. At the evening that day we played one interesting game. We devided in 3 groups and explaned and guessed different words. It was funny.
At the third and last day in Dzukija we made a canoeing on Ula river. It was great and it's true. We spent about 6 hours on a open water! Our way wasn't so easy cause there were many old trees and branches. And it was like a barriers on our way. But we were able to do it. We went through all barriers till an end point. We did good and hard job!
So that weekend was wery interesting. I could say for that guys let's do it again. To tell the truth everything was amazing and fantastic. Everyone left in Dzukija a part of themselves. I believe I'll back one day to the Park again!!!

Before canoeing on Ula river. Our team

Evening of short movies. Beer fest

The begining of June was not so active. But we had some activities.

On the 11th of June we had an Evening of short movies. People could see different movies of russian and lithuanian directors. All movies were showing in different time on Russian Movie Festival "Message to human". The programme of Evening was very interesting:

1. Kat and kasha (animation) 2010, Russia, director Vyacheslav Kaminsky, duration 5 min

    Animation story about a cat. Cat is eating kasha and kasha is eating a kat.

2. Hunger (fiction) 2008, Lithuania, director Julia Zubavičienė, duration 10 min

    The movie is about love and humanity.

3. 1937 (fiction) 2011, Russia, director  Svetozar Golovlev, duration 18 min

     It happened in 1937. A young couple takes a train to the outskirs of Moscow in order to     secretly baptize their child.

4. Fly under Lithuania or 510 seconds of silent (documental) 2000, Lithuania, directors Arūnas Matelis and Audrius Stotis, duration 10 min

    The movie is showing Lithuania from the plane. It was present on the international exhibition "EXPO 2000", where it received a lot of good reviews and awards

5. Away (fiction) 2012, Russia, director Anna Sarukhanova, duration 17 min

    The story is about a boy. He is invited to go abroad, and must resolve to abondon his ordinary life, friends, family and his girlfriend for a vague future.

6. Tomato story (animation) 2010, Russia, directors Olga and Tatiana Poliektovy, duration 4 min

    Animation humoristic story about two ladies who decided to grow tomatoes.

As you could see on that Evening was shown six different short movies. 

I hope people had interesting, unusual and  not boring evening )))

We created that Evening as a part of our new every week summer activity - Summer Cinema Club. That Evening was a begining of the Club. The main idea of this Club is showing for lockals  the best movies from library‘s video collection. So, this Club will be every Wednesday during all summer season. For example, on 18th of June everybody could see exellent movie "Slumdog millionaire", on 26th of June - "Impossible".

Also it will be a part of our summer programme - Summer Reading for Kids. During this summer programme kids could come to the library on each Thursday and have different activities with librarians like crafts and reading books by different ways.

 Summer reading programme for kids

On the 14th of June we were on the Beer Festival in Vasaknos. 
Vasaknos is very small and beautiful vilage near small town Dusetos in Zarasai's region. We were there together with my sister. She came from Moscow to visit me. Also our mentor Virginija and two other volunteers Martin and Max were there too. Martin (from Spain) is working with me in the library and Max (from France) is working in Grazhute Regional Park were there.

So, we were on a fest together.

We tried a lot of sorts of lockal beer, listerned music from few lockal bands.

Generally I can say we spent nice time together. The fest was very funny, interesting and memorable.

Vasaknos. Place of Beer festival

Poetry Spring. Open touristic season

The end of May was very active.

At 22th of May the library had a big event - Poetry Spring. This year the event is celebrating an anniversary - 50 years!
Difference poets and singers was coming to the library that evening. All of them read their poems and novels. At the end of the evening all guests could eat tasty cake! 

At 23th and 24th of May Zarasai had another big event - open touristic season!
First day, on 23th of May our library organized a "Library Outside". We organized some tents on the ground in front of the library. There were 7 places with different activities. 1 tent was with drawing for kids. 2 was also for kids where they could guess crossword about music and tryed to make some basic misician instruments. 3 was a cinema for a kids where they could watch 4 different cartoons. 4 was for us - volunteers. We created also one craft activity for kids. We made a baloons with rise. Our activity was very popular among kids and their parents. Some kids asked us to make a baloons for them and some parents also asked make the same but for them as an adult! So, I could say our activity was very funny and interesting! In 5 tent you could drink a cold tea and eat a tasty sweets. 6 was for an adults where each person could seat and read a book. And in the last 7 place you could make a funny pic like you're Shrek from famous cartoon! To add to this 7 tents we organized bowling and soap football. That games also were very popular among kids, especially football. It was funny!

Next day at 24th of May was a big music festival all day. The day began with open of new high-board on a city beach. The kids liked it very much. They started to jump immediately. Then after lunch the festival started. There were presenting folk lockal songs and dances,Latvian, Italian and Malta's tradition dances and songs, electronic and rock music. So, fest was international. I think all people who came really enjoed it! That day finished with big firework.
I enjoyed this event very much. I'll wait next fest cause it'll be regular during all summer season!

Library outside. Craft activity with volunteers

Anniversary of museum

On 16th of May Zarasai's history museum celebrated an anniversary. The museum organized an excursion to Stelmužė. It's small vilage near Zarasai and very close to borders of Latvia and Belarus. One old wooden chirch and very old oak (Stelmužės ąžuolas) are situated there.

That place is very famous among lockals and tourists.

The chirch was built without any nail. It's very beautiful. The atmosphere inside is really calm and quiet. It's a good place for meditation.

Oak is also very old. It is about 1500 years. This oak one of the oldest trees around Europe. In 1960 Stelmužė oak was declared a natural monument and included in the number of protected sites in Lithuania. Oak height is 23 meters! It's empty inside.The oak has one legend. One soldier run away from Napoleon's army.  He hid inside of the oak during one frozen night. He dead. His body was found only after years.

Also administration of the museum organized a concert for their guests. It was a concert of classical music. The musicians played a different melodies from Bach and Chaikovsky to Piazzolla. To tell the truth I don't like classical music so much but I really liked that small concert cause it wasn't be so boring. The programm was very difference and interesting. I enjoed it very much! I'm planning to go Stelmuže again!

Oak in Stelmužė

Onion Fest

On the 10th of May we vizited Onion fest. It's a traditional event which organizing every year in Zarasai. Lockal people believe that this day all onion should be planted. This event took part on an old watermill about 5 km far from Zarasai. The fest was starting at 10. Firstly we looked on a different craft lockal things which were making by lockal people. It was wooden and clay toys and utensils, knitted and woven traditional clothing. Also we tryed a traditional dish - a pancakes with medicinal plants inside! It was very tasty and healthy.

After that we vizited an old watermill. It was restored and looking like an old. A mill is very popular among tourists and lockal people.

The main part of this fest was a plant an onion. Organizers prepared beds and everyone could be a participant in the competition for planting onions. We were participans too together with Martin like an international team! One lady gave us a small basket with onion and our task was put that onions in to ground. It was very funny! After we finished, an owner of a mill presented us a small handmade onion like a memory about that competition and fest. It was so unexpectedly but very nice! Also our photos entered to one lockal website! So we became a superstars after that fest!

The photos you could find there http://zarasai.balsas.lt/naujienos_/naujienos/ir-svogunai-lietuvoj-zaliuos...-6189/

Onion Fest. Happy volunteers

Press Day. Day of Europe

On the 7th of May lithuanians were selebrating a Day of an independence of print on lituanian language. It was 110 years celebrated this year. Our library organizes this event every year. How it was this year. There are 18 public libraries around Zarasai district with library in Zarasai in a head. That day all librarians from that branch librares were coming to Zarasai. Our director congratulated workers with this high day, said some nice words about a profession of librarian. The atmosphere on that meeting was really kind and cozy.

Also on that day we were at primary school. Some of our workers organized a game about a European Union for a kids. We were there together with Inesa and Luda (our workers). Luda was in a kostume of rabit. She was talking with kids about EU and introdused Inesa. Inesa created wery interesting task. It was a game looked like a map of Europe with missing names of EU countries. And the task for kids was writing the names of a countries in each box. Children were divided into three teams. Each team received the same task. The children were very active, checked some countries they didn't know a name. Children were looking wery happy during the game. At the end we made a pics all together and rabit present to children some books about EU. The game was really funny. And children learned a lot of useful and interesting information about the European Union.

                                                           In school. Inesa and Luda

On the 9th of May all Lithuania celebrated Day of Europe. This year it was 10 years when Lithuania joined EU. Here in the library was organizing a great event outside. It was starting at 10 am. The first part of the Day was drawing on an asphalt a small pictures by kids. They came to the library and painted it by colored chalks. When they finished we asked all kids standed on that letters EU and made a photo of that "life letters" from the top! Also guys from school created a posters about all countries in EU. We hung it outside. It was looking wery nice. Guys told about country they chouse. Also there was organizing photo exibition about travelling around EU. I also participated in it and got a prize - an t-shirt! It was a big surprize for me. I did'n expect to get it! After photo there was a small life concert. Our library invited one rock band from Vilnius. They played some of their songs. During that concert all people could taste a wonderfull cake. It was make specially for this event. It looked like a lithuanian flag. So, what could I say about that Day? For my opiniot it was perfect day and idea. But the weather wasn't so nice. It was windy, but not rainy. In this way we were lucky! You can check some pics from it below!

                                                          Day of Europe. Chalk "live" letters

End of April

During that time I didn't write here, we had some interesting events in the library and in Zarasai.

On the 22th of April all public librarys in Lithuania celebrated an open of National Library's Week. This is a traditional event in each lithuanian public library. That day different people from administration and culture centre came to the library and  read one old poem by Donelaitis. He is one of the oldest writers of Lithuania. Lithuanians call him "Lithuanian Homer" and celebrate his 300th birthday this year. One person read one short part from this poem. We (volunteers - me and Martin, spanish volunteer) also read our short parts on lithuanian language! It wasn't so easy to do because language of that poem was very hard to pronounce. It was old lithuanian language! But we touched to old lithuanian culture. I'm happy about it.  

On 25th of April all librarians planted small trees (thujas) around our library. Volunteers also helped to do it. We helped spread and flatten the land for thujas, cleaned it from extra roots. At the end of that day we planted about 30 small tujas! I planted 2 of this! I was very tired but happy that I did kind work!

                               Workers from Zarasai puplic library

On 26th of April in Lithuania was organizing an ecological action "DAROM 2014". Zarasai joined this action first time. All guys who decided to join it met at 11 am on a main square. And we were going to clean a small territory in Zarasai from different garbage like plastic bottles, paper... So, as a final result we collected about 30 big bags of trash! We made Zarasai more cleaner and beauty. I hope next time more people will join this action because it‘s so nesessary to protect area you‘re living and keep it clean!

                                       "DAROM 2014" Our team

On 29^th of April we were again on a Darbo Birža. Tomas told to young people about volunteering and EVS. And we, a real volunteers, shared with them our personal opinions and feelings about volunteering experience. This day more young people came than it was first time. So, may be somebody of them changed his mind and wanted to try to be a volunteer! It’s so interesting! I hope on it...)))

                                              Darbo Birža. Part 2