Spolek Hovzd, 29/11/2021

Ahoj dear readers! I am Eponine, a French volunteer, who has just spent two months in Spolek Hovzd, thanks to the program of European Solidarity Corps. I started at the beginning of October 2021. I am here to share with you my impressions about the place, to help you understand how it feels to volunteer in Spolek if you think to join the place! Of course, those are only my impressions, and other people may experience different things!

Spoiler alert: I loved my time here and I would recommend it to anyone without restriction

The overall schedule

I arrived in the Czech Republic at the very start of October by train. The trip was full of excitement, beautiful landscapes through the windows of the train. Then I went to Spolek Hovzd, only for two days, because right after started an on-arrival training planned by the European Solidarity Corps, in a hotel at the very East of the Czech Republic. There, we were 14 volunteers from all Czech Republic, with two facilitators, and the training was in a non-formal education process: we get to know each other, talked about differences, new customs, enjoyed nice walks… This time was also the occasion to make new friends, with whom I discovered the country some weekends later. Back to Spolek Hovzd after a few days, the work started! Overall, we usually worked around 6 hours a day, with a big break for lunch, and we had free time on the weekends. The place also organizes workshops during some weekends, and during those, we worked mostly with cooking, but then we had a free day after the weekend. This kept going for the two months I was there, and I can tell you that time flies soooo fast!

The people

The people I met in Spolek were all warmful and very nice. The family with Lukas, Eva, the little children, as well as Katka, made me feel like part of the family. First and important, they speak good English so communication was very easy. Then they are open-minded people, willing to share culture, knowledge, daily life, humor, time, they are really cool people, and the best way to imagine it is to come and get to know them! Besides the people of Spolek, I could enjoy meeting other people: the team of volleyball we regularly played with, the people of the goat farm nearby, the friends of the family.

How I spent my time

I learned A LOT in my working time here, and I had a lot of fun. Honestly, it didn’t really sound like working for me. I a few words, I learned skills with woods (chopping, making plans, and designing furniture), with gardening (planting, harvesting), cooking (drying fruits for conservation, making bread), outside building (greenhouse, solar-roof panel), and I think I am forgetting to write many things. The work is done most of the time together with Lukas, Eva, or Katka, and the other volunteers who are here and always without pressure. We work, we talk, we enjoy!

I also had a lot of leisure time, during breaks, at night, and the weekends. I could better my personal crafting skills, and continue what I learned during the day (clay and Tifanny glass for instance), as well as go for a walk from time to time. During weekends, I could move by train, there is a station less than an hour on foot, and by train, you can go to many cities around, super nice!

Downsides?

Honestly again, I don’t see really downsides or things I am not happy with here. Sometimes I felt not comfortable with the cold (going for outside toilets during the day in November could be an adventure !), but this is not a real problem, that can be easily fixed with a big jacket! In the same topic, I usually feel cold at night, but I used three blankets and that was perfect to feel warm!

Another thing that could be good to know, is that usually the people don’t speak English, or don’t try to speak it, I still don’t know. That lead to a funny situation for me, on the first day I tried to come to Spolek and I was lost between two train connections and nobody was able to help me… but well that was a funny part of the journey when I think about it!

I wish you the best if you decide to go to Spolek, I had an amazing time!