Amanda Rasolofotsara:

Let’s start by the beginning. Could be nice right ? Being a volunteer wherever the place, whatever the profile of the project (short, local one…) have always been something normal for me. As a result, since my 17, when I heard for the first time about the EVS, I knew that I will do one someday. I guess I was just waiting for the right moment to make it: being mature enough, without any obligations… This is why, when I graduated of two-years diploma in PR, so I was in the between of my studies, and after living two years on my own, I decided that time is up now, no more to wait. That’s the perfect moment to make it!

So au revoir France and hello… I don’t know!

That’s a nice idea to make an EVS, but it could be nicer to know what kind of project and in which place I’d like to make it to shorter my researchers and identify my expectations. That’s 7 months of my life and I can make it just once in a life. It deserves few time of thinking. So it has to be meaningful. Since I wanted to study local development I already knew that the project should be linked to this topic, but the place was not defined yet. And I remembered that one year ago, I made a voluntary workcamp in Greece, since, the one I wanted to make in Tallinn, Estonia, was full. And I remembered as well that when the 10 countries joined the EU, I was disappointed of the cold way that, in France, we welcomed them in 2005. I realized at that moment that my EVS will set in what I used to call Eastern Europe. Because of that but also, I can’t explain why, these countries seemed to me quite far, even though it’s not for most of the people. Actually, at that time, all Europe seemed to me being far. Maybe because I’m from an underprivilegied district in France and travelling is not an everyday opportunity! 

Of course we travel! Except my trip to Greece, travelling meant more for me to go visiting my family on the other side of my region. What a huge step right?

So here I am! 30 days of researches and 30 applications sent to Romania, Poland, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Latvia, Slovenia, Malta and… Hungary !

After this intensive month, finally ZÖFI – Zöld Fiatalok Egyesulet (Young Hungarian Green) accepted my application. I have to say that it was my first choice. In France I wasn’t so in touch with Roma people since they are travelers there and I wanted to know more about them. And as a green person I wanted to educate myself more in this area and bring to the others what I knew about this topic. Furthermore, I liked the activist side of this organization and wanted to see how things were going on with this philosophy. I still remember myself watching on the website the pictures of actions that ZÖFI organized and my desire to come was increasing!

After 5 months trying to kill the time, I finally arrived in Budapest, after a long long long journey full of adventures!

My first walk in the street next day was so normal that I found this strange. I didn’t feel this fear that I used to have in a new place. I felt normal, curious and passive at the same time. Actually I didn’t expect anything from my EVS, neither from Hungary. For the first time I didn’t feel admiration and high expectations. I didn’t want to always compare. Just accept that it’s like this. I just wanted to know about this country as if it was mine, as if I was a local. I wanted this city to be mine, I wanted these people to be my fellow-countrymen. Like if I was trying to know my roots. I guess that’s the best feeling. And even though I was referring to France or Madagascar (my family is from there), I didn’t put Hungary on another world definitely different of mine. Maybe because I knew that I’m going to live there couple of months so I wanted to feel like a local.

As I said I’ve studied PR at university, and ZÖFI let me the opportunity to assist them in organizing events (like the street festival in Magdi district), projects (like the body movement classes with Roma kids or the social bike business) or to develop my own one Let’s Talk a social link event where people have the opportunity to talk with the others about topics which cares (their lives in Budapest, travelling, problems they face everyday…).

By working for ZÖFI, I discovered another kind of world, another way to be active in the society, informal, strategic by using what they know about the society. It has confirmed my feelings to work in local development. 

It has been difficult for me at the beginning to get ideas, especially during brainstorming meetings. I felt like I didn’t have enough knowledge, didn’t have enough experience and I can’t have any clever idea. But my coordinator from my sending organization told me that after 3 months in a new country you are much eager to find ideas. This reassured me a lot and I got rid off the pressure that I put on myself. I became then much comfortable in my environment and much free to think. 

As I said, I’ve never been in touch with Roma people before. Being with them was an exotic experience. I could see by my own eyes the power of music on them. Even quite young, they already have the beat. And even though they are quite aggressive since they are child, like everyone they need love, they dream, they prejudice and are prejudiced.  

I still don’t know how to talk to them, but this first contact is an important step for me to be in touch with them again, and accept them as they are. And not be afraid of them. 

Thanks to ZÖFI I learned more about green issues on everyday life: how to eat healthy, being used to separate the trash, to bring all my trash with me wherever I’m going. It sounds logic but before, these little actions seemed to me so complicated. But being everyday with Green persons, who are doing these small actions made them to be easy to do. Now I pay much attention on my little actions like buying bottles instead of cans and much more. 

I think Hungary as a real potential especially in term of alternative ideas. Compared to France there are more underground actions. They know that the government can’t do everything so they developed their own actions for the rest of the society and further away, for the rest of the world, for example for the environment.

Further the volunteer work: Life in Hungary 

However, it was not easy everyday. Indeed I felt alone often. Even surrounded by people I could feel quite alone. I guess that’s a normal feeling. And that’s nice to feel lost and have to face yourself. Except at work, it has been difficult for me to be with Hungarian people. I don’t know why. It has been of course much easy for me to be with foreigners. And the day I got my group of friends, I finally felt safe and comfortable in my new environment. Even though in my closer group of friends there wasn’t so much Hungarian persons but Croatian, Polish, Slovakian, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, German, American or even French. 

Here I broke some of my prejudices. I especially became much tolerant with religion. I think we are not enough in France. And I learnt a lot about what I called “Eastern Europe” and I rather prefer now to call Europe. Furthermore, here I’ve done crazy things which may not have happened in France. I was having a hitchhiking competition with friends from Budapest to Rabac in Croatia. I was having a demonstration by bike for Critical Mass.

I crossed the borders very easily. I fell in love for Balkan region. I’ve been to Azerbaijan thanks to a youth exchange. I’ve been drinking in a pub on a roof. I danced on Balkan beat music until 5 o’clock in the morning. I swat after 5 minutes dancing tanchaz (Hungarian traditional dance). I’ve seen a lot of friends going back home and felt that we’re going to meet again as if we were living near to each other.  

I will always remember what my Croatian friend said to our French/Belgium friend at her farewell party. She said to him: “See you in the neighborhood of Europe”. And then she left. I was shivering. That day I realized that Europe was quite small..!

Thanks to the EVS I opened my border, I opened my mind, I opened wider my eyes.

Of course I can’t see further the horizon. But what I know now is that further away is not so far anymore.