This is an automatic compilation of volunteers' comments about their experiences in Greece. The comments and opinions expressed
herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of v4r team.
If you would like to add your own comments, positive or negative, or ideas, suggestions, etc., click here:
I was in Molyvos from 1-14 March. Prior to arrival I had decided to be an "independant" & also not to hire a car & drive on the "wrong" side of the road (I'm from Aotearoa New Zealand) I was house sitting in the village. I wanted to work with Dirty Girls.
The ride-sharing page didn't produce one lift..luckily a woman got in touch after I'd posted on the main page on Information Point...she was also wanting to work with Dirty Girls so we went over to Skala Sikimenios a couple of times & helped out a little before she returned to the USA. After that I couldn't find a lift. I hitchhiked one day & got picked up by some volunteers so that was great.
I realise that my decision to not drive on Lesvos & the constraints of housesitting limited my usefulness. Just want to suggest that in the info it is made clear that to prospective volunteers that you can't really manage without a vehicle if you are not joined up with an organisation. It would be good if volunteers with cars were encouraged...
I was in Molyvos from 1-14 March. Prior to arrival I had decided to be an "independant" & also not to hire a car & drive on the "wrong" side of the road (I'm from Aotearoa New Zealand) I was house sitting in the village. I wanted to work with Dirty Girls.
The ride-sharing page didn't produce one lift..luckily a woman got in touch after I'd posted on the main page on Information Point...she was also wanting to work with Dirty Girls so we went over to Skala Sikimenios a couple of times & helped out a little before she returned to the USA. After that I couldn't find a lift. I hitchhiked one day & got picked up by some volunteers so that was great.
I realise that my decision to not drive on Lesvos & the constraints of housesitting limited my usefulness. Just want to suggest that in the info it is made clear that to prospective volunteers that you can't really manage without a vehicle if you are not joined up with an organisation. It would be good if volunteers with cars were encouraged to check for others needing lifts.
Thanks for all you do.
2/11/2016. Molly, one month in December. Mainly with Dirty Girls, visited lots of places & groups to collect clothes, based at Skala Sykamineas and Lighthouse camp. Also sometimes helping distribute clothes, greet boats, help people from boats to camps/buses.
Very positive experience. I'd also have liked to help in the Olive Grove at Moria, at the No Borders kitchen in Mytilini, do more with the Lighthouse camp, now I'd love to also help at the Hope Centre & wish I'd had time for more beach cleaning! Could easily come back for 6 months if I could just put my life on hold (considering it!)
Still very connected from home. Torn between my life and Lesvos life. Reading all the time about what's happening on Lesvos and wider situation. Wanting to tell people to go to Lesvos on holiday & help the local economy! I had strong emotional times but mostly my work was not traumatic.
Recommendations: Lighthouse camp impressed me enormously. The perfect blend of good organisation with genuine fr...
2/11/2016. Molly, one month in December. Mainly with Dirty Girls, visited lots of places & groups to collect clothes, based at Skala Sykamineas and Lighthouse camp. Also sometimes helping distribute clothes, greet boats, help people from boats to camps/buses.
Very positive experience. I'd also have liked to help in the Olive Grove at Moria, at the No Borders kitchen in Mytilini, do more with the Lighthouse camp, now I'd love to also help at the Hope Centre & wish I'd had time for more beach cleaning! Could easily come back for 6 months if I could just put my life on hold (considering it!)
Still very connected from home. Torn between my life and Lesvos life. Reading all the time about what's happening on Lesvos and wider situation. Wanting to tell people to go to Lesvos on holiday & help the local economy! I had strong emotional times but mostly my work was not traumatic.
Recommendations: Lighthouse camp impressed me enormously. The perfect blend of good organisation with genuine friendliness and gentle care. I hope initiatives such as this aren't bulldozed by big organisations/government.
Future volunteers: Don't be frightened that you won't be up to the job (whatever the job is!) - if you want to come then your common sense and compassion will rise to the fore when needed. But do let better experienced or trained people jump in first if they are ready to do so - you can learn by watching them. Don't think you need to have everything organised in advance. Be prepared that things on the ground are very fluid - be flexible. Cleaning (beaches, loos, paths, kitchens, clothes etc) is a big part of most jobs - don't shy away from this or think it's not 'frontline' work! Please do understand that many things are done the way they are for very good reasons - don't try to remake systems until you've been somewhere a few weeks and understand the background/bigger picture! Bring a plastic or tin mug and carry it with you, so you don't use up disposables every time you want a hot drink at the camps.