Changes &
Chances
EVS in Bridgeof Friendship"Kartlosi"
March 2021 – March 2022
Gori, Georgia
Tomasz
Adamczyk

During my EVS project, I was in Gori, the
regional capital of Shida Kartli in central
Georgia. On a national scale, it is a relatively
large city, however looking from the Polish
perspective, it is a relatively small and calm
town. It is famous for a fortress, an ancient,
rock-hewn village, and the birthplace of the
bloody Soviet dictator– Joseph Stalin.

I lived in an apartment on the main north-
south street in the very center of the city. A
strange experience for me was that it was street
namedafterStalin.
The city turned out to be an unusual place,
with an intriguing history and many
fascinating locations. I will certainly remember
the yearin this placewell.

HOSTING
ORGANISATION
My hosting organisation was Bridge of Friendship "K
artlosi". Word Kartlosi is created of words Kartli (ქარ
თლი - Georgian) and Osi (ოსი - Ossetian). The
organisation is working in the following directions:
Informal Education – organizes trainings,
workshops, internships, which promotes
development of professional skills in youth
for having successful future carriers –
communication/negotiations skills; art of
debates; critical thinking; leadership.
Educational events dedicated to peace, non-
violence, democracy, human rights, gender
equality.
Awareness raising campaigns – it is raising
public awareness on security, civil defense,
domestic violence, human rights violation and
other different essential issues.

One of my primary responsibilities was
working with children and youth. Throughout
my volunteering period, I taught English to
children in grades 1-4 in one of the primary
schools in Gori. Although I already have
experience working as a teacher, it was an
intriguing and developing experience due to
working with younger children who had a
limited ability to communicate with me due to
the languagebarrier.

Classes took place at least twice a week.
Students learned the basics of the English
language through games, activities, physical
activities, and other methods. Despite the size
of the groups, the lessons were engaging, and
the children willingly participated in them.
According to the school's opinion, their
English languagealsoimproved significantly.

I was also responsible for carrying out
activities with children in the IDP village of
Berbuki. There were short lectures, games,
and other activities to fill the
children's/youth's free time and familiarize
them with the opportunities offered to
young people by the European Union.

Teaching English was not limited to school
in Gori. Thanks to the cooperation with
Innovative Language School, I conducted
online classes for students from various
regions of Georgia. The groups varied in age
(8-14 years), and language skills ranged from
pre-A1 to B1.

During my volunteering service, there were
also projects conducted in which I was
involved. One of them was the
#FootballPeople week on gender equality
organized jointly with Fare Network.
Children participated in football
competitions and short lectures on the
subject.

I was also occasionally involved in lecturing
on Polish culture, history, customs, and
interesting facts. The lectures also focused
on the European Union, the European
Solidarity Corps, and the opportunities
offered by participation in EU projects for
young people.

My responsibilities also included office work. I
created numerous graphics and brochures for
my organization's social media and ongoing
projects. I was also responsible for cooperation
with various NGOs in Poland. In addition, I
participated in submitting applications for
projects from Polish and EU funds.

Fortunately, a volunteer project is also free
time. In my case, I spent most of it in the
mountains, which are abundant in Georgia.
The Caucasus boasts some of the most
beautiful mountain landscapes in the world.

I think that in a year, I got to know most of
the mountainous regions of northern
Georgia. I also walked plenty of trails that
often allowed me to climb over 3000 m.

Georgia, however, is not only the
mountains. Although their majesty often
outshines other places, it does not mean
that they are not worth visiting. Beautiful
beaches of the Black Sea or semi-deserts
with mud volcanoes are also fascinating
destinations.

Thanks to the project, I had the opportunity
and chance to visit unusual, even fabulous
places on the one hand, on the other hand,
to meet amazing people not only from
Georgia but also from other countries. This
experiencewill stay with me for a long time.