VSS Herald 1st

The HERALD, 1st Edition 2 VSS 2012, 16to21 July, Latvia


Edito.......................................................3

The Vss Story........................................4

10 reasons to be at the VSS.................5

Meet the prep team...............................6

The Prep Team Meeting......................11

The Sunflower Makeup.......................14

The Venue............................................15

What’s Next?.......................................16

The 5th VSS is set to go !!!!!EDITOby Joshua Fitoussi

Here it is, after months of expectations, the first issue of the Herald is finally out.

What does it mean? For the numerous participants of the previous Volunteer Summer Summit, it is the beginning of the event. The moment where the logo is presented, where you discover the face of those who are going to devote 6 months of their lives to make this event impressive and unforgettable for you. It is also the time to know where the VSS will take place, to see what it’s going to look like and where you will be meeting hundreds of volunteers from all over Europe.

So here we are! it is time for you, trainers, future support team, participants and volunteers to see what waiting for you in July, in this wonderful country that is Latvia.

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What’s in it?


In Vigy, France, EFIL picked up the old tradition of arranging a major volunteer gathering again, for the first EFIL Volunteer Summer Summit in 2008. And what an event it was! About 160 volunteers had an opportunity to meet for four days of sharing experiences and thoughts; in workshops, formal and informal discussions. No less than 26 countries were represented. One year after the first successful Volunteer Summer Summit, in 2009, volunteers gathered under the hot Turkish sun for the second VSS edition, this time near Istanbul. That year's event focused on innovation and creativity in intercultural exchanges. Participants enjoyed a wide range of workshops ,the community project at a local orphanage the first Bazaar where olunteers could exchange AFS gadgets and other events in an inspiring environment, surrounded by llamas. AFS Hungary took on the challenge of hosting the 3rd Volunteer Summer Summit in 2010 and organized an unforgettable event for 200 volunteers from 33 countries. Folk dancing, creative tent, Balaton Lake, archery, body painting - these were only the highlights in Zánka. Intergenerational Learning was in the

focus this time, with an interesting mix of workshops from traditional topics to creative ones. The community project enabled the participants to help a local school receive sport equipments Last year, 2011 saw the fourth edition of the VSS, inthe wonderful country of Portugal. Like all the previous events, it brought together over 200 AFS volunteers with various cultural, generational and social backgrounds; representing not only Europe, but also other parts of the world. The community project -whitewashing a nearby village- helped to promote multiculturalism through volunteer work. All the teams worked together to create a superb and truly unforgettable event in the Zmar camp near the ocean. ... and we lived happily ever after.

«To be honest, I can’t get enough of the VSS spirit. Since the begining of the VSS, one or two weeks in my summer is pre-booked for

the event. (...) I had the chance to participate in France, right after I came back from my

AFS trimester program»Fruzsina Karman, VSS participant in France and Turkey

VSS S

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Once upon a time...by Balazs Lato

VSS in Zmar (Portugal) 2011


For volunteers the VSS is by far the most important event of the year in the EFIL network. Why? So many reasons actually. We found the first 10 good reasons to be present at the event from July 16th to July 21st.In case those 10 reasons are not enough, more will come in the next issue ofthe Herald. If you have more reasons to come, you can share them with us on our Facebook page as soon as it is opened.

10 Reasons to be at the VSSBy Balazs Lato and Joshua Fitoussi

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KILLING STEREOTYPESSHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGEINTERNATIONAL

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AFS CELEBRITIESNETWORKINGSEE THE BALTICS

LATVIAN SAUNAMEETING OLD FRIENDS

IT’S IN LATVIA

WONDERFUL ENTERTAINMENT

ACTIVITES


The Prep Team !by Gizem Bayer


Meet the Prep Team !by Gizem Bayer

When you arrive to the venue, you’ll probably realize that there are some extra-ordinary people running around, talking most of the time, having meetings, they seem a bit frustrated but smiling; busy 7/24 and apparently they cannot survive without their laptops! Each of them has distinctive features with some peculiarities and skills.

We would like you to meet the Prep-Team! But who are these people and what do they do?First of all, they are a great example of the AFS family, composed of:

8 diverse people6 nationalities

Age range between 24 to 63Association of daily interests and talents

90 years of AFS experienceEndless love for volunteerism!

With all their endeavors and competence, now they are ready to organize the Volunteer Summer Summit 2012 in Latvia. They are the ones who sit and talk for hours about every smallest detail and very concerned about what you would like to have or not. Apart from being responsible for the preparation of the program, registration of participants, setting-up the website and heralds, quality of the workshops, design of the name-tags; they are also getting crazy about the color of t-shirts. One of them is so-called color blind!Writing, drawing, having meetings through Skype, drinking coffee, creating videos, planning the plenaries, re- decorating the venue, solving problems, even tasting the food before you do, drinking more coffee and doing other hundreds of tasks! If they ever find some time, again, they talk about Volunteer Summer Summit!

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2INGA MENKEFrom: Germany, living in Brussels, Belgium Age: 29 Current role in AFS: Training and Partner Development Co-coordinator at EFIL AFS career: Exchange student (U.S. in 98/99). Volunteer. Since 1999 I have been an active volunteer in Germany, for a while I did an internship in the AFS Venezuela office, I was a volunteer in Italy (Rome) for a year during my Erasmus exchange. Trainer. Currently I am mostly a trainer for AFS Germany and I work for EFIL. :) Profession: Before working for EFIL I studied in Marburg, Germany: Politics, peace and conflict studies and geography. I always wanted to work in Development Co-operation. Right now: Working at the EFIL office VSS experience: I have been a TfT participant and trainer in Turkey and involved in the prep teams of Hungary and Portugal

GERT LUCASFrom: Konstanz, GermanyAge: 63Current role in AFS: head of the organisational part of STrOM (service for training, organisation and methodology) and chapter hosting coordinator.AFS career: Host father starting from 1992 (several times). Volunteer. Since 1992 volunteering in my AFS chapter, 1994 started project work on national level, 1995 until 2002 board member and chair of AFS Germany board, 2002 until 2008 member of the International Board of Trustees.Profession: computer software, I graduated from Darmstadt Technical University, Germany as Diplom-Informatiker (compares master in computer science) in 1977.Right now: I am working on my own as a software and organisational consultant, spending also a lot of my time with AFS related tasks at computers.VSS experience: I have been a member of the VSS 2011 prep team in Portugal.

Funny facts: I love (and need) sports. I will bring

my slack line to the VSS in Latvia. If you don't know

what it is, you can find out there ;)

Funny facts: Since August 2011 I am a grandfather, but I absolutely don’t feel as such


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GIZEM BAYER

From: Istanbul (best city in the world), Turkey Age:24Current Role in AFS: Intern at the EFIL office AFS career: Exchange student in Denmark 05’06. Volunteer: Since 2006. I’ve attended every kind of AFS TR, EFIL seminars and TfT’s and been volunteering for different events of AFS. I even had a chance to volunteer with my Danish chaperons in Denmark, when I was Erasmus. So cool!!!VSS experience: Support Team 2009 in Istanbul, participant 2010 in Hungary and again participant 2011 in Portugal, following the evaluation afterwards.Profession: Recently graduated from the University of Istanbul, major in Italian Language, Literature and Politics. Wants to become a writer and but planning to have master studies in Business. Bitter-sweet twisted!

Funny facts: I miss the smell of salty-mossy sea

water and I believe the ducks are not to eat but to feed!

And I need coffee!

BALAZS LATO

From: Veszprém, Hungary, living in BudapestAge: 28 Current role in AFS: Coordinator of the Pool of Trainers in AFS Hungary, member of EFIL EPOT and EPOR, member of the Joint-PoT cooperationAFS career: Exchange student in the U.S. in 01/02, volunteer since then, trainer since 2004Profession: technical consultant, university studentRight now: I just saw a fly. In winter!VSS experience: T4T in France, participant in Turkey, prep team member in Hungary, trainer in Portugal

Funny facts: I love climbing stairs


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From:Reykjavík, IcelandAge: 25Current role in AFS: Rocking the cradle that holds the IPOT (Iceland Pool of Trainers) as it is still in it´s infancy. AFS career: Exchange student in Chicago, USA, 2003-2004. Volunteer since then. I have been involved in almost all aspects of AFS-volunteer-life, for example member of the board of the Reykjavik Chapter for two years.Profession: I will be finishing my education at the University of Iceland this fall and I have a job as a receptionist at a hotel alongside school.Right now: Super excited to be a part of the Prep-Team for the VSS 2012. VSS experience: T4T in Hungary 2010

Funny facts: If I ever become queen of the world I

will make it a rule that dessert is to be eaten before

the main course and the appetizer after. It makes

more sense to me.

IEVA RIBENA

From: Riga, LatviaAge: 36Current role in AFS: Interim Partner Director and Member of the BoardAFS career: Participant in Denmark 1992/1993; Host sister 1993.Volunteer as a guide since then, twice elected to the board. Profession: MBM, before AFS Interim PD position, ran my own company - now it is ran by my partner - production and wholesales of sound and vibration damping materials , and wholesales of mobile media for cars. VSS experience: I am very happy to be a part of the Preparation Team of VSS 2012 in Latvia.

Funny facts: I am a mother of four extraordinary

sons - I hope they will love AFS!!!


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ANITA TROPA

From: Ogre, LatviaAge: 36Current role in AFS: ODC (organization development coordinator), AFS Latvia memberAFS career: I've been a volunteer in another organization - youth crisis center "Skalbes" of the first psychological and emotional support to young people in crisis-hitProfession: Master's degree in organizational psychology and I have experience in personnel selection, personnel management, trainings, lecturingVSS experience: this will be the first to experience

Funny facts: I have two lovely daughters :)

JOSHUA FITOUSSIFrom: France, Marseille (best city of the country)Age: 25Current role in AFS : hosting coordinator in my chapter, trainer in FranceAFS career: Exchange student in 2004/05 in the US getting a full scholarship from AFS PACA. Volunteer since then in France and in my chapter. Participated to many French events, and EFIL seminars, but what I'm really proud of doing for AFS was to create the first volunteer exchange in France and with French speaking countries like Switzerland. Profession: I'm an artist, make movies, draw, pictures...but everyone has to pay a rent, and I'm currently a consultant for Apple France in an Apple Shop.VSS experience: I was support team at the first VSS in France, then T4T in Turkey, my name was on the t-shirts in Hungary, and I was a participant in Portugal

Funny facts: After I came back from the US, nobody wanted me to be a volunteer in my chapter,

they ask me to come back in a few years when I'll

grow up, which I did not do....here I am :)


Once upon a time in Latvia,There were 8 people from 6 different nationalities, they had only 4 days and each of them had hundreds of questions in mind to discuss.

“They are driving in a van in the middle of nowhere, talking about the horror movies and the

success of Stieg Larsson. Suddenly, the light comes up and they’re secretly relieved, safe in

Turbas, ready to begin to enlighten the questions and discussions of VSS 2012!”

Here you can read the steps of Prep Team meeting; 6-10th January.

On a chilly January day, the Prep Team members arrived to Riga International Airport at different hours. Some of them had to have a Euro trip to get to Riga; some had to wake up earlier than the birds. No matter what, finally they were all sitting in a white van, and that was when the entire journey started. For January it was pleasantly warm with +4 degrees (still we had the chance to see some snow during the meeting) After leaving Riga, we started to enjoy the stunning nature of Latvia with its fresh smell of pine. By the time we settled into our rooms, we were ready to socialize and talk about the things to be done in the coming days.

When there are people with different backgrounds and cultures, it can take a while to cooperate. For the Prep Team, this was not the case. Some of the Prep Team members already knew each other before the meeting and helped to get into the team spirit right from the beginning. Icebreakers and teambuilding activities, as well as evening Sauna sessions, helped to form a strong Prep Team group. Apart from that, we tackled important tasks such as improving the VSS programme, revising the venue, counting the rooms and beds, checking the possible party areas, comfort zones, etc..

8 people together -with brilliant ideas- improving the programme of VSS was not a big issue. As Turbas offers a lot of remarkable opportunities to enjoy nature, the Prep Team decided to keep the long lunch break that was introduced in Portugal. Participants will be able to use this time to jump into the lake, play soccer, basketball or volleyball, find new partners for Intercultural Dialogue Day, and of course socialize with other AFSers. The long breaks should also ensure that participants are fresh and awake during the afternoon workshops.(Any of the complaints about being tired won’t be taken serious!)

“I’m definitely against that color.” “But this one’s not purple!” “Are you color blind?” “No, no, no,

nooooo! Not that color!” “I’ll never wear this thing!” “This one is called reddish-rose

something color!?” “Noooo, this color has a weird name!

Well, those were the sentences that were exchanged during the heated discussion while choosing the colors of VSS t-shirts! We must admit that the discussion of t-shirt colors was a long, though very amusing one. After several suggestions, search of different tones of colors, we were able to figure out what the favorite color of each Prep Team member is, but not yet the t-shirt colors. Since last years’ Volunteer Summer Summits had already presented a wide color selection, it was a tricky discussion which led some of the Prep Team members to reveal their color blindness (not really of course !)After a long evening discussion the Prep Team was finally able to come to the conclusion of what the colors of VSS t-shirts will be this year! This will of course remain a mystery until the VSS! Sorry !

The Prep Team Meetingby Gizem Bayer

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Venue - TurbasIf you ever read some tales from C.S Lewis or H.C Andersen when you were a child, you’ll absolutely understand the meaning of “just like a winter tale” definition! That was our first impression of the venue. Of course in summer it will be even more beautiful, as the sun will be shining until 11 pm and temperatures will be higher ;)The venue, Turbas is situated only 40 km away from the capital, Riga. It’s a wonderful and huge place with many different lodging options. Its outdoor faci l i t ies, endless seeming forest, adventure park, charming river (no, it’s not a delusion) and lake where you CAN definitely swim in, are only some of the attractive sides of the venue. Not even mentioning the delicious Latvian food being served.

However, the most dazzling side of the venue is yet to come. Participants of VSS are always asking for a place where they can be alone with only AFSers!

Finally, VSS 2012 is going to take place in a venue that we have completely to ourselves!

“January 9th, around 18 o’clock, the same Prep Team leaves Turbas. They have parked

the van far from their lovely, warm venue. The air is fresh, there’s no light around, horror

movie issues come up again. Both running and laughing, they say good-bye to the venue for

now and start driving to a jolly decorated Latvian restaurant in Riga”

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The Funflower MakeupMore about the logoby Gizem Bayer

“A bit shy, colorful, glimmering under the sun, wearing some make up and always

very stylish”

This year, the VSS logo is stepping on the stage with its feminine identity. The Prep Team of the VSS is very proud to present the Latvian sister of Mr. Sunflower; please meet Miss Latvian Sunflower! The Latvian sister of Mr. Sunflower is an old AFSer. Actually, they have been travelling together once, however, Mr. Sunflower decided that the life is an endless journey, thus he went away.For this reason we asked his pretty Latvian sister to be the mascot of VSS

2012! Luckily, she said yes. Her c lo thes a re chosen i n co lo rs symbolizing the sunset in Latvia. The leaves refer to the Latvian flag and add to her identity. Now she’s ready to meet hundreds of participants in Latvia and very excited about it!She’s very chic, friendly and talkative, in love with the world and cannot stop travelling. Apart from being a traveler, she’s very active in volunteering! That’s why she is going to be around all the time during the VSS!

Through her Facebook page, she communicates with all her AFS f r i e n d s , p o s t s p h o t o s , w r i t e s comments and articles. You are always welcome to contact her; she’s looking forward to meet you all in summer!


The leisure complex TURBAS is located at a picturesque place and is only 40 km from the Capital city Riga - very easy to reach by train and car.What we will point out is the nature that surrounds the venue. From the lake to the adventure park, you can easily find something to please you.This year, once again, the VSS Venue will have a special place in participants’ hearts and we, the Prep Team, will make sure that you are informed about it in each coming issue of the VSS HERALD.Here is a link if you want to see for yourself...Enjoy!

www.turbas.lv

The Venue, Aptutas KomplexssA warm place, only 40km away from Rigaby Joshua Fitoussi

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http://www.turbas.lv

http://www.turbas.lv


MORE REASONS TO COMEMORE ABOUT THE VSS

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WHAT’S NEXT?WH

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LET’S LEARN MORE ABOUT LATVIAThe VSS WEB SITE LAUNCHES !!!

MORE ABOUT THE VENUETHE FACEBOOK as well

On February 1st the Call for participants and trainers will be sent, I’m looking forward to meet

you in Turbas, my home sweet home !

Design : Joshua Fitoussi/ Text : Joshua Fitoussi, Gizem Bayer, Balazs Lato/ Pictures : Balazs Lato, Joshua Fitoussi

Documents

VSS Herald 1st