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<strong>Magazine</strong><br />
ALTERNATI VE<br />
April 28 issue 2016<br />
1st edition<br />
TRAVEL<br />
BEAUTIFUL BULGARIA<br />
DISCOVER THE W ORLD W ITH<br />
TRAVEL TIPS<br />
SPAIN<br />
CULTURE<br />
EASTER TRADITIONS<br />
DISCOVER SPAIN<br />
EVS<br />
IN ALTERNATIVI<br />
ERASMUS+<br />
DISCOVER YOUR LIFE-CHANGING<br />
EXPERIENCE<br />
OPPORTUNITIES
Your <strong>Alternative</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Find the following chapters:<br />
1. Alternativi International<br />
2. ERASMUS+. Voices of ERASMUS+ experience.<br />
3. Travelling.<br />
Blagoevgrad.<br />
Interview.<br />
Travel tips.<br />
4. Culture.<br />
Easter Traditions.<br />
Home countries of volunteers - Spain.<br />
5, Opportunities<br />
6. EVS in Alternativi International<br />
First magazine sharing<br />
the activity of<br />
Alternativi International<br />
non-profit<br />
organization from<br />
Blagoevgrad,<br />
Bulgaria.
ALTERNATIVI<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
W ho are we?<br />
W hat do we do?<br />
Association "Alternativi International" is<br />
youth non-governmental organization<br />
working in the territory of Blagoevgrad<br />
region. It conducts many programs and<br />
trainings, plays an increasingly influential<br />
role in a variety of activities, which impact<br />
upon the lives of many people.<br />
One of the main objectives of the NGO is to<br />
encourage personal and professional development<br />
of young people through non formal education and<br />
also the building up and development of active<br />
citizenship among them. Non-formal education is<br />
about acknowledging the importance of education,<br />
learning and training which takes place outside<br />
recognized educational institutions. The<br />
organization is an alternative for young people in<br />
the region to explore their potential, enrich their<br />
knowledge and become an active part of the society.<br />
It provides youngsters with the knowledge and<br />
information they need to realize their full potential<br />
and become active contributors to their society?s<br />
development.
CHANGE<br />
"Alternativi International? is founded by<br />
people seeking the positive change for<br />
young people in Bulgaria. It?s a task<br />
oriented and driven by people with a<br />
common interest and performs a variety<br />
of service and humanitarian functions.<br />
For that reason the main target group is<br />
youngsters aged between 17 and 30<br />
years old. One of the aims is also to<br />
provide equal possibilities for youth with<br />
fewer opportunities.<br />
Young people and youth workers from<br />
different countries could meet and enjoy a<br />
non-formal learning programs together<br />
(learning by doing, learning by fun). Such an<br />
international experience would enrich<br />
young people and strengthen their<br />
European values. The participants would<br />
open their minds and hearts and become<br />
active European citizens. The larger the EU<br />
becomes, the more important it is for the<br />
people who live in it to realize that their<br />
union has been built on common values,<br />
such as human rights, solidarity, rule of law,<br />
democracy and so on.
The organization gives them the opportunity to develop their selves by<br />
participating in various initiatives and events at local, national and international<br />
level. The association organizes information days and campaigns, cultural<br />
events, trainings, discussions and debates on different issues, etc. The<br />
organization, in partnership with students from the city, issues and youth<br />
newspaper, to inform young people about career opportunities, trainings, work<br />
placements, internships, cultural happenings and so on.<br />
The organization is working with the aim to develop intercultural<br />
dialogue and understanding between young people from whole<br />
Europe crossing all the differences. It gives a chance to the<br />
youngsters to experience what it is like to work in a European<br />
NGO, to learn more about the European field of Youth work and<br />
policy-making. It provides an opportunity for young people to<br />
become more open-minded regarding their mindset. And also to<br />
participate in EVS (European voluntary service) to increase the<br />
skills through the practical experience of volunteering abroad, to<br />
encourage the learning of another language, to develop the<br />
ability to interact with persons of different culture, to spread<br />
tolerance among young people, to promote active citizenship, to<br />
support the development of local communities.
?Alternativi International? is developing initiatives fighting the racism and xenophobia<br />
among youth from different religious, ethnic, cultural, geographical or economical<br />
background. Racism often goes hand in hand with other forms of exclusion and<br />
intolerance. It is therefore essential to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating<br />
these different forms of discrimination.<br />
The organization has a goal to overcome this<br />
kind of behavior among those, who can<br />
offend others because of their nationality,<br />
and discriminate on an ethnic or cultural<br />
basis. This magazine is made for our readers<br />
to explore spheres they are most interested<br />
in and to share interesting information on<br />
diverse subjects.<br />
In this magazine you can find out lots of useful<br />
information on different topics. There are<br />
articles about Erasmus +, travelling, culture,<br />
how EVS Alternativi works, and so on. This is<br />
the first edition of the magazine and we all<br />
hope that you will like it.<br />
by Tatevik Beglarian<br />
Wish you to enjoy reading it!
y Maria Jose Melendo<br />
ERASMUS +<br />
THE VOICES OF ERASMUS+<br />
Haven?t you heard before about Erasmus+? Well, today is your lucky day because this information<br />
can really change your life! Actually, it is changing the life of so many young people around Europe<br />
and that is the aim of this program, to create opportunities for them. With it, you can study, work,<br />
volunteer, teach or train abroad in Europe and all over the world?and it is funded by the European<br />
Union!!! But let us introduce you some people that have already experienced what it is?<br />
Hristiyan Yaprakov ? Bulgaria "One of my friends called me some weeks ago and said that there is<br />
a vacant spot for a Youth Exchange project in Spain. He also told me that we were going on a<br />
journey almost for free. It was the combination of the words "Spain", "journey" and "free" what<br />
made me send an application form immediately. I got accepted. The next thing I know? I was<br />
drinking free beer on the plane on my way to Spain. The point of all these projects is to broaden<br />
the minds of young people, to make them multicultural in a way and to educate them on a<br />
particular topic. Our project was called "A better Europe for all" and the main topic was the<br />
immigration crisis in Europe. We were a group of around 45 people - 5 participants from 8<br />
different countries plus the organizers.
The city of Malaga was our first destination. From there we went to Jerez, where we got together<br />
with the whole group and set off to Campano - a heavenly place in the countryside. The one week<br />
stay in this camp was a very bonding and emotional experience for all of us. We all got to know<br />
each other for less than two days and quickly became a big loving family. On the seventh day we<br />
all travelled back to Jerez to stay in a hotel were we continued the educational activities and<br />
games. During all of that we got to see incredible landscapes, buildings, castles, cultural places<br />
and other magnificent sights. We even swam in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean."<br />
"The benefits from this are huge. We<br />
have a lot of new friends from all<br />
around the globe, we developed and<br />
improved a big range of social skills and<br />
got to experience an amazing adventure<br />
in all sorts of beautiful places. Every<br />
young person should experience this!<br />
We all should travel and socialize and<br />
open our mind!"
Nastase Eduard ? Romania<br />
"Hi everyone! My name is Eduard. I'm studying Political Science in<br />
Bucharest, Romania. I discovered Erasmus+ projects in May, last<br />
summer. Till now I was in 6 Erasmus+ projects YE / TC and one<br />
Erasmus for studies in Trieste, Italy. During all these projects I<br />
learned new things about culture, history, habits, way of thinking,<br />
food, education system, etc. of countries which took part in these<br />
projects. I visited beautiful places and now I have a lot of lovely<br />
international friends. About Trieste and my experience there? I met<br />
really interesting teachers, I learned how to make pizza and pasta<br />
and a lot of other things about Italian culture: probably, the most<br />
important, italian hand gestures. In Trieste, I stayed in campus and I<br />
felt very integrated in community of students, also I didn't have any<br />
problems with racism. After all these Erasmus+ projects, I'm feeling<br />
more European than Romanian citizen and I encourage everyone<br />
who wants to go in Erasmus+ projects to do it right now. "<br />
Lelde Salenice - Latvia<br />
"My EVS experience (European Voluntary Service)<br />
has been the best experience so far in my life.<br />
Living in a totally different country with no friends<br />
and family next to me, I have had the opportunity<br />
to discover myself more and learn lot of new<br />
things - professional and social as well. And of<br />
course I have met the most amazing people -<br />
people who I can call friends and who I hope will<br />
stay with me long after my experience here. "
Iskra Stoyanova - Bulgaria "We exchanged a lot of information with<br />
positive and negative experience from training courses, youth<br />
exchanges, EVS, seminars, etc. We all came to the conclusion that<br />
we are living in different countries, but we are facing always almost<br />
the same difficulties and problems during our work. The project<br />
went perfectly well concerning communication and connection<br />
between the organizations. The results of it are about to be seen ?<br />
We managed to go PRO !"<br />
Sultana Erbas ? Turkey<br />
Marco Pischedda ? Italy<br />
"Erasmus+ has given me many opportunities and a lot of<br />
knowledge. I learned how beautiful other cultures and<br />
languages are. I improved my communication skills not<br />
only by words but by a big smile coming from heart. It<br />
made me more curious about other countries?traditions. I<br />
earned beautiful people who can now host me if I visit<br />
their countries. Each training gave me more courage to<br />
start a new thing and to open a new way for me. "<br />
"My EVS project gave me the opportunity to meet<br />
different cultures: that's the most important thing, 'cause<br />
when you have the possibility to mix, to mess with the<br />
world, you can easily understand that you need to listen,<br />
if you want to be heard... to understand, if you wanna be<br />
understood... to respect, if you wanna be respected. "
Oana Teodora Morar - Romania "I would just say a few<br />
words about how Erasmus+ has affected my life. I think the<br />
most important is that it enlarged my horizons, in many<br />
ways. From each project I learned something about other<br />
cultures, I developed my communication and my<br />
orientation skills and I gained so many new friends -each of<br />
them special in his own way- which help me enlightening<br />
my mind."<br />
Ferdinando Di Ruocco ? Italy. "Around two years ago I took<br />
part in my first cultural exchange under the program<br />
Erasmus+. I remember it like if it was yesterday. It was in<br />
Croatia. I participated just for fun, because I had nothing<br />
better to do. But honestly said, it was one of the best<br />
decisions of my life. I discovered a new world: the world of<br />
sharing your own culture, your own traditions and your own<br />
experiences. We spent a week, 24 hours on 24, along with<br />
guys from all over Europe. After that, I took part in several<br />
projects and I decided to write my first one, in my country, in<br />
Naples, with the desire to make my city known in the whole<br />
of Europe and to make other people touch with their hands<br />
my traditions. Today I can only be thankful to the Erasmus+,<br />
which has changed my life in a positive way and it has<br />
introduced me to so many people who still after many years<br />
are part of my life."
Yordan Stoyanova - Bulgaria. "I learned a lot of amazing<br />
things about myself and the people around me. The most<br />
remarkable factor, that I most benefited from, was the<br />
friendships I made with so many different people from all<br />
around the world. The moment I got home, I was charged with<br />
so many positive energy and emotions. I have also gained a<br />
lot of knowledge about the refugees and the problems that<br />
countries from Europe are facing with the emerging crisis.<br />
The accommodation couldn't be more pleasing. The fact that<br />
we were so far away from the cities and we had no internet<br />
and television helped the participants to socialize much<br />
faster and we were like a big happy family. The food was<br />
perfect, because every country had to prepare their<br />
traditional meals, which everybody really enjoyed. We tasted<br />
different kinds of food from eight different countries."<br />
Andrea Ciornei ? Romania<br />
"Hey guys! My name is Andrea and I just want to summarize<br />
what was for me EVS. Just in one word, EVS equals happiness. If<br />
you want to change your life, you should start go on an EVS, for<br />
sure. It is a life changing opportunity! During the month I spent<br />
in Turkey, Didim, I have evolved both mentally and<br />
professionally. Not to mention the friendships I have built<br />
there and the amazing people I have met! "<br />
Well, now you have no choice but become part of this fascinating<br />
world what is Erasmus+! Be ready to live your own story, so later<br />
you can tell it to the other ;)
Travelling<br />
BLAGOEVGRAD<br />
Blagoevgrad is located in Southwest Bulgaria, at a<br />
distance of about 100 km from Sofia, in the so called<br />
Blagoevgrad valley, and it has a population of 70,881<br />
inhabitants. The town is situated in close proximity to<br />
the southwest slopes of Rila Mountain, in the river<br />
valleys of Struma and Blagoevgradska Bistritsa.<br />
The foot of Vlahina Mountain can be seen to the west of<br />
it. The territory of the town in regional scale is located<br />
in the westernmost part of the Rila-Rhodope Massif. The<br />
average temperature is +14 degrees, which determines<br />
the region as one of the warmest in the country.<br />
Orthodox memorial<br />
cross ?Memory and<br />
Faith? s was built in<br />
2013 and stands as a<br />
guardian symbol<br />
above Blagoevgrad.<br />
American University and South<br />
West University is a private,<br />
selective, residential liberal arts<br />
university located in Blagoevgrad,<br />
Bulgaria. Courses are taught in<br />
English by an international faculty.<br />
It was stablished in 1991 and<br />
enrolls 1,000 students from 40<br />
different countries every year.<br />
The South-West University<br />
"Neofit Rilski" was founded in<br />
1975 and it is divided into seven<br />
faculties and one college.
Other interesting places near Blagoevgrad<br />
Interesting places in<br />
?Rila? Monastery<br />
and National park<br />
Rozhen monastery<br />
Bansko<br />
Blago<br />
The Historical Museum. The<br />
old Blagoevgrad district<br />
of Varosha holds the town?s<br />
history museum. The<br />
regional History Museum of<br />
Blagoevgrad has a rich<br />
collection, presenting<br />
developments in the Pirin<br />
Mountain region.<br />
Several collections make up<br />
the museum, which was put<br />
together in 1952. The main<br />
sections are called<br />
Archaeology, Ethnography,<br />
Bulgaria from the 15th to the<br />
20th Century, New History,<br />
Nature and Art. A modern<br />
conservation and restoration<br />
lab function alongside the<br />
museum. Its library includes<br />
over 17 000 books.
Municipality of Blagoevgrad - It is next to the ?Georgi Izmirliev?<br />
Square with the central fountain in the city center.<br />
?Georgi Izmirliev? Square with the central fountain .It is in the city<br />
center, next to the American University. It is surrounded by<br />
restaurants, clubs, a cinema?<br />
The Youth center. Over a period of 40 years now, the Youth Centre<br />
in Blagoevgrad has gained recognition as an educational, cultural<br />
and information hub of the town.<br />
Bachinovo park. It is the biggest park in Blagoevgrad, closed to the<br />
city center. There are plenty of activities you can do there, such as<br />
riding a bike, sport activities, having lunch or a drink in any of its<br />
restourans.<br />
Church ?Virgin Mary? (Varosha old town. It is situated in the heart<br />
of this district. In this region the houses are like the old style, very<br />
beautiful, common architecture. The streets are paved and there is<br />
a special spirit, while you are walking or taking photos around.<br />
There are many cats around the houses and many more around the<br />
church. The church ?Virgin Mary ? was built in 1844 , all done and<br />
made with the efforts of the local people. There was a legend that<br />
women took small stones in their skirt in order for the church to be<br />
built stronger and bigger. It is very beautiful and if you go to<br />
Blagoevgrad, you should definitely visit it and light a candle in it (It<br />
is a traditional habit Orthodox Christians have).
Interview<br />
When was the first time you decided to travel<br />
abroad and why you decided to do so?<br />
The first time I travelled abroad was when I was<br />
19, just after I graduated high school. I was<br />
invited by my state (Wisconsin) to play in a 300<br />
person band in seven countries around Western<br />
Europe. It was fun and I was gone 3 weeks.<br />
Our respondent is David Benjamin from US,<br />
whom I met during my Erasmus semester in Tallinn.<br />
He is living the most amazing life, having visited 71 countries<br />
at the age of 26.<br />
And I can say that once you get to know him,<br />
you know that he is not just another tourist<br />
but a true traveler.<br />
I know that after traveling for couple of<br />
months you took a break and then on the<br />
road once again, how do you feel when<br />
you're home in US? Does it still feel like<br />
home?<br />
Travelling for a long time is hard. You change<br />
a lot. When I got home I experienced reverse<br />
culture shock. It means, essentially, that home<br />
feels like a foreign place. This lasted for about<br />
3 weeks, but work and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu<br />
helped me bring me back home mentally. I<br />
was so used to moving and new experiences<br />
that when you have a normal routine it feels<br />
strange. It does still feel like home, but for a<br />
while you feel removed as if you are looking<br />
in on it, rather than being a part of it.
What about the one you would like to visit once again?<br />
I would visit Georgia, Romania and Colombia again. These<br />
places don't have many tourists, the people are amiable and<br />
friendly. They all also have extraordinary scenery. I love these<br />
countries and want to go back.<br />
What was the country that<br />
made better impression than<br />
expected and the country that<br />
did not quite meet your<br />
expectations?<br />
The county that made a better<br />
impression on me was actually<br />
Georgia. Nobody really travels<br />
there and nobody seems to<br />
know where it is. When I went<br />
there I had no plans and no<br />
idea what to see or what to<br />
expect. People in Georgia are<br />
the nicest in the world. It's<br />
extremely beautiful with<br />
mountains and the wine is<br />
perfect. Georgia remains one<br />
of my favorite countries. You<br />
feel like you are getting a local<br />
experience everywhere in<br />
Georgia. The countries that<br />
didn't meet my expectations<br />
were mostly countries that are<br />
hyped by travelers. If there are<br />
a lot of tourists I generally<br />
don't like it.
What has changed in you after traveling<br />
so much? do you feel like different<br />
person now?<br />
Travelling changes how you see the world<br />
and see yourself. One of my favorite<br />
quotes is by Aldous Huxley, which says "to<br />
travel is to discover that everyone is<br />
wrong about other countries".<br />
What recommendations could you give to<br />
people who are about to start their journey?<br />
My advice is to just travel but don't make a plan.<br />
People make the mistake of expecting things.<br />
You don't need to plan everything that's the<br />
beauty, something will happen. Don't doubt<br />
yourself. Have the courage to live life exactly as<br />
you want to.<br />
by Anna Arunashvili
Travel Tips<br />
How to Travel in Europe on a Student Budget<br />
Europe has always been the destination of choice for many students<br />
wanting to experience an amazing mix of culture, history, beauty,<br />
nightlife and food. It is possible to explore huge cities, quaint villages,<br />
great museums, sunny beaches and so much more with a trip to Europe<br />
on a student budget.<br />
So, want to travel in Europe on a tight budget?<br />
Good pre-trip research will make it easier to work to a realistic budget.<br />
Here are some personal budgeting tips for students for how to best<br />
manage your money during this exciting, challenging time. Let?s be more<br />
than a tourist.<br />
1. Plan ahead! It's easy to stick to your budget - when<br />
you plan ahead.<br />
2. A great way to save time and money when travelling<br />
across Europe is by taking the night train. There are lots<br />
of sleeper trains between major cities in Europe and<br />
they are comfortable and convenient.<br />
3. Be open-minded about accommodation. Hotels are<br />
too expensive, rough it a little in a hostel. However,<br />
don't stay overnight inside the city, hostels outside the<br />
city limits will be easier on your wallet. So, sleep cheap<br />
and spend your money on something cool!
4. Talk to local people, they might have cool<br />
ideas for smaller, inexpensive restaurants.<br />
5. Some museums offer free tours - just ask!<br />
6. Many hostels and pubs offer student<br />
discounts, so don't leave home without your<br />
student ID card.<br />
7. WWOOFing allows you to earn your keep<br />
by working on a farm. A unique way to<br />
explore the world! Also, Volunteering while<br />
abroad is a productive way to spend your<br />
time. It also helps you meet people.<br />
8. Buy souvenirs: Souvenirs are fun and will<br />
become nice reminders of wonderful days<br />
bygone. They also make for thoughtful gifts<br />
and don?t have to be expensive. I personally<br />
keep a collection of postcards and fridge<br />
magnets.<br />
9. Couchsurfing is a great way to travel and<br />
meet people. If you haven't couchsurfed yet,<br />
get on it!<br />
10. Share your journey! BlaBlaCar is the best<br />
opportunity for ridesharing. Connecting<br />
people who need to travel with drivers who<br />
have empty seats.<br />
11. Use travel search engines like Gogobot to<br />
find cheap accommodations.<br />
12. Pick a cheap time of the year to travel -<br />
avoid major holidays and summertime. Also<br />
Fridays and Sundays are very expensive days<br />
to travel.<br />
13. Do your research: Ask around, visit<br />
forums, search official city websites, check<br />
the tourist information centers. Also, take<br />
advice from student bloggers, you aren't the<br />
first student to travel so why not learn from<br />
others' mistakes?<br />
Of course, compared to many parts of the<br />
world travel in Europe remains a pretty<br />
expensive undertaking. But if you are spending<br />
some times studying in Europe you should<br />
definitely take the chance to explore it as much<br />
as you can. Just go! Student years are for living!<br />
So why not use that time to travel the world,<br />
take some pictures and make stories from wild<br />
adventures? So get out there and make it<br />
happen!<br />
by Anna Dididze
EASTER<br />
CULTURE<br />
Easter Traditions<br />
For Christians, Easter is a<br />
deeply religious holiday,<br />
celebrating the day Jesus<br />
arose from the dead after<br />
the Crucifixion. Sometimes<br />
called it the ??Resurrection?<br />
and defeated evil forever.<br />
The world boasts some<br />
weird and wonderful Easter<br />
traditions. But however, like<br />
all other festivals and<br />
holidays, Easter too is<br />
celebrated in different<br />
manner in different parts of<br />
the world.
A lot of Churches start the Easter Sunday celebrations at Midnight on Easter Eve. Candles are<br />
used in churches all over the world to start the Easter Day Midnight celebrations. Candles help<br />
Christians to remember that Jesus is the light of the world and that when he rose to life on<br />
Easter Day he got rid of the darkness of evil.<br />
Easter is a centuries-old tradition and that I have already mentioned it is celebrated differently<br />
in Europe. Across Europe, Easter usually consists of basket blessings, chocolate bunnies,<br />
colourful eggs, bread, cakes and big family gatherings.<br />
Easter Eggs<br />
Many traditions and practices have formed<br />
around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is a<br />
established art and eggs often dyed,<br />
painted and otherwise decorated. Orthodox<br />
Christian in the Middle East and in Greece<br />
painted eggs bright red to symbolize the<br />
blood of Christ. Germans gave green eggs<br />
as gifts on Holy Thursday and hung hollow<br />
eggs on trees. Austrians placed tiny plants<br />
around the egg and then boiled them. When<br />
the plants were removed, white patterns<br />
were created. The most elaborate Easter<br />
egg traditions appear to have emerged in<br />
Eastern Europe. In Poland and Ukraine egg<br />
were often painted silver and gold.
The Easter Bunny<br />
Hares and rabbits have long been symbols<br />
of fairytale. The inclusion of the hare into<br />
Easter customs appears to have originated<br />
in Germany, where tales were told of an<br />
??Easter hare??who laid eggs for children to<br />
find. German immigrants to America<br />
brought the tradition with them and spread<br />
it to a wider public. They also baked cakes<br />
for Easter in the shape of hares and may<br />
have pioneered the practice of making<br />
chocolate bunnies and eggs. While Easter to<br />
many of us means gorging on chocolate,<br />
dyeing eggs and waiting on a bunny to bring<br />
us treats, here are a few of the most<br />
elaborate and unusual celebrations.<br />
In Germany for example dancing is banned. In<br />
southern Germany, hundreds of people braved<br />
the snow for a traditional Easter Monday<br />
procession on horseback, while in Slovakia<br />
women were doused with buckets of water as<br />
part of their weekend celebrations. A similar<br />
age-old tradition takes place in Hungary, where<br />
after being sprinkled with water, the women give<br />
the men beautifully coloured eggs in return.<br />
Corfu is famous for pottery smashing on this day<br />
and in Norway, people reading crime novels as a<br />
rule. The Franconian Swiss have an old Easter<br />
tradition of decorating wells in order to<br />
celebrate the gift of water: life. They decorate<br />
wells with beautifully painted eggs and spring<br />
flowers.<br />
And finally to cut a long story short, as many<br />
countries as many histories and unbelievable<br />
Easter traditions.<br />
Happy Easter!!!<br />
by Anna Dididze
Volunteer's home countries<br />
SPAIN<br />
Beaches, culture and architecture are the three most defining features of Spain, but you mustn´ t<br />
forget the glorious sunshine, gorgeous scenery and landscapes. People flock in their millions to<br />
this hospitable country that offers quite contrasting attractions and opportunities. It is - and has<br />
been for thousands of years - one of the cultural centers of Europe. It has beautiful cities and<br />
towns, offering really old monuments as well as futuristic architecture.<br />
Now let´ s see the most important aspects of this fantastic country.<br />
Culture<br />
Culturally, Spain is a Western country. Almost<br />
every aspect of Spanish life is permeated by<br />
its Roman heritage, making Spain one of the<br />
major Latin countries of Europe.<br />
Spanish culture is marked by strong historic<br />
ties to Catholicism, which played a pivotal role<br />
in the country's formation and subsequent<br />
identity.<br />
Spanish art, architecture, cuisine, and music<br />
has been shaped by successive waves of<br />
foreign invaders, as well as by the country's<br />
Mediterranean climate and geography.
Music, events and holidays<br />
One of the most recognized features of Spanish culture is its flamenco dancing and<br />
fiestas. The Flamenco dance is one of the most vibrant and unique dances in the world,<br />
and promise to entertain tourists. Performances are often held in popular restaurants,<br />
and tourists can even attempt the dance by themselves. It is the musical tradition in the<br />
country's south, in particular in Andalusia. That is where you have to move to see and<br />
listen first rate dancing and guitar playing. Apart from Flamenco music and dance, Spain<br />
is also widely known for its bull-fights. You will find them indeed throughout the country.<br />
The most popular event perhaps being the "Running of Bulls" during the San fermines in<br />
Pamplona. But bullfights are part and parcel of any Fiesta. In April takes place Feria de<br />
Abril, in Seville, an entire week of singing and dancing and trying that great Sherry wine,<br />
those delicious tasty snacks called "Tapas" and moreSherry wine ... and if you like this<br />
sort of things you REALLY should not miss that event.<br />
If you can arrange it (and find a hotel room) better arrive to Seville already two weeks<br />
before Feria, and see this city's other outstanding event: Semana Santa, Easter week, with<br />
its world-famous processions.<br />
Another outstanding Fiesta are "Las Fallas" in Valencia, in March, when all the city<br />
becomes the scenery of an enormous party with lots of good mood and excellent<br />
fireworks. Next to Valencia there is the little town Buñol which hosts each year on the<br />
last Wednesday of August La Tomatina, the world's largest tomato fight. It is unclear why<br />
the town's inhabitants started over 50 years ago the tradition of throwing mature<br />
tomatoes at each other, but today the event attracts thousands of visitors from all over<br />
the world.<br />
Madrid has its Fiesta, "San Isidro", in May. If you like bullfights, don't miss it.Carnival is<br />
popular in all the country, the best is in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, but if you are at the<br />
peninsula, Cadiz and Sitges are the places to go.
Attractions. Spain has an array of intriguing<br />
attractions that excite tourists from around<br />
the world each year. Incredible buildings still<br />
stand from the 700 year-old legacy of the<br />
Moors that once ruled Spain. For example,<br />
Santa Barbara has a great castle and in<br />
Granada you will find the Alhambra Palace.<br />
Other attractions include the Teide National<br />
Park in Tenerife. This National Park homes<br />
the country?s highest mountain, as well as<br />
the third highest volcano in the world.<br />
It is difficult to name the most important,<br />
attractive and stunning attractions that Spain<br />
has to offer, as there are many of them, but<br />
here you can find ten attractions that are<br />
really worth visiting.<br />
Transport. Travellers making the most of<br />
their Spain holidays will be pleased to know<br />
Spanish transport is easily understood<br />
making it almost impossible for tourists to<br />
get lost when travelling or sightseeing.<br />
Travelling Spain in its entirety will involve<br />
boarding the efficient Euro rail, but for more<br />
local exploration there are always regular<br />
bus and train services to cities and towns.
Accommodation. Spain is home to a great<br />
selection of accommodation. There are plenty of<br />
villas to rent in Spain for travellers that would like<br />
to be independent, as well as plenty of hotels and<br />
hostels you can stay at.<br />
Weather. Spain has a favourable climate and<br />
boasts around 300 days of sunshine each year. No<br />
matter what period holidaymakers choose to visit<br />
Spain, the weather is sure not to let anybody<br />
down.<br />
Beaches. Sun worshippers know only too well<br />
that Spain is the ideal location for sun bathing on<br />
glorious golden sand. The beautiful beaches have<br />
crystal clear water, perfect for a refreshing dip in<br />
the midday heat.<br />
Shopping. Spain treats its visitors to duty free<br />
shopping, where items such as wine, perfume,<br />
tobacco, tea and coffee can be purchased at<br />
discount prices.<br />
Nightlife. Spain is home to some extraordinary<br />
bars, clubs and casinos for party-animal<br />
individuals. However, for tourists that enjoy<br />
leisurely meals will happily divulge in to the range<br />
of delicacies available in Spain, including the local<br />
Tapas, Chinese, Indian and German foods.
OPPORTUNITIES<br />
See Salto: https:/ / www.salto-youth.net/<br />
Check out some ERASMUS+<br />
opportunities for Bulgarian youth<br />
https:/ / www.salto-youth.net/ tools/ european-training-calendar/ training/ street-work-study-visit-cooperation-and-practice.5707/<br />
https:/ / www.salto-youth.net/ tools/ european-training-calendar/ training/ developing-digital-youth-work.5692/<br />
https:/ / www.salto-youth.net/ tools/ european-training-calendar/ training/ impact.5561/<br />
Alternativi International site: http:/ / www.alternativi-bg.org/<br />
Find us on Facebook https:/ / www.facebook.com/ alternativi.international/ ?ref=ts&fref=ts<br />
Join us here https:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 153667624673731/ ?ref=ts&fref=ts<br />
Groups on Facebook:<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ DoGreatThingsNetwork/ Do Great Things Network & Friends All Over The World<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 211479949023086/ ?ref=ts&fref=ts Erasmus Plus Projects<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ erasmusplusprojects/ Erasmus+<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ Erasmus-PLUS-2014-2020-583448808369296/ ?ref=br_rs Erasmus PLUS 2014-2020<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ ErasmusPlusPorgramme/ ?ref=br_rs Erasmus plus<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ European.Entrepreneurs.EYE.Programme/ ?ref=br_rs Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs<br />
https:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ EVS.vacancy/ ?fref=ts EVS vacancy
EVS IN ALTERNATIVI INTERNATIONAL<br />
EVS Alumni<br />
Big Thanks to all our volunteers received in our organization. It is a<br />
great contribution to the work in youth field. Let's see them here:<br />
Virlan Cristina<br />
Leticia Rodriguez Herrero<br />
Maria Jose Melendo<br />
Anna Arunashvili<br />
Tatevik Beglaryan<br />
Anna Dididze<br />
Lidija Kopecki<br />
Ana Sakandelidze<br />
Belen Manogil<br />
Maia Turiashvili
Iasmina Pete<br />
Marie Berianidze<br />
Pajtim Cami<br />
Nina Kharatian<br />
Salome Gamkrelidze<br />
Khvicha Korashvili<br />
Ana Ptskialadze<br />
Toni Bartulin<br />
Maral Mustaphazadeh
Zlatko Dimitrovski<br />
Mariam Meladze<br />
Nino Jibghàshvili<br />
Veronika Ozdincová<br />
Helena Macias Gonzalez<br />
Justine Leitarte
Also, let's wish good luck to volunteers sent to EVS by Alternativi International<br />
Ivaylo Asenov , Volunteer<br />
in Murter, Croatia<br />
Dobromir Tsolyov ,<br />
Volunteer in Murter, Croatia<br />
Angel Bayche,<br />
Volunteer in Kokkola, Finland<br />
Melania Berbatova<br />
Volunteer in Ankara, Turkey<br />
Yassar Markos<br />
Aneta Tonheva Volunteer in Barelona,<br />
Volunteer in Ommen, The Netherlands<br />
Spain<br />
Maria DilovaVolunteer in Ommen,<br />
The Netherlands<br />
Dani Mihaleva,<br />
Volunteer in Croatia<br />
Galina Pavlova, Volunteer in Croatia<br />
Veselina Zlatanova Volunteer in Ommen, The Netherlands , and others.
Office hours<br />
Working Days<br />
10:00 - 18:00<br />
Youth House of Blagoevgrad<br />
Bistritsa Street 1<br />
2700, Blagoevgrad,<br />
Bulgaria<br />
Contects us<br />
alternativi.intrnational@gmail.com<br />
T: +359 888 122 125<br />
T: +359 895 180 486<br />
http:/ / www.alternativi-bg.org/<br />
Assocaition ,,Alternativi International" is looking for new members to get<br />
involved in all the activities of the organization on local, national and<br />
international level. In order to become part of the organization you have to<br />
contact us on the following email: members.alternativi@gmail.com.<br />
Stay tuned for more opportunities !<br />
Happy Easter<br />
Looking forward to hear from you.