Tunisia (2006/07)
Official name: ABDELHAMID
Short name: Hamdi (HAMBI for Hungarian children)
Hungarian name: Kirlay Dezső ”
Where do you come from: METLINE Tunisia
When did you do your volunteering project at Fekete Sereg and how long?
-May 2006/May2007 long-term EVS (European Voluntary Service) for one year.
What was your motivation to do the project/Why did you decide to be a volunteer (in Hungary)?
-At that time, I had 2 opportunities: France or Hungary. I chose Hungary because of the Hungarian culture and to learn a new foreign language.
What was your project? What was a regular day like?
– Media in a rural area of Hungary” was the project’s name. The tasks were:
Creating clubs for youngsters coming from the school (music club ”darbouka”, theater of shadow club, Arab language club
Supporting the association’s activities as well
Which is your favorite memory of the time you spent here?
– Once, we had a terrible car accident. At that moment, I really felt that Fekete Sereg is not only an association but a solider family. Yes, Fekete Sereg was my second family.
A funny memory you’d like to share?
-There are a lot of funny memories I can share, but I think the funniest was in my first few days in Nagyvázsony, when I was starting to integrate myself with local people and colleagues in the association. So let’s start to learn the most useful words. And I trusted one of my colleagues to teach me for example how to say “good morning”. He told me it was “Baszd meg”. I thought: fine let’s surprise Rita that I start to speak Hungarian.“Baszd meg, Rita!”, and then I realized that it was a bad word. It was my first funny lesson and a motivation to learn quickly the Hungarian language.
What do/did you like the most about Nagyvázsony?
-Nagyvázsony is a mysterious village with kind people. You can feel home when you are in the street and meeting people.
How was the life in the flat?
– I shared the flat with a French volunteer and it was a really good experience exchanging cultures, foods, communications….
Why would you recommend doing volunteering? Why at Fekete Sereg?
-Fekete Sereg is a professional association offering a lot of learning for the volunteers. It was a big pleasure to be the first volunteer with FeketeSereg.
How did you benefit from your project/your time you spent here?
– My experience as a volunteer with Fekete Sereg was the transferring point from a student in the university to a professional who is working in tourism using the Hungarian language. Yes, after my EVS I had opportunity to work with a Hungarian travel agency in Tunisia as a guide and representative.
What are you currently doing in your life? What are your plans for the future?
-Actually, I am working for a French factory making jeans in Tunisia, I have a sweet little family and doing well in my life.
Anything else you’d like to tell?
-More than 13 years from the date I left my EVS as if it was yesterday. I visited Hungary several times after my experience and I cannot come without visiting Nagyvázsony, my lovely, sweet village. Every place is reminding me of a story of fun or of an activity.