Dates: 1.8.2013 – 1.7.2014
Venue: Rejsby, Skærbæk, Denmark
Programme, action: Youth in Action, 2, European Voluntary Service
Participant: Olga Neprašová
Something about the project: It is composed as long-term EVS, Rejsby Europæiske Efterskole, that focuses on foreign languages teaching and European studies, is the hosting organisation.
Project report:
One Year at a Boarding School in Denmark
“Hilarious! I’m gonna live very close to the sea. I will be there every single day!” Well when I arrived to the coast for the very first time and saw all the sheep and mud I realized that my expectations were not very realistic. On the other hand I learnt to enjoy the so called the biggest restaurant for birds in the world from many different angles while we were exploring it with the students during many trips to the Wadden Sea.
These trips were not the only ones. During the school year, which is a little bit designed as a very long summer camp, students had a chance to experience even much more. The school is called –Rejsby Europæiske Efterskole – it is a type of school for 9th graders or 10th graders who have the opportunity to choose to study at this kind of private boarding school for one school year while exploring themselves, learning about countries and their people we visited, improving their language skills, getting to know a lot about the European Union and a lot more together with other 135 young Danes, international school staff and two volunteers.
The year is literally packed with as many activities as possible. The school doesn’t just offer traditional education – because students have to pass their final exams and also receive marks. But except this the students have the opportunity to learn in a more non-formal way and acquire different experiences, which they won’t be able to gain at a public school.
My role comprised of many different tasks – ranging from assisting in English and creative lessons, having evening and night duties, organizing extra-curricular activities to creative tasks such as creating posters, web elements, adverts. I have also enjoyed organizing various workshops promoting Czech culture and my favourite Czech cooking.
I would like to thank “EYCB – my sending organization” for the support before going to Denmark and mainly during the stay itself – thank you Kuba Miklín; Dansk ICYE (http://www.icye.dk) my coordinating organization for all the financial support and various camps for international volunteers and also for the possibility to meet Danes during them. Thank also goes to Czech and Danish National Agencies for all well-organized and enriching trainings.
The last but not least I must praise my hosting organization – “Rejsby Europæiske Efterskole” for all the possibilities to learn much about Denmark – its history, culture and mainly its educational system in an amazing school environment full of supportive and engaging colleagues and enthusiastic students, who made my stay to be a fulfilling experience packed with surprises.
Olga Neprašová
