Hello everybody!

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We’re the 4 new volunteers for whom a new adventure has begun in Asociación Jóvenes Solidarios here in Arenas de San Pedro. Since the 15th of September, we’ve moved in with our host families for our first month en el pueblo. We can already see that it’s a perfect way to begin our integration in the community.

So far, everything seems slightly overwhelming: new faces, new names, new language, new places… It will certainly be a month of readjustment for us. But that’s what makes it exciting and ideal for fast learning as well!

And a little bit more about us:

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I, Sefa, come from Turkey and for the next month will stay with Alfredo and Angelines. They have two sons: Beltran, 16, and Gonzalo, 13. They also have a smart dog named Tizas, whom I often take for walks in the forest. For my first weekend here, I went hiking to Arenal with my family, and later to Candeleda too. It was fun eating different kinds of fruit on the road and visiting an authentic Spanish village with a stunning view from the mountain. Between lunch and dinner, we visited the monastery and its garden, which I enjoyed very much.

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Here’s a little bit more about the other volunteers and their host families:

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Lina from Lithuania lives with Lorena & Arturo and their two children (Lucia, 9, and Arturo, 11). Arturo is the principal of the primary school Zorrilla Monroy, where we’ll be holding our English classes and other workshops. Their house is also the place for the best fruit salad in town. Also, Lina has already went with them to Teruel, a marvelous city in the region of Aragón.

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Nairouz from Jordan lives with Maiky & Miguel and their son Arturo who’s 11 years old. They have a rural bed & breakfast, and the most relaxed dog in the world. Nairouz is also lucky because Miguel is known as the master of paella! They’ve all visited Toledo recently and, of course, went for cervezas and dancing.

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Joran, a true patriot from France, lives with Teresa & Juan, and their 14-year-old son Cristian, who is also a member of the AJS youth group.. Juan is a secondary teacher at the IES Valle del Tiétar. The family is very welcoming and has made Joran truly feel like a part of it.

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