BLOG – VOLUNTEERING – Tirol

What kind of person are you at the moment? The one that is calm and happy about having time for personal projects or family life? Or are you the one freaking out? Or maybe a double personality that is changing every two days? But in any case, is there not also that question in your mind how this all is affecting us? And when can we act as normal humans again? 

I guess I’m the “double personality” kind. I must say that last week I started to have a kind of stable “quarantine routine” and I felt a new way of being free, of doing my own projects, of caring about myself. I must say that it felt like a break to my previous working routine and I was liking doing “whatever I wanted”. But when you stop for a moment you realise that the difference between your normal routine and your quarantine routine is that in the second one there is nothing unpredictable (in a positive sense) that will break it. There is no friend calling you to go for a coffee. There is no difference between a week day or a weekend. There is no event or trip to be planned. There is no night you go out until late and sleep half of the next day. It’s a steady rhythm of sleeping and waking up at the same times, of doing the same things everyday or every two days. Where is the break? What was actually the usual break? The answer: the people you can’t see at the moment…

I was never really the spontaneous kind of person, I always liked to plan things. But the moment you realise that you are just on your own, that you can decide whatever you want to do (within the restrictions) whenever you want to do it, that you don’t have to rely on anyone and that there is no one that can cross your plans with other proposals, you suddenly feel that you are missing the inconstant of human beings in your “perfect” routine. And you notice that actually it’s the imperfection that gives a natural balance to your life. But now, not much seems very natural anymore, not much seems very human anymore.

Some days ago I’ve heard an older woman talking to a younger one exactly about this. That we are loosing our humanity. In addition to all the “keep distance” restrictions people are slowly freak out. I mean I have been listening to the radio a lot these days and apart from the fact that I’m freaking out because of listening the same “corona-comments” and the same “quarantine-advertisements” every day, I’m also freaking out because of the news I hear lately about peoples behaviour. Why does a young men threaten an old lady by telling her he has the virus and will pass it on to her? Why does a doctor make a legal complaint against a patient for passing him on the virus, but after a test proves that the patient doesn’t even have the virus? Why are tourists now making a common legal complaint against Tirol because they think they got infected during their skiing holidays (or should I rather say “après-skiing” holidays)? What is wrong with people? Is there really nothing better to do and nothing better to think of than making this whole situation worst? Nothing better than to blame others for (maybe) their own mistakes? To blame a region or a country that in my opinion (compared to others) reacted fast to this whole situation? Even with so much time for ourselves at the moment, people seem not even taking a second to think about the consequences of their irrational behaviour…

So please! Whatever kind person you are at the moment and even though you want to blame the whole world for this inhuman situation, take a breath to think. We are somehow all in the same boat, we all have to find ways to lead with this situation, to lead with our angriness, our sadness, our fears, and all our energy. So let’s keep our humanity and let’s be there for each other as much as we can instead of complicating each others life.

“If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. The world needs more of that.”

Lena C.

In the quarantine time, leaving home is strictly cut down to a necessity. I can work from my newly set up office corner at home. I go grocery shopping only once or twice per week. The regular trainings in my sports club and yoga studio are cancelled for some time. So I really need to think about, how not to turn into a couch potato. XD Also, our bodies need movement and exercise in order to stay healthy.

A lot of people are now moving less than they did just a week or two weeks ago. The Tyrolean government encourages people do go outside of their homes as seldom as possible. When walking outside is not strictly prohibited, going hiking to the mountains is forbidden, in order to minimize the risk of accidents and let the rescue workers concentrate on the current crisis. I think that seeing mountains only from the distance, yet so near, is especially hard for the nature loving sporty people among us. Just the other day I saw a meme posted by Österreichischer Alpenverein, that must describe the feelings of many in this time. But we stay at home and dream about the time when the crisis is over. Meanwhile, we can find alternative activities.

In our video-meeting with the volunteers in Tyrolean youth centers we discussed, how everybody is keeping active and fit in their own four walls. Some people have already established a quarantine routine of some sort, for others it is more chaotic or simply a feeling of doing nothing at all. Nevertheless, everybody could share some activities and training exercises they do at home or near to it. Some are lucky to have a balcony or a small garden, to enjoy fresh air and sun privately. One volunteer even has a whole football field in front of the apartment, that he can use for his cardio training in the mornings. But apart from our living conditions, it is rather the way we look at life and the appreciation for what we have, that affects our spirit. One volunteer, for example, doesn’t let himself be pulled down by the restrictions and has his running circuit in the apartment.

Here you can find links to sportive activities and workout routines. This is a collection of resources in the internet that is put together of all the things mentioned by the volunteers and project coordinators in our video meeting:

• Hip Hop dance choreography for beginners: You can start with sequence 1 at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAfB0624y-s&t=27s and follow the routine in the following videos.
• Gymnastic training. Some trainers in Instagram, who regurarly post exercises e.g.
  • Xheni personal training posts handstand and workout workshops: www.instagram.com/xheni.personaltraining
  • Filipa Martins posts workouts in her Instagram stories: www.instagram.com/filipamartins_official/
• BodyScan by Jon Kabat Zinn: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4gZgnCy5ew (45 minutes)
• Fun workouts by Alba Berlin, female basketball team in Berlin: www.albaberlin.de
• Yoga and stretching, e.g. KinoYoga, yoga for relaxation – for all levels www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJur-BC7tcE (20 minutes)
• Bodyweight fitness training and HIIT workouts, Fitness Blender YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/FitnessBlender
• Qi Gong exercises: e.g. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LpVLVr8dYE (ca. 5 minutes)
• Cardio training (running) and workout exercises: push ups, planking, crunches, squats etc.
• Breath techniques, such as alternate nostril breathing, e.g. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VwufJrUhic
• Meditation
• Pilates
• Kickboxing. Free training videos on Popsugar fitness YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/popsugartvfit
• Tai chi moves for beginners – 14 minute Tai chi routine: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w7IS8_UzHM
• Belly-dance fitness tutorial: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3qzJL9-zDs (33 minutes);
• Squats and how to do them properly, in order to avoid injury: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3HlEF_E9fo

Have fun and keep moving!

– Kadri –

noun [uncountable] : a strong desire to travel (Oxford dictionary)

Travelling and wandering are stopped now, but we might as well enjoy the land we are in from our windows

Do you remember when we spoke about how life can continue in your garden? What do you say if I tell you that there’s a bigger world to discover in your computer or smartphone? Check this!

Maybe you will find yourself stressed in this very lost and vast world. Just stay calm! This are some advices for you and your online navigation. First of all, you have to understand that Internet is so big and you have to be clear of what do you want exactly. So why don’t we start giving you some websites that you might be interested on?

Are you in your home without read, study or just concerning about how to still learning? Internet brings you the posibility to study with online courses. SOME OF THEM ARE FREE! In addition, you can obtein certificates, statements or any other document of participation. Here there are some of them for you to explore:

• https://www.edx.org/es/subjects: American universities courses with the posibility of gaining an university certificate by only paying the certificate.

• https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/activate/: Google tools and marketing courses entirely free created by Google and others.

• https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue: Scottish university courses for charity in a suitable level just for you.

• https://alison.com/courses: social courses with only paying a low price certificate made by experts.

If you are not fulfilled with this massive amount of knowledge, I show you a recommended list of cultivated websites for cultivated people. These websites bring you the posibility to discover art pieces in virtual museums, streaming performances or even books online. Once again, all for your confort.

• https://www.wdl.org/en/ UNESCO opened a global library in this crisis to learn more with documents of libraries of the whole globe.

• https://artsandculture.google.com/ Google art and culture portal that brings you the posibility to watch 360º degrees images of paints, sculptures and monuments.

• https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/13/arts/all-classical-music-you-can-livestream-free/ Concerts in streaming of all the main American opera bands

• https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/ theatre online where you have a big set to watch theatre performances.

These are some examples of what you can do. Thanks to this websites I started a Digital Marketing course from Google and I finished a Creative writing and critical reading course by The Open University, so I have more skills to work at home while I’m learning. My ambition doesn’t stop there and we always have to learn!

There is plenty of websites that I didn’t mention before just waiting for you. These are just samples of the whole capacity in Internet, but it’s a huge world as I said before. Take this time to discover them and to learn something new of your interest.

José M. Gómez

“What if…?” is probably the biggest question that is out there in our minds. At least in my one. It’s this silly question that we shouldn’t even think of, because we can’t anyway change what is happening at the moment. It’s always a major force. But still the question stays it’s in our heads. It’s a question about what decisions, what restrictions were really necessary, it’s a question about how harmful this virus really is or if we are making it that strong with our fear, with our actions. Might the harm we are causing to ourselves not be bigger than the one this virus is actually causing? Is the virus not going to spread anyway, even if we close boarders and people in their homes? Is it worth it to put people in critical economic situations, in unemployment, in existential crises? Would the people that are dying now due to this virus, not maybe have died anyway? Is life and death not anyway a natural selection? Is it again a way of the human being to intervene in nature? These are question that are causing a lot of debates in our heads, that some of you might find tactless, but that no one can answer… Doctors have different opinions, politicians have different opinions, citizens have different opinions. The fact is that at the end we have to trust and follow those who take the decisions, if we agree or not. 

I must admit that my first thought when the quarantine was announced was “I’m not going to let them take away my freedom!” And the more this situation goes on, the more rebellious I feel. It’s taking us away our freedom, it’s separating us from people, and certainly there are some of us in isolation that might not get sick from the virus itself but from loneliness and depression. It feels wrong to me seeing everyday new methods of keeping people apart, it feels wrong to me that families and couples are being separated, it feels wrong to me that people on the street change the side they are walking on just because someone else appears on their way. It’s heartbreaking! My only hope in all this is that, when this is going to end one day, people have realised how much they actually need each other and don’t take it for granted anymore that there is always someone right by their side.

But in all the rebellious thoughts and “what ifs”, as I said we have to follow the decisions that were taken for our society, because at the moment it’s the only right thing to do. I’m not a risk group, I’m most probably not going to die from this if I get it, but I wouldn’t forgive myself if I would put other people in danger, people that are still working for us in this difficult times. So the only thing that we can do at the moment is to find a new definition of freedom within this borders that were made up, to stay positive and healthy in our minds, to support each other from distance as much as we can, to find a reason to wake up every morning, and to always see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

«The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you will need for tomorrow» Robert Tew

Lena C.