Volunteering at MOJU: March 2018

Monday 26 March 2018

Trip to Coimbra

Visiting the beautiful city of Coimbra for the weekend…

… starting with a nice cup of coffee in a near to the river square.

We checked in a hostel in the centre of Coimbra with an amazing view.

After recharging our energy, we started to walk around and discover spots around the city….

… Portugal’s oldest University…

…blooming gardens.

To wrap up our trip, we tried to get to one of the highest points to be able to get the best panoramic view!

Place totally worth visiting if you have the chance!

Friday 16 March 2018

Mid-term training

Two of our volunteers, Emanuela and Veronika, went to their mid-term training last week in Viseu.

On their way there, they made a stop and visited Coimbra (The fourth-largest urban centre in Portugal it is the largest city of the district of Coimbra, the Centro region and the Baixo Mondego subregion. Among the many archaeological structures dating back to the Roman era, when Coimbra was the settlement of Aeminium, are its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus).

During the training course they gathered with other people doing their volunteering work in other parts of Portugal.

They spent 4 days discussing how their EVS experience was going so far, their future opportunities and involved in non-formal educational activities.

And spent their free time bonding with the other volunteers.

When they finished the mid-term, they had time to make a one day stop in beautiful Aveiro (it is the second most populous city in the Centro Region of Portugal ) before coming back to Olhão.

Monday 12 March 2018

Trip to Estoi

One of the many opportunities about doing EVS in Olhao is to be able to explore the beautiful surroundings (nature, cities…).

One sunny Sunday morning we decided to bike and discover a nearby town called Estoi.

Estoi is a former civil parish in the municipality of Faro, in the Algarve, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Conceição e Estoi. The parish, which includes an area of approximately 46.55 square kilometres , had a population of 3,538 at the 2001 census. The name of the parish, which was formerly spelled "Estói", was changed in 2004.

The Palace of Estoi is a rococo building renowned for its gardens and azulejos. The palace was built in the late 19th century and is the finest example of this kind of architecture in the district of Faro

We wondered around its streets and visited the Cathedral.

In the middle of our journey there, we found the old Estoi’s palace which it has been renovated into a Hotel.

We were able to visit the inside…

… and its garden.

Afterwards, we walked around the old town…

… and we enjoyed the quiet and relaxed atmosphere.

But we couldn’t leave without taking a few selfies!

Sunday 11 March 2018

First Intercultural night! Meeting Bulgaria

Intercultural night!

Meeting Bulgaria!

Once a month, the MOJU team gathers at dinner time. One of the international members presents his or her home country displaying the traditional culture, music, food, etc.