Name:                                    Felix Kuther

Age:                                       20

Hometown(s):                        Eisenhüttenstadt/Brandenburg/Germany

                                             Artemovsk/Donetsk Oblast/Ukraine

Time of volunteer Service:     11/08 – 08/09

Place of Work:                      Boarding School of Paraskoveyevka

Weekly work time:                 2-8 hours per day, 4 times the week or more

Self Interview:

F.E.D: Mister Alexandrowitsch, when and why you decided to make an EVS?

M. A.: I made this decision at the beginning of 2008. But in the last years I have had the wish, to go to a country in Eastern Europe. I learned 7 years Russian in school and I thought to myself, it’s not enough to learn a language only there. But then this wish became an idea, than a plan and now I’m here. I collected some infomations in the internet and found some good possibilities. EVS is one of the best opportunities, which gives volunteers the chance to go to a foreign country, learn the language and work in social, environmental, gender or other issues.

F.E.D.: And where are you working now and in which issue?

M.A.:  Now I’m working at the boarding school in Paraskoveyevka.  It’s a village 5 km away from Artemovsk. There are about 150 children and they are living there the whole year. They need special education.

F.E.D.: And what exactly you’re doing there?

M.A.: My tasks are different. In the first month I discovered the school, all places where I can do different things with the children. Especially the first two months we did a lot of sports and at the end a very funny and exciting competition. For this year I have plans to become a more active part and want to work with the children with wood, to make special “action” days with different topics, also more sport activities and in summer more outside. If I allowed, I would like to craft the in- and outside of the school more colourful

F.E.D.: That sounds good. But why you decided to go to such a special school?

M.A.: The year before and after finishing school, I passed the alternative service in my home town with physical and psychological handicapped children for 9 month. The time was great with these children and I learned a lot about how to teach, how to make them laugh and I realized for myself that I like work with children and teenagers. In this time I also decided to study in a social issue, for example special subjects of pedagogic or science of rehabilitation.

F.E.D.: So I hope you will have a lot of fun, energy and success in Paraskoveyevka.

Last question: How do you like Artemovsk and Ukraine?

M.A.: Hmm… there are more exciting and lively cities in Ukraine then Artemovsk, but this town is also quite nice and to live here can be fine, if you make it fine by your ownA lot of possibilities are in town to spend free time, evenings or maybe nights. In general my first impression of Ukraine represented the typical sights of Eastern Europe and made me remind my experiences with other countries in the east of Europe, where I have been. But I’m interested in the history of Ukraine as well, because there were a lot of conflicts with Russia and actually these problems are current.

By the way, especially I like the trolleybus, коровка, борщ and of course the nice streets

F.E.D.: Okay, good to know…thanks for spending your time!