The beginning
This is a story about how a simple coincidence and right decision can change lifes. My name is Rasa, I am 29 years old, I am from Lithuania and I have a two year old son Matas.
When I was 18 years old and I was graduating from school, together with my other classmates we used to discuss the possibility of not going to study further in some universities but having a gap year. A gap year is a great chance for young people who are not so sure what they actually want to do in their lives, which profession to choose, whether to continue studying or better to start gaining skills in practise by actually working. Going for a year of volunteering seemed like a great idea, so exciting, challenging and romantic in a way. Well, life happened and I didn’t have a gap year and went straight to studying in a university in Klaipėda, Lithuania. Studied for a few years, quit after finally realising that it was a wrong choice, got myself a job, worked hard, started studying again in a different university in a different study program, tried to combine working and studying. I was at the peak of my career, everything was great but then I got pregnant. I had to quit my job, give birth, go on a two year long maternity leave. Years went and I totally forgot about such an opportunity until being in a second year of maternity leave, I restarted talking to an old friend of mine who happened to be working in an outdoor organization in Riga, Latvia. We had long talks about life and my huge wish to change something and do something out of my comfort zone. Out of nowhere he sent me an application for a long term EVS volunteering project in his organisation (by what he did not actually mean to invite me, just asking to share it with whom it might concern) and it made me realise that I can actually still participate in those kind of projects and that this could be the thing I was searching for. Only challenge that was holding me back was that I had a one year old child all the time with me and I was strongly not sure if that could be possible for many many reasons, fears and uncertainties. I took it seriously because I saw it as a sign and it took me a few weeks to decide, to put all dots in my life. The key factor was a very supportive talk to my project coordinator to be – Ilze. She made me think that everything is possible and promised all the support needed. Well, there are no rules that you can not participate in EVS volunteering projects with a child, huh? That worked. So here I was, packing my car and going to Latvia.
Learning

Conclusion
