Springtime in Maribor started for real as it was predicted by the natives when we were hanging around in Ptuj, in a group of 4 one cold day in the beginning of March. Predicted or rather requested by the thousands of pandas, princesses and pirates, but mostly by the Kurants. The amazing creatures of Ptuj’s carnival! According to the tradition, young unmarried men were dressing this costume, drinking wine and chasing girls. Nowadays, as it was explained by our friend, Kuranty dress this really heavy costume, drink wine, chase girls and they don’t have to be neither young, nor unmarried. There is however one important rule that Kuranty must apply to – they must fight, jump, sing and yell for the springtime! And so they did. And so it came.
I guess that it first came to Maribor on this particular day when “Days for Changes” started. When we first heard of the idea maybe we weren’t so much excited. We were just supposed to accompany with a camera the voluntary service actions organized in the city by the different social organizations. All of us received timetables, maps of locations and so off we went – to fill our EVS duty! The whole event took three days and maybe because of this beginning of springtime, or maybe just because, it turned out to become really cheerful and optimistic days. For those who don’t believe me – we’ve got everything on the tape and we have already started our editing work! Maybe it’s not so impressive when you start to talk about it – it’s just spending time with the seniors, playing pikado and chess with them in Dom Danice Vogrinec Maribor, preparing healthy snacks with the bunch of kids in Youth Home, hanging around in the local park. But once you were there, you could feel the sense of the voluntary service in simple being with the others and for the others.
Best regards,
Olga
