MY BIOGRAPHY:
My name is ___________, I have just
turned 16 years old and I live in Bologna, Italy. I speak English (as a second
language) and Italian (as a mother tongue). My passions are: archeology (social
service with archeological groups located in my city), painting, taking
artistic pictures (landscapes, food), creating small objects with polymer
clays, listening to music (modern genres – commercial music), reading (mystery
books), watching movies/documentaries/tv series, swimming, walking a lot and
discovering new places ... and of course going out with my friends and getting
to know new people ! Psychology and Arts are my passions as well!
INTERVIEW TO MYSELF:
1. What am I interested in? I love reading, swimming, dancing, painting,
travelling and visiting new countries, listening to music, I also like looking
at advertisements and trying to understand techniques and reasons for choices
of specific words, images, symbols … but the “thing” I love most is PEOPLE. I
love meeting new people, not necessarily getting close friends with them, but
getting to know them, their culture, their interests, their ways of living,
their points of view. For this reason, I like surfing the Internet since it
gives me the chance of getting in touch with different cultures and traditions.
I am also really interested in cooking, especially cookies and cakes, but I
also like healthy food recipes and preparing vegetable and fruit smoothies.
2.
About what issues do I feel most passionate? It depends from the definition
of the word “issues”. If with this word we mean “social problems” affecting the
global community, I think that the aspect that involves me more is children in
areas affected by war. Last year I made a big Artwork titled “Last birthday”: I
created a huge cake with polymer clay, candles and decorations and, as background;
I chose the pictures of some children taken during war in Syria. “The last
birthday” means the end of childhood, hopes, dreams, peace because of war … it
does not necessarily mean death but it symbolizes the end of happiness: even
when the war will be over, these kids will not be “children” any more since
their perception about life will be completely different. This was the initial
reflection that triggered my artwork, but what struck me most was that when I
surfed the Internet to find the list of the conflicts happening daily in the
world, I realized that they are countless … From that day I have always been
interested and deeply touched by the situation of children in war areas. Of
course I could not help directly to change all this but maybe be I could help
by fundraising to improve the living conditions of these children (to buy food,
medical assistance, shelters …).
3. What are my talents? I believe I am good
at drawing and creating in general, using different kinds of materials: polymer
clay, clay, natural elements (such as branches, leaves, pebbles), magazines
(collages), newspapers. I think I am also good at getting in touch with people,
understanding and helping them, sharing life with them.
4. What skill/talent
would I like to improve? I have good organization skills but I believe I need
to become quicker in developing and carrying out all my activities. So I think
that in order to improve this aspect, I should try to get involved in many different
CAS short experiences, because this would help me in trying to reach the goals
of one project in the shortest time possible and then switch to the next one. I
am very precise and try to give the most in everything I do, so I believe I
need to start speeding times.
5. What am I already doing that could be part
of my CAS programme? I have been working for an archeological association
since I was 8 years old. I have invested many hours during my weekends on this
activity. I know this “job” very well but now I think that I should try
something different: challenges make you grow and now I feel it is the right
time to start widening my horizons. It goes without saying that it would be
easy for me to include these service hours among my CAS activities: Service –
as taking care of our archeological findings is an activity that benefits all
our community, enriching our museums – Action – as digging in order to bring to
light something really interesting implies a lot of physical efforts and
contributes to a healthy lifestyle – Creativity – since putting together all
the broken parts of an Estruscan/Villanovian vase or of a plate (these are just
examples) requires a lot of imagination (see pictures). I could think about a
short experience connected with archeological social service, such as for
example preparing some leaflets for archeological exhibitions or organizing
short conferences, in our territory, about the Villanovian / Estruscan periods,
to help people become more aware of the origins of their own culture…However I
would prefer being involved in something completely different. I believe that
the essence of the CAS experience is represented by GROWTH and CHALLENGE and
insisting with the same activities would mean losing these aspects. There are
no real aims and goals in keeping on doing always the same things.
6. What
would I like to be involved in? I am really open to any kind of new
experience: assisting people in hospitals, teaching Italian to foreing people,
fundaraising for associations such MSF, cleaning public parks … However I would
like to build up my CAS experience myself, looking for possibilities and
evaluating them. I would not like to be involved in something suggested by
someone else. It would not have the same “value” for me. I believe the best
thing to do is to think it over and look around , starting form the local
community and, after, expanding to the global one.
7. Are there any local clubs
or community associations in which I could be involved? I live in a small
village and I know all the inhabitants really well: there are different local
community associations in which I could be involved and be welcomed by its
members (some collect old books for the school, other associations fundraise to
buy new toys for the kindergarten … ad so on). ANT is present on every village
celebration and they are often looking for volunteers. MSF is ready to involve
me for fundraising: they had already asked me last year but, at the end, I
chose to cooperate with Gift of Life and Emergency, so this year it could also
be the turn of MSF ! Maybe I could evaluate it for a short CAS experience.
8.
What would I like to learn more about? I would like to learn more about the
possibility to set up a sort of business for fundraising (regulations, age
etc): for example, I know that in my village there is a huge request for bamboo
canes that are used in kaleyards to help tomato plants grow up and I was
thining about selling them (I have many in my property) to fundraise for some
“good causes” such helping regions affected by war, natural hazards and so on.
9. What have I always wanted to try but haven’t yet? I have always been
thinking about teaching Italian to foreigners outside the school and I would
love to see them learn and improve thanks to my activity. I believe it would be
a really rewarding experience. However, I have never had the time to organize
this activity.
10. What other questions may help? Write down two and answer
them. Would you be ready to share some of your CAS experiences cooperating with
one (or more) of your peers ? I believe that one of the main goals and aims of
CAS is organization and cooperation so I think that sharing a short project
with one of my peers would help me grow since it would mean looking at things
also from a different perspective and point of view. Have you ever thought
about carrying out one of your CAS activities abroad ? Yes, next summer I would
like to make my social service at St Jude’s hospital in Las Vegas. This
hospital is dealing with children affected by cancer and other deadly diseases.
This year I could not join them since I was not 16 years old yet but next year
I would like to go. I have already contacted them and I am waiting for the
final confirmation.
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