ARCHELON has taken part in the European Voluntary Service (EVS) for many years. During the summer of 2012 we had the chance to host three great persons to our field projects in Zakyntho and Rethymno. They stay for the whole season. The long term volunteers helps our efforts a lot most due to the fact that the volunteers get much experience and training and then they become capable of delivering very successfully the voluntary tasks. We are very happy to present you Tim Netzler, Pit Lacoste and Art Counihan. We are always curious in finding out the reasons of their decision to commit themselves to ARCHELON and to sea turtle protection. So we asked them some questions. Below you can find their answers.

Tim Netzler Swedish 23 years old

Why did you want to participate in EVS?
I was sick of being unemployed and I wanted to try something that would give me something in return. I didnʼt have a lot of money so that is why I love EVS because they made it possible for me to do this volunteer service. I did EVS because I wanted to meet other people from all over the world. Staying 6 months helps you getting in touch with the country, the people around and you get loads of memories and important experiences!

Why ARCHELON and why sea turtles?
I originally wanted to work with children but I didnʼt get any response so my organization said that this would be good for me. It sounded like a great thing to help saving an endangered species because if we didnʼt, theyʼd go extinct. I donʼt like turtles in particular but thereʼs so much around them that I feel is equally important. If weʼre only focusing on protecting them people wonʼt find out what we do, so that is why I like Public Awareness better, working with hotels and inform them with slideshows and information tables.

How is your experience up to now?
It has been very difficult. I wasnʼt very committed to my work in the beginning and things started to feel helpless. But we managed to sort things out, I, my organization and the people involved. We removed some of my duties, added a few other ones and now it feels great! This work is not for everyone, if you donʼ like to talk in front of a lot of people or you are not super interested in turtles youʼre going to have a hard time.

Art Counihan Irish 23 years old

Why did you want to participate in EVS?
I didn't go looking for a volunteering program but I am very pleased that I happened to come across Archelon from a friend who was leaving to volunteer with ARCHELON in the rescue center in Athens.
He was also volunteering through EVS and I could see major benefits of the EVS programme. The thought of going to Greece and working with turtles really appealed to me, as it was such a difference to my everyday life back in Ireland. Something new fresh and exciting which would allow me to learn and meet new people and experience a different culture all in one.

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Pit Lacoste Luxembourg 23 years old**

Answering your questions, I have to say that I really didn't care if I could come as EVS or simple volunteer. Being an EVS makes things of course easier and cheaper, but the most important for me is that I'm here, can help and can finally do what I always wanted to do.

I chose ARCHELON, because it sounded, in comparison with the other projects, the most interesting and as I've always been interested in animals, especially turtles, my decision to choose ARCHELON was an easy one. I grew up with turtles, they are mysterious, impressive, but unfortunately endangered; so I wanted to contribute to help the animal I like and respect the most. And eventually, until now, I spend the most amazing time of my life here in Greece. I learned so many new skills, my way of thinking changed a lot, I met some amazing people, I feel really like in a family and finally the most important fact: I am able to work with my favourite animal and try to save an endangered species, whose biggest enemy is so often the human beings.

«Το σχέδιο αυτό χρηματοδοτήθηκε με την υποστήριξη της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής. Η παρούσα δημοσίευση [ανακοίνωση] δεσμεύει μόνο τον συντάκτη της και η Επιτροπή δεν ευθύνεται για τυχόν χρήση των πληροφοριών που περιέχονται σε αυτήν.»