Author:
Green Steps
Short summary:
Meet Christina, our intern from Greece who spent three months in Green Steps!
- Do you have a Nickname?
I have various nicknames that my friends and family have given me, each one a different one. Most of them are variations of my name in Greek. But when it comes to the english version of my name, some people call me Christie or Chris.
- Explain to a stranger what do you do for Green Steps?
In Greep Steps every week or even day is different so the tasks also vary. There are times spent at the office and others outside. My current office task is writing an article that evaluates the ARK app in comparison to other apps. When it comes to outside work, the first week that I was here I was participating in a summer camp. But we have other recurring exciting projects as well, from BFG walks, to Groovy Garden to Plastic Pirates.
- What is your daily routine? What is something you like doing and your coworkers maybe don’t know about you?
My daily routine is waking up an hour before heading to Green Steps. I like having this time to eat breakfast and get ready. But other than that each day is unique. I might meet up with friends, go to the supermarket, cook or explore not only St. Pölten but other places around here or even in other countries.
- Use less than 250 words to tell a story about yourself: starting from “where are you from” to the choice of joining Green Steps.
I am from Athens, Greece, currently doing a bachelor's degree in Geography with a strong interest in environmental issues. I have always wanted to participate in an Erasmus+ program so I applied through my university for an internship. Initially, I was looking for opportunities in Germany, to utilize my German language skills but then I considered Austria and started searching for organizations that would interest me and came across Green Steps.
- Mention a book you read as a teenager that still tells something about you, and that you would still suggest reading.
One of the books that I read as a teenager and still tells something about me is Living, Loving and Learning by Leo Buscaglia. I remember that one of my favorite teachers was talking to us about this book and one day I actually read it and loved it. I would love to read it again sometime.
- How do you expect you and Green Steps to have an impact in the next years? Close with a wish for the organization.
It's fascinating that Green Steps focuses on place-based education, starting with children. I truly believe that to make significant changes, we need to begin by educating the younger generations. This is what will make a lasting impact. I hope Green Steps can reach a larger audience so more people become aware of its work.
- Did you have an experience that will shape your future?
I will start by saying that this was the first time that I actually was away from home for such a long time. So, of course I got to experience so many things every day and also Green Steps was part of it. These experiences helped me realize a lot about myself and discover new interests. I met amazing people along the way, and all of this will definitely shape my future.
- Did you learn something that changed your opinion or attitude about something or someone?
I spent a lot of time with children and teenagers, and what I found interesting was that many of them actually enjoyed participating in the activities. For some reason, I had thought that children wouldn’t want to spend their time taking care of the Groovy Garden and would prefer to just play. As for the teenagers, I assumed they might avoid the activities altogether. But most of them were fully engaged and immersed in the tasks.
- Is there a project which you would like to continue back home?
There were a lot of projects that I liked, but I don’t know which one I would like to continue back home.
