Energy

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Investing in a sustainable energy future for Europe

The EU is actively promoting Europe’s transition to a low-carbon society, and is updating its rules in order to facilitate the necessary private and public investment in the clean energy transition. This should not only be good for the planet, but also good for the economy and good for consumers.

The low carbon transition aims to create a sustainable energy sector which stimulates growth, innovation, and jobs whilst improving quality of life, increasing choice, reinforcing consumer rights, and ultimately providing savings in household bills.

A streamlined and coordinated EU approach ensures a genuinely continental impact in the fight against climate change. Moves to encourage renewables and improve energy efficiency are central to reducing Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Paris Agreement commitments.

Through the European energy union, the EU is ensuring there is a greater coherence in all policy areas to meet the broad objectives of creating a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy system.

The EU also provides various funding opportunities and lending schemes to help companies and regions successfully implement energy projects.

On the international stage, the EU plays an important role, working together with other countries, regions and international organisations to tackle energy problems and ensure a reliable, competitive energy market within Europe.


Source

https://europa.eu/european-union/topics/energy_en (23.12.2019)

Non tutti i training escono col buco…

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Eccomi di nuovo per far sentire la mia voce dall’altra parte del mare raccontandovi storie sulla mia vita come volontaria in Grecia. Quest’oggi ho deciso di condividere con voi la mia ultima esperienza durante il mid term training, ovvero quattro giorni spesi con altri volontari al fine di tirare le somme ognuno sul proprio progetto e la propria esperienza, confrontarsi con persone che stanno vivendo la stessa situazione e cercare delle soluzioni o la motivazione giusta per concludere al meglio quest’anno di volontariato europeo. O almeno così doveva essere in teoria.

La città d’incontro designata era Xanthi, situata a nord est del paese e vicinissima al confine con la Turchia. Inizialmente non avevo grandi aspettative rispetto a questo training, ma essendo di indole curiosa ero ad ogni modo entusiasta del fatto di poter allontanarmi per qualche giorno dalla mia routine e visitare un luogo nuovo dove non ero mai stata. La cittadina effettivamente si è rivelata molto gradevole, non troppo grande ma piena comunque di giovani, locali e una grande piazza dove si sono tenuti i festeggiamenti per il carnevale proprio nei giorni che ho speso lì. La prima sera, una volta riuniti tutti insieme con il trainer che avrebbe tenuto le attività per i giorni seguenti, dopo un brevissimo gioco per iniziare a conoscerci era già ora di cena, e così abbiamo goduto di un po’ di relax proseguendo la serata in centro e unendoci ad alcune feste volte a celebrare il Tsiknopempth, ovvero il giovedì del carnevale in cui è usanza grigliare carne, bere in compagnia e danzare mascherati. Nonostante fossimo rientrati in albergo quasi all’alba ero comunque motivata e curiosa per la mattinata che ci aspettava, speranzosa che avremmo davvero iniziato ad approfondire i temi legati al volontariato europeo e che avremmo avuto la possibilità di legare come gruppo insieme al nostro trainer.

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Le mie speranze però hanno iniziato a scemare quando ho appreso che l’unica attività della mattina sarebbe consistita nel dividerci in gruppi e fare un tour della città scattando delle foto ai monumenti più importanti e cercare di chiacchierare con gli abitanti del posto. Nella mia testa suonava più come attività conclusiva, ma tant’è… Il mio stupore non ha fatto che crescere quando, ritrovatici nuovamente per discutere delle nostre impressioni su Xanthi e mostrare le foto scattate, il tempo scorreva senza che si accennasse a cambiare attività o a iniziare ad entrare nell’argomento ESC. Va bene che si trattava del primo vero e proprio giorno di training, ma avevamo a disposizione solamente quattro giorni, non mesi!
Al termine del pomeriggio speso quindi a guardare le foto scattate da tutti i volontari (ridete pure ma purtroppo è la verità), ci siamo appropinquati al tavolo del buffet per la cena, almeno il cibo è sempre una buona consolazione. La serata in seguito è stata piacevole come la precedente, e di nuovo con due o tre ore di sonno in corpo eravamo (circa) pronti per vedere cosa ci avrebbe atteso durante il secondo giorno.

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Finalmente sembrava che si iniziasse a prospettare una giornata più proficua di quella precedente, ma evidentemente mi sbagliavo: abbiamo assistito a quella che credo sia stata la presentazione più noiosa e non ho timore di definire inutile della mia vita su quali saranno le prospettive future dopo il termine del volontariato; a tenere il discorso è stata una signora che aspira a diventare trainer e che per il momento accompagna i volontari durante questi progetti e sostiene il lavoro di quelli che trainer lo sono già. La cosa che mi ha lasciata più attonita è stata la lentezza e la poca spigliatezza di questa donna; io sicuramente non posso definirmi un’esperta, ma un formatore dovrebbe far ritrovare l’energia e la voglia di lavorare, non il contrario!

A seguito di quelle due ore che sono parse interminabili ci siamo risvegliati dal torpore con un gioco sul lavoro di squadra e successivamente abbiamo valutato entrambe le attività. Quello che proprio non mi tornava era come fosse possibile che non avessimo ancora discusso o menzionato il lavoro nelle nostre organizzazioni, le debolezze e le difficoltà, come trovare soluzioni a un problema. Arrivata alla fine del secondo giorno però ho deciso di rassegnarmi al fatto che questi formatori erano sicuramente delle belle persone, ma probabilmente non competenti come gli sarebbe stato richiesto.

Lungi da me annoiarvi ancora su ogni attività che (non) è stata svolta, vi basti sapere, nel complesso, che non ho trovato quei giorni spesi a Xanthi per niente utili, se non fosse per alcuni volontari conosciuti e con cui abbiamo sicuramente passato dei bei momenti e delle belle serate in compagnia a divertirci. Dal mio punto di vista, tuttavia, il senso di questi training dovrebbe proprio essere quello di aiutare i volontari a trovare soluzioni o condividere la propria esperienza in un ambiente neutro, lontano dai propri coordinatori o dal proprio ambiente in cui, a volte, potrebbero sentirsi giudicati. Il massimo che ho potuto fare è stato riportare le mie impressioni nel questionario valutativo, e mi auguro per il futuro che in qualche modo vi possano essere dei miglioramenti sulla qualità di queste attività, peraltro obbligatorie.

Sento a questo punto di dovere delle scuse ai temerari che sono arrivati fin qui con la lettura, ma mi auguro che questa testimonianza possa risultare utile a chi magari ha vissuto la stessa esperienza in un altro paese e che possa sentirsi meno solo.
Mi farò sentire presto con, spero, qualche storia più avvincente e positiva. Per ora, da Nea Moudania, è tutto!

Federica

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1 anno di volontariato ESC in Grecia – da giugno 2020 – cercasi candidati italiani

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1 anno di volontariato europeo con il nostro partner greco You in Europe.
Stiamo cercando un/una partecipante italiano per un progetto di volontariato internazionale (ex SVE, ora Solidarity Corps). Il progetto si svolge in Grecia (Nea Moudania, vicino a Salonicco… sì, sul mare!) presso il nostro ottimo partner You in Europe. Da giugno 2020 a maggio 2021. Tutto è gratuito per il volontario: il viaggio viene rimborsato, viene fornita una stanza singola in alloggio condiviso e un pocket money mensile.

Alloggio: i volontari alloggeranno in 2 appartamenti. Ogni appartamento ha 2 camere da letto, bagno, soggiorno, cucina. L’appartamento è attrezzato per soddisfare le esigenze di base del volontario.

Pasti: i volontari ricevono 120 euro di indennità mensile, che saranno spesi secondo la loro volontà. Possono cucinare nel loro alloggio. Paghetta: i volontari riceveranno una paghetta di 150 euro al mese per le loro spese personali.

Formazione: i volontari parteciperanno all’arrivo e alla formazione di medio termine, organizzata dall’Agenzia nazionale. Inoltre saranno formati per il loro lavoro.

SCARICA L’INFOPACK!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/you_in_europe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youineurope/

CALL sul portale European Solidarity Corps: https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity/placement/20160_en

Employment and social affairs

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Employment and social affairs

Technological advances, globalisation and changing demographics continue to impact the ways Europeans live and work. The EU is actively developing policies and legislative proposals to meet these challenges.

U.S. Marine Corps Illustration by Cpl. Taylor W. Cooper/ Released

Through the European pillar of social rights, the EU works to safeguard the rights of citizens by ensuring:

* Equal opportunities and access to the labour market

* Fair working conditions

* Social protection and inclusion

EU funding helps public and private organisations implement and improve employment and social policy, and finance projects to support their citizens of today and tomorrow.

EU employment legislation guarantees minimum levels of protection that apply to everyone living and working in the EU. Specific EU rules also aim to make it easy for EU citizens to live and work in other EU countries, while protecting their social security rights, such as health insurance and benefits.

Source

https://europa.eu/european-union/topics/employment-social-affairs_en (23.12.2019)

Another Week, Another Story

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Ciao a tutti,

Sono Danai venuta da Grecia e come ogni settimana, sono qui anche questa Venerdì per raccontarvi le mie nuove esperienze!

And continuing in English, because it’s easier…

The truth is that this week I didn’t do a lot of new things. After my mini trip in Brussels, for which I talked in the previous blog of mine, I back in Faenza and back to work. I continue being poor, because I’m spending all my money to travels and aperitivos, but I’m having a good time regardless the money in my pockets.

I decided to talk to this blog about a new activity of mine -association activity- for which I didn’t talk enough, I think. So, after the Christmas vacation and when I finally came back to Faenza, my coordinator asked me if I want to do a new activity and of course I told yes! Before holidays I was pretty focused on writing a youth exchange and with International projects in general, but after finishing my work and send it to the National Agency, the thing that left me to do was to waiting for their answer -and that reacquires time-. In that moment, when they asked me to start something new, I ran fast to answer ”yes, yes and yes”.

My new activity takes place every Thursday from 14.30 o’clock until 19.30 and is something I was already familiar with, after-school. I’m doing some after-school also here in Faenza, every Wednesday and Friday, but after the new year, the organization started an after-school also in Brisighella. Brisighella is a small city near to Faenza- only 10 min away with the train- and is really beautiful. The after-school there has kids in the first classes of high school, which we help to study for the next day in school- and after them we have younger kids around 7 years old, with whom we do creative activities in English.

 

 

To continue we have to talk a little bit about my relationship with kids. Four years ago, I couldn’t even be in the same place with a little kid, I mean I couldn’t stand the screaming, the curiosity and the unstoppable urge of playing, I was tired even thinking about it. But the time passed, I grew up and I had to make some money. I have a degree as a teacher of the Italian language so it was easier to find a job as one. I started doing private lessons, to adults and after the kids came looking for me. Last year I rebuild my opinion about the small people, the kids. I did private lessons to some of them and I enjoyed it. Yes, I’m still tired every time after 1 or 2 hours with them, they are so active that they can take all your energy at once, but I’m having fun and I’m feeling useful.

 

 

Knowing all that, you can assume two things about me and about the new activity of mine. First, I enjoy it and second every Thursday I’m sleeping really early, because I’m so tired every time. In Brisighella’s after-school with the younger kids we are doing a so many creative and fun activities. Every Thursday we are planning new ones and we are focusing in the English language. We’ve done already the clothes, the body parts and the seasons. As you can easily guess the next should be carnival related.

And briefly I’m saying you goodbye, my lucky readers…

Soon you next week…

Danai, Greece

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Carnevale nel Mondo

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We are official a step before Carnival and me, from the lovely Italy, I couldn’t be more excited to live this period in the country of one of the most famous Carnivals worldwide; Carnival of Venice.

Of course, except the famous Italian Carnival there are also a lot of particular and popular celebrations all over the world, that I hope I could visit some day. Let’s take a look to some of this places…

NEW ORLEANS- MARDI GRAS

One famous and particular celebration is the Mardi Gras of New Orleans. The parades and masquerade balls are organized by krewes, social clubs that date back hundreds of years in New Orleans. This carnival celebration is popular known as one of the most debauched celebrations in the traditionally Puritanical United States. This masquerade tradition is accompanied by another particular one, the King Cake, in the colors of justice (purple), faith (green), and power (gold). 

RIO DE JANEIRO- CARNIVAL OF RIO

Who doesn’t know the most famous Carnival of all? If think there is nobody that never heard of the Carnival of Rio De Janeiro. This celebration is full of colors, feathers, parades and samba dance for days and days. The first Carnival in Rio started in 1723, and today it is held to celebrate the gods and honor the the great waters. Over 200 samba schools, or communities who decide to attend Carnival together, parade the street with colorful floats, dancing, and decorations.

TRINIDAD- CARNIVAL OF TRINIDAD

And continuing with the famous carnivals all over the world, in the second place you can find the Port of Spain, Trinidad. After the Carnival of Rio is the second most colorful and popular one. Performers and dancers prepare their costume all year for the celebration, with giant feather headdresses and sequins. The main attraction is the music and dancing, with Soca music being traditionally featured, as well as music from cultures around the world, including Calypso, chutney, steelpan, claves, and drums. 

LONDON- A CARNIVAL IN AUGUST

It’s sounds a bit weird after all there exotic places that London -with all its seriousness- hosts a famous Carnival, too. London’s Caribbean Notting Hill hosts a carnival with influences of Jamaica, Trinidad and other West Indian Cultures, every August. Given that is rooted in Caribbean Traditions is also plenty with colors, dances and exotic music.

BELGIUM- BINCHE

Moving to the central Europe, you can find a really interesting carnival tradition in Belgium and in particular in the city of Ghent. Ghent is home  to one of the strangest carnival celebrations in the world, Binche. Only Ghent natives are allowed to dress in the whimsical masks, called Les Gilles during the Binche festival.

INDIA- GOA CARNIVAL

This festival is a MUST- meaning that I have to, I need to, go there once in my life-. Originated to Portugal, the Portuguese people brought their Catholic traditions and festivals to their colony of Goa, India, which has morphed into a spectacle that’s a fascinating blend of Hindu and Catholic customs. This Carnival is considered one of the most famous and beautiful in India and millions of people visit it every year.

That’s it for now, folks…

I hope you will enjoy your Carnival!

Danai, Greece

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Development and cooperation

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Eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development

Together, the EU institutions and countries are the world’s leading donor of development assistance and cooperation. The EU proposes legislation and policies to promote good governance and human and economic development, such as fighting hunger and preserving natural resources.

Responding to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, EU institutions work together and provide funding to address the following five aspects of sustainable development:

* People: End poverty and hunger in all forms and ensure dignity and equality

* Planet: Protect future generations from environmental destruction and resource depletion

* Prosperity: Ensure prosperous and fulfilling lives in harmony with nature

* Peace: Create peaceful, just and inclusive societies

* Partnership: Implement development work through global partnership

The EU cooperates with 150 partner countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, as well as civil society and international organisations. In addition to providing financial aid and engaging in dialogues with partner countries, the EU also conducts research and evaluation to ensure that aid is used effectively.

Source

https://europa.eu/european-union/topics/development-cooperation_en (23.12.2019)

Brussels is Calling!

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Ciao a tutti,

So, I don’t know if you read my last blog, but for those that didn’t I was influenced about my favorite thing, travelling and I talked about my ideal destinations for 2020.

The very first one was Brussels, in Belgium and to be sincere I told that it wasn’t ideal and I booked this trip because it was cheap. I can honestly tell, I was wrong!

 

 

First things first this trip was really quick. I landed in Brussels Saturday at 7.30 o’clock and I flew back Monday at 7.00. It was from the start a small and economic trip. I also had the luck to find a cheap hostel, but really nice in the center of the city.

To do a good presentation of the trip, I have to start from my co-travelers, which were two friends of mine from Spain. We started all together our trip from Faenza to Brussels Saturday afternoon, first using the train and then the bus to arrive to Bologna airport. From there a beautiful, sunny Saturday of this February we took the plain to go to the less sunny and extremely windy Brussels. We have seen in the Internet that the weather wouldn’t be by our side, but we didn’t expect that.

Our first night, Saturday night we didn’t had the chance to do much. We arrived in the hostel at 11.00 o’clock this night and we were also a bit tired. We went for a walk around the block to grab a bite and we ended up to grad a couple of beers, too. For those that they don’t have a clear idea about Belgium, I have to say that is famous for the beer, the waffles and the french fries -which as I learned in a free tour were not French at all but Belgian and they named them French the American Soldiers of World War 2 that hearing the Belgian people talking French and eating the fries, they thought that they are French. Until this day, the name remains ”french fries” and the people of Belgium are trying really hard to change it to ”fries”. So, if you want to help them, just start to call them ”fries” and spreed the word.

 

 

The next day we had a full plan of visiting the city center and see all the sights. What we didn’t knew was that in Brussels this day, they had an ”orange alarm”, that means that the weather was really bad and the wind so strong and the most of the people were actually afraid of going out of their houses. And the strangle was real! We fought with the wind, we got wet from the rain and we were cold the whole time, but we saw it all! We walked the center alone and then we booked a free walking tour; we tried the traditional street waffles and the fries that are double fried to they can be crispy outside and soft inside; and last but not least we drunk different beers that is a MUST once you go to Belgium.

Saturday went by smoothly even though the weather was extremely bad and the wind tried to hit me in the walls several times. As the night was coming one of my friends had to go, return to the airport, because she had to catch an early flight and there wasn’t a midnight bus. So, she did, but the weather played a tricky game with us again. Of course, the wind couldn’t stop early on Monday morning and the fight of my friend got canceled twice. She had to spent more that 12 hours in the airport waiting her flight back home.

 

 

On the other side, me and my other friend had one more day to spent in Brussels and we took this chance to visit the famous European Parliament. The Parliament is placed in a centered quarter and it was really easy to find it. I wasn’t impressed from the building actually; I expected it bigger and nicer. Except that, I enjoyed the sights of it. There is a place that called ”Parlamentarium” that is helping you to get more information about the European Union, its formation and history and also there is a European History Museum. Unfortunately, I had only the time to visit the ”Parlamentarium”, it was interesting and gain a lot of new information.

After these two days of moving around, watching and tasting new things, we had to return. We took our flight at 7.00 o’clock and thankfully we didn’t had a problem with the wind that was continuing being strong. We landed in Bologna around 8.30 o’clock only to discover that the wind followed me here. But, I will survive….

P.S: I also got tested for Corona Virus when I landed in Bologna. That thing is becoming bigger and bigger, right?

That’s it for today…

Danai, Greece

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Valentine’s Day all over the World!

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Are you ready for a Day full of love?

Yes, I know, at this point the 14th of February, well known also as Valentine’s Day is only a chance to consume more, to pay big amounts of money to make our other half fell special and usually we forgot the true meaning of love. Around those, still romantic enough, I’ m usually hearing that for them is Valentine’s Day every day. Although, I would like to celebrate it this year, but not with fancy and expensive celebrations, full of chocolate and flowers, but with these small things, small gifts that have all the meaning and you can appreciate more.

The majority of us know the Valentine’s Day celebration in a Western Europe way that is the most famous one. The story goes like this, you get your other half a present, you are making a reservation in a fancy place and you make sure of three things, wine, chocolate and flower. Of course, in all of this situation I couldn’t forget to say that all those things supposed to be happening from a men. We women are really sensitive and romantic so we have to receive all the gifts and all the love this day. For me, it’s 100% sexists, but I don’t want to start my feminist speech in this article.

So, as I’m against all these mainstream celebrations, I decided to write this article to talk a bit about how the couples show their love around the world. Get ready to see new cultures, new traditions and I hope you’ll be open to try some of them, too.

Argentina, A whole week of sweetness

Let’s forget about the daily celebration of Valentine’s Day in the 14th of February and let’s talk about Argentina. The lovers of Argentina are showing their love and celebrating it for a week, the ”Sweetness Week”. Seven days full of romance with couples exchanging gifts, flowers and cards. But also the heart of the winter isn’t ideal for them. They are choosing to celebrate this week in July, when the weather is warmer-and as poetically I can say- as their love warm their hearts.

Philippines, A big Gala Event

The people of the Philippines are choose to take their love story a step forward this day and it’s usually the day they are getting married. The government of Philippines is organizing a big Gala Event every 14th of February, in which thousand of young couples are getting married as a form of a public service. I don’t know about you but as romantic as it can be to get married in Valentine’s Day, the part about the other thousand of couples that are going to be celebrating with you doesn’t really like me.

Bulgaria, Day of the Winemakers

One of the most famous products to get the ideal recipe of the Western Europe’s idea of showing your love in Valentine’s Day is the wine. You must have some wine, to combine it with that romantic dinner. But in Bulgaria is all about the wine… On 14th of February, San Trifon Zartan is celebrated in Bulgaria, that means ”The Day of the Winemakers”. The young, Bulgarian couples are following also the magic ”recipe” of the perfect Valentine’s Day but with a bit more wine, or if we’re talking about me, I hope with a lot of it!

South West China, Sisters’ Meal Festival

Finally, I manage to found something really interesting and outside the ordinary… In Miao, South West China, they celebrating the ”Sisters’ Meal Festival” on the 15th March, as a way to saw their affection. The women of this place are putting on some extraordinary and awesome customs, that they are considering the most beautiful ones in the world for a Valentine’s celebration. They also cook various plates of colored that’s offered on silk fabric to young men walking on roads. The destiny of the lovelies inside the object found in the chosen rice. Two chopsticks mean love and a clove of garlic means the love is over before it has even begun. If I read it write, you also think that is the woman who makes the first step her?

 

France, Epicenter of Romance

We have to talk about Paris, right? I mean all these mainstream things that I want to get away from, are actually started here. It is believed that the first ever Valentine’s Day card was originated in France, when Charles, the Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife from the prison in 1415. And the French village called “Valentine” turns into the epicenter of romance between 12th and 14th February. We have to blame him, or everything! Paris, with all its beauty became a center of romance and millions of couples are making reservation in the city only for the Valentine’s Day. Around the city you can see colorful decorations and the shops are always organizing events for the lovers.

Ghana- National Chocolate Day

Chocolate, the other ingredient in the recipe of success. In Valentine’s Day you need chocolate and here it comes Ghana to bring some to you. The government of Ghana took the step of nominate this day as a ”National Chocolate Day” in 2007, to increase tourism in the country. Ghana is among the largest cocoa producing countries in the world. This day of the year the people of Ghana celebrating love with plenty of chocolate. The cities are full of people and event are taking places with different recipes and kinds of chocolate. It has a consume side, but I would like to go!

Estonia, A celebration for Everyone

Another thing that I don’t like about the Valentine’s Day is that even though we are celebrating love we are only focused to the love of our significant other. What about the other forms of love? What about all the single people? So, Estonian’s are thinking the same! On 14 Feb, Estonia celebrates friendship day known as Sobrapaev. This amazing festival includes everyone, from couples to singles. So not just couples, but family members and friends also exchange gifts and celebrate love.

That’s it for today. I hope you’ll have a great Valentine’s Day tomorrow and to celebrate it in every way that you like. In the end of the day, the most important thing is to show your love whenever, wherever and in whatever way you can.

Danai, Greece

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Un tuffo in Medio Oriente

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Carissimi, eccomi qui di nuovo per continuare a raccontarvi cosa succede nella penisola Calcidica… e un po’ più in là. Dopo aver condiviso con voi il mio viaggio verso Atene, mi sono subito lanciata verso nuovi orizzonti concedendomi quattro giorni alla scoperta di un meraviglioso paese in cui non ero mai stata insieme ad una mia cara amica e compagna di avventure conosciuta durante il programma Erasmus per studio.
Il paese di cui vi parlerò oggi è la Giordania, oasi di stabilità all’interno di una regione afflitta da scontri e conflitti.

Forse non tutti sanno che (Settimana Enigmistica docet) sono laureata in lingue ed economie dell’Asia e dell’Africa mediterranea, e che ho dedicato gli anni dell’università allo studio della lingua araba. Ho viaggiato in paesi arabi per studiare e lavorare per brevi periodi, e ogni volta che ne ho la possibilità cerco di allungare la lista di quelli visitati. Nessuna sorpresa quindi quando, nel vedere i prezzi stracciati dei voli per Amman, mi sono fiondata a prenotarli e a pianificare il viaggio nei minimi dettagli. Chiara, la mia amica, ha prontamente deciso di accompagnarmi in questa avventura che, seppur breve, è stata magnifica.

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Dopo esserci incontrate all’aeroporto di Salonicco, io e Chiara siamo quindi partite alla volta di Amman, dove abbiamo ricevuto un’accoglienza impeccabile da parte del proprietario dell’appartamento che avevamo affittato per i giorni che avremmo trascorso lì. Durante la prima sera infatti abbiamo assaporato dei falafel deliziosi e ci siamo poi rilassate con una limonata alla menta in uno dei locali del centro della città. Eravamo quindi pronte per partire alla scoperta della capitale giordana il giorno dopo, che abbiamo infatti dedicato interamente alla visita di tutti i siti archeologici più importanti.

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Anfiteatro romano di Amman
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Palazzo degli Omayyadi

Amman è costruita su sette colli, esattamente come Roma, conformazione che costringe i pedoni ad armarsi di buona volontà e fiato per spostarsi da una parte all’altra e soprattutto da una cima all’altra del centro. Purtroppo non siamo state molto fortunate con il meteo durante la nostra prima giornata in Giordania, avendo infatti trovato vento e un po’ di pioggia. Per rifocillarci e riposare per qualche istante le gambe stanche abbiamo deciso di assaggiare il dolce più tipico della zona, knafe, a base di formaggio fuso, pasta fillo, acqua e zucchero con una manciata di pistacchi sopra. Provare per credere di che squisitezza sto parlando!
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Conclusa la prima giornata di esplorazione e raggiunto nuovamente l’airbnb, abbiamo iniziato a prepararci per il giorno seguente, in cui avremmo raggiunto l’antichissima città Nabatea patrimonio dell’Unesco: Petra. La sveglia è suonata alle cinque, e il canto del muezzin ci ha fatto compagnia nel tragitto fino alla stazione degli autobus. Con l’aiuto di un caffè arabo e pane con za’atar (mistura di spezie composta da origano, timo, sesamo e sale) siamo poi riuscite a prendere posto sull’autobus che ci avrebbe portate a destinazione. Quattro ore di strada più tardi, non potevamo credere a quello che stavamo vivendo: ci siamo ritrovate immerse nella bellezza del siq, la gola che è necessario attraversare per arrivare al Tesoro di Petra. Il sole quella mattina ha deciso di farci compagnia, regalandoci il clima perfetto per trascorrere una giornata all’aperto e tra le alture nabatee.
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Il siq
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Il Tesoro
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Altura del Sacrificio

Stanche morte, ma con gli occhi e il cuore pieni di bellezza, verso metà pomeriggio siamo state costrette a ripartire per tornare ad Amman, a causa delle lunghe ore di viaggio e perché non avevamo più tempo a disposizione per rimanere in quella valle incantata. Ma purtroppo si sa: tutte le cose belle devono finire.
Ci restavano ancora una serata e una mattina ad Amman, e quale modo migliore di trascorrere il tempo se non mangiando? Per cena abbiamo scelto un ristorante piccolissimo, quasi da sembrare un salotto di una casa, dove ci hanno coccolate con i migliori piatti tipici del Medio Oriente; il giorno seguente invece abbiamo scelto di salutare la Giordania addentando l’ultimo falafel, polpette che per me costituiscono una vera droga. Un ultimo giro per i negozi del centro ed era ahimè tempo di fare le valigie e salutare quel paese stupendo che avevamo appena iniziato a scoprire.
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Ultima colazione

Questo piccolo viaggio mi ha fatto capire quanto la Giordania sia un paese tutto da scoprire, e quanto l’accoglienza ricevuta e la gentilezza trovata mi abbiano lasciato una certezza: ci rivedremo presto!

Federica