Maciej Śpiewakowski completed a 10-month EVS project based in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. He lived in a student residence near the university and worked in the promotion department of the Associação Académica da Universidade da Madeira. His tasks included photographing university events, designing promotional materials, representing the association at local events, and exploring Madeira's natural beauty in his free time by hiking many of the island's trails.

1. Funchal – Madeira - Portugal
March 2017 – January 2018
CAPTURING HISTORY 2.0.
Maciej Śpiewakowski
EVS in ASSOCIAÇÃO ACADÉMICA DA UNIVERSIDADE DA MADEIRA

2. During my EVS project I was based in Funchal,
relatively small yet picturesque capital city of
Madeira. Together with other European
volunteers I lived in Residência Universitária -
a student residence located in the very heart
of Funchal’s old town, offering access to the
ocean in less than a minute’s walk.

3. My hosting organisation was Associação Académica da Universidade da Madeira,
which translates to Academic Union of University of Madeira, and for most part I was
working in the offices of island’s only university.

4. In our offices I could always count on help of
Académica’s friendly staff. Throughout the
whole project I was working desk to desk with
a graphic designer Pedro, who, apart from
being a good friend, taught me great many
things about photography, graphic design
and use of Mac system. Since my colleagues
from work were all Portuguese, I could also
use and listen to their language on daily basis.

5. I was mostly working in the promotion
department of the association, focusing on
academic activities and ideas,…

6. …capturing foto or video footage of
academic life and projects implemented
by the university,…

7. …preparing materials to be used in social media and Académica’s website,…

8. …working on banners,
posters, leaflets,…

9. …providing photos to be used in the
local newspaper, in Madeira’s
Agenda Cultural, to illustrate
calendars or books published by
Imprensa Académica, university’s
publishing house,…

10. …taking pictures for Acadèmica’s strategic
partners and sponsors, such as Moche,
Diário de Notícias, Coral, Santander, Coca
Cola…

11. …taking care of the foto coverage of concerts (here images shot during the monthly
performances of university’s fado group Fatum and the night of a tribute concert to Carlos
do Carmo, acclaimed Portuguese fado singer),…

12. …as well as photographing Académica’s personnel and other European volunteers at their
work as tourist guides in Funchal.

13. I was involved in development of different
promotional campaigns and strategies,
took part in various events both inside and
outside of the university.
I represented the association on the local
radio, spoke about EVS program to the youth
of Funchal during the celebrations of
International Youth Day and volunteered as a
photographer at Madeira Film Festival.

14. I also opened my very first photo
exhibition in the 17th-century
building of Jesuits’ College in Funchal.

15. Together with my colleagues, we worked on Académica’s online store as well as Google
accounts of stores already existing in the center of Funchal.

16. In my free time I kept exploring the natural beauty of the island:

17. I’m quite sure I got to know Madeira’s hiking routes better than a vast majority of the
locals. Below the map I used to mark all the trails walked during the project (700+ km).

18. During the Nature Festival I got a chance to try activites like kayaking, paragliding,
MTB, scubadiving and more… for free!

20. Thank you for your attention!