Hello, I’m Alex (yes, the same person who was looking for sunshine in Germany) and this time I’m writing my final report after completing my twelve months of voluntary work. How quickly time flies. Sometimes I can’t believe that a year ago I arrived without knowing what was going to happen, and now I’m here in Bremen with a backpack full of memories, new things I’ve learned and good people I’ve met. Everything has been great at Tobias Schuller School. I’ve had a wonderful relationship with the children and I’ve also felt comfortable with the adults. I’ve formed strong bonds, so much so that I might come back because I really felt like I was part of something. The children learn by doing things, and I have seen how they improve every day, from a simple cartwheel to a complete obstacle course. Sometimes I was happy to see their progress and think that, in some way, I was also learning alongside them. I think my greatest contribution to the school has been to show them a different way of looking at speech and customs, to teach them that we don’t all speak the same way and that learning a new language can be fun and accessible. They, in turn, taught me a lot — above all, to be patient, to laugh at mistakes and to enjoy small triumphs.
Living in a group has been a special experience. I have lived with people from different countries and cultures, and although everyone had their own personality, we got along well. We shared many evenings eating pizza, watching films and laughing (and also debating whether pizza with mayonnaise and ketchup should be a thing). It was all part of this constant learning process about being together and respecting each other. One of the things that makes me happiest is speaking the language. I arrived knowing only how to say hello, and now I can have conversations without fear. I have gone from a low level to almost intermediate, and I have done so thanks to my teacher, the children, and my curiosity. There were no formal classes, but every day was like a life lesson. During these months, I also travelled a lot: Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig, London, Toledo… Each city taught me something different, and each person I met gave me something valuable. I learned that ‘home’ is not always a place; sometimes it is a way of feeling. I take many things away from this year: the language, the people, the little everyday adventures and, above all, the feeling of having grown up. The hardest part was starting and finishing; the most beautiful part was everything that happened in between. Today I can say that I am more myself than ever; more peaceful, more confident, more focused.
I am now living in Bremen, looking for work and planning to continue studying here. If I could talk to the Alex who arrived a year ago, I would tell her not to worry, that everything will be fine, that all she needs is patience and to trust herself a little more. And even though the sun still doesn’t shine much in Germany, I think this time I have learned to find it within myself.
Alex is hosted by Tobiasschule und Kindergarten e.V. on our project co-funded by the European Union.
If you want to experience something similar to what Alex did, check out our open calls here.
