Cati in Bremen // 1st Report

I’m Cati, a 25-year-old Spanish girl who decided to move back to Germany because I didn’t really know what to do with my life — I felt lost. I’m the kind of person who’s always up for new adventures, so I thought: why not start a new one?

I had already spent a year in Germany, in a small village in Bavaria, where I created a beautiful group of friends that I still keep in touch with today. But, as with every Erasmus experience, my German didn’t really improve beyond “Servus” and the lyrics of CRO and Apache songs. That’s why I decided I wanted to live one more year in Germany — this time, to really be able to speak the language.

This experience actually came into my life by chance. It all started on December when I was doing a “Work and Travel” with one of my best French friends. We ended up in Bremen, which felt like something out of a fairytale — full of lights, Christmas markets, and cozy streets. I remember one day, while painting a bar terrace under a freezing umbrella with my hands completely numb, I told her, “I’d love to live here.”

So, when I later saw a message in a WhatsApp group about this volunteering opportunity in Bremen, I immediately texted for more information — it was 8 p.m. They told me that the deadline was that same day, so within an hour I sent all my documents… and somehow, I got in!

When I arrived in Bremen in May, it looked completely different from how it was in December, but still just as beautiful. I quickly realized there was still so much to discover in this city.

They offered me a place to live on a farm, and of course, after seeing the Instagram photos of Timon and Pumba (the pigs), I couldn’t resist saying yes. It was perfect — I had all the benefits of living on a farm without any real responsibilities. I was very lucky with my flatmate; she was such an easygoing person. Even though we didn’t have any house rules, everything just worked. I don’t think I’ve ever had such an easy and natural living situation before.

The work itself is quite interesting. We manage the social media accounts for NaturKultur and StudyFriends, which is definitely a big challenge but also very rewarding. It’s a great feeling to see people taking part in a project you helped promote — and even more, seeing that it became one of their best experiences. I’ve learned a lot from being part of these projects — especially through creating videos and photos — but I’ve also realized that being behind the screen isn’t really for me. I prefer real human interaction.

Creating content can also be tricky. Taking photos of people you don’t know isn’t always easy — some are shy, and some just don’t like being photographed. Learning how to capture authentic moments has definitely been one of the biggest challenges.

My life here has gone through many stages, but one thing I know for sure is that life keeps teaching me lessons. Even through difficult moments, I’ve learned how to get back up, to enjoy my own company, and to love myself more deeply.

One of the moments I value the most was a road trip I took with my family from Bremen to the Netherlands. It was beautiful to discover a new country together and to share real quality time with them. Another special moment was when my friends came to visit me — it was such a lovely experience to explore more of Bremen together and see the city through their eyes. I also treasure the day I went to a German party where a local band was playing. Their music moved me so much that I ended up talking to them and later going to their other concerts. One of them was even the first concert I ever went to alone — and it felt so freeing! It made me realize how powerful music can be, how it can make you feel at home even when you’re far away. There’s another concert tonight, so hopefully I’ll go!

This experience has been full of people, yet also full of solitude. I haven’t really made any deep connections here, which has been a challenge — but despite that, I truly enjoy this experience. It’s been full of encounters, visits from friends and family, and at least one trip every month.

What has saved me from feeling lonely here is knowing that I have a strong community elsewhere — a big, loving family and amazing friends who have come to visit me or whom I’ve visited myself. Thanks to them, I’ve never really felt alone.

These past few weeks, my life in Bremen has changed a lot. The biggest change I faced last week was having to move to another apartment. At first, I saw it as losing my place — my safe space, my comforts — but it actually turned out to be a positive change. Now I speak German every day, the city is full of new volunteers, and this new flat gives me the flexibility to explore Bremen even more. This has given me motivation again. It’s a challenge, but I know that changes are necessary for growth. I feel happy and excited again to see what my life will look like in my next report.