Emöke in Bremen // 2nd Report
This morning, a dear friend of mine sent me a picture taken exactly one year ago. On June 16th 2021, I graduated from high school, and it blows my mind when I realise how many things have happened since then. The past few months brought some changes in my life as a volunteer that helped …
Elisabet in Bremen // 2nd Report
I am Elisabet and I am 23 years old. I arrived in Bremen in October. I have the feeling that it happened yesterday but at the same time I have the feeling that it was years ago. I don’t feel that I am the same person than when I arrived in October. This experience pushed …
Eurielle in Bremen // 2nd Report
After nine months here in Germany, spring is finally here! And as the weather, my perception of my volunteering changed a lot. The arrival of fine weather allows me to enjoy it spending a lot of time outside, using my bike or by foot. I travelled more (and it’s not over), and I discovered that …
Sergio in Bremen // 2nd Report
Hello again! Right now I’m a few months away from finishing my project. And in these months too many things have happened in the project and on a personal level. The months after writing the 1st report were a bit more complicated, I felt a bit lost, I still didn’t improve my German because we …
Marie in Bremen // 2nd Report
Hey! I’m coming back after a couple of months to write my second report. Reading what I wrote after my first four months in Bremen feels weird. I was still discovering, and I was one of the “new volunteers”. The volunteers that show me the city and brought me to my first parties finished their …
Marina in Bremen // Final Report
I remember the first meeting with my curator. She said that the project would go very quickly, but of course I didn’t believe her, because there was still a whole year ahead. I remember people asking me how long I’ve been here and I answered a week, a month, 2 months, like it was yesterday. …
Ernesto in Bremen // Final Report
This past year I have worked in what I love by nature: Looking at the world through the lens glass of a camera and editing my way into a final video that shows the world what my mind sees through the glass. This past year I have also discovered an infinite number of new things …
Efim in Bremen // 1st Report
Who would have thought that the pictures, which I was fantasizing in my mind about my life in Europe, would become so real. The vision, which I had in my past, came true. So, Mom, I am finally in Europe! My first two months in Bremen were not perfect, I could even say that they …
Miriam in Thessaloniki, Greece // 4th report
Step by step the end is coming. I am not jinxing it but it’s a fact. In exactly one month I will be sitting in an airplane back to Germany. Uff. A lot of emotions are there right now which are quite hard to categorize. Not now! I will work through them step by step. …
Abroad // Youth Exchange “What’s Up, World?” in Gandía, Spain
The youth exchange “What’s up, World?” aimed to give the opportunity to the participants to put themselves into others and take over another perspective through the power of storytelling, simulations, role playing games and direct contact with the local community. Our motivation to participate in the youth exchange was very different. On the one hand, …
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Clarissa in Skopje, North Macedonia // Final Report
For one year, Macedonia felt like a never-ending eternity, but now this eternity is actually over. It was over one month ago that I entered a taxi with happy tears in my eyes. I remember entering the taxi that would bring me to the airport and thinking: “What a beautiful life you have.” So, let’s …
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Antonia in Skopje, North Macedonia // Final Report
„I write because it feels like someone is listening. – Or am I finally listening to myself? ” Here we go with my 5th article for “Naturkultur” and it’s hard to realize that it will be the last one. Twelve months filled with ups and downs, new friendships, cultural shocks, challenges, experiences, questions, and a …
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Elisabet in Bremen // 1st Report
I’m Elisabet, I’m 23 years old and I come from Spain. After finishing University I had the necessity of moving to another Country. On the 26th of October I arrived in Bremen, Germany, my new adventure started and I didn´t imagine how much this experience would change me. I’m working with Jokes, the circus schule, …
Emöke in Bremen // 1st Report
Where do I start an essay of summarizing all my feelings, experiences and the changes this volunteering has brought into my life? To be honest, I feel like this is a harder nut to crack than writing for grades, even though this time I do not have to count the words, cite wise quotes or …
Lou in Bremen // 1st Report
Recently, someone asked me “if you knew what your life will be here before coming, would you have chosen to go anyway?”. I did not know immediately how to answer this question. I had to take a step back. What I can say for sure is that I do not regret at all joining this …
Michelle in Lecce, Italy // 2nd Report
Before coming to Lecce, I was either a student who learned in preparation for exams and had knowledge about things which have little meaning for the future, or I was a cashier who smalltalked with customers and learned how to handle those who are ignorant and unfriendly. Being a volunteer, however, is a different experience. …
Till in Skopje, North Macedonia // 4th Report
The time has come and my volunteering year is coming to an end. I have roughly 1 month left here in Skopje, so it is about time to reflect a little bit on the past months and how they were treating me. In the past weeks I had to say good bye to so many …
Chris in Skopje, North Macedonia // Final Report
It’s been more than a year ago when I came out of Skopje Airport, when a tough-looking grey haired man that later turned out to be the loveliest guy on earth was waiting for me there, when he told me in the taxi that it’s not obligatory to wear a seatbelt at the backseat , …
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Charlotte in Beirã, Portugal // 1st Report
Olá! I am Charlotte, 19 years old and I moved with ESC from the cold Bremen to the equally cold (but sunnier) Beirã at the end of October. Here I live with my roommate in a small house, directly opposite the café “Bernardos” (highly recommended). Before writing about my personal experience, let me first give …
Miriam in Thessaloniki, Greece // 3rd Report
Time flies and now I find myself in the beginning of 2022 with a bit more than 3 monthly left in Greece. Covid is still around and keeps us busy especially with the cold weather. But I guess there are better days to come (Covid-wise), at least when the weather gets warmer again… Hopefully. Since …
Antonia in Skopje, North Macedonia // 4th Report
Isn’t it confusing when you know that you have just a fixed time in a country. So in fact you know that it is an insertion in your actual life but in the same time it becomes your actual life. For me, Antonia the 19 years-old German volunteer, this time in Macedonia was a solution …
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Abroad // Youth Exchange “Wild Nature” in Lanjáron, Spain
The project “Wild Nature” was an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange with a focus on sustainability and climate change related topics. It was held from November 20 to November 28, 2021 in Lanjáron, Spain. Including Germany a total of four countries participated with about five to six participants per country. Most participants have already been interested in …
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Abroad // Training Course “Mindset of Youth Workers” in Willemstad, Curaçao
From 21.-28. November 2021 we (Alisa, Alex & Angelina) went on the training course “Mindset of Youth Workers” in Willemstad, Curaçao in the Caribbean. Alongside the other participants who arrived from England, Croatia, Aruba, St. Maarten, Bulgaria, Greece, and the Netherlands, we learned through different tasks and activities possible ways to positively influence ways of …
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Giacomo in Bremen, Germany // Final Report
This is my second report, the final report, what to say, this experience was very formative both from a personal and professional point of view, I met fantastic people who accompanied me along my path and who are still part of my life and I hope they will be part of it forever. Together with …
Ionut in Bremen, Germany // Final Report
hello once again! Some months have passed since I last wrote some lines on my volunteering experience, so I decided to come back and add some more before i say goodbye as a volunteer. Two months ago I finished my project as a Social Media manager and youth worker in LidiceHaus Jugendbildungstätte. As you might …
Sanja in Bremen, Germany // 1st Report
“To write or to procrastinate a bit more” is a thought that arises in my mind next to the feeling of wanting to stay coddled in a warm blanket for a little longer. It’s a feeling I am very familiar with from all of the years, spent studying, writing projects and finishing applications. But still …
Chris in Skopje, North Macedonia // 4th Report
My one year volunteering project in Macedonia comes to an end, and I still don’t want to acknowledge this fact. Even though I’m not really sure what I could still get out of this place, it feels kinda difficult to leave it behind, but I know this is also due to the fact that my …
Antonia in Skopje, North Macedonia // 3rd Report
One day can change your entire life. So just imagine how much will change when you spent 10 months in a country with a new culture, a different language and people you never met before. Hey, my name is Antonia and I am a nineteen years old volunteer from the south of Germany. I live …
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Eurielle in Bremen, Germany // 1st Report
Hi! I’m Eurielle from France and I’m 21 years old. I came to Germany because I wanted to experiment new things and to discover more about myself. I can assure you I’m still discovering new passions and skills. I work in Tobias Schule which is a specific school for children with disabilities. The school uses …
Sergio in Bremen, Germany // 1st Report
Hi everyone, or as they say here, Moin! My name is Sergio and I´m 22 years. I´m from Gran Canaria, Spain. After finishing my studies, I didn’t know what the next step in my life would be, but what I knew for sure was that I wanted to go to a foreign country for a …
Abroad // Training Course “She-narrator” Sant Pau d’Ordal, Spain
SHE-NARRATOR: feminism, digital communication & social change was an Erasmus+ TC that took place in Sant Just Desvern from the 8.-14.11.2021. As a participant of this TC we discussed and learned about narratives and writing processes in a game and gamification, used a variety of digital tools, visited the youth organisation in Sant Just Desvern, …
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Alex in Bremen, Germany // 2nd Report
Hello again! It has been awhile since I have sat down and reflected on the past couple of months. Time has gone by pretty fast! I guess that is a bad thing… or is it? Just a reminder – my name is Alex, I’m 20 years old and I’m currently doing my ESC project in …
Till in Skopje, North Macedonia // 3rd Report
Last week I had a crucial moment that changed once again my perspective on my time here in North Macedonia. On a party I was asked how much time I have left in Macedonia and when I will return to Germany. I answered: “I think in around 6 months.” A friend interrupted me there and …
Marina in Bremen // 2nd Report
Hello everyone! More than half of my project has already passed, it’s time for a new report. In my cultural center there are more concerts and more people come, so there is a little more work. It was also interesting during the autumn holidays, I helped to do workshops for children and I learned a …
Ernesto in Bremen // 2nd Report
There is something so beautiful about every new path we take, every new decision that WE make that shapes our way and our character. Such a powerful and strong OWN willpower drives our every move, or at least we wish to believe so, because the truth is, that none of that would be possible without …
Clarissa in Skopje, North Macedonia // 4th Report
I remember when we had our mid-term training in Skopje, the facilitator introduced us to the “Stages of a year abroad.” Thanks to that I can clearly tell that I am in the “Accepting and Embracing” phase. I have faced the cultural differences and I realise that my time in Macedonia will come to end …
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Rita in Bremen, Germany // Final Report
It is difficult to tell in a few lines what this experience has meant for me and how it has influenced my choices of life and my way of looking at it. When I arrived in Bremen, I did not have many expectations, I had not left to pursue my dream or with a specific …
Michelle in Lecce, Italy // 1st Report
“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” -Susan Jeffers The beginning of something new, exciting and unknown, can also be the most terrifying moment. At least for me, it wasn’t easy to step outside my comfort zone and decide to live abroad for ten months in order to be part of VulcanicaMente’s European Solidarity Corps …
Katerina in Bremen, Germany // Final Report
Soo, my volunteering project is over. But the energy and the motivation that this experience had been offering to me for the past 12 months is still ongoing. I have been volunteering at Theater11 in Bremen for the past year. This theater has a great mission that I really esteemed; to help young people with …
Miriam in Thessaloniki, Greece // 2nd Report
Its October and now summer is finally over. That’s what they told me. I still have problems to believe that. The summer is over. In Greece. For real. It rained today. It rained a lot and I finally have to admit to myself that its not enough anymore to wear my lovely sun-yellow textile sneakers …
Abroad // Youth Exchange “Youth for Health” in Castillo de la Vega, Spain
Period: 23.08. – 30.08.2021 Place: Castillo de la Vega (Spain) Participating countries: Croatia, Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey, Germany Participants: 30 participants + 2 organizers Organizers: Bryant Corniel & Gonzalo García (hosted by the youth organization „Brisa Intercultural“) Brisa Intercultural: Spanish youth organization based in Burgos (Ana Fernandez & Patricia Rubio) NaturKultur e.V.: German Partner Organization The …
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Eilidh in Bremen, Germany // Final Report
The Last Two Years I’m sitting in my old Glasgow flat in front of my laptop, doing some reading for the second week of classes. I can hear my flatmates, one whom I grew up with in my wee rural village, and the other, with whom I lived with in my first year of university, …
Olya in Bremen // Final Report
Almost one year ago I was preparing all the necessary documents to start my ESC volunteering in Germany. Almost one year ago I was thinking which kind of experience I would like to get from this opportunity. I had a lot of ideas and plans but at the end it turned to be even more …
Chris in Skopje, North Macedonia // 3rd Report
Third report about my time in Macedonia after 9 months The summer in Macedonia was hot, but great at the same time. The city park was the place to be, not during the day, because it was too hot to go out, but in the evening. I didn’t expect the weather to be that hot, …
Clarissa in Skopje, North Macedonia // 3rd Report
Preface “Wow, you have been in Skopje for seven months now”. Whenever I hear that phrase, I have to remind myself how quickly time passes. Especially the last four summer months have been a rush between work activities, traveling around the Balkans and enjoying capital life to its fullest. Introduction Hi, I am Clarissa, I am …
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Abroad // Youth Exchange “Power of Art”, Ayvalik, Turkey
In August 2021 over thirty young people from Germany, Turkey, Croatia, Poland and Italy came together for a youth exchange. The topic of this exchange was “Power of Art” – so we learned a lot about environment protection in different countries and how art can help to express the importance of this topic. On the …
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Dolores in Zagreb, Croatia // Final Report
Our last months Introduction Hello everyone 😀 We are closing in to the end of our volunteering time here in Croatia but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have some great things still ahead of us 😀 Language Class Our language classes have officially ended and we will miss them and our students. It was …
Juliusz in Vinnytsia, Ukraine // 1st Report
A too small soviet sleeping wagon, a loud car and “Gop Gop Gop” by Verka Serduchka. Hard to believe, but my first week in Ukraine, and especially in Vinnytsia, was truly amazing. And I’m not exaggerating. Actually, I couldn’t expect myself that I would write that before coming here. Truth be told, I had a …
Antonia in Skopje, North Macedonia // 2nd Report
Sometimes life is like a puzzle. Everything can fall apart in a hundred of pieces and you don‘t know how to fix it. But with time you find the pieces you need to create a new masterpiece. Hey, my name is Antonia and I am an 18 years old girl from Germany, volunteering in Skopje, …
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Maryna in Italy // Final Report
ESC “So far, so close”, 17.08.2021 – 01.09.2021 Hi! My name is Maryna, I am 19 years old and come from Minsk, Belarus. From December 2020 till July 2021 I was an Au-Pair in Bremen, Germany and then stayed here as a student. The semester starts in October, so I had plenty of free time. …