Once I finished my university studies, I felt the need to engage in an activity different from my daily studies and work. I have always been motivated to meet new people and try new things, so the Sharing Solidarity project was an excellent choice, something that has undoubtedly changed the way I perceive other realities and cultures. Living with other volunteers from different parts of the world could be challenging at times, but there was always something to learn from each of them. We formed a great friendship within the group of volunteers, sharing many trips and experiences that I will never forget.
The place also contributed a lot. Sicily is a place full of unique features like no other. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering its nature, beaches, and mountains. I immersed myself in the city’s history and customs, its gastronomy, social reality, and history. In every corner, there was something to discover. We all learned at least one Sicilian dance and a way to cook pasta.
In the local centers, I engaged in activities I had never done before. At the Centro Astalli, dedicated to assisting non-EU migrants, I handled some reception tasks and helped children with their homework in the afternoons. What I liked the most was the amount of time I had to talk with them. I understood their socioeconomic reality, but I also got to know them as friends, beyond just doing the work we were assigned. I learned more about their lives and their perspective on the world. I have to admit it was very tough at the beginning because the language was a significant obstacle. I didn’t speak Italian, and some of them only spoke their mother tongue. Working with children was something I had never done before, and doing it in a language I didn’t master created some challenges. This, although it was the difficult part, helped me a lot in learning how to deal with people and how to achieve a goal or solve a problem despite limitations.
Another place where I spent time was CIAULI. This place was particularly unexpected. I had never applied for anything related to agriculture, knew very little about the subject, and had no genuine interest in it. It was offered to me once the program had started, which turned out to be one of the best coincidences of the program. It allowed me to step away from the subjects I had been studying all along. I did tasks such as picking mandarins and vegetables in a wild crop. I participated in focus groups related to the consumption of organic products and understood what organic farming entails. I worked in the sales area, helping with administrative tasks, so I got to see the social work they do for the community. Overall, I developed a greater awareness of the importance of agriculture and the environment. The topic sparked a lot of curiosity in me, to the point where I did my personal project on it, and even now that I have finished, I continue to read about a subject I was quite ignorant of and which has enormous importance. This is a good example of what volunteering has meant to me: being able to learn and grow, explore new topics and cultures, and, above all, live completely unexpected experiences.
I have known few places like Sicily. I carry many incredible memories from there, an amazing experience, and a community I hope to see again soon.
Pablo Lucero Romoleroux
ESC Volunteer
Youth Unit
