Wow it’s over ! After 9 months I’m sitting right now at the airport, scrawling though the photo gallery of my phone. Scrawling though 9 month of living in Palermo. The fist photo is the view out of the plain over the city at night we’re everything started. I remember the excitement during this moment. How will it be down there? Will I like what is waiting in this city for me? Will I like the activities? Will I be different after this experience?
The next two months were like a fewer dream. In a very good way. One exiting moment after an other. One beautiful street after an other. I felt like a child that sees the world for the fist time.
The vibrancy of the city rubbed off on me. Everyday there was something I’ve never experienced before. A reason to be confused and to smile and to realize that I’m in the right place at the right time.
Also at the volunteering places I experienced completely new situation.
At one place, Ubuntu an Kindergarten for children from migrant Family’s, I immediately had a lot task’s. We as volunteers played with the children, carried for them if they cried, brought them into bed or cleaned if something was dirty. There for shure you were never bored.
At Itaca, another center among thos I supported, I learned that not every work must be stressful or challenging. Here I worked with people with disabilities but for me it didn’t really felt like work. There we all cooked together everyday and the rest of the time we talked, ate or just did something es that we like to do. The activity’s there it was like a community place were everyone can propose and join activities they would like to do. So sometimes it also happed that Paulis(an other Volunteer) and I helped by making breakfast and the rest of the day just talked with each other and with some of the clients. For me as a German you can imagine it was quite irritating to relax at work.
At another center Parco del sole, an after school care for primary school children I had on the other side again a little bit more to do. Here I help the children as good as I can with there homework or if there was no need I proposed to give English lessons. This switched very fast to an language exchange. So I taugt the children English and the taugt me Italian.
Thought this diversity of activities I lernt a lot. About not having too high expectations towards my self, that I do like children and am good with working with them, traditional pasta recipes, non verbal communication and so much more.
But not just thought the work and the city
I definitely say this volunteering project was the right decision. The greatest gift that this project has brought with it were the amazing people I’ve met. People that inspired and made me to an other person. People that are friends now.
In the end I feel so thankful for everything and everyone. Every moment I were able to experience, every challenge I faced. Even though not everything was easy and amazing. Sometimes I was facing a problem and felt uncomfortable, sad or lost. But there was always a solution.
For me this experience was a very big learning and improving in terms about my personality. I really grew up to a strong, positive, open minded woman that doesn’t fears the new and can say now she deeply loves her self.
Eva Charlotte Jänchen
ESC Volunteer
Youth Unit
