ESC Stories
Povești și experiențe ale voluntarilor noștri internaționali din programele ESC spuse chiar de ei
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Emma Möbius
Hi, I’m Emma, I’m 18 years old and from Germany. My ESC journey began in April 2024, right after I started looking for a meaningful project. I had just finished high school in July, and like many people my age, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. But one thing was clear: I didn’t want to just sit around at home. That’s when I discovered a beautiful opportunity — working with children at an Afterschool. The moment I read about it, I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I applied, had an interview, and got accepted! My real adventure began in October 2024, when I traveled …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Chiara Mignini
My name is Chiara, and my ESC project with A4ACTION lasted four months, from the beginning of March until the end of June 2025. When I decided to leave for Romania with the European Solidarity Corps, I didn’t have a clear idea of what to expect but I felt a strong need to do something different. I was going through a particular period in my life, and I needed to discover new realities and environments to regain the energy I had lost over the past year. When I found out about A4ACTION’s Afterschool project, I immediately thought: This is exactly what I need. I love working …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Antonija Vasic
Hello! My name is Antonija, and I was born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia. For the past seven years, I’ve worked as a hotel manager, but deep down, I always dreamed of doing something with heart, soul, and a touch of love. At the end of 2024, I heard about the European Solidarity Corps, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring that dream to life. I found a project in Romania, a country I had never visited, nor thought much about. Soon enough, I packed a small suitcase and set off on the adventure of a lifetime. I wish I could tell you …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Alessia Compagnucci
I am Alessia Compagnucci, I come from Italy, and my ESC project at A4ACTION lasted seven months — from December 2nd, 2024, to June 30th, 2025. When I decided to apply for this project, I had recently graduated and was spending my days at home applying for jobs and studying for a public competition. But after so many years of university, I felt the need to do something more practical — something that would allow me to spend time with people and prove to myself that I was capable of handling more concrete, hands-on activities. While searching for opportunities, I came across …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Ana Antunes
Hi, I’m Ana! I came to Romania in October 2024, three days before my 21st birthday. Before coming, many people asked me “Why Romania?”. I didn’t have an answer to that question. When I decided to take a gap year from university and volunteer with the European Solidarity Corps, I never had a specific country in mind. I was looking for projects that seemed interesting but, most of all, projects that could teach me something useful for my future career as …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Lara Bondioli
Hi! My name is Lara, and I’m from Italy. I was lucky to have had the chance to take part in a volunteer project in Romania through the European Solidarity Corps program. The project lasted 6 months (from October 13, 2024, to April 13, 2025) and mainly involved running an After-school program for children aged 7 to 10 years old. After finishing high school, during …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Chiara Pinson
My name is Chiara, I’m 21 years old, and I had the opportunity to take part in the A4ACTION ESC Program through the European Solidarity Corps. My project lasted five months, from February 1st to June 21st, 2024.
In September 2023, I found myself at a crossroads. After two unproductive years in college, I worked as an au pair in Tokyo earlier …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Laura Di Bella
Hey! My name is Laura, I’m eighteen years old, and I come from Spain. For four months, I had the opportunity to participate in a volunteering project working with children through the European Solidarity Corps in Romania.
When I finished high school last year, I felt a bit lost and unsure about what I wanted to study. So, I decided to take a gap year, and one of my teachers …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Lola Graillot
Hello! My name is Lola, and I’m from France. I had the pleasure of participating in a volunteering project in Romania through the European Solidarity Corps program.
I first heard about the European Solidarity Corps during an internship I did for my studies, where I worked in the same office as a European information center. I was immediately interested. At that time …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Maria Olga Kostopoulou
My volunteering experience began in a rather unexpected way, which I think is how some of the most important and fun experiences in life happen. It all started on a typical evening in August. My summer vacation was almost over, and I was eager to get my life back in order. At that time, I was still recovering from an anxiety disorder that had taken a toll on me both mentally and physically. Although I was already quite independent …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Mariyana Nikolaeva
This adventure began with the opportunity to see my two companions, Lola from France and Maria Olga from Greece, through a Zoom video call to come to an agreement on how we would get to our future home. On September 17, 2023, everything truly began. I had never traveled alone like this before, and I was very excited. We agreed that Lola and I would take an Uber together, so I waited for her flight from Paris to arrive. By the middle of the first month, it was quite …
ESC Stories ⸻⸻
Carolina Castro
I arrived in Romania at 2 a.m. on February 1st, after a long day of traveling. This was the first time I ever flew alone, so I was already stepping outside of my comfort zone. I remember feeling anxious but also incredibly enthusiastic about what this project would hold for me.
In the first couple of weeks, I had the chance to meet my new roommates. Just thinking about the opportunity to live with people from different countries was amazing, but actually sharing …