ESC Stories

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 suggested these European Union programs. I decided to give it a try, and now, after completing the project, I’ve made the decision to study pedagogy, thanks to my wonderful experience with the kids at our Youth Center.

I fell in love with the kids on the first day I arrived at the Afterschool program. They welcomed me and the other two new volunteers with warm hugs and lots of love. Since that moment, they have never failed to brighten my day, even when I was having a tough one. It wasn’t just the kids, though—the other volunteers I worked and lived with, as well as the employees, made the experience even better. The environment at the youth center is always welcoming, and we do a lot of teamwork to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Regarding my day-to-day activities, we created a daily schedule that includes arts and crafts, movement games, educational activities, park visits, helping with homework, lunchtime, and quiet time. Every day, I took turns leading a couple of these activities, and we rotated to keep things varied. Personally, my favorite activities were arts and crafts and quiet time, where we all lay down together on the floor with the lights off and some relaxing music for half an hour. I loved it because it was a moment full of love and calmness, bringing out the sweet side of both the kids and the volunteers.

Apart from the activities at the Afterschool, I also had the opportunity to visit local schools (middle school and high school) to talk with teenagers and kids about various topics, such as bullying, recycling, and creating safe spaces for them to share their problems. This experience was very fulfilling, as they were surprisingly interested in hearing our stories.

As an international volunteer, another responsibility was attending meetings and events organized by the European Solidarity Corps, such as the On-Arrival Training (OAT) and the Mid-Term Evaluation. The OAT was an online week-long meeting with other volunteers in Romania, where we participated in activities to better understand the culture and the learning process of these projects. The Mid-Term Evaluation was a three-day in-person meeting where we also met other volunteers, shared our experiences so far, and discussed our plans for the rest of our time in Romania. We had a lot of fun there, as the activities were very interactive and helped us socialize. It was also incredibly helpful for me to meet others in the same position and hear their stories, discussing our differences and challenges.

On the other hand, my roommates are amazing, and we became close very quickly. During our time together, we did many fun activities like traveling around Romania, cooking together, going to the city center, shopping, eating out, singing, watching movies, and especially talking for hours until late at night. Living with them was easy because we understood each other and had a few rules to keep the house clean and organized.

Regarding the trips we made, we had the chance to see amazing landscapes and travel around the country by train, visiting all kinds of places—from nature parks and historical ruins to big cities. This is something I highly recommend because the trips are affordable, and it’s an enriching experience that helps you better understand the country’s culture and history.

Finally, now that my experience is over, I’m so sad to say goodbye to my colleagues, but especially to the kids. I’ve developed such a deep love for them that I feel like they are my own. These months have had a huge impact on my life, as they’ve changed my perspective on working with children, and I now see myself capable of enjoying this work. I will never forget them, and I really hope they won’t forget me and the other volunteers either! I will forever cherish their drawings and gifts in my room..