”There are so many important moments during the ESC year, without any doubts it is a challenging experience in many ways. For some of this moment we have to thank our colleagues, for others our flatmates or sometimes just ourselves.
The two seminars offered by the program were an inspirational experience for which I am very thankful to the ‘European Solidarity Corps’, a program that is co-funded by the European Union.
When I discovered that I needed to attend my first seminar in Berlin, just one month after my arrival in Germany, I was very excited about the traveling and the intercultural exchange, but I could not imagine that it would be useful for my personal growth, as well.
The seminar gave me a lot of information about the German culture, it allowed to other young people and I to talk about our project and to discover new adventures, but this was not everything. That week was also full of workshops that made us reflect on ourselves, in a funny, social, but always very deep way. And we can´t take moments like those for granted. It doesn’t happen so often to have the privilege of taking one week to investigate our life stories and to do it together with many strangers (that become friends) from all over Europe. We have the possibilities to discuss so many topics, from our personal work and education path to general subjects like feminism or European politics, and again how to deal with conflicts or which tips are useful to find a job in Germany.
Because my first seminar was such a beautiful memory, I couldn’t help to compare this new online experience and to feel a bit sad for this desktop alternative. But once again if the only possibility to not miss at all this experience was the Zoom alternative I am so happy to have joined it. Especially when so many events of this type were simply cancelled. The mid-term seminar is the halfway-point of my ESC year and this moment was essential, even more after these very strange months we passed by. Taking these hours to look back at what the first half have been for me and to write down the new goal for my last months was definitely precious.
Thank you ‘European Solidarity Corps’ for the resilience and for the high-quality program. Thank you to our mentors Lukas and Cedric for being that professionals even when far. And thanks to all the people for the empathy, even if strangers, even behind screens. Another important moment of the year has gone, but I will remember it smiling.”
Francesca Pellegini, EMCY volunteer 2019-2020
