Nino Karanashvili ESC story from Poland

It has already been five months of my voluntary project coordinated by AKWEDUKT in Kwidizyn, Poland. I work in the integrated kindergarten, where children different diagnosis and healthy children go together. I am absolutely in love with my job. I like to help the kindergarten staff in daily life. Most of all I like to help the children to achieve a small daily success. We do handcrafts, we sing or play.  Now, wonderful spring weather gives us opportunity for walking and outdoor activities. Working in the kindergarten is the job where I find myself the most comfortable.

Together with AKWEDUKT organization, we made Culture Days for children in Kwidzyn. During two weeks, volunteers from different countries have organized particular days to introduce their culture with the children. We created very happy, interesting and memorable days for the children and ourselves.

Besides the job, I traveled in Malbork and Gdansk - wonderful Polish cities. Together with volunteers we celebrate birthdays and make parties when we share our cultures and emotions. Our coordinator organization AKWEDUKT has accepted many volunteers from Ukraine. We support each other as much as we can.

In future, I plan to organize Georgian and English workshops for teachers in the kindergarten. I also plan to travel in different European countries and finish my Master’s studies that I do online. Some of my co-volunteers plan to visit Georgia in the summer.

ESC story from Portugal - Natia Lelashvili

Ola! My name is Natia Lelashvili, 29 years old, from Sakartvhelo, also known as the nation of Georgia. I came to Portugal as a volunteer of the European solidarity corps not knowing what to expect, but my life has forever changed with this program.

Prior to coming to the program, I’ve always loved exploring the unknown, and worked in my country as a tour guide, offering people the chance to experience the remarkable beauty of my country. Selflessly sharing the things I love the most inspired me to get out of my comfort zone, and do the same, in a faraway land!

I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived, but I fell in love with the beautiful coastal cities, the warm hospitality, and most importantly, the feeling of life slowing down.

I was greeted in the program with like-minded, kind and fun people, who shared a passion for creativity, thinking out of the box, and exploring different ways of learning to push themselves forward.

During my time, the program has challenged me in many exciting ways that have made me want to continue to improve myself. The day-to-day tasks always felt like a new adventure, that ranged from dancing, teaching, solving puzzles and most importantly, working with the local youth to uncover modern day issues such as global warming, pollution, and ways to solve them to create a greener, brighter Portugal. Every interaction felt like a positive impact on the local community that left me with a sense of fulfillment!

Amongst our team, together we had a chance to experience the Azores, that instilled a sense of family and unity. All the leaders, mentors and mentees put work aside and explored the island life together, in a beautiful and relaxed setting. Together, we swam in volcanic hot water springs, indulged in meats steamed underground from the boiling volcano water, and interacted with the charming local people. 

My program will end in April.  I am honored and beyond grateful to meet such wonderful people, engage in an exciting project, and get a chance to open my eyes to a new culture and way of life!

ESC Story from Estonia - Tiko Bajelidze

Hello, my name is Tiko and I am from Georgia. My profession is psychologist, and for the past 5 years I have been working with kids with special needs. To be precise, kids with autism spectrum. I was employed as a behavioral therapist.  Also, for one year I was working as a teacher in special education needs in one of Public School.

I love to travel and don't like to stay in one place for a long time and when my friend told me about European Solidarity Corps Voluntary project, I realized that this will be an amazing opportunity for me to get experience and change my life drastically. I would be able to know people from different cultures and lifestyle and at the same would be able to show them my own culture.

As I was experienced in working with kids I decided to volunteer at school facility  but, at the same time, I wanted something that would be completely different from what I've already done in the past. And that is how I ended up in Estonia in the city called kohtla-jarve. My hosting organization is Kohtla-Järve maleva põhikool, middle school. I am assisting my coordinator in organizing different off-study activities, planning international projects. In the last 2 month our school hosted 2 international delegations, that were part of Erasmus+ program. Those meetings topics were about ecology. Students from different countries shared with each other their countries experience in this particular theme. I often organize cultural evenings where I try to tell students about Georgia and Georgian culture. With my colleague volunteers I often take part in events that are organized by our leading organization Vitatiim. 

I want to say that this project really helps youth to get very important life experiences, to become more tolerate and accepting towards every human being.

ESC story from Estonia- Mariam Nebieridze

Tere! I am Mariam, 22 years old from Georgia, an ESC volunteer in Tallinn, Estonia, and I would like to share my story. Before I started my volunteer project, I got a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and recently applied to a Master’s program in Gender Studies. During my studies in Georgia, I was involved in various non-formal educational activities and volunteering programs, and I decided that it was high time to challenge myself, and use my skills usefully. That’s why I decided to become an ESC volunteer, and in May, I received the exciting news that I had been selected as a volunteer in Estonia for 11 months.

Now, I am a volunteer at Kesklinna Noortekeskus, this is the youth center that offers lots of opportunities to youngsters and promotes non-formal educational activities. It’s already been more than 3 months since I arrived in Estonia, and I can confidently say that every working day is exciting for me. My coworkers, youngsters, and environment, on the whole, are amazing, and I’m sure that this is the place where I can get not only a life-long experience but also learn various aspects of youth work and evolve my skills.

Most of my volunteer work includes getting involved in the center’s daily activities as well as contributing my own ideas. For instance, I’m organizing cultural evenings. So far I've held Georgian and Greek cultural events, and it was a great pleasure to introduce my country, its history, culture, and cuisine. Furthermore, every week we implement various events thanks to the Youth English Club, funded by the local youngsters; on their own initiative, I had the opportunity to hold a workshop about ESC and volunteering in general. Additionally, we carry out some outdoor activities, even during the period of working remotely, turned out to very interesting for me.

Additionally, I’d like to emphasize another immense benefit of volunteering that is expanding my social circle. Heretofore, I’ve met a number of like-minded volunteers, youth workers, or youngsters that not only broadened my network but also increased my social and relationship skills. Thus, I believe that by the end of my volunteer work, I’ll be full of new ideas and will continue doing youth work in my country.

Finally, I’d like to mention that ESC projects are great opportunities for young people to broaden literary horizons and contribute to becoming a better version of themselves. The opportunity to make at least a small contribution where needed, meet people from different parts of the world, adapt to a new place, discover and live in a winter wonderland - Estonia is what I’ve always wanted to have, and I’m grateful to everyone who has given me this chance.

Nino Karanashvili ESC story from Poland

It is already third months of my voluntary work in Poland, Kwidzyn. Volunteering in the integrated kindergarten has become very familiar to me. Being involved in the work in the kindergarten is pleasant as well as stressful time after time. As much as educational studies is my profession and I love children, I take pleasure with working in the kindergarten.

In December, I made a presentation with 6 years old children about Georgian culture. They made Georgian flags and they got familiar with Georgian New Year traditions. Together with the other volunteers I had a wonderful chance to visit Wroclaw and Krakow during the Christmas holidays. These two wonderful cities amaze their visitors with their
architecture, lifestyle, museums, churches and different sightseeing. I had a pleasure to meet the New Year in Krakow and it was an amazing experience.

AKWEDUKT, my coordinating organization in Kwidzyn is absolutely supporting me to be more effective and involved in my work in the kindergarten, also they encourage every volunteer to participate in culture weeks, youth clubs, trainings and etc.

I have different ideas and plans to realize during next months. So, I hope with the hard work and cooperation, everything will be perfect.