ESC Story from Poland - Nino Karanashvili

Working as a volunteer in the integrated kindergarten in Poland is a big experience for me as a future teacher. Here I practice how to deal with different situations. I have a wonderful opportunity to be surrounded by small children and spend my time in the warm atmosphere. I provide Georgian and English lessons and help in the group activities. At the same time I improve my Polish language skills.

Meeting other volunteers from all over the world is the beginning of a new chapter in life. We share our cultural knowledge, help each other and have fun together.  

Volunteers make presentations in different villages or towns in Poland. We organize activities for the youngsters. The activities provide additional education and fun for young people. We come up with new ideas and fill ourselves and each other with positive vibes.

ESC Story from Slovakia - Nino Sherazadishvili

I’m Nino Sherazadishvili, 27 years old Georgian girl from Tbilisi, and I would like to, share my volunteering story. 

I arrived in Bratislava four months ago and since then I have been working as a volunteer in one of the non-government non-profit organization called SPOSA. Its main goal is to integrate children and young people with autism spectrum into society and help them in various ways.

If you ask me what is the most interesting thing about all this, I will tell you that not a single day and not a single minute are alike when you spend it with a person with autism. This type of project requires daily innovation and challenges from the volunteer. It is a glorious feeling when you allow yourself to break all stereotypes and find another,  completely different world, very special and in memorable colors. 

During my stay here, I found out, even more, the profound differences that exist between our countries. The quality of life of people with fewer opportunities and their involvement in the community's life. That is why I think about what we can do better in Georgia to see the current situation with a different eye and eliminate problems.

I think this is the main goal of the European Solidarity Corps volunteering. 

And Beyond these, to get to know the country and the culture where I live and work.  Now I can say with confidence that participating and getting involved in this particular project in Slovakia, Bratislava, was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life

Mariam Kozlova ESC story from Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia

Let me introduce myself.

My name is Mariam Kozlova. I am a 23-year-old student from Georgia and I would like to share my volunteer experience with the European Solidarity Corps.

My project takes place in one of the most charming cities in Slovakia, Banska Stiavnica, a former mining town and a UNESCO site. For me, as an architect, life in such a wonderful historical place was beyond dreams, but dreams usually tend to come true.

Over the past 6 months, my colleagues and I have been working on the restoration of the Kalvarija church complex, which dates back to the Baroque era and was destroyed during the Soviet era. Now this place is one of the most recognizable in Slovakia, and I am very proud to take part in this project.

In addition to the workplace, our project gives us the opportunity to travel not only in Slovakia, but also in neighboring countries, and in fact, due to its location, Slovakia is called the “heart of Europe”. During my stay here I have visited Italy, Austria and Hungary, and I am very grateful for this opportunity.

Every new day here brings me something new, new impressions, new knowledge, new people around me. Living in a foreign country gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture, now as a tourist, but with the views of the locals in mind, and it's so amazing.

In some ways Slovakia reminds me of my homeland, Georgia with breathtaking mountains and nature, but it is still a new country full of new experiences and new challenges, which usually forces you to leave your comfort zone and start thinking outside the box. And this is probably the best part of my experience.

In conclusion, I would like to thank my Georgian and Slovak colleagues for the opportunity to live and study here, in Slovakia,to explore new cultures and learn a lot of new things every day.

ESC story from Slovakia- Lana Katsarava

Greetings from Slovakia! I am Lana Katsarava, 22 years old. I am volunteering in one of the most beautiful cities in Slovakia, called Banská Štiavnica. Banská Štiavnica is a small town, which still keeps its medieval character. The town is on the UNESCO list and hosts so many tourists every year.                                                         

Everything started in May, when I applied for the project and got an invitation from the host organization. I was so spontaneous and happy at the same time, so I didn’t hesitate. I packed my bag and came to Slovakia on the 17^th of May. My organization is the "Calvary Fund". The mission of the Calvary Fund is to restore the Calvary—a sacral complex of churches and chapels. They are also running a youth hostel in the town and a scout campsite in the surrounding mountains. I work in the Calvary exhibition room. During the service I am responsible for opening the churches, providing information to tourists, and selling souvenirs. During the summer, we organized a summer scout camp, prepared the whole area before their arrival, built tents and other wooden constructions.

From the day I started the project, I met many people from Germany, France, Latvia, Turkey, the Netherlands, Czechia , Spain, Hungary, and so on. I developed my language, communication skills, traveled around Europe, tried paragliding and climbing, exchanged cultural and social information. My project will be finished in December and I already feel sad to farewell my new friends and places here. I am grateful for the memories I have collected in Slovakia and want to thank ESC, Georgian Youth for Europe and my host organization for this opportunity.

Salome Chochua ESC story from Poland

Hello, I am Salome Chochua, 23 years old. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and I’m planning to study educational sciences for Masters. My European Solidarity Corps volunteering project in Caritas, Gdansk, Poland is coming to the end. 

The main goal of project was to integrate foreign volunteers into group of Children in Need, to give them a chance to experience new culture, connect with new, international people and develop new academic and social skills. Simply, we the project is trying to make sure that every child has a safe, happy and secure childhood.

During my stay here I have been working with children. I, with local teachers, was trying to build trusting relationships with children within the group. We conducted workshops, and different projects on important topics. I was supporting the project, planning, implementing and evaluating programme events, seminars and other national/international events, providing input and supporting with creative ideas for strategic development of the center. I took part in implementing outdoor, cultural and educational activities.

The city, by itself is amazing. Beautiful, cosy and friendly atmosphere of the city created my stay here unforgettable. Here I made lot of new friends, met with international people from all over the world. I believe this project helped me a lot to develop cultural awareness and open-mindedness. I think I’ve gained enormous growth in confidence and independence, a sense of achievement, and became aware of possibilities.