By writing this tips to the future volunteers, I am already in the last weeks of my project and my experience, even if I had left Slovenia four months ago, I am still doing it online. I thought that I can share with you what I have been and done through this project, six months in Slovenia and now three months working from home online, which was a new experience and way of working for all of us. So guys here are my tips for you, if some of you are interested and want to do ESC, hope this will make it easier for you. 1.Tip number one : Enjoy your project as much as you can: by that I mean that you should value every moment of your project, because not everyone has that opportunity. Travel as much as you can, because by travelling you will meet the people and the culture of the country in which your project is, enjoy your time with your roommates, because probably after the project ends, all of you will go back again to home countires and maybe you would not be able to see each other again, and use every opportunity that will be given to you during the project. 2.Tip number two: Meet yourself before you decide to go on the project. Why have I decided to post this tip? I think it is really important to know yourself and what you want, maybe we don’t always know that but deep inside I think we do. Do not do this project, if you are bored at home or if you do not have any other plans and this would be like the only one. Do this because you really want to and if you are ready for it, because you will be a volunteer and you will have to do a lot of things besides having fun and party of course. But still you have some schedule that you have to respect. 3. Tip number three: Be realistic.Yes, ESC project is fun most of the time, but also as I said in the previous tip, you have some schedule and responsibilities, you will have your working hours, seven hours per day, and after that you are free to do with your time whatever you want to do, sometimes you will work during the weekends or you will have some events. During the project you have responsibilities towards your hosting and coordinating organization, for me my ESC sometimes looked like a working experience, and I can say that I learned a lot, but still had fun, and traveled also, so I had both. 4.Tip number four: Get out of your comfort zone. If you are thinking or if you are already on ESC that means that you did get out of your comfort zone. But why did I post this as an tip for you? I posted this especially for those, who are still thinking and maybe are afraid to do such a step. To be honest, it is not easy, but living in another country with a different culture, and living with people that are coming from all over the world is such a great experience, which is making you a better person and a more open-minded. I can say that after this you will be more free to do the things you like and the world will be different in your eyes. 5.Tip number five: Meet your hosting and coordinating organization – most of the volunteers can be confused between these two, as in the beginning was my case too. Get to know both of them and check which are the responsibilities that you have towards them and which they have towards you and also what their rights are and which are yours. And of course enjoy the time you are spending in both of them. 6.Tip number six: Good luck to everyone – this acctualy is not a tip, but it is some kind of conclusion. I can say that my ESC experience was great, I had learned so many things and I am still learning, because I am working from home, online, so nowadays this is also possible. I can just say thanks to everyone, who was around me on that project, because they are all a part of my story and they will be special for me and I will always remember them. So good luck to those who decided to do this and make that step. I bet it will be a great decision!
Fatima Muhmutović, European Solidartiy Corps Volunteer !
Projekt je financiran s strani Evropske komisije. Vsebina objave odraža izključno stališča avtorja. Nacionalna agencija ter Evropska komisija nista odgovorni za kakršno koli uporabo informacij, ki jih objava vsebuje.
