Today I’m a volunteer in EVS “European Voluntering Service “ I’m proud to share this story with you. Everything begins after I took my bachelor degree, I was searching for opportunities to go abroad and I found this project. Now I’m working in the library in Poland, my basic task is to teach English children and to do different activities for them and of course to help the staff in the library work.
Like I said previously that I’m working in the library, I was really shocked when I find out that this library is something totally different that library in Moldova. The library is full of happiness, is full of energy from the people that are working here and of course for the children. Every day I’m providing for kids activities that I hope I will keep their interest. I’m using different areas of learning and I’m trying to teach them as much as possible good things, of course, is difficult just because of the one big obstacle language, not all of the children understand English, but I had a person who is helping me with translations and we are like a tandem, productive one.
When I first began volunteering, I was very nervous about meeting new people and being pushed outside of my comfort zone. The beginning of my volunteer experience, I was timid and not very extroverted. After some time, I started to feel comfortable with people and with other environment. This experience is so unique because all of the people that I met. They are all amazing and lovely people and I love meeting all of them.
Before the EVS, I had many obstacles while volunteering because people don’t value volunteer work. People consider volunteering as a waste of time and resources. They can not conceive the fact that someone can work without remuneration or a salary. I had been really lucky that my friends and family advised me on several occasions to do volunteering. Volunteering was the top priority of my life. Volunteering is not only effective, but it’s a good way to meet people, learn, and develop social skills.
This experience contributes to personal development, especially in such areas as self-fulfillment, self-confidence. Why I’m writing about this here because I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people, from different countries with different backgrounds and for sure with different opinions. I’m working in international team, 12 countries are here to make a change in somebody’s life and of course in their own life. The best way to discover who you are in order to integrate yourself in the society is to be a volunteer. Volunteering does not only allow you to offer your services, but to learn and discover new things and improve your skills.
My advice, don’t hesitate to take this opportunity, not every day is going to offer us a chance to
change something or to help somebody, but every day is an opportunity to affect one. Don’t wait.
Felicia Ivascu