“I believe that an ESC Volunteering experience is something that everyone should do once in a lifetime” - Miriam volunteering in Italy Blog
My name is Miriam, I’m 28 years old, and I am from Barcelona. I studied communication and cultural management at university, but two of my greatest passions are art and education, so Italy was my first choice for my ESC Volunteering experience. I spent two years looking for the opportunity that suited me best and, thanks to the InCo Association, I’m currently doing a volunteering project in Mantova as a teacher assistant at the ITET Andrea Mantegna.
In this institute, I usually plan and share English and Spanish lessons with the students, but the most important part of my job is the creation of valuable learning experiences. Throughout these lessons, I can promote cultural exchanges with them and share my Catalan heritage, and at the same time, we work on important topics such as democracy, future professional opportunities, volunteering, and self-knowledge. The focus of these activities is always the acquisition of valuable soft skills, the creation of connections between the students’ interests and my experiences, and the promotion of critical thinking. I really enjoy the time I spend with them because we always share laughs and interests, and I am learning a lot from them. Moreover, I am teaching Judo during our physical education lessons. It’s a sport that I am completely passionate about, and I’m glad that my students can take part in it too.
Above all, this volunteering service is an incredible learning journey for me. With this experience, I’m not only learning a lot about the teachers’ job and the educational system here in Italy, but also I’m gaining amazing knowledge about the Italian lifestyle and culture. One of the most valuable things about these months is the possibility to connect with the locals and learn Italian as well, which was one of my main motivations for joining this ESC Volunteering project. It has also been a great opportunity to connect with myself better and become more independent.
I have to say that these months wouldn’t have been this wonderful without the teachers I work with, who gave me an amazing welcome when I arrived in Mantova and make me enjoy every day of my job at the institute. I can affirm that some of them have become my friends now, and I cannot imagine my months in Mantova without them. In fact, for me, the most rewarding and fantastic part of this volunteering experience is not only the knowledge and valuable experiences I am gaining, but also all the people I am sharing this adventure with. My dear flatmate, my friends in Mantova, the InCo Association, and other volunteers have opened the door to countless moments that I’m sure I will always remember. These moments are the ones that make this volunteering completely worth it, and I feel really lucky and motivated to keep enjoying it for the following months. For sure, I consider that an ESC Volunteering experience is something that everyone should do once in a lifetime, and I encourage you to join this service as much as I encourage my students every day.
