Laura's ESC in Berlin 2023/24 Blog

When I left my hometown in Italy on a warm, sunny day in early September, I didn't know what to expect, but I thought to myself that a year from then, things will not be remotely the same. And I was totally right.

Later that day, I was welcomed in the M24 Jugendkulturzentrum with open arms by a lovely team and my ESC tutor, who in turn used to be an ESC volunteer a few years back.

There, I had the opportunity to work with the youth of the Pankow district in Berlin.

In our centre, we organised projects and small events like communal cooking, clothes swap, concerts and workshops. I even got the chance to organise my own weekly event, a multilingual café, and throughout the whole year we worked side to side with another youth centre to shape and organise our very own music festival in the summer. I also attended seminars about youth work, ESC and other European mobility projects. These seminars were a precious opportunity to learn, but also to meet new people and connect with other volunteers from all over the continent.

I genuinely believe that the ESC is an experience everyone should do once in a lifetime. This year taught me more than words could ever describe. Being on your own in a foreign country is scary, but also incredibly empowering and freeing. Working with the youth humbled me so much and at the same time inspired me to get better, to really listen, and to take the giant leap out of my comfort zone. I learned a lot of skills, and discovered so many things about myself I still treasure, and probably will for the rest of my life.

A special mention goes to my flatmates Andrei, Agnes, Nada, Salomé and Valentin, for always being there to cheer me up with a laugh or a word of advice, for having each other's backs and for being the most amazing companions I could ever ask for. Their friendship has been the cherry on top of this wonderful year.