My volunteer experience in Česká Lípa, in the small but lush, wild, and natural Czech Republic Blog dei volontari

I am Alma, the Italian volunteer, engaged for almost a year in an ESC project on education and teaching of the English language. Exactly one week after the end of my volunteering project in the Czech Republic, which started on August 13th, I am in front of the computer trying to explain in words my formidable experience of volunteering and life.

My project lasted 11 months; the volunteer activity was to assist the English language teachers and to organize classroom activities in two schools in the city of Česká Lípa, north of the Czech Republic. It was a stimulating experience that allowed me to practice the language English, to learn teaching methods and to get involved in the world of school, since in the future I want to become a teacher.

In these eleven months, I have been joined by another volunteer from Lithuania; together we shared happy moments, but also moments of sadness and nostalgia. The year was troubled, because after only a month of arriving in the Czech Republic, the government decided to impose the lockdown again; we fell ill with COVID in November and spent Christmas in the Czech Republic, surrounded by the affection of the people I have met in recent months.

In April we had an unexpected opportunity to be seized, namely that of moving to Prague and continuing the project online, given that school activities continued to take place only online. The move to Prague turned out to be the best thing of the whole year. We went to live in an Erasmus condominium, and I met my two roommates with whom I made a great friendship.

In the meantime, while continuing my volunteer work with online lessons, I finished my master's degree exams and in May I graduated in Modern Literature, I found a job to do in the afternoon in an Italian delicatessen shop and from September I start an internship at the Dante Alighieri Association of Prague as a teacher of English for foreigners.

This year and this project have completely revolutionized my life. I let myself be overwhelmed by the situation and events; I let myself be upset by everything that has happened and happened to me and I realized how important it is to pursue your dreams and get involved, overcoming limits and obstacles. I have overcome the language barriers; I came across kilometric and snow trekking; I learned to manage my emotions, to be more patient and to face all the challenges, even that of Covid-19.

My project finished last week, but another year in the Czech Republic is about to arrive; now I feel this country as my second home where I found my spaces and organized my routine. I met people from all over the world, I got to know the habits and customs of these people and I enjoyed their food and their beer.

I met fantastic people, whom I will never forget, and I was able to improve my soft skills in relationships with others and in conversations in a language other than mine; this is what I want to keep doing.

I recommend everyone to have this experience to grow at no cost and offer their time to help others and grow at the same time.

Greetings from Prague,

the Italian volunteer, Alma.