Being an ESC volunteer in Slovakia

Hello…

I am Hilal. I am 24 years old. I am currently working as a volunteer here in Slovakia. I am in the capital city of Bratislava which is a city where there is peace and joy. It is a small city but you can find whatever you look for in it. There are big malls, parks, and entertainment places. Now it is summer and there are concerts around. For me as a person who loves nature, Bratislava is one of the best cities to live in. It has many beautiful parks, forests, places to hike, lakes and the Danube. I love to walk by the Danube after I finish work. Not only Bratislava but the whole country is like a piece of Heaven. It is green everywhere. I visited Tatra Mountains during arrival training and fell in love with every part of that area. It was a great experience to hike among those mesmerizing formations. 

Now, I will mention to you what I do as a volunteer. I work with the kids in one of the cutest kindergartens I have ever been. It is a small kindergarten with around 10 to 15  kids. I organize different activities for kids. Such as games, crafts, music, dance, sports etc. I play with the kids, help them when they need it. I also help the staff with guiding kids, cleaning etc. It is an amazing thing to work with kids. It always motivates me and gives me positive energy. It is one of my mottos to become a good role model to kids since they are the adults of our future. I motivate them to become active, respectful, conscious kids. 

Volunteering has been a part of mine for a long time. Now I keep doing it in a different country. I had thought It might have been a little bit challenging to be in a different country but no, It is not. I made friends and met many friendly people. Volunteering helps you gain lots of things. As you socialize with others, understand, do something that makes you happy you develop. Through volunteering I met many people from different cultures. I discovered the things that I did not before. I even had the chance of going on trips to different countries. I have been here only 2,5 months but I learned many things. I am getting excited as I think about the new experiences that I will have during my volunteering time here. So If you think of volunteering, do not wait. Just jump right in. I am sure you will not regret it.

Text a foto: Hilal Ozen

Hilal je dobrovoľníčka programu Európsky zbor solidarity na projekte v detskom centre Hlavička. Projekt bol podporený z programu EÚ Európsky zbor solidarity.