Hi! I’m Sandra, and I’ve just completed my year-long ESC (European Solidarity Corps) volunteering in the charming Italian town of Reggio Emilia. It was a year full of experiences, learning, and unforgettable memories. Among my main responsibilities was coordinating groups of students from technical schools across different European countries who came here for month-long internships. Throughout my daily activities, I had the opportunity to learn many new things, such as group management and conflict mediation.
As I supervised some of the groups, I had the chance to visit many interesting places with them, like the Parmigiano Reggiano Factory. I participated in various excursions, allowing me to explore cities such as Milan, Bologna, Modena, Parma, Cinque Terre, Venice, Florence and Verona. Additionally, I achieved my goal of learning the Italian language, which greatly facilitated my work with local businesses where our interns were placed. I also had the chance to explore Rome during my on-arrival and midterm training.
I took part in the Summer Week project for volunteers in Sardinia, which was an incredible experience and an opportunity to meet many interesting people. Honestly, I could write an entire essay about this year-long experience because something interesting happened practically every day. In summary, concluding this statement, I can say that it was both a beautiful and challenging experience. However, I would definitely do it again because it allowed me to grow as a person.
