by ESK-Freiwillige | 27.05.2026 | Nicht kategorisiert
My year in Germany:
At the beginning of September, I started working here in Dresden and immediately felt comfortable in the office. However, when it came to working with the young people in the classrooms, it took me some time before I felt 100% ready.
In this regard, the office organized a German course for me, which was very helpful from the very beginning, especially because in March, as part of a workshop on racism, I had to give a presentation on colonialism research, which we later presented in different schools.
During this year, I took part in two seminars: the first one in Weimar and the second one in Bremen. Both were wonderful experiences that I will remember in the future as well, mainly because I was able to meet many new people from all over the world and also keep my English level at a good standard.
I would like to sincerely thank my colleagues for giving me the opportunity to work here in Dresden.
Eliseo Guazzarotti.
by Tobias | 27.04.2026 | Nicht kategorisiert
My Voluntary Year in Poland
Hey,
my name is Selma. I am 21 years old and I am currently doing a 9-month voluntary service with the European Solidarity Corps in Opole, Poland.
I come from Berlin and finished school there in the summer of 2025. After that, it was clear to me that I did not want to start studying right away, but rather take a year off from all the studying.
A voluntary service was a good opportunity for this. I have the chance to travel to another country, meet new people and learn new things, while at the same time my work enriches the communities here in the surrounding area.
My main task here is to help students from different schools become more familiar with the English language. We do this through interactive workshops, which I lead in English. If there are any communication problems, my coordinator is on site and speaks to the students in Polish.
This work is very varied, as the students’ ages differ greatly (7–20 years), their level of English is always different, and their engagement in the lessons also varies a lot.
90% of the time, I really enjoy this work. It is very interesting to exchange ideas with the students about our different cultures, and I always learn something new. Speaking so much in front of large groups has also helped me to speak more freely and confidently, and it has taken away my fear of approaching people I do not know.
Although these workshops are my main task, there is no typical day in my voluntary service. Each week is structured differently, and we help with many different activities. Other activities include, for example, workshops in our local youth club, office work, support at major events organised by the University of Opole or our NGO, as well as support for the Association of the German Minority, which has an office here in Opole. I really like the fact that my work is so diverse and that not every day looks exactly the same. I need this variety, both in terms of my tasks and my working hours; a fixed 9-to-5 job would personally appeal to me less.
When I arrived in Poland in November, I did not really know what to expect. I was confronted with many things at once: a new language, new people and a completely different everyday life. Now, six months later, most things already feel very familiar. I have found friends, I attend Polish lessons, I have got used to my job, I can find my way around Opole, and I have travelled a lot within Poland.
This voluntary year has shaped me personally more than I expected. I have learned how to cope with being on my own, how to deal with my insecurities, and how to approach new people and situations more openly.
I am excited to see what I will experience in the last three months. But when I look back on the past months now, I am above all grateful: for the experience, my new friends, the emotional rollercoaster I went through in my first month, and also for the challenges.
An ESC voluntary service is definitely not always easy, and there are times when everything unfamiliar and new can feel very overwhelming, but that is exactly what makes it so valuable.
