"The city of Jesi as my temporary home: A look at everyday life as a volunteer".

As an 18-year-old European volunteer in Jesi, Italy, my experience is proving to be truly transformative. During my time in this charming city, I have already had the opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture, meet wonderful people and contribute to the well-being of the local community. Throughout my 22-day experience, Jesi has become my temporary home, a place I will always hold close to my heart.

From the very first moment I have felt welcomed by the local people and by my ESC partner and flatmate Simona with whom I share this experience. The warmth and hospitality of the people of Jesi makes me feel part of the community from day one. My volunteer project focuses on working with young people and people from all walks of life, which allows me to interact with people from different generations and cultural backgrounds.

One of the things that struck me the most was the historical and architectural beauty of Jesi. The city is full of charming squares, cobblestone streets and ancient buildings that tell the rich history of the Marche region. During my free time, I sometimes explore the historical sites and visit the museums, which has given me a deeper insight into life in Italy.

The local gastronomy is also something I will never forget. The flavours of Italian cuisine, from pastas and pizzas to delicious desserts (such as the 4-flavour gelato with cream), make my experience in Jesi even more enriching and exquisite. Sharing meals with the locals was a way to connect more deeply with the Italian culture.

The day-to-day life as a volunteer in Jesi is a balance between work and free time. During the day, I dedicate myself to my volunteer project. And in the evening I sometimes go for a walk to explore places I haven't been to yet.

In addition to the impact I hope to have as a volunteer in the community, this experience is giving me valuable personal and professional skills. I am learning to communicate effectively in a multicultural environment, to work in a team and to face challenges with a positive, problem-solving mindset.

The city and its people are leaving a lasting impression on me that I don't think I will easily forget.

Comments

Arrivederci, Jesi!

I can’t believe time has passed so quickly. It feels like yesterday that I arrived in Jesi and got a tour though the whole Caritas facility. But since then, six months have passed. This experience has been valuable to me in more than just one way and I will never forget the precious time that I spent here. It’s hard to put into words how much this project helped me grow personally and how much I learned while volunteering here. I’m so grateful for all of the people I got to meet during my stay in Jesi. My ESC project here gave me the opportunity to make friends from all over the world who shared a lot about their countries and cultures with me. Therefore, they made it possible for me to widen my horizons and it’s their fault that so many places got added to my travel list 😆 Of course, I also found a lot of new friends from this area who introduced me to Italian dinners (something I’ll certainly continue after coming back to Austria!) and who often planned trips to show me around the a...

Arrivederci, Louise!

After nine months of volunteering here at Caritas Jesi, Louise's project has come to an end. However, she wanted to say goodbye to you: It's strange to think that it's already over. As I write these lines, I'm already on the Flixbus, but I find it hard to believe that in a few hours I'll be in France! If I had to sum up my experience here in one word, I would say: encounters. I've learned a lot in 9 months: speaking a new language, opening up more to others, learning how to cook pasta properly 😅...but none of this would have been possible without the people I've met. Whether it was the other volunteers, the beneficiaries of Caritas, the people who follow us on our ESC journey, and above all the friendships I made along the way! Thanks to you, I decided to extend my experience, I gained confidence in myself and, sitting on this bus, I'm already thinking about when I'll come back to see you! So thank you very much, everyone, for everything, and welcom...

Cristina

Hi, my name is Cristina I'm 21 years old, I'm come from Spain and I am a recent graduate of social work. A few months ago, when I graduated, I was very happy but then I realized that I didn't know what to do with my life now, If I should continue studying or working. Then one day I saw a video of a girl who did the ESC volunteer program, and my eyes lit up. I already knew what I wanted to do this year! The next step was to choose what I wanted to volunteer about and in which country. I was clear that I wanted to do it focused on social work. And since I was little I had in mind going to live in Italy for a while, so this was the time to fulfill that dream. So it wasn't difficult for me to choose volunteering. I am very excited about this experience!

From Europe to Jesi

Search This Blog