Ciao, sono Emma!

Ciao! My name is Emma and I joined Caritas Jesi three weeks ago as the new ESC volunteer.

I have only recently gratuated from school in my home country, Austria. After having studied for years, I could not picture myself attending university right away, which is why I decided to take a gap year. I wanted to use it to improve my knowledge of the Italian language, as I had already studied it at school. However, finding something suitable, even after I had learned about the European Solidarity Corps, turned out to be rather challenging. I eventually came across Caritas Jesi and decided to send in my application, which turned out to be just the right decision.

After having completed all the necessary steps before my departure, I finally arrived in Jesi three weeks ago. As you can see, I haven't been here for long, but I already feel like being a part of the diverse, committed and unbelievably welcoming team of Caritas Jesi. At the beginnig, I had this fear of feeling alone in a foreign country, but I realised right on my first evening that I had absolutely no reason for being afraid. My flatmates, Rio and Louise, welcomed me with a delicious dinner and we chatted until late at night. Apart from them, the volunteers and employees at Caritas also did their best to include me from the very first moment. Even if my Italian doesn't always work as I would like it to, they always remain patient with me and are willing to explain things multiple times in order to help me understand.

 Me with Rio and Louise while working in the kitchen

In the few weeks I have been here, I've already learned a lot about Caritas and its different services. As an ESC volunteer, I have the opportunity to help out in many of them in the course of a week. Once a week, I get the opportunity of sorting out donations with other volunteers. The donated clothes considered suitable are then brought to the solidarity shop, called Rivestiamo, where I also help out twice a week. However, I spend most of my time in the kitchen, where I support the cook and other volunteers in preparing lunch for the beneficiaries. I do so for instance by cutting vegetables, washing utensils and sorting the storage room. Other than that, there are two more services that form an important part of the tasks of ESC volunteers. One is promotion, which we do for example by creating posters or writing this blog. The other is helping out at the homeless shelter one evening a week for two hours. At the beginning, I wasn't sure what to expect, but my primary task there turned out to be rather simple. Talking to the people. Talking to them to help them feel comfortable.

What I've seen of Caritas Jesi so far has proven me right in my decision to come here. The facility helps people who really need it in more than one field. However, what makes Caritas special is not only the services. It's the people. I'm more than looking forward to working together with them for the next six months!