The first step

The decision to take part in a European project began out of curiosity: I wanted to see as many places as possible and meet new people, but above all, I wanted to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone.

After participating in a complex presentation and a video editing session both completed under tight deadlines I was soon contacted by the non-profit organization Nefiks, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

I was overwhelmed with emotions, ranging from panic and anxiety to pure excitement. The interview, held entirely in English, was a total disaster for me: I couldn’t say a single word. And yet, I was still considered suitable and got selected. Shortly after, I left for the city of dragons.

Caught between worries and anxiety

Before leaving, and throughout the first month, I was completely overwhelmed by panic. I didn’t know what to expect , I had many questions and only answers that would come later. Among all the questions, the most frequent ones were: “Will I be good enough?” and “What if no one understands me?” As time went by, those questions slowly disappeared, but I still carried a fair amount of anxiety.

My experience with my roommate and coworkers

My experience with my colleagues was excellent: they were super kind and helpful, always ready to check on me when I was feeling down or unwell. In short, they were really caring and quick to offer a hand and support whenever I needed it.

I can’t say the same about my roommate. Although he was initially available and it seemed like at least a basic acquaintance was forming, over time that proved not to be the case. He was very distant and passive. As time went on, the situation didn’t improve, and even the common areas in the house became quite unlivable, leading me to an emotional breakdown.

During that period, one of the positive aspects was being able to spend time and share experiences with another person, a volunteer involved in the same project. This made some situations more manageable and helped make the environment a bit less heavy and stressful by providing positive moments, giving me a sense of relief and a break from everything.

What I learned

Throughout this experience, I learned a lot, discovering aspects and limits of myself that I didn’t even know existed. I learned to take care of myself and to understand my own value, constantly challenging myself.

Speaking of skills, I refined my fundamentals, giving a good upgrade to everything I had learned over the years: from graphic design to photography, also taking part though only partially in article publication.

Why do an experience like this?

And here we are at the final part, where I’ll explain why, in my opinion, an experience like this is truly worth it.

I believe that, at its core, it’s an experience that shapes you and allows you to discover parts of yourself, limits and fears you didn’t know you had.

You make new friends, explore new places and traditions, and come into contact with cultures different from your own.

Of course, it’s also a great way to disconnect from everything and focus on something new, while improving your skills and language abilities.