Ciao a tutti,

I am Mariam from Georgia, Tbilisi. It’s eleven month I have been living in Italy, in Viterbo, after one month I am going to my country and I want to share my feelings, emotions and my way which I passed during this project. I am very happy to go back to Georgia, to see my family, relatives, friends, but it is not easy to say goodbye to all of the things that I loved in Italy, especially my house and flatmates who are part of my daily life. Let’s define EVS “European Voluntary Service” , but the meaning is more than three words. Why? First step is to get used to live with totally different people from different countries. In my case, we are from six countries: Georgia, Germany, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Palestine. We all have different religions, habits, language ,also we had different lifestyles. The most interesting part was how we were trying to combine everything and started to live like a one family. There was little problems of course, ups and downs but we managed to create one united community.

Second step was for me to realize where I am, why and for what? I started to work with disabled adults and with children. I discovered a lot of lovely personalities. I am sure that they are the special part of our life, which really needs to take care of, also to gain much love from us as well. I met emigrants, I heard interesting stories from them and I saw their hard life without my “pink glasses”. My third step of EVS is travelling every month, meeting new people, living new environment, enjoying new culture, facing new challenges, for example, travelling alone sometimes , on the other hand with friends and having lot of adventures together. To sum up, I improved my English language skills as well, because it was a big part inside the house and I learned Italian language from my work places and my social life outside, but I want to improve it more and never forget it, but I can remember first two months when I didn’t know anything and I was trying to communicate with Italian people somehow. How was my path during these eleven months? full of emotions, sometimes also with tears because of missing family, full of happy moments and adventurous stories, full of new people and new environment.

What did EVS give me? Friends! Who will be always in my heart, life experience! Which will be useful for a life time, unforgettable memories and strength. Now I am stronger, than before I came in Italy. While I am writing this article in 22.08.2019, exactly after one month I am going to Georgia.

I like to use this word “sand glass” for my situation now, I already turned it down in my imagination, when it will be empty, I am going to leave Italy. I am very happy to go home, to see everyone who I love, who are waiting for me, to use all the skills which I gained through EVS, but I am sad at the same time, because I will miss everything and everyone, but it’s time to go already ,everything has end in our life, nothing is eternal. EVS is the opportunity to see the other world, diverse culture and people from you. In my opinion it is something that everyone should do it at least once in life, everyone should use this opportunity to discover the world; people, places, cultures, and life far away from you. Every person should make little contribution for people, who need lots of love from us.

I love Italy, Italian culture, cities, cuisine and its beauty everywhere; I think I will come back one day to repeat my interesting past… who knows?