Hello everyone!
I am one of these volunteers which were on EVS (ESC) project in 2019. My story of this project started a bit different then stories of others. Because I came here in January when another volunteer from Ukraine (yes actually I am from Ukraine) left project. I remember my first day in Italy like it was yesterday. I met with my flatmates on 8th of January. I came to kitchen and saw only girls, because only one guy which lived with them ran away from them to gym! Gloria from Germany, Stepanka from Czech Republic, Mariam from Georgia and Emilia from Slovakia.
All of them just rushed on me with stories how it is going here, what is here interesting, some house issues, stories about our neighbor and etc. Stepanka and Gloria offered to me to go with them on the next day to the sea. I was shocked! I do not know any of them and they already after few minutes how I came invited me to the sea! Of course I went with them. In that day I saw many things for the first time, Italian roads, Italian temper in every person, how girl from Czech was talking some bad words, olives and of course Mediterranean sea.
Actually do not even think to try olives from trees, it was my huge mistake. It was the bitterest thing which I have ever tried ! As you can see, from first day I started to have some adventure time here! Can you imagine how the whole year was?! I still cannot understand how I am still alive here… But nothing would not happened with me on this project if I would not have here my crazy flatmates, which creating every day something unbelievable! I`m sorry for the next volunteers, you will not have my flatmates. And you will ask me: “hey guy, what about work and country in general? is it interesting?” I will tell you, YES! But with a lot of BUT! This work will be for you interesting BUT only if you will not expect from it nothing.
This work will be interesting for you BUT you should be ready to do physical work. This country is awesome BUT you should understand very clear that at summer here is very hot! This country has amazing cuisine BUT too much pasta! People in Italy is very nice BUT very emotional! Italy is totally unique country. Before you will start like it you also will have anger, grief, acceptance, and only then love! Important part of this EVS for me was my travelling. In my EVS project I visited Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Malta, France, Vatican city of course and it is not end!
Also there were a lot of trips around Italy. Naples, Rome, Florence, Venice! And even here you will find small BUT. You will travel a lot BUT you will not see any food few months, because you will collect all your money for this! And believe me it’s worth it! Any food will not give you so much positive emotions then travelling! Anyway this project will change all your life. You will have new friends from all over the world! It is perfect time to think what you would like to change in your normal life. What kind of work you would like to have. You will open new world of music which you have never heard before. I wish you try to get this unbelievable experience in your life! 
tarted 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.
