Wow, 6 months can go by so fast!

helloo, it’s Lea again

I have spent my last 6 months here in Blagoevgrad with 2 different volunteering groups. Though the good-bye of the first group was a sad time, it also made me realise how thankful I am for the memories we made together. But with the new volunteers arriving, it felt like a fresh start. Though it was new to me to no longer be the newest volunteer, it was a fun switch to be the oldest (& of course wisest haha) of the group. And I especially enjoyed to show the new group around!

After also moving into another apartment I felt like it was the next (& a much needed) change to make me feel like I started a new chapter. It not only brought a nice mix into the dynamic of the new group, but also made me feel closer to the old group of volunteers who used to live there. This and visiting Athens, Plovdiv, Sofia, Rila and Bansko together gave me the chance for good conversations and to just get to know everyone. And though it is a different feeling inside the group, I do feel connected to them in a more individual way.

Now I feel incredibly thankful for the time I've had here and the many people I was able to meet. This not only meaning the volunteers, but also the local people.

The time here truly made me flourish and gave me the freedom of expressing myself, trying out different hobbies and time for reflection. But the part I liked the most were really the people. I will miss the deep conversations, inside-jokes and random cultural side-facts (from all over the world - French, Spanish, Danish, Estonian, Canadian and Italian). And secondly the beautiful and impressive nature of Bulgaria. It was, followed by the many tradtions, amazing to discover!

I am also quite pleased with the outcome of my personal-project. My idea was to combine two of my passions: creativitiy and sustainability. Therefore I have organised 7 events, all approaching sustainability in a different creative way. I have focussed mainly on recycling (with a cat-shelter, a makrame, a dream-catcher and a colouring event), but also organised a few events in collaboration with other volunteers and even other organisations. This gave me even more inspiration for future creative projects, especially after the training courses we've had.

All in all it was exactly what I wanted and needed, without really knowing that it was this.

I have overcome a lot of fears, gained a lot of indipendence and just grew in general. And in addition to that I have made a lot of friends!

I am sure, I will never forget this shaping time!

(& I will return one day! soo -)

Auf Wiedersehen! :)

This article is created by Lea Lehmann - participant in the ESC Project 2024-1-BG01-ESC51-VTJ-000223945 in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, co-funded by the Bulgarian National Agency of Erasmus+ Program Human Resource Development Centre.
Disclaimer:

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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