Hello there!

This is me, Zita. I am a 22-year-old volunteer from Hungary who has been here in Bulgaria for more than three weeks now. Days fly by, but I feel like I have been here for a long time. If you asked me why I would probably say that it is because I already experienced so much. My days are intensive and each day has something new to offer. I already had some ups and downs that I got through with the help of the beautiful crew. :)

The team: I work in a team that is quite out of the ordinary since every volunteer has their own story of how they got here and each of them is a unique person. We live together, we work together, we eat together and we usually spend our free time together. This is why it seems that I know them for more than only three weeks. I got friends from Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and Bulgaria, and I am happy to be in this multicultural environment.

The language: This is my first time in Bulgaria. To be honest I am struggling with the language, as I am not forced to use it. Sure, I know some words, like “Hello” “Good morning” or “Thank you” but it is way far from satisfying. One of my goals is to have at least enough Bulgarian knowledge to ask for directions on the street or explain what I want to buy in a store.

The town: Although I live in a completely new town that I have never even heard the name of before, I got used to it very quickly because my hometown in Hungary and Blagoevgrad has a lot in common and they are of the same size. I like that everything is close, so you don’t need to use a car or any public transportation to go anywhere. Besides that, there are lots of trees and green areas along the way and the weather is usually nice so you have everything you need for a pleasant walk! My favorite place in the town is the park called “Bachinovo park”. Now that we are in the Fall the park is supremely wonderful, with the leaves turning yellow and brownish.

The work: So, what are the tasks? How does a usual working day look like?

To be honest, we don't really have such a thing as "usual working day" because every day is different with new tasks to do or events to make.

First, we come to the office and we have a brainstorming session. We discuss the tasks and ideas we have, and how we should put them into action. We organize events weekly and invite the local youth and other volunteers to join us. Our events are varied, and I am free to create something new here. I like that ABS is like a white canvas that you can paint anything you want on. It is a bit challenging because it might seem confusing in the beginning. I used to ask myself: What am I supposed to do here?? Even if I was told from the beginning that it is totally up to me, I just recently realized and understood that.

My goals: Now that I got used to the new environment, I am excited to focus on my goals! I am ready to develop my "personal project" and put it into action. I am grateful to be here and to have this opportunity to improve myself and hopefully, I can have a positive impact on other people’s life.

P.S.: You might have noticed that I have a ketchup stain on my sweater. That is from the hotdog I ate in front of Kaufland. But I'm happy, that's all that matters, right?

This article is created by Zita Szabó - a participant in the "ESC: ''InterACTive'' - International Active Community Through Inclusion, Volunteering & Education in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria” project, co-funded by the Bulgarian National Agency of Erasmus+ Program Human Resource Development Center.

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