Holaaaaa, Hello, Bonjour, Ciao.
I am Matias and I am 19 years old, I love to find out, get new experience, and live incredible things.

My life in these last years has taken a crazy turn.
I finished high school almost two years ago and I didn't know very well what to do with my life, I didn't know what career to study or which path to take. I love architecture, technology, sports, psychology, philosophy, and many other things, but I didn't want to take the step to study something because there was something that I still lacked and that was to live, to know, to travel, and to open my mind.
I remember that the day I finished high school I told my mother that I wasn't going to study the following year and that I wanted to go and live abroad, to have the opportunity to travel, which I had never had before, and to learn English. My mother didn't take it very well and I had a strong discussion with her, but without any doubt, it was one of the most important and rewarding days of my life.
The summer arrived and I started to work as a barman in a bar in my town and there I was able to save money to make that trip I wanted so much :) my idea was to leave in September with a friend but the plans didn't work out as you think, it was time to leave but my friend wasn't ready to take that step. Then I had the opportunity to participate in my first Erasmus+ project. It was an exchange in a small mountain village in Portugal and it was 12 days, everything seemed like a dream, everything I had imagined I wanted was being lived, without a doubt, I fell in love with these opportunities so much that on the last day of the project I started looking for more projects so that as soon as possible I could not miss these opportunities, they allowed me to travel, meet people, learn English and everything completely free. I got off the plane in Spain and that same day I did an interview for a project that was starting two days after in Italy. There was no time to lose, 24 hours later I got back on a plane but this time in the direction of Italy.

This project was different, it was a training course about meditation, motivation, strengthening your attitude, and giving that little change that allows all of us to reach what we want and dream of.
This project without any doubt made me change all the sense of life, my thoughts, and my attitude, it gave me the opportunity to know myself and to feel that person that I have always been but I never gave me the chance.
I returned home with a million things on my mind but with a clear idea: I bought a ticket to go and live in London and start that new life that I wanted so much, I no longer minded going alone but I preferred to live that experience alone and so I went alone to London at the age of 18 with some money in my pocket without a job but with a suitcase full of enthusiasm and motivation. Unfortunately, three months later the virus started and changed our plans, I lost my job as a barman in a hotel where I had a great time and I loved it, I returned to Spain to spend the quarantine with my family.
After some long and hard months, I found another Erasmus+ project and without any doubt, I went, and after that to another one, but I wanted to do something different, I wanted to do a volunteer of some subject that I liked and I found this project, I remember that I was super excited and enthusiastic to do this interview with the organization I felt that this project was for me as I love technology, photography, edition, social networks all this circle.
At the beginning, I was very nervous but I was dying to listen to the project and talk to the organization, and without a doubt, it was a wonderful interview that made me feel special. I was able to express myself just as I am, and finally, they gave me the beach but unfortunately I had to turn it down because I had to do important things in my country and the project's start date was very fast.

I participated in another project but this time in Spain and when I was there I saw that they had set new dates for the project. I contacted the organization to see if I could participate in the project this time and I had a second interview with them in which they told me that I had the place again so I didn't hesitate to get all my things to my parents' house since I was living alone and 2 days later I flew to Bulgaria. Honestly, if it was a bit crazy, I won't deny it but I really wanted to participate in this project and live this experience.

I spent one night in Sofia in a hostel that had some strange showers, that had no curtain or glass or anything worse I think it's typical in Bulgaria but a little funny for my hahahaha, the next day I was on my way to Blagoevgrad when i went to get on the bus in sofia i didn't know how to ask the driver if that bus passed by the bus station on Blagoevgrad or not because there were others that didn't pass well a very big and clear mess my Bulgarian is not very good hahaha it was very funny. I slept hole trip bus and in the bus station I met my colleagues, super nice the truth I loved them, that day I was very tired but we went to take some beers to the Irish bar I was very surprised because Bulgaria is a very cheap country and to do this kind of things in Spain is very difficult you spend a lot of money and you can't do it very often Bulgaria is really good:)
After drinks in Irish bar we went to the flat to continue the party oouuuuuu yeees dance a little bad but good we tried hahaha we are the best. I loved it they welcomed me super super well and I felt very comfortable, we are very different people but between all, we understand and respect us and that I love it.

The next day we went to the office a very nice office and there finally I met Kiril and Antoana they are super nice, that day I laughed a lot the truth and I had a super good time, I knew a little about the city of Blagoevgrad there food are so nice and has something that I like is a different society from mine and that is what I like more.
I am very grateful to have the opportunity to live this experience and share it with such incredible people.

This article is created by Matias Epelman as part of his personal project. He is a participant of the "ESC: European Skills and Competences" project, co-funded by the Bulgarian National Agency of Erasmus+ Program Human Resource Development Center.

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