Ciao a tutti! Mi chiamo Martyna e sono di Polonia.
As a new volunteer at Eurosud, I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the team and excited to start supporting their impactful initiatives for the local community in the upcoming months.
During my time here, I hope to immerse myself in the Italian culture , learn the language
, gain new skills, make friends from Italy and abroad
, and most of all – serve others!
Getting to know the Italian culture will be especially useful for me as I plan to enroll in a medical school here next year.
As for my hobbies, I love all kinds of sports, especially running & yoga , traveling
, and learning new things
! Thanks to @frsp_organization
It’s been over a month since I started my ESC project at Eurosud and moved to charming Triggiano, Italy. Since then, I’ve completely fallen in love with the Italian lifestyle, delicious Pugliese food, sunny weather, and, of course, all of my activities at Eurosud. Currently, my weekly schedule includes office tasks for the organization, assisting with food preparation at Ristorante Sociale, teaching English to the kids at Capurso school, and attending Italian classes.
Regarding my office work, I’m responsible for sending emails to potential partners and managing social media accounts. Despite sounding like a mundane activity, it’s far from boring. Every day, I’m learning a lot about project management, effective communication, and the behind-the-scenes of leading an NGO. Also, the last time I worked from Bari University, I had the chance to try an amazing panino with prosciutto and mozzarella from the local store. Since then, I’ve been having panini every few days because I love them so much 🙂
As someone who is not very skilled at cooking, I can’t emphasize enough how happy I am to volunteer at Ristorante Sociale and watch the real chef, Ketty, prepare the most delicious meals ever! So far, I’ve learned how to prepare artichokes (carciofi) – a vegetable that we don’t have in Poland, pasta al forno, and pasta con melanzane! Together with my flatmate from Romania, Daniela, we often like to grab an espressino from our favorite bar in Triggiano – Mokador – before volunteering at the mensa. Also, my time at the mensa has proven to be an amazing opportunity to practice my Italian language skills 🙂
Through volunteering at Capurso School, I’m improving my public speaking skills and learning how to communicate effectively with large groups of kids – something I have never done before. I must say that the activity is extremely rewarding and brings me so much joy every time I visit the school.
Since coming here, I’ve also had the chance to visit some of the tourist spots in Puglia, like Polignano a Mare and Alberobello.
I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to be here and surround myself with amazing people. It seems to me like I’ve already experienced a ton of wonderful things, and yet, I know it’s only the beginning of my time here. I can’t wait for what’s coming next!
Last week, we had the unique opportunity to participate in the on-arrival training in Rome. It was a time filled with learning, making new connections, and immersing ourselves in a multicultural environment. During the training, we had the pleasure of meeting other ESC volunteers who are currently doing their projects all across Italy.
Together with them, every day, we attended study sessions aimed at preparing us thoroughly for the upcoming months in Italy. In classes, we discussed our rights and duties as ESC volunteers, learned conflict management skills, set personal goals, explored what solidarity means to us, and even exercised our creative minds through preparing a short theatre performance on different types of emotions. Besides the productive time in sessions, we also had a chance to go on a cultural walk around the enchanting city of Rome, visiting the most iconic spots like Colosseo, Fontanna di Trevi, and Foro Romano. In the evenings, we usually danced, sung karaoke and bonded with each other. From enriching study sessions to unforgettable cultural excursions and time spent with fellow volunteers, on-arrival training left us well-equipped and excited for the months ahead as ESC volunteers in Italy.
As I reflect on my experiences as an ESC volunteer in Italy in March, I find myself feeling more and more settled here. The initial chaos of navigating a new place has disappeared, and I now know how to use the public transport here, where to find the best grocery deals, and have discovered hidden gems for delicious yet affordable food and the best coffee spots in Bari and Triggiano.
Furthermore, I’ve begun to immerse myself more in the local community. I’ve made friends with fellow students from the Italian language school, with whom I now go out regularly to grab something to eat or hang out on the beach. One of the highlights of this month was joining the local run club in Bari that gathers many like-minded young people from the university or Erasmus programs. I was so thrilled to learn that most of the runners there are actually medical students in the university of Bari! That means that I was able to talk to them about their experiences and gain insights into how they prepared themselves for the entrance exam which awaits me in September.
I found their tips super helpful! Also, I have to say, that community runs are so much better than running on your own. It’s nice to be able to share your passion for running with others and go get ice cream at the end of each run to re-fuel your body 😉 I’m immensely grateful for the abundance of opportunities Bari offers for young
people, from joining run clubs to partaking in cultural events that bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds. My tiny hometown in Poland doesn’t provide such opportunities, which makes super happy to be here!
My involvement in Eurosud activities continues to thrive. I’ve been really enjoying the activities in Mensa Sociale as well as working on social media content for Eurosud. I’ve
recently gotten the task to promote open calls for ESC volunteering projects on the organization’s Instagram page through every-day stories. On the stories, I talk about the opportunity and encourage people to apply. At first, It was a bit hard for me to record myself speaking and not cringe every second of it but I’m slowly getting better at it – definitely practicing my public speaking skills!
In Capurso school, things are going very well as well. I’ve gotten the hang of how things work in each class and gotten to know all the teachers and students much better! Overall, March has been a month marked by massive personal growth, making new friends, and continuing to make a positive impact in my local community. I look forward to what April will bring, especially that it’s getting nice and sunny here!
Reflecting on my experiences as an ESC volunteer in Italy in April, I am excited to share some of the highlights of this month!
One of the most memorable moments was the successful completion of my personal project at Capurso Elementary School. I was able to share my culture with bright 1 st and 2 nd graders through an interactive presentation on Poland. I prepared some new English vocabulary connected to polish cuisine for them to learn and a fun cards quiz game. Children were super enthusiastic, and I have to say that their eagerness to ask questions and participate in the games I prepared truly shocked me!
Office tasks for Eurosud this month were focused on the preparation for an upcoming international event in Barletta, for which our NGO is taking the lead. I’m super happy to be a part of this and contribute my time to the organization of such big event! It’s quite interesting to see all the behind-the-scenes of such event, what needs to be taken care of, etc. Being responsible, even in a very small way for the success of this training brings me lots of satisfaction.
This month, I was also invited to a real, traditional Italian dinner (and a bday celebration) at the house of Chef Ketty which whom I volunteer at the Ristorante Sociale. It was such a cool experience and opportunity to expand my understanding of Italian culture and cuisine. I couldn’t believe the warmth and hospitality I received from Ketty and her whole family there! Definitely a night I will never forget!
On a personal note, I participated in a 10k race in Bari with fellow members of the local run club and made a new PR on that distance! Also, parents and brother flew in from Poland for couple of days and I have to say that being able to show them my favourite spots in the city and walk with them the same paths I walk every single day felt super special.
In summary, April has been a month full of memorable moments, personal achievements, and contributions to the local community. I am super grateful for all the experiences and opportunities that continue to enrich my exchange months in Italy. I look forward to what May will bring, especially the upcoming international training in Barletta that we will be in charge of!