Francesco's experience in Croatia

When my Sending Organisation asked me to write a “short” article about my experience, I asked myself: “How can I sum up in just a few lines what was perhaps the most beautiful year of my life?”

No, I’m not exaggerating, because living an entire year in Croatia profoundly and radically changed the way I think about many different topics: solidarity, multiculturalism, social inclusion, work, friendships, relationships, tolerance, differences, equality, and European values. Doing European Voluntary Service with a well-structured non-governmental organization and such a close-knit team as Udruga Amazonas taught me that it is possible to work and have fun at the same time; it taught me that teamwork is essential when you want to be supportive of others; and it taught me that, if you truly want to, you can always make a difference.

Living in a young European capital (in fact, Croatia is the latest country to have joined the great European family) showed me a welcoming and dynamic environment, made up of young people like me—eager to make their voices heard and to try to leave a mark on the community. Meeting other volunteers not only from all over the European Union, but also from all over the world (Turkey, Brazil, Russia, and many more) made me realize that we young people, if we want to, can truly be the masters of our own destiny. Traveling opens the mind, opens up opportunities, and opens doors to the future.

Traveling for an adult is like playing for a child: it helps us evolve and learn new things, and it is a constant exercise for the human mind. Encountering different cultures is a continuous stimulus for growing both as individuals and as a community.

Naturally, when on September 1st, 2020, I said goodbye to my family and friends and left for Zagreb, I was terrified. “A year is a long time,” I thought before boarding the plane—and yet, it isn’t. A year is nothing. It flew by, along with all the good and bad things that happened along the way: friendships I will carry with me wherever I go; the Petrinja earthquake, which on my birthday tore through the ground and left an indelible mark in the eyes of Croatians (and in mine); working with children at risk of social exclusion or with disabilities, who taught me patience and the kind of laughter only a child can give; Covid, which forced me to spend two weeks locked in my room; teaching Italian; falling in love.

This is my experience, and I know that each one is different. Mine was extraordinary, and if I could, I would go back in time and start all over again. Because in the end, a year is nothing—so if you have the opportunity, pack your bags, arm yourself with courage, and go. Go where you can help those who need it most.

Because a year seems like a long time at first.
But then it flies by as if it were a single second.