Ilaria's experience in Spain
16.07.2021
“Barcelona is a unique city. It has a spirit all its own that you either love unconditionally or hate deeply. I think the strongest impression it made on me was that it is a city of artists, in every sense of the word”.
I believe that my account of my experience with the European Solidarity Corps might be quite different from the stories usually told. But let’s start from the beginning.
When I left, I felt very mixed emotions. On one hand, I had enormous expectations for the project and was thrilled to be living an experience exactly like the one described in the call: community, music, and art as tools to break down the barriers created by different life circumstances. On the other hand, I had worries due to Covid and wondered whether it was the right time to leave, and how I would handle being around so many people after so long.
Barcelona is a unique city. It has a spirit all its own—you either love it intensely or hate it deeply. I think the strongest impression it gave me was that it is a city of artists, in every sense. The colors of the city reflect this too: there are countless narrow streets, plants, paintings, and posters lining the avenues. Like any metropolis, it is full of events at all hours, but what struck me the most was the kindness of the people—always ready with a joke and willing to help, even if you didn’t speak Spanish.
A special thanks goes to the group of volunteers who were part of this project—the people who truly represented the beauty of this experience. Thanks to them, I was able to feel genuinely free to think critically and feel comfortable in my own skin. I will never forget the moments spent cooking in the hostel, the trips, the jokes, and, in general, the group atmosphere that was created in those moments. I believe I learned a lot from living and interacting with them, and I will never be grateful enough for the enrichment they brought to my life.
I also want to thank my sending organization, which has always been attentive without being intrusive, understanding without being condescending, and—most importantly—transparent and well-prepared. I would recommend everyone to join a project with YouNet, and in general, I would recommend the European Solidarity Corps format, which, if well-managed, can allow you to have truly wonderful experiences.
For those reading this, I would like to give three pieces of advice:
Choose your host organization carefully. Do your research, ask your sending organization if anyone has participated in the past and is available for advice, ask many questions during the interview, and maintain regular communication with your sending organization. This will help you better understand the context in which you will be working.
Study the contract thoroughly before signing it, and make sure you know your rights before leaving. If in doubt, even while you’re already there, ask your sending organization.
Most importantly: always learn something from what happens to you. Even in the best experiences, there can be negative aspects, and if those start to pile up, it can feel like it wasn’t worth it. In reality, I don’t believe that’s true. Even from negative experiences, you can learn a lot—about yourself and about situations you may face in life. Often, such experiences can turn out to be very useful in the future.
To conclude, no matter what choice you make, and whatever the person reading this is going through right now… always and in any case…
¡Suerte!
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