Hi, I am Liv one of the volunteers in VulcanicaMente's Rise Together project. Like other people my age, I basically lost 2 years of my youth because of covid. I didn’t have the graduation ceremony I’ve always dreamed of, my days were full of sitting in front of a screen studying and I was stuck at home feeling hopeless as time was passing by. Although I was very fortunate and my experience with Covid was far more privileged than other people, I still felt like I had lost 2 years of my life. When the lockdown ended I was determined and motivated to make up for all the time I have missed. From the beginning since I arrived in Lecce I made it my mission to live every day to the fullest. However, over time it became rather a burden. I would feel guilty if I didn’t do anything major on some days and felt like I was letting opportunities slip by. Young people often get told to take advantage of their youth because “you’re only young once” and this made me afraid of getting older. I thought that once I’ve reached a certain age I was not allowed to have fun anymore and I had to fit in like everyone else. Adulthood looked overwhelming and lonely to me. This was until I came to Lecce. Most volunteers and people I have met here in Lecce are much older than me yet they just like me. Although it sounds silly, I realised that I had just created a false reality in my head and growing up doesn’t have to be as scary as I made myself to believe. Listening to their stories about adulting gave me a sense of orientation and guidance. Realising how many experiences and fears I share with other people is not only humbling but also comforting. Living in Lecce has really taught me to cherish every moment without worrying about what's going to happen in the future. I’ve recently heard a quote which goes something like, “to live is to enjoy the passage of time." Although I find this quote very inspirational, I do often see life as a race against time. When days turn into weeks and weeks into months and suddenly I only have three more months left here, I often find myself wishing I could turn back time to February and be that girl again standing at the train station in Lecce with two heavy suitcases eager to start a new journey. But as I'm reflecting on my time here and looking back at my memories, I realise just how much I have experienced. I grew a lot as a person. I became much more open to new things and I also became more comfortable with being on my own. Despite leaving my home at a young age, I was still used to being taken care of. But since moving to Lecce I really was on my own in many situations and had to figure out things by myself. The main lesson I have learned here is that it's the moments where we most challenge ourselves, where we grow and learn the most. I am excited to see what the future holds for me and I can gladly look back at my time here from a position of gratitude.
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