“When you have nowhere else to go, go to Italy!” -Teele Coming to Lecce, Italy is a new start for me. A new chapter in my life. A chapter that I think I’m going to cherish so much because I know that this is going to be an adventure with a lot of experiences. In fact, it already has been, even if I have been here for such a short time that I haven't even properly unpacked my luggage. I am Teele from VulcanicaMente’s Connecting the CommUNITY ESC project, and I arrived in Lecce on a beautiful Sunday morning, a week and a half ago. The weather was warm and sunny, nothing like it is right now back in my country, Estonia. I was sleep deprived because I had to take two flights and spent 24 hours travelling without any sleep and eating only a small amount of food. As soon as I arrived, however, I felt really good and happy. I think it was the palm trees and bright weather. One of our mentors, Stefani, welcomed me warmly and took me to our apartment where the other three volunteers were already set up. The moment I met them, I knew that we were going to have so much fun together. After a short introduction and a really warm hug from our tiniest member, Stella, we started to clean the apartment and shared many laughs while doing that. I have only been here a short amount of time, but I already feel like it's been months because of the tight schedule. The other volunteers and I have already visited many cool places in and around Lecce, met new interesting people and fought the crazy Lecce traffic and wild bike roads on our way to San Cataldo (we won that war). I will always cherish the memory of our bike trip to San Cataldo where we conquered the wild bike trail with aggressive bushes trying to hurt us, ate some strange pink fruits, and learned that olives are not meant to be eaten directly from the tree. I came here with the purpose of growing as a person and I can honestly say that I already have, even if just a little. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to ride my bike back from San Cesario di Lecce to Lecce alone in the dark. At first, I was certain that I would simply leave my bike in San Cesario and take a bus home wIth the other girls, but at that moment I remembered why I came to Lecce so I pulled myself together, survived the pitch dark countryside road and arrived home stronger (and hungrier) than ever. What I truly love about Lecce is the beautiful Baroque architecture, the palm trees, warm weather and little restaurants around every corner. Even though I love it so much, it is nice to go to San Cesario every day for a few hours of volunteer work. As a relatively small town, San Cesario exudes an air of coziness, further enhanced by the friendly locals, the cafés, and the peace and quiet. All in all, I have had perfect beginnings in Lecce and San Cesario, and I think that the next chapter is going to be even more wonderful and full of unforgettable experiences.
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