A young woman was waiting at the Milan station with her eyes turned towards the bluish sky. It was the end of summer 2022, the wind was gentle, but there was no doubt that it was pushing Mathilde on a long journey. She didn't know yet where it was going to lead her, but she was convinced of one thing : there was no right or wrong way, only new experiences open to her. So here I am. Young French woman who finished my studies as a speech therapist after 5 years of hard work 💪. I had the feeling of arriving at a crossroads where multiple roads presented themselves to me, and a question then imposed itself on my mind: « And now what do I do ? ». Well, it's true. I have always followed the path where the wind took me, but I have never tried to go against the flow, or even to choose my own path. But there was still a little voice inside me that was whispering to me : « How about I do something crazy, like something I've never done? Going far away ? On my own ? ». A friend then told me about the European Solidarity Corps, which offered volunteering missions all over Europe and around. This is how after much research, a lot of waiting, hopes and sometimes disappointments, I finally came across the announcement of the VulcanicaMente association and the “Rise Together” project. I wanted to find a mission that would inspire me and engage me in burning topics : gender equality and environmental preservation 🏳️🌈🌎. My instinct pushed me to apply, then after an interview and a few days of waiting, the long-awaited answer arrived : I was selected to participate in the project ! An immense feeling of pride and joy overwhelmed me, then my legendary pragmatism quickly returned to the assault : « How to pack a suitcase for 6 months? How do I speak English when I haven't practiced for 7 years? Will I be able to feel at home there and fit in with the rest of the team ? ». My brain was thinking as fast as a hamster spinning its wheel endlessly. To all these questions, I ended up finding one and the same answer : sometimes not having a plan is the best plan. It’s difficult for a born anxious person like me not to anticipate all the disaster scenarios, but this trip was also an opportunity to let go and question certain beliefs about myself and others. On September 12th, I started a long expedition of 22 hours by bus, from Lyon to Milan, from Milan to Lecce. I still remember my wonder when the first rays of the sun came to caress my face the morning of my arrival, and I saw the brightness of the Adriatic Sea far away 🌞. When I got there, Angelica, one of the project coordinators, welcomed me and drove me to my new house, where I was going to meet my two roommates : Kerem and Ruken, both from Turkey. Even though we didn't speak the same language, and the barrier sometimes seemed insurmontable, I really wanted to communicate with them, even if my speech wasn't perfect. Speech never really is, even when mastering a language perfectly. The activities organized by the association allowed us to get to know each other better, as well as the evenings spent together discussing, sharing our favorite music and our visions of the world, but also by fooling around trying to create a presentation video, or by tiring our legs dancing until late at night 💃🕺🏿. Gradually this city which seemed immense to me became my second home. Two weeks after my arrival I left with Erasmus students for Santa Maria Di Leuca, where the beauty of the sky left me in a state of deep well-being. I had never seen one so beautiful, even in France. Finally I realize more and more that until now I was more used to anticipating the future than to living the present moment, and that made me very anxious. I had given up on projects, desires because I was hesitating too much. But this time, I had decided that it would be different. In the space of a month, I discovered unsuspected strengths ✨. I am now able to pick up a microphone and speak in English in front of a crowd of people. I can go on a trip with a bunch of strangers, and come back with a bunch of friends. I can create a project out of the blue without worrying too much about the final result, and still love it. I can go away from home, and find a new family where I'm going. In a matter of a month, I discovered that I was a resilient person, able to adapt very quickly, to respect my values while sometimes accepting to change my point of view. Sometimes I wake up full of energy, other times I just want the day to end as soon as possible. I'm not perfect, and neither is every day. But now I accept to no longer control everything, and to let life surprise me. And it's so much prettier that way 🌼 ! I will now keep this mantra throughout my journey : Don't wait to be good to take action, take action to become the best version of yourself !
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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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November 2021
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