Hello! My name is Cristina, I am a Psychology student, originally from the Republic of Moldova, and I would like to tell you about my own experience as an ESC volunteer in the National Youth Foundation organization.
The reason I applied for this volunteering opportunity was my desire to develop professionally and gain experience in the field. My friend Valentina, who had also been an ESC volunteer, recommended this option to me. At the beginning, I had several fears and wasn’t sure if this was exactly what I wanted, but after thinking it over for a while, I passed the interview and signed the volunteer contract.
My first activity was very memorable for me, as I attended the event “Job Fair for Graduates,” where I had the opportunity to meet people of different ages and talk to them about the benefits our center can offer. Overall, the energy was very positive, and that’s how I started to get to know better the people I was going to collaborate with. I believe that even though we didn’t know each other very well, we formed a wonderful team.
After a period of time, I found out that I had been assigned to the “Activities and Services” division, which involves organizing activities within the center. I was very happy when I learned which division I was in, because I really like the idea of organizing things according to our preferences, and all we need is our imagination, a free room, and the materials provided for free by FNT.
In general, I organized several activities and, since I know Russian, I focused more on language-themed activities. I was extremely happy to see motivated participants who showed up regardless of the weather, because they truly wanted to learn this language. I enjoyed seeing that they didn’t feel like they were in regular high school classes, sitting quietly at their desks and listening to the teacher, but instead were having fun while also learning something useful for themselves.
During this period, I developed in several areas, learned new things, and met wonderful people, some of whom have become my friends with whom I can truly be myself. I can say that the center has become a place where I can be myself and feel at home. Here, I experienced moments full of different emotions and met people who inspired me to move forward and have more confidence in myself.
At the beginning, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to balance this volunteering experience with university, that I wouldn’t be able to integrate into the team, or that I wouldn’t be able to perform my tasks well.
Did these fears come true? I can confidently say no.
Here, I was understood and supported by the people around me. Here, I overcame my fear of public speaking, not only in my native language but also in foreign languages. Here, I stepped out of my comfort zone and became more confident in my own abilities, and for that, I am grateful to the center.
P.S.: Below you can see more photos from my activity at the center.
Romanian Speaking Club
Romanian Class
English Class
