The moment I came to Orahovica until the very end of the project, I had a feeling that time sped up. Even today, two years after the project, it feels like it lasted for months.

It’s difficult to put into words the experience of an Erasmus+ student exchange, sometimes they are crazier, sometimes more educational, but one thing is for certain – each exchange is unforgettable.

On a project, you can meet so many different people from each corner of Europe (and sometimes even the world) and from all kinds of backgrounds. It’s just baffling when you gather all those people who, at first sight, don’t have anything in common with each other, and they have to live in a mini-society for around a week.

On our project in Orahovica, Croatia, we had the opportunity not only to meet different cool people with whom we are still in contact to this day, but we also got the chance to learn so many practical and everyday skills (such as not getting lost in the forest, Ivan). 

I wasn’t at all expecting that I would be learning video editing at a project about populism, but I was delighted because, honestly, I would have never spontaneously picked up that skill.

Erasmus+ projects will always, intentionally or not, teach you useful life skills, especially the logistics of independent traveling. They merely give you an introduction to the essence of multiculturalism, where you will, on the same day, learn how to make a Spanish meal, perform a Romanian dance, and say a (usually not so nice) phrase in Lithuanian.

All in all, I truly recommend youth exchanges to each and every person who desires a fresh new adventure and wishes to expand their horizons, because they will always be a unique and different experience that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I had a 9-to-5 job, a home without rent, friends, nature—a good life. But something was missing...
After COVID hit, it became evident that traveling, as I knew it back then, would change. I felt trapped in my life, living the life of a grown-up, even though I was only 22. I no longer wanted that.
After some research, my attention turned to the ESC Project. Living abroad? Check! New adventures? Check! English in my daily life? Check! Not spending too much money? Check! Doing something ordinary? Hell no!
After being incredibly fortunate and being accepted into the first project I applied for, I packed my bags and moved to Denmark, Roskilde, for one year. There, I worked at Gimle, a cultural café where ESC volunteers could initiate their projects and also work behind the bar (which I was always passionate about). What I appreciated most about this project was the level of responsibility it offered. We were pretty much on our own, running the bar, clearing tables, and taking orders. We were essentially the bosses for the day. In addition to the typical café activities, we planned various fun events, basically whatever we felt like doing in our café-shaped living room. Dress-up parties, karaoke nights, Halloween parties, Language Café... The possibilities were endless, and we certainly took advantage of them.
My proudest achievement was starting up the karaoke night again after COVID. I learned the technical aspects, spread the word, and when the night came, I hosted it. It was a resounding success that continues to this day. It's incredibly satisfying to put effort into a project and see it turn out as expected. Of course, there were also projects that failed, where no one showed up or communication issues arose within the team. However, these experiences helped me in the long run with project management.
What I really appreciated about the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is how financially accessible it is. You receive some pocket money, don't need to pay rent, and even get some "points" at the café for meals and drinks (which was quite helpful in an expensive country like Denmark).
Aside from working at the café, we had plenty of free time. There were five ESC volunteers, including me, sharing an old farmhouse - a dream come true, right? It was close to the fjord, so we could swim every day in the summer, sit in our huge garden to play card games, and enjoy cozy evenings where we cooked together and watched movies. We became like a Danish family to each other.
In my opinion, a significant part of ESC is learning about and accepting new cultures and perspectives. When you live and work closely with people from all over Europe, you truly feel the differences, eventually overcoming them and learning to appreciate them.
I'm sure that if you're also considering going abroad, you'll encounter responses like "Don't you want to focus on your studies?" or "That's just a waste of time." But my advice is to let them talk. After spending time abroad, you'll be more educated and enriched than any job or study could ever make you.
In the grand scheme of our lives, what's six months, nine months, or even a year? Nothing. So, we should all strive to push out of our comfort zones and embrace new challenges while we're young!
With that being said, I wish you a fantastic time abroad! 😉

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Youth exchanges are filled with vivid moments and meaningful lessons that leave a lasting impression on participants. Below, young people from Southern Estonia share their experiences from a project held in July in the Czech Republic, which brought together youth not only from Estonia and the Czech Republic but also from Turkey, Sweden, Spain, Poland, and Hungary.

Time Spent Together

"My favorite moments were the evenings when we watched movies together. These were times when we got to know each other better and enjoy doing something fun as a group," shared one participant.

Evenings by the campfire left the deepest impression. "One of my favorite moments was definitely when we had the chance to make a campfire. Everyone was playing games, grilling, and singing together. It was such a cozy and unifying experience," another participant recalled.

Singing by the fire also brought together different cultures. "That moment when everyone was together enjoying the atmosphere, even if they weren’t singing, was simply wonderful," added one young person.

New Skills and Confidence

The youth exchange provided opportunities for personal growth and building confidence. "I became more self-assured and braver in talking to people. My communication and language skills improved significantly," one participant described their development.

A diverse and supportive environment helped participants learn from one another and feel at ease. "I saw how everyone was different, but no one discriminated against others. This helped me feel more relaxed and develop my own courage," noted one participant.

Interestingly, someone also shared a more unexpected lesson: "The project sometimes made me question my choices, but it helped me better understand who I am and how to move forward."

Cultural Nights and Treasured Moments

Cultural nights were among the most cherished activities. "We learned so much about each country—from food and dances to history and natural wonders," a participant described.

"I loved seeing how everyone respected and appreciated their own and each other’s cultures," added another young person. These evenings helped participants realize just how much they could learn from one another.

Challenges and Overcoming Them

It wasn’t always easy. "At times, our group was quite quiet, but eventually, we found common ground and started talking more," one participant recalled.

Some felt tired or overwhelmed but found their own ways to cope. "When I felt tired, I spent time alone drawing or listening to music. Sometimes, I sought quiet and meaningful conversations with someone closer to me," shared one young person.

New Friends and Future Plans

The youth exchange brought new friendships and inspired future plans. "I’m still in contact with many of the new people I met and plan to visit them in the future," one participant said.

Another young person added, "The project helped me become more confident and make decisions more freely. In the future, I definitely want to take part in more youth exchanges."

The youth exchange left a profound impact on the participants, broadening their worldview and offering moments that connect and inspire.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

After a failed attempt at university and a year of volunteering in my city, I decided it was time to live abroad and find my path. So in September 2023, with a suitcase full of warm clothes, I started my European Solidarity Corps experience in Tallinn, Estonia.

Before I left, I felt a mixture of emotions. I was excited to start this experience in another country and at the same time I was worried about the cold weather, the stereotypically cold northerners and the language, but I'm happy to say that I survived, met lots of wonderful people and had one of the best experiences of my life.

Those ten months in Tallinn made me fall in love with the tranquility of the city, I discovered that Estonians are warm people and that their language is as difficult as I thought - but I am proud to say that I now have an A1 in Estonian - I learned that they are very attached to their history and their music and that they like to share all this, because Estonia is a small country that is always confused with one of the other Baltic countries or Finland. And now, for me, any excuse is good to talk about Estonia and its people.

All the staff at the kindergarten where I worked were always warm and happy to help me, they spoiled me with gifts and parties and, they were more than happy to answer all my questions about their culture, and ask me about mine. Since I'm Italian most of the questions were about the food as it's very different, and it was a bit difficult for me to get used to eating so many soups and dill.

During the on-arrival training and the mid-term training, I was able to understand more about what it means to be a volunteer with the European Solidarity Corps, and more importantly, I made some friends who will stay with me for the whole ten months and hopefully for the rest of my life. Meeting people during this kind of experience is really nice because we all share our own culture while learning a new one, and it is always the best feeling to know that you have people all over the world with a couch ready for you.

This experience has taught me how to communicate not just with a language or just my voice, to say yes to new experiences, to be self-confident and travel to other countries and cities alone, to be independent and, most importantly, to layer when it's cold!

I wish everybody could be able to take the courage to start a new adventure somewhere out of their comfort zone, in a new country, with new people: there will be some ups and downs and you will meet some “strange” people, but it will all be worth it!

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

As I sit on the train, gazing out the window, I’m thinking about my trip so far—from Tallinn to Copenhagen, and now heading to Växjö. Everything has gone smoothly... that is, until I glance around and realize my big suitcase is sitting beside me in a four-seat section, rather than neatly tucked beneath the seat. Embarrassing! And no one even mentioned it to me!

It's now been just over two months since I arrived in Växjö. I think back to my first weeks here, when I would hear children’s voices passing by my open window, and the words felt strange, their meanings slipping past my ears. I still struggle, but now that sense of unfamiliarity has turned into curiosity and a motivation to learn.

Shopping is still an adventure—I walk into the store with a currency converter and translation app open, ready to navigate. But little by little, the language and items on the shelves are becoming familiar, with words and products sorting themselves from "foreign" to "recognizable."

The weather and small-town vibe here remind me of Tartu, in Estonia, where I spent the last six years before coming to Sweden. The signs may look different, but the feeling is the same: everything is close by, within walking distance. There is, however, a subtle sense of change, just enough to keep me from settling too deeply into my comfort zone. And, of course, my mindset is different now.

I have some goals to work toward and a year here to reach them. One of the main reasons I came to volunteer abroad was to reset my mind and body, to break free from routines I felt stuck in back home. As I take steps toward that goal, I can see changes happening, habits forming. A quote I came across recently resonates with me on this journey: “What you are not changing, you are choosing.”

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

Hello to all of you who are reading this letter, first of all.

My experience as a volunteer stems from a particular aspiration: to give the best of myself to the community. Not only out of a sense that the world can be a better place where we are all integrated, with a better quality of life, addressing global and local challenges with a closer approach, but also to create a feeling of togetherness among the people we cohabit.

What often happens - at least what happened to me - is that one day you decide that your time is not just for money in your account but for you and your community. In a globalised world, your community is no longer just, what surrounds you in your neighbourhood or city but what happens globally. In addition, on a closer scale, what happens within the European Union is relevant to everything else.

You have to look for opportunities; they do not just appear out of nowhere. Thanks to the European body of solidarity, you can find the opportunities that are available to you. In my case, the search was not very long (relatively speaking, as I was on a three-month search), but it demanded dedication and seriousness in the process.

Luckily, for me, I found a project that matched what I was looking for to be able to do journalistic work in community projects. I also wanted to get out of my "habitat" and see other parts of the world, experience other cultures and get to know new realities. In doing so, I want to appreciate my culture and my way of being in a perspective that is less pigeonholed in what I have always lived. To sum it up, to see with different eyes the reality of Spain and of the community in which I live.

Since Mreža udruga Zagor I have had that opportunity because I have been able to get out of my comfort zone and my daily horizon by having the opportunity to live in Zabok. In the first days, everything was wonderful, strange and scary at the same time. This mixture of emotions is normal; they will be explained to you in the on-arrival training if you decide to join this adventure.

My search for volunteering was closely linked to the project and it was something I could relate to my working life. In my previous jobs, I have done radio, podcasts, online and print publications as well as office work. The volunteering project I am involved in encompasses all of these. Still, the adaptation is not so easy. It would be best if you always had time. To adapt to the organisation, the timetable, the way of working, the workload, the organisation chart or the social relations.

Volunteering is not only a way of getting out of your comfort zone, but also a way of acquiring patience and empathy with yourself and others.

In addition to the work and organisation, you have to adapt to living in a new location. By Spanish standards, Zabok is an average - in some places maybe even a big - village. In Croatia, it is a city and this has many positive aspects such as the fact that you have access to a multitude of services because you are in a city and have a direct connection to Zagreb. At the same time, it has its complications, because although it is a city, there are only 8,000 inhabitants, which limits the leisure options.

Even so, it is a very quiet place where people are very welcoming and have a very peaceful life and where you have plenty of options for trips and activities. Everyone - and you too if you decide to join the volunteer programme - will have moments of maximum integration and minimums. All complications are solved with time.

During the experience, you will experience all kinds of moments in which you will have to be prepared for everything. There will be situations that you will be able to solve on your own, and others you will not. That has happened to all of us, but you will have the people in your organisation, your mentor and your sending organisation. There is a support group around you, do not close in on yourself.

Leaving your country is an enriching experience. In these months, I have had the opportunity to get to know Croatia and other surrounding countries. It has also allowed me to meet people from other parts of the world, talk to them, and compare lifestyles and open perspectives and horizons.

Taking the step towards volunteering is a decision that requires meditation, but once you are sure - that moment will come eventually, with its difficulties, but it will come - you will see that it has been a decision that will change you. In my case, it has done so in many ways: I have tried new foods, I have seen other places, and other realities that have made me see my land from a different perspective, I have had to take risks with some things and they have helped me a lot with others. All this is a very superficial view of the experience, but people’s experience fills them in different ways.

What is clear to me is that I am not the same person who left Spain before starting the adventure and I will not be the same as when the adventure ends. During the process, you will tend to idealize the positive things that you experience or that happen to you and then be very hard on the negative.  With time you learn - or at least in my case - I have learned to be more balanced in my experience. Some things don't fit my lifestyle and others that do. However, this kind of dissonance has helped me to better understand the context of other cultures. It has also helped me to embrace the positive things in my culture better and criticize the negative aspects.

If you are thinking of joining the volunteer life, join. You will not regret it, but as the Croatians says: "Polako".

Adrian Cobo Garcia

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

I am Carmen, a Spaniard with a degree in Audiovisual Communication who is still looking for her place in the world. From the point of view of more or less half of my volunteering, my experience has changed over time. It all starts from the moment you are accepted. In my case I was ecstatic, because I had been wanting a change in my life for a long time, and finally, all the efforts I put into looking for a volunteering materialized into the right opportunity for me. I left behind a job that was consuming me, I made an express move and it was one of the strangest and most stressful Christmas holidays of my life, but at all times the predominant feeling was joy and desire. I started to learn some Croatian basics and to research as much as possible the context I was going to find myself in, to make me aware that it was going to be something shocking and different from what I was used to, but in spite of this, the shock came all the same. I was lucky that my boyfriend, Adrian, would be my partner in this adventure. 

At the beginning I was in the honeymoon phase, where you go through when you move to another place, everything seemed better than in my country and I didn't notice what I found shocking in a negative way. I should also mention that I had a certain amount of tension and stress because of the fear of having any kind of confrontation or problem and not knowing Croatian and not being able to solve it. Without going any further, as a small anecdote, a dog bit me in the first few weeks; it didn't even pierce my shoe with its teeth, but the anxiety I suffered from all that is worth mentioning, because even to this day I am afraid of the dogs I meet running loose in Zabok and of walking through areas I haven't been to before or where there might be dogs. It was a time of emotional duality, when I was very sensitive, but I had a lot of support and understanding. Anyway, everything was exciting and challenging. About the volunteer work, we started with the creation of the magazine that we publish monthly and making a video presentation, I have to say that I reconnected with the audiovisual world, as in my previous job I didn't do anything related and I had forgotten how much I like writing and being creative. In February we went to the “On arrival training”, where we met other volunteers with whom we had a lot of connection. 

Gradually, there is a process of coming back to reality, in which you see the shocks clearly and you idealize your country of origin, nostalgia took hold of me a little. At the same time, I learned more Croatian and I lost my fear, I was adapting.  Also, the tasks in the organization became more diverse and numerous. Some of them involved going out of my comfort zone, which I am glad about with hindsight as they have been very useful for my learning and self-knowledge, not to mention the curriculum.

Nowadays, I can say that I am happy with my decision to come to this volunteering, I am getting to know a culture different from my own, travelling a lot and exploring many fields of work and meeting wonderful people from all over the world. I consider that I am adapted, I see objectively and simply accept what I used to compare with my previous context, either for better or for worse. It is probably one of the best years of my life and one that will undoubtedly mark a before and after in who I am, in fact I know myself better and I am starting to get clear on what I want and do not. How will this year end? What comes next? I have no idea, if it continues along the same lines, then I'm very excited about it and curious to find out. Obviously, the uncertainty of what I will do with my life after this period gives me some headaches, but I am learning to live today and worry less about what is to come, because the future does not exist and it is not worth it to stop enjoying the present, which is the only real thing. 

Carmen Silvia Sanz Navas

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

If there's one thing I recommend, it's to broaden your horizons and go travelling in Europe. I had no idea what a big impact the sudden decision to apply for DiscoverEU would have on the following year. It wasn't until we were selected and suddenly the decision was made, my friends and I would all do a gap year after graduation and head to the mainland in September!

We decided to fly out to Athens and then home from Munich, and then the rest was to be pieced together as it got closer. A few weeks later, we went over our plans and then things got a bit complicated... There were almost no trains leaving Greece. But we were resourceful 18-year-old ladies, so we soon had a new plan: we were going to sail over to Italy! In retrospect, I think the sailing was the biggest challenge of the trip, and the 10-hour Superfast ferry was very cold! I would recommend people to bring a warm sleeping bag for that!

The entire trip was great fun and we have certainly added to our memory bank. We stayed in hostels and were able to use Airbnb (absolute genius if it comes with a washing machine) and managed to set foot in 12 cities in 23 days! We are undeniably more experienced after this trip, we got to know a diverse culture, new people and great food. I've also become very fond of trains; they definitely beat aeroplanes as a way of travelling.

Regardless of which cities are chosen and whether people choose to travel alone or in a group, I can confirm that DiscoverEU is in every way a recipe for an unforgettable adventure.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

During this youth exchange we learned why and how to give young people more self-confidence by being in nature. Since I love walking in nature and volunteer for young people who need help, the theme of this exchange suited me well. The group consisted of 25 young people from Romania, the Czech Republic, Spain and the Netherlands, among others. 

Every day we practiced meditation and mindfulness, we did energizers and teambuilding assignments and went hiking in nature. We also prepared assignments for each other in groups. For example, we built a house with natural materials and then watched how the group interacted with each other and how people adapted to the group dynamics.

I still think about the hikes a lot. As we hiked through nature, you could talk to each other. For example, I talked to a Muslim boy. Through the conversations I learned a lot about his culture and got a different perspective on life.

Through this youth exchange, I also learned a lot about myself. That I can calm down and deal better with a group by giving people more space. After all, I am someone who likes to take charge, but I have now learned that sometimes I have too much influence. It is not necessary to take space to contribute something to the group.

Other young people should definitely go on youth exchange, because you learn a lot about yourself as well as about people from other countries. People may live in an environment where everything is different, but they are the same as you. It's just really worth doing a youth exchange.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026

In April 2023, I traveled to Armenia to work as a volunteer for a humanitarian relief organization, the Diaconia Charitable Fund. It was a project I found through the European Solidarity Corps. Armenia was very unfamiliar to me, and I chose not to have any expectations about the country.

It turned out that I would completely fall in love with the country, the people, and my project as well.

My tasks involved packing relief packages with food and other necessities, distributing them in the villages, taking photos, writing reports on the living conditions of the poor, and teaching English and art.

It was always exciting to go to the villages to visit those we help. People are very poor in Armenia, so they were always very grateful when we brought them packages. I experienced that most people, despite their circumstances, are still very happy, grateful for what they have, and loving toward each other. It was always very life-affirming. The Armenian people are very hospitable, so there was always coffee and chocolate for us when we came. They may not have enough, but they always have enough for their guests. This is something I have taken to heart as well.

Diaconia Charitable Fund has built a village with around 65 houses where families can live for free. The village is called the Village of Hope, and it was there where I taught English and art. It was so fun being with my students, and they always taught me some words in Armenian. It became a bit of a language exchange. The children liked to touch my long blonde hair. It was a very loving workplace, and I really learned how important it is for us to help each other. I was shown the definition of humanity.

Along with 15 other volunteers from Europe, I lived in a kind of dormitory. It was incredibly fun and social. We often cooked together, enjoying meals in each other's company. During the weekdays, we played Monopoly and Catan or sat and chatted on our sofa. On Fridays, we went out together and danced on the Armenian dance floors until morning. We always had plans. It was my first time celebrating Christmas without my family, but it was still very cozy. We decorated our living room, prepared some gifts, and everyone made a bit of Christmas food from their home country. I made rice pudding. It was very special because we celebrate Christmas on December 24, but in Armenia, they celebrate Christmas on January 6. For their Christmas, I went to church and participated in the church's event. In the evening, I was invited to dinner at a colleague’s house. That’s the beauty of living in another country—you get to know their culture and traditions. It is important to participate in their traditions and to observe their culture rather than to judge it, even if there may be things that seem strange or different.

On weekends, I almost always went on trips around the country. Armenia has a mountainous landscape, so I often went hiking with some of my friends. The nature is breathtaking, and I never get tired of the sight of the mountains. Many have picnics there, and often, I’ve experienced people inviting us to join them. New friendships and good conversations arose from this. They are so open and hospitable. In the summer, we swam in waterfalls and by the lovely Lake Sevan. I have been to national parks and centuries-old churches. There is so much to see. Armenia truly is a hidden gem.

Sitting here in Denmark, writing about my amazing experience, fills me with nostalgia. It was a huge gift for me to be able to live in Armenia for an entire year and meet all the wonderful people who are now my friends. Armenia became my second home.

Updated on Tuesday, 17/02/2026