Learning the real values of life

Learning the real values of life

Lora from Latvia volunteers at Jugendhaus Park in Hall in Tirol, Austria, since October 2018, where she works with young people and supports youth workers in their daily work with teenagers.

Doing European Voluntary Service after graduating from university was a decision I made at a time when I needed change. The critical point in my life when I figured it was time to go somewhere else and do something meaningful for people was when I started to work in an office. I thought I’d like to develop my carrier as a student of political science. I spent only two months working in a public institution when I realised that I don’t want a life where I simply get my bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and then start work in an office. I realised that I wanted to do something of value, that makes other people’s life better. That’s how I found my path towards social volunteering. I saw a lot of schemes offering volunteering but I only put a real effort into my application for one place. I always try to rely on my intuition; here too it was right. Even though the application process was time-consuming and I didn’t get accepted at first, by fortuity I got into the amazing youth centre I had chosen in the end. Since October, I’ve been doing voluntary service in a small town in the Austrian province of Tyrol and it has been a life-changing experience for me. I’ve grown as a person, learned a lot of new things, developed new skills, and met the most wonderful people in my life. I work in a youth centre that is very multicultural, but able to unite everyone in peace and friendship. ‘All different — all equal’ are the words displayed at the entrance of the building and chill-out room, and I would say that these are precisely the right words to describe this youth centre. I’ve never been to a place where the differences between people are so respected and where their feelings are so valued, whatever your background, race or religion. Being in this environment has made me kinder, more empathetic, more open-minded, more respectful and more loving. Sometimes I feel that I have never felt so free and so much myself in life as I feel being here on this project. I have developed my emotional intelligence and learned that it is much more important than material things or even formal intelligence. I’m surrounded by great people — both my colleagues and the young people who come to the centre — who fill my days with joy. My favourite moments at work are when I can make someone happy and smile. Seeing how the look in their eyes change, seeing their affection and friendship: that is my happiness. I’ve made someone’s day better. It’s important for me, especially knowing that many young people come here from difficult backgrounds or their past has been difficult. During my project, I’ve acquired and developed my skills, such as teamwork, communication in different languages, organising and planning, cooking, playing games, etc. I’ve faced challenges related to living abroad, for instance, language barriers, different customs and traditions, health problems, society and social system differences, homesickness and a lot more. For me as a native Latvian speaker without knowing German, the language barrier was the biggest challenge. How to live in an environment you don’t understand? How to survive several months without speaking your mother tongue? How to communicate with someone when you don’t speak the same language? Overcoming these barriers has given me new experiences and definitely made me stronger as a person. Experiencing these many emotions while doing voluntary work helps you realise the importance of non-material things, the real values in life. My project has helped me understand that I want to work for people’s wellbeing. I have met people that inspire me with ideas for future projects and even for my master’s degree studies. Doing cross-border volunteering gave me the opportunity to compare my homeland and my host country. I’ve taken the opportunity to inquire, read and analyse. And this has motivated me to bring back the best practises to my country and improve life there. Living in another country and volunteering there is a rich experience. In my case, it also showed me how much I love my homeland and how much I belong there. Whilst living abroad, I noticed new aspects about people, places and moments that I didn’t notice before. I missed things that I didn’t think I would miss, helping to realise how important they are for me. I did voluntary work, but at the same time, I received so many non-material things that are priceless. That’s the beauty of solidarity: unconditionally sharing your time and skills and receiving experience, knowledge and emotions. The European Voluntary service has been a life-changing experience for me, and I would like to thank every person who has contributed to that. My dear colleagues, the young people I played games with, talked to and shared moments with, other volunteers, coordinators and other people I met, you were so many, and you all helped to create this unique experience.