Frost bite and Christkindlmarkt: Solidarity Corps in Salzburg

At the end of an experience as profound as an European Solidarity Corps project, it is inevitable to look back see what you have experienced and what you have achieved.

Two years have now passed since I decided, after completing my degree in intercultural mediation, that it was time to put my books aside and get down to practice!

Salzburg was the perfect city for me to do so: I had been here before and had already fallen in love with the city (and the ‘Christkindlmarkt’).

After one year in Austria, I can say without a doubt that even the longest study programme would not be enough to get to know a new culture and that it is always worth immersing yourself in a different reality.
Sure, it could be quite shocking at first, at least it was a bit for me. In my case, however, it was less about a culture shock and more about a ‘thermal shock’. I remember travelling from Italy to Salzburg at the end of August, convinced that it would still be summer in Austria...and yet...what a cold!

This little anecdote just illustrates that we usually think what we think is normal and universal...well, maybe it is not after all. Anyway...even if the cold is my first memory of Austria and even if, because of the pandemic, I wasn't able to fully experience my volunteer year, this experience has certainly enriched me personally. 
At akzente, I was able to contribute to the promotion of cultural exchange and to the organisation of various events, such as ‘Demokratie Atelier’ or ‘Girls Day’, which are aimed at promoting the basic principles of the European Union. This has undoubtedly changed my perspective on the EU, as well as giving me a new hope for the future. 
So, I was able to experience this ‘cosmopolitanism’ on the one hand, and on the other hand I also experienced the Austrians‘ (or at least Salzburgers’) attachment to old traditions and their country.
After a year, I am no longer surprised when I see dirndls or lederhosen on the street (and I think they are soooo beautiful!!!) but I can hardly imagine wearing a pacchiana (the Italian traditional dress) in everyday life...

And one piece of advice? Never say to an Austrian, that mountaineering is not quite one of your passions.

Updated on Antradienis, 17/09/2024