Polina in action

If I could go back to 3 February last year, I don't think I would recognize the person who stepped off the plane in Malaga that day. The European Solidarity Corps experience has undoubtedly been one of the greatest discoveries and learning experiences of my life. Unfortunately, 12 months have flown by like a second.

My project consisted of working with migrants in the Moroccan Association. Among my activities I could highlight: accompaniment and help with translation and social and legal procedures, Spanish and English classes, implementation of projects in the fields of education and coexistence, intercultural mediation, preparation of workshops for schools and participation in research on gender equality and prevention of Islamophobia. The opportunity to choose different tasks has allowed me to be more flexible and to get to know different areas that interested me, as I see my professional path related to work in the third sector. In addition, the reality of migrants and refugees that I have seen has inspired me to create the blog on the challenges of migration and social inclusion. I think that, overall, this experience has taught me to be stronger and more resilient, it has shown me the diversity of the world, the enriching beauty of cultural exchange and the importance of creating more bonds between people. In that way we could avoid conflicts and misunderstandings, most of which happen because of ignorance, lack of critical thinking and little knowledge of each other's reality.

On a more personal note, I think that 12 months of volunteering have made me a bit of a Malagueña. European culture never seemed so different from my own, but some customs and routines of Spain and Málaga in particular have been revealing and surprising for me. For example, the way of seeing life as a process to be enjoyed, to savoir it, to share more time with loved ones, to let things flow, to know how to improvise - has been new to me as I come from a more organised and less expressive and warm culture. Other volunteers from European and Latin American countries have also opened my eyes: the opportunity to share the flat and the time together, the trips, parties and moments not always full of joy at the end of the day make you a big family where you will always eat well and a hug will be waiting for you. Also, the need to adapt to a different rhythm, create new routines and go through different necessary procedures has made me more responsible and aware of how I want to build my life project in the near future.

If I had to sum up this year in Malaga, it would be like this: I learned to dance kizomba, met people from 27 countries, travelled to the south and north of Spain, learned curious expressions in 8 languages, lost the fear of swimming, received the title of "teacher", discovered the difference between shadow coffee and cloud, tasted and cooked the most delicious home-made dishes in the world, I climbed mountains, walked I don't know how many kilometres and had endless deep conversations, wrote verses in another language, rode my motorbike, played video games, went to a music festival and shared a flat for the first time, found friends for life and reaffirmed my passions.

In short, I think I found a part of me and left my mark on the streets of Malaga. Any experience is not always all rosy, but this one is worth it for sure.

Updated on Þriðjudagur, 17/02/2026