My beginnings as a volunteer in Prilep

I didn't think that the volunteer experience could bring me things I did not expect.

The most important thing I got through this experience is the opportunity to know myself better, but how did this happen?

Well it happened through good things and bad things, through things that I was prepared for, but also through unusual situations.

Let's take them all together ...

When I arrived in Prilep, I realized that the cultural difference was much greater than I expected, and I was wondering: why do people here smoke so much? Why do all the people cross the street very close to the cars? Why I don’t feel safe here and how to learn to cook Macedonian food?

The first few weeks were very hard, I was trying to understand where am I and how important is it to me what I do. Everything was unknown and new for me, a foreign office, a foreign city, a foreign country ... and it took some time to understand that nothing is alien, it's just the unknown I need to discover.

I think the most important part in my story was played by the people with whom I was, so I think I am a lucky volunteer.

Miranda has shown me the most colourful and peaceful cafe in the city, Mile was the one who helped us no matter the time and day, Andrej has great positivism and communication skills, Katerina is made to be a true friend, she can tell you endless stories about her cats and also knows where you can find delicious "чорба". Sajna is always stylish and if you know her better, you will  start to admire the singer’s qualities that she has. Davide has an artistic soul and is best at telling the right jokes, and Andrea can find topics for conversation with everyone and likes to discover everything.

Prilep offers me the beautiful mountain view every morning when I get up. It has given me the right people, in the right time. And, together, we started to believe that we can change the world, that it's worth to start projects that seem like a dream to others, that it's worth believing and working together for a better world. Even if it sounds childish, this is the reality here. If you put some effort and let the people next to you to inspire you by the way they are, day by day, everything is possible!

This is my short volunteer story and I'm sure there will be more to add.

Written by: Laura Muruzuc