Hello! My name is Anaïs, I'm 30 years old, and I come from Spain. Since the 1st of February, I have been volunteering at ESC (European Solitary Corps) and have been living in Bratislava, Slovakia. But if you would like to know more about my history, please continue reading! ;)
Before starting this adventure
I studied social work and worked for an NGO in the immigration field. Throughout my life, I was eager to join in ESC volunteering, but I never could find the best moment. I don't know if you noticed, but I'm 30 now, and I knew this year would be my last chance. So... In October, I decided to join the adventure, and I applied to the “Open Your Eyes” project from INEX. Approximately a week later, I received a message from Barbara. And finally... the moment of interviewing arrived. I was so excited and nervous all at once that I remember one of the questions Barbara asked me was which topic I liked the most, and I was uncertain what to say.
I had mixed feelings about my interview, but suddenly, the day after I received a mail from Barbara. When I read “We are happy to announce that we have accepted you,” I couldn't believe it was happening. My dream had become a reality!
So... I asked for unpaid leave from my job. I packed everything I needed into a suitcase (I will tell you that I couldn't pack all that I wanted) and said goodbye to my family and friends.
Upon arrival in Bratislava
I remember the previous days I was so anxious that I couldn't sleep. When I arrived in Vienna, my nerves didn't get better. An example of that is that I didn't know if I had caught the right bus. After an hour, I finally got to my bus stop and was able to meet Barbara and Katka (my mentor). We went to the apartment and was incredibly fortunate because my roommates gave me the largest bedroom in the place. I tried to settle into my new room, but the journey left me exhausted, so I laid down on the bed and fell asleep.
When I woke up the next day, I couldn't believe that I had spent my first night in Bratislava! To begin, I met with my mates, Leo and Evelina, and went with Barbara to the office. Volunteering had already been initiated!
Monika, Mirka, Barbara, Matúš, Katka, Leo, Evelina, and I went to the restaurant “The Flagship” for lunch to taste the typical Slovakian meals. My favorite dish is Strapačky.
Later, our mentors (Matúš and Katka) asked us to go out for dinner and show us the city. So at 8 p.m., they picked us up, and we went to the city center. The surprise was that we could meet more volunteers from INEX, and even though we could meet Amandine (a volunteer from last year). I thoroughly enjoyed this evening. Additionally, Amandine provided us with valuable guidance for navigating this year and we could hear from her that this past year, that she was at INEX, was one of the best. To end the evening, we went to karaoke and sang together. I had a lot of fun with them.
On Sunday, Evelina, Leo, Katka and I went to Devín Castle. The views from this castle are breathtaking. You can see it in the pictures, but if you come to Bratislava, it's imperative to visit Devín Castle.
These were my first days in Bratislava. Please continue to read Part 2 if you wish to gain further insight into my experience in Bratislava during the month of February.
Ciao!
