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Dear young human being, if you decide to read my article, you have to know that in this huge world exist hundreds of opportunities for you to change your life stream once and forever. Just take your bag, kiss your friends and family members and start your life journey alone … as a volunteer!
I am here to help you; I will tell me story.
First, and general thing, which you can learn from the first minutes of volunteering, is to don’t have any expectations. It is some kind of way to freedom, because of it makes you independent from all stories, which surrounds you. You are free with your choices, you can choose here and now, you can choose yourself, as most responsible person in your life. After this mini election with yourself, starts real volunteering life, which I can’t name as easy or difficult, good or bad. Just I can say, it is different.
Second, trust me, it’s your time to shine! I have seen many hided personalities shining into new friends and colleagues. I have seen how they changed during participation, became more social, artistic, open and self-confident. I have seen too much sparkles, depressive faces, motivated talks, generally I have seen all the type of human, which already is a great experience in one little girl’s life.
Because of my quiet personality, first days in Romania was related with my room and its decoration. I was afraid to look at the unknown people’s eyes, find own space in their heart and finally do great job with them. I was scared, I will not lie, but everything was solved by itself. I had not to call people, they were calling me, they were knocking on my “castle” rooms door, they were inviting, they were open and surprise, one day I forget, that I was shy! I became more active, I became a person who was knocking on the new friend’s door back, who was inviting them on the dinners and who was looking into their smilly eyes.
While some people are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills, since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests. Once you have momentum, it’s easier to branch out and make more friends and contacts.
For me one of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships was sharing activities together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area. It strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.
I am surprised, how many positive effects volunteering can have. After some quick researches in internet, I already know about the mental health benefits of volunteering. Studies have shown that volunteering helps people who donate their time feel more socially connected, thus warding off loneliness and depression. But I was surprised to learn that volunteering has positive implications that go beyond mental health. A growing body of evidence suggests that people who give their time to others might also be rewarded with better physical health—including lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan.
One of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. At the end of my way, I can say, that I spent enough time (10 month) Romania, Craiova to create my own impression about local community. My project “UNLOCK THE WORLD” worked so hard to connect to the community and make it a better place. Me and me colleagues found out that even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need. And volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.
At the end of my round trip between Georgia and Romania, I can say that I don’t regret my participation in the EVS project, it was a fun and easy way to explore my interests and passions. Doing volunteer work, I found meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing, energizing escape from my day-to-day routine of work, school, or family commitments.
For sure, I had hard times, when I found myself dissmotivated, depressed and bored, but generally I did not have lots of time, to be concentrated on the negativity. I started, traveled, explored, loved, shared, cooked, walked, talked, smiled, joked, complained, cried, opened, discovered and finally finished long long way to home.
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” —Seneca