ESC in Bordano | Volunteering, Culture & Nature

When I applied for this project, I didn’t really have any expectations. I simply wanted to try something different and meet people from other countries.

Looking back now, I can say that it has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Our main activities were cleaning the trails and doing gardening work around the Ecomuseum area in Bordano. Even if some days the work was repetitive and physically hard, spending the rest of the day at the lake, alone or with the group, could make everything better.

I really enjoyed spending time with people from so many different countries. I learned a lot about other cultures, habits and ways of thinking. I also improved my language skills: I arrived speaking just a bit of Italian and English, but by the end of the project I felt much more comfortable speaking in both languages, which makes me really proud.

What marked me the most wasthe lifestyle during these two months: being active every day, working outdoors, doing activities like paragliding, rafting, biking and ceramics and living in a small village surrounded by mountains, gave me a sense of freedom and peace that is hard to describe. I loved being able to disconnect by hiking in the mountains or just going to the river or the lake whenever I wanted.

It really helped me to reconnect with myself and appreciate simple things. I really recommend this experience because it helps you to discover yourself, learn from others and step out of your comfort zone.