ESC Teams at Agriturismo L’Arca | Teophane, Abril, Sacha, & Silvia Share Their Experience!
The ESC Teams project “Team for Healthy Life – T4HL”, financed by the European Solidarity Corps programme and run by Associazione Joint in cooperation with Agriturismo L’Arca in Italy, has come to an end!
The overall objective of the project, in accordance with the priorities set for 2021, was to promote well-being and a healthy lifestyle for the volunteers and local communities. It was an opportunity for participants to reclaim a space to socialise in a healthy and safe manner, while engaging in volunteer activities that promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups, health and wellbeing in communities.
Project activities touched on specific themes, in accordance with the host organisation and the needs of the local community:
- nature and outdoor life
- mental health
- health prevention/health promotion
- conscious nutrition
Teophane’s Testimonial
My name is Théophane, I am 21 years old. Last year I was lost about my studies, I wasn’t sure if I should continue until the end and get a job related to it (Civil engineering). So, one day I looked on internet to find a way to travel and do something else for not too much money. And so, I discovered the ESC and all the opportunities it offers.
In June 2022 I applied for a 6 month project at the Agriturismo l’Arca in the south of Italy. I was selected so I quit my school, my job and in July I arrived in this farm.
That was the best experience of my life, there I have met a lot of great people from everywhere, I went to wonderful places, I have learned new languages, I discovered the life in community, and I discovered the life in a farm, working outside with the sun, the wind, the rain, the nature, the animals, the pleasure of harvest the vegetables that we had planted before and cook them and I enjoyed all of this every day for 6 month.
After my ESC I went back to France trying to find out what I could do, and I found a job in a farm but completely different, more focus on production and yield. As I’m writing this letter I’m still working there. At this place even if it’s not the type of agriculture I want to practice, I’m learning new things and in another way it’s also an interesting experience.
During the time I was in Italy doing my ESC (from July to January) the ESC T4HL 1st edition took place during two months (October – December) and even if at the beginning having a new group of 15 people arriving all at once was a bit difficult for the group of volunteers that was there before, because the place used to be pretty calm after the summer and everybody was enjoying it and then all those people showed up suddenly and so the life and the work at the farm was a bit different. But then after a short amount of time and after knowing everybody, having this group was really nice and even if we were not part of the same project, we were making activities with them and that was nice.
So, when I heard about the second edition of the ESC T4HL and because my contract is ending in September I directly though I would really enjoy being part of it and I immediately sent a message to Anita to know more about it.
Abril’s Testimonial
My name is Abril, I’m 20 years old and I came to this farm because I wanted to have a gap year, after graduating from highschool, and I thought this was a good option to travel. I didn’t have much expectations, I knew that the work at a farm was going to be tough, wich it is, but is fine. It give me a little discipline that i needed. In this farm I learnt about the ways of planting, tree mantenance, milking goats, and more general works that you can find at farm. Also we have done a lot of different workshop, which were fun. I think this project is good in general, and it help me to get back a healthy routine, knowing the simple life of farming in give peace somehow. But also think as everything it can improve more and more, because there is potential. So if you want to go out of the city life and toxic routine or to travel in general, i will totally recommend to you this project.
Sacha’s Testimonial
My name is Sacha and I am 22 years old. I come from Spain and I have just finished university. I came to this project because I wanted to move to southern Italy to learn Italian and live in nature. I had expectations of learning many things and making friends. My expectations were definitely met and I had a very good time and learnt a good amount of Italian. I have also learnt many things about the countryside. Just by working on the farm I understood how plants grow and what certain treatment they need to become stronger. The work in general was very arduous and hard and at times it felt too much but I am an agile person and in the end I adapted like most people on the farm. I spent the first month working with animal poo which was very hard and the smell was awful but I became stronger and more tolerant i was able to overcome it. In general my opinion of the project is positive because I loved the experience of living with people on a farm, the real sense of community and friendship. We spent nearly every moment together as there was not a lot of places to go as we were a bit isolated and anywhere we did go we went together. The work part was not very fulfilling, it was just hard and long not too much else too it, I would have liked to do something where you use your head a bit more because mainly it was only a physical job. On the other hand it was at times fun and entertaining. I am very grateful for being able to live this experience and would recommend it to other people. For anyone who likes making friends and enjoys the country side. My advice is for people also to be patient as it can become very difficult at times but at the end it is worth it. I also really liked the region where I chose for my ESC which I think makes a big difference, the people, the weather and the countryside was wonderful I will always keep Calabria in my heart!
Silvia’s Testimonial
I was born in a chaotic metropolis, but with the fortune to have a home next to the largest park in the city! This green lung has always been my safe place. A place where I can go to walk, breathe and regain my good mood. In recent years, my love and concern for nature has grown more and more, until the day I realised I wanted to learn more about plants and agriculture. Therefore, not having had any education or experience in the countryside, when I was offered to take part in a volunteer project at the farm I thought it could be a valuable opportunity to learn about farming and living a healthy lifestyle.
Initially I feared that it would be hard to get into a different routine, getting up every day at 6am and being active in the fields. But in reality this has turned out to be really important for my physical and mental health. By now, I wake up early every day spontaneously and with the knowledge that I have more energy.
During these two months at Arca, I learnt a lot about growing and harvesting fruit and vegetables and I learnt how to produce and use natural fertiliser with fruit trees. I also learnt a lot about animals, how to take care of a newborn lamb or how the wonderful world of bees works. In addition to farm work, we had the chance to do some fun and creative activities: a team-building day rafting on the Lao river; a lesson with an expert beekeeper; several theatre lessons focused on improvisation with a local actor; lessons on typical cuisine to make tortelli and Neapolitan pizza; a ceramics workshop with local artisans and another on handmade baskets.
The project met my expectations. Working in the fields can sometimes be tiring, but for a nature lover, all. you have to do is look up at the mountain and the hours fly by without realising it. The rest of the day, being free, we always had time to rest and enjoy the spectacle of the place. Another thing I was grateful for every day was finding, after the morning spent at work, lunch and dinner already prepared, cooked with love and fresh ingredients from the garden. I think I will really miss Erica's cusine!
I would recommend living at the Agriturismo, mainly because the people who live there are wonderful. Anna, Erica, Eva, Marta, Adrian, Marco and Dario welcome like their own children anyone who knocks on their door. Living with them and like them for two months was the best thing that could have happened to me at this time of my life. Also, with the ESC projects in Team you never get bored, there is always someone ready to make you laugh or someone who just through a glance can tell if you need support.
ESC Teams
The special feature of the ESC Teams is its short duration, ranging from 2 weeks to a maximum of 2 months. This aspect makes it accessible also to young people who work or study and cannot dedicate a whole year to travel! Despite the brevity of the projects, Group ESCs offer meaningful and intense life experiences, during which numerous professional skills can be acquired. Moreover, by sharing life and work with a group of people, similar to a community, lɜ participants have the opportunity to create strong bonds even in a short period of time.