Elena’s experience at OCC in Greece

Hii! My name is Elena. I´m from Granada, Spain but my current place is located in Momin Prohod, a little Bulgarian town between two cities where I was doing a project focus on ecology and sustainability. I chose it in order to live according to nature, finding new ways to acknowledge the importance of it. As well, I wanted to understand people and the way we share together our common experiences. For that particular reason, I choose to do a project with OCC.

In this relevant project you have multiple options to volunteer with. For example, I´m teaching English, music and other useful subjects, such as mathematics to teenagers, between 15-17 years old, to the group called Pirates. It´s a really beautiful experience, you work with people from different parts of the world and very different cultures. So, we are learning from each other and creating a place where we can share our personal backgrounds on a respectful way.

It´s a totally new whole episode of my life. I´d never thought that I could be able to teach someone. However, at the beginning I was a little bit frightened because my lack of experience with it, and my previous level of English wasn´t helpful. Anyway, I had the support of my colleagues, and with their help and suggestions I felt more confident about myself in order to do this kind of job.

I also was part of the communication team where we are promoting news, and posting info about the situation of the refugees in Greece and Barcelona, the Nea Kavala camp, and the activities or updates of the association.

Another task that I was engaged in, was the women´s space. A current inactive project that will be reopened in the following months. Currently we have working on a new idea within it, called Eco-salon. A place where we want to teach them how to use natural products for health, and create an open and intimate space where they can feel safe to share their experiences and daily life.

These projects are teaching me a lot and its making me more conscious of the real situation of the refugee community. For me, it ‘s very important to not forget and be aware about the freedom that each persons has, otherwise we will never realise our own freedom.

Elena Abril, ESC, Volteri

"The project is funded by the EU Commission, the ESC program and the Greek National Agency Youth and Lifelong Learning INEDIVIM."