Aurinia Glutsch | Germany | Short term ESC 2023 | Coordinating/Hosting organization: IDC
Hi everyone 🙂 My name is Aurinia. I am a 19 year old Europeansolidarycorps volunteer from Germany and I joined the IDC team in august of 2023.
Right after my graduation in June 2023, I knew that I wanted to do something meaningful in my gap year.So I searched for opportunities where I would get the chance to meet new people, learn more about sustainability, other cultures and myself.
In the campsite, I found a place that challenged me, that gave me the opportunity to learn things about myself and a place that took me out of my usual structures. At the beginning of the project, it took some time to get used to the structures and the way of life in this community, but once that was done, I learnedto appreciate the unfamiliar.
My main tasks in the project were to take care of the animals, which brought unforeseen tasks but also joys every day. How all the chickens speeded after me to be the first one to eat, the screams of the donkeysthat said ‘Faster please’ and the daily search all over the campsite for the little chickens. I was particularly fond of the cats and Kayla, the old dog. As soon as I come into my mobile home or the kitchen, Isis or Mimi are standing in front of the door, demanding for water and cuddles. 🙂
But it’s not just the animals that I’ve made friends with, the other volunteers have also made my time hereunforgettable. The time spent together on the weekend or in the kitchen. Playing a table tennis tournament and, above all, having fun together, were the best times here.
Especially through my personal project, the ‘Cookbook by volunteers for volunteers’, I learned a lot about other recipes, cultures and new cooking skills. I cooked a lot during my time here and learned new things. The many tomatoes from the garden taste better in a tomato sauce than the store‑bought ones, and that’s exactly what I noticed with many ingredients and many dishes. So I will try to take that with me.
I have exchanged stories with other volunteers, cooked together and tried out many new things. I will miss this kind of exchange.Therefore, after my time here, I will travel further, gain more experience and get toknow more and other cultures.
