My midterm seminar began with a long journey from Duisburg to Weimar. Even though I was very tired when I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by a lovely group of people and very friendly trainers. The first day started with a nice workshop where we created small handmade crafts, and got to know each other better.
During the week, I met many wonderful people who are doing their volunteering projects all around Germany. We talked about our experiences as volunteers in Germany, represented our organizations, and shared our feelings and challenges about our work and daily life.
We also had a guest from the National Agency, who told us more about the ESC program and listened to our experiences so far. One important part of the training focused on our lives after volunteering ends. I still cannot believe how fast time flies, it has already been more than half a year since I came to Germany.
During the week, we also had the chance to visit museums in Weimar. It is a very historical and important city with a rich cultural background. One of the most emotional experiences for me was visiting Buchenwald concentration camp. There, I learned more about the history of World War II and the terrible events that happened during that time. Visiting the memorial was a very powerful and emotional experience that made me reflect deeply on history, humanity, and the importance of peace and respect.
Personally, I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to be part of the amazing team at Aktion West-Ost and to learn from them every day. I enjoy helping with office work, creating designs, and preparing ideas for workshops and projects.
I still have a few months left in my volunteering journey, and I hope everything will continue to go well. This experience has already taught me a lot, and I am grateful for all the people I have met and the memories I have created so far.
Nerma