After 4 months my ESC project is over, so I took some time to reflect on the whole experience.
As you know, the first few weeks were challenging – you can read about it in my first article.
I have had the chance to take part in some opportunities in the Czech Republic. The first was an on-arriving training I went to in Slaný, which is near Prague. It lasted for one week and we did a lot of activities together. Later, in July, I had the opportunity to go to a workcamp in a small village in the south of Bohemia called Písečné – you can read all about it here. I really enjoyed these opportunities because I was able to talk to people from all over the world. It was different to hear other people’s stories from various countries in real life. It made me feel connected to them, and not just because they are supposed to represent stories told on TV – they still are, but they are more than that. They are people with their own stories and perspectives, and that is what made these experiences so special.
In conclusion, I can say that I am pretty satisfied with the experience: granted, some things did not go as I expected them to, such as the tasks that I expected to do or my cooking skills or, most importantly, I still haven’t decided what I want to do with my whole life. I still do not understand how exactly I should live and what are the best choices for me right now. Being on my own has exposed my weaknesses and insecurities more than anything else; ironically, it has also exposed my best qualities, such as determination and curiosity. Of course, I am still working on both of them, as I try to plan my life. While I was in Prague, I sent my Ph.D. application for an education project and kept an eye on the National Civil Service project back in Italy. I have been thinking about whether I should go back to University as a student or try to learn new skills that might help me get a job. I also plan to stay and bond with my family a bit more, trying to slow down and, maybe, think more clearly about my future and myself. There are surely a lot of things that I can do.
What I can say, for sure, is that being here has truly helped me realise what it means to be with others: it is not just an idea, it is something that is built every day. And while it may not be perfect, due to the differences between each other, these differences can be the things that give us the spice that makes this life enjoyable for each and every one of us. After all, the European Union is an idea that each European state embodies not only in its policies but also in its people, whose actions define who they are. And peace, as fragile as it is, is built on the best possible understanding of each other’s personalities.
