Looking back on my experience as a leader of two international workcamps, I can say that it was the best part of my time as an ESC volunteer in the Czech Republic so far. These workcamps have left an everlasting mark on my heart. Every person I met taught me something and changed me in ways that I will carry with me forever. Both workcamps have meant so much to me – fun, friendship, real connections and the joy of knowing and being known by others. I’ve met many people from different countries and from now on, whenever I think of those countries, the memories of those friends will come to mind and give me a special fondness for those places. I’ve learnt about the stories behind each person’s life and how complete strangers can make me feel at home and accompanied. What bound us all together was a curiosity to learn about each other, to share and to experience the places we visited in a truly meaningful way.
The two workcamps were very different experiences for me. In my first workcamp, in Terezín, I was more nervous because it was my first time in a workcamp and I was the only leader. I had to take full responsibility, which could be stressful at first. But afterwards I felt very grateful because it taught me a lot about my own resources and organisational skills. Managing the budget, coordinating meals, organising shifts and motivating the group – all while making sure I was having fun – was a real challenge, so being able to do it was really rewarding. In addition, one of the local partners did not speak English, but with patience and the help of a translator we managed without any problems. The location itself was wonderful, Terezín is a town with a rich history dating back to the 18th century, including a fortress and concentration camp with stories from the World Wars. We had the opportunity to visit the fortress and concentration camp on guided tours. The work consisted of cleaning the water channels, the corridors of the fortress and the farms. It was quite hard work due to the heat, but we managed to do it in the best mood thanks to the group dynamic and the music we put on to make it more pleasant. During the free time we had a lot of fun, we went to the swimming pool, visited Litoměřice, played some games, prepared dinners with the local community, visited Prague and even played in an escape room.
On the other hand, in Kyšice, thanks to the warmth of the people and the lovely children, I found a true summerland – a place I would love to return to. Working in the Summerland children’s work camp was incredibly fulfilling, and the affection and spontaneity of the children reminded me of what is truly important in life. It was wonderful to see how children interact with each other and with adults, what games they find interesting and what methods of learning and education are most effective for them. Marie, the local partner, was a real model of how to educate children, setting boundaries but leaving room for flexibility and fun, and I can assure you that I’ve never seen such well educated children. Furthermore, she was not only present during working hours, but she was also very involved in our free time, she was our guide on all the trips we made: we visited Pilsen twice, we went to Velký Bolevecký rybník and Ejpovická vodní nádrž, and we enjoyed dancing and singing with her and the rest of the local community at various meetings we organised with the villagers. We even had a bonfire. The group of volunteers was quite diverse in age and nationality and it was not always easy to communicate with each other due to some language barriers. However, this was never an obstacle for us, we created such a good team where everyone had their role and space to just be themselves. I’ll never forget the personal stories we shared and the comfort I felt in all those conversations.
These workcamps were not only opportunities to contribute to the community, but also experiences that shaped my perspective on life, relationships and the world around me. Having had many long-distance relationships in my life, I realized after the workcamps that I’d finally learned how to say goodbye, even when the workcamp ends and the emotions are high. This is life, full of encounters and goodbyes. But I still hope that one day our paths will cross again.
