People often start by saying “Hi, my name is…” and then write a generic blog about how they got involved with Youth For Equality and what they did there.
Honestly, who really wants to read that? Unless someone seems truly different from the 8 billion other humans on this planet, it’s hard to care. Well, I believe I am different. I’m Spanish, so… Hi, my name is David, and I’ve been an ESC volunteer for the past 10 months. Okay, just joking (kind of). But yes, I really was a volunteer — and yes, I really am a bit special.
You might be wondering why this “blog” starts like this. Truth is, I’m not totally sure. Maybe I just felt a bit creative. I studied Music Production in Madrid, where I’m from, so I tend to do things a little differently. Take risks, explore the world — and that’s exactly what I did when I joined the European Solidarity Corps and landed in a little town in Slovakia called Trnava.
At first, I didn’t really know what I would be doing. I’d never had a proper job before, and now I was going to live on my own for the first time — in a foreign country! But I took it as a challenge. I figured I’d spend the next 10 months learning how not to starve and maybe even figuring out what I want to do with my life (you know, classic Gen Z stuff).
Soon after arriving and meeting the amazing team at Youth For Equality, I was given the opportunity to join something called „On-Arrival Training“ in Bratislava — a spot opened up because my fellow volunteers were sick. I had no idea what to expect, but it turned out to be a great, interactive experience. It helped me understand the ESC program better and gave me tools for my volunteering journey. Plus, I met lots of inspiring people from all over Europe who were also volunteering across Slovakia. Some of them I haven’t seen since, others I’ve bumped into again by chance — because volunteers are everywhere.
As time went on, I got more comfortable with the ways I could support the youth workers and the organization. Since I had some experience with graphic design and marketing, I started helping them with our social media. I didn’t “run” it as a job, but I contributed a lot — I redesigned our templates for Instagram, created posts, stories, and tried to give our online presence a little creative boost.
But that’s just part of it. I also helped prepare and support various workshops in Trnava — for example, assisting with planning and running local youth activities or events. I was often helping out to young people come to relax and join activities. I supported the team during conferences, workshops, training courses and youth exchanges, too, where I got to meet even more amazing people from all over Europe. Some of the main topics were Health and Mobility, and those few weeks were packed with workshops, trips, volunteering and learning (including a bit of Slovak).
Throughout the 10 months, I got to do so many different things: I helped with presentations in schools and the library, took part in various public events, and even started my own Spanish Speaking Club under the lead of coordinators, where I shared my language and culture with others. Pretty wild.
I could go on and on, but the point is — this experience changed me. It helped me understand who I want to be, what I want to do, and where I want to go. I developed new skills, learned a lot about myself, and saw things from totally new perspectives. I wasn’t exactly looking for this opportunity — I didn’t even know something like this existed — but it truly became The Opportunity That Found Me.
