It was 2021, and I was at a turning point. I was close to finishing my psychology degree while working in customer service at a bank, and the world outside was still tangled up in the uncertainty of the pandemic. Life felt more puzzling than purposeful, and one thing was clear to me: whatever came after graduation, it needed to be more than staying in my hometown for another two years.
The nudge I needed came unexpectedly, as these things often do. I ran into a friend at my favourite ice cream shop one chilly day in early March. Over pistachio ice cream, I was doing what I do best: talking about my life. That's when she said, "I've found something that might be perfect for you," and sent me a link to a short-term ESC volunteering project.
That evening I lost count of how many times I read through the project description. It talked about people from all over the world coming together to work on community projects, organising local festivals, running workshops, giving presentations in schools. And everything, accommodation, food, travel costs, was covered. I registered that same evening.
A day or two later I received a form asking about my background, experience, and goals. A week after that, an interview with the project coordinator. Two weeks after applying, I had an invitation. For the first time in my life, I was going to a foreign country, and I was going to use my English in everyday life. I had no idea just how much this organisation and this project would end up shaping my life. The organisation was INPRO, based in the greenest city I'd ever seen: Rzeszów. A year later, I came back as a long-term ESC volunteer.
That first experience gave me everything. Lasting friendships, a real improvement in my English, a broader network, meaningful work, and a clearer sense of the direction I wanted my life to take.
Now let me tell you about the ongoing chapter. Four months in, eight more to go. We share a cosy flat in the city centre. I remember arriving in July in winter boots, in the heat, carrying a cat-shaped pillow named Gela and thirty kilograms of luggage with absolutely no space to spare. Kiko from Portugal and my future roommate and partner in crime, Gaia, helped me drag it all inside. Our room quickly became the place for late-night films and the kind of conversations that go on longer than they should.
The office is a fifteen-minute walk away, which suits me perfectly. Ten thousand steps a day is non-negotiable for me. My main role involves facilitating sessions and working with different groups: short-term ESC volunteers, VET participants, training groups. Most days start with laughter and icebreakers, which sets the tone for everything that follows. Even on quieter days without groups, the office has its own cheerful energy.
At four o'clock we head home, and the kitchen immediately transforms into something resembling a busy street in Mumbai: chaotic, loud, and full of incredible smells. Everyone is eager to share food from home. I've tasted things from Tunisia, Portugal, Mexico, and more variations of pasta than I thought possible. Given my well-documented cooking abilities, nobody has yet been brave enough to ask, "Mariami, give us a taste of Georgian cuisine."
Time has moved faster than I expected, and there's far more I could say about this year. But I'll stop here for now. As I told my mum recently: this ESC experience is something I'll always carry with me. Without any doubt, it's been the best year of my life.
And now, dear reader, the opportunity is yours. Don't let it pass. Just as Plato's prisoners discovered the richness of the world when they finally stepped out of the cave and into the light, you too can step beyond your routine and find out what's waiting for you on the other side of your comfort zone.
Mariami - A volunteer from Georgia