Lately, this is the question I find myself thinking about the most.
It has already been six months since I arrived in Germany and started my volunteering journey with Aktion West-Ost. Six whole months. When I look back now, I see so many memories, friendships, lessons learned, and experiences that have shaped this time.
Starting a new life alone in a new country can feel overwhelming at first. But today, when I look around, I see many wonderful people who have become part of my life and made my memories here even more special. First of all, I would like to thank them.
Let’s take a short look back at what these six months have been like.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I participated in the ESC Welcome Seminar. Shortly after that, I had the chance to host my mother and my closest friend here in Germany. We spent a wonderful time together and traveled a lot. I also went home to spend Christmas with my family. When I returned to the office afterwards, we celebrated together with Heike and Alex, which was a lovely moment to share.
With the beginning of the new year, we spent many enjoyable moments as the Aktion West-Ost team through various activities with the office and the board.
During this time, I also started my German course and began focusing more seriously on learning the language. German was not completely new to me, but studying it in Germany and trying to learn it intensively has been both challenging and exciting. Every day I keep learning something new, and as I understand more German, I feel more confident and comfortable. German is definitely not an easy language, but it is very rewarding.
Through the course, I also made new friends, and I enjoy spending time with them. At home, I like trying new recipes, and I continue one of my favorite hobbies: exploring cafés.
I have also become very used to the place where I live, and it truly feels like home now. I especially enjoy the moments when I come to the office and spend time talking with Alex and Heike. Our conversations over a cup of coffee are always something I look forward to.
At the same time, I have also been busy with my work at the organization. We are currently preparing for the upcoming project period, which includes planning activities, organizing materials, and getting ready for the trainings that will start soon. I have also been creating content for social media and supporting different tasks within the organization. Even though things are becoming busier, it is exciting to be part of the preparation process and to experience how teamwork brings everything together.
Looking back at these six months, I realize how many experiences, friendships, and memories have already become part of this journey — and I am excited to see what the rest of my time here will bring.
