At the end of September last year, I arrived in Budapest with the help of the Green Sun Association of Targu Secuiesc to volunteer at the Profilantrop Association’s Charity shop. My work on the island of Filantropia has come to an end. Honestly, it’s amazing how fast this year has flown by!

I remember on my first day on Budapest, Beci was waiting for me outside the volunteer residence, helping me not only by giving me the key to the apartment and showing me how to open the lift and of course how to always send it down, but also by starting a war between neighbours (it was a very tricky lift), but every moment of my months here. There was always a watchful hand in the background guiding me along the path of life. Thank you Beci.

I started this year with mixed feelings, but it has exceeded my expectations! Of course, I expected more and more, but not so many beautiful memories and wonderful people. I can start with Núria, who was my mum instead of my mum here in Budapest during those few months we spent together, and later Irene, with whom we had a very wild and eventful year. Crying, laughing, getting angry, it was all there, but it was beautiful and real.

In this one year I have done it all!     

• I saw the Pope Francis.
• I celebrated the birthday of the Philanthropy Donation Shop
• I held a workshop, we celebrated a carnival.
• I collected plants and then planted them.
• I was doing a lot of rubbish collection, and Irene was angry about that.
• We went to the museum.
• We’d have dinner parties with my friends.
• Fashion show.
• I turned the residence into a botanical garden.

All this was not only a memory, but also an experience. I have learned that kindness and goodwill always pay off sooner or later in life, if it is not self-evident. If we can give, we should always give and never judge people or situations. Whether it’s a kind word, a piece of bread, a hug, or even a sweater you don’t wear anymore. You never know what the other person is going through in life. Thanks to Zsuzsa and the Philanthropy Donation Shop for all this!

In short, my hair has grown, but more importantly I have grown (not literally, there’s no chance of that) as a person, thanks to this year! All in all, I can definitely recommend it, there is a lot of potential in this project supported by the European Solidarity Corps.

Thank you all!

Xoxo, Móni.