It all started on the 20th of September 2025, when I finished packing my bags, grabbed my earplugs, my book, and my courage, and jumped on that first FlixBus, heading toward a new city in a new country, for a new life!
But before I start telling you more about my experiences and feelings, and describing this unbelievable new adventure, let me introduce myself.
My name is Naelys Pret-Gueguen (I know, it’s a tricky name to pronounce). I’m 21 years old, I’m from France, and I am now one of the new volunteers at Argonauta.
I decided to do this volunteering because I was feeling a bit lost in my life. I had just finished my third year of my bachelor’s degree, and I couldn’t see myself continuing my studies, it just didn’t make sense to me anymore. I was going to classes simply because I had to. So, I decided to take a break. When Argonauta, a Croatian environmental association, which also promotes intercultural exchange and youth empowerment, accepted me as their new long-term volunteer, I knew I had made the right decision.
✨And so, the adventure begins.✨
As I’m writing this blog, it’s officially been one month and one week since I arrived here, and in such a short time, so many things have happened that I honestly don’t even know where to start.
When I arrived, I spent the first day getting to know the apartment and the neighborhood, and from the very first moment, I loved both! The apartment isn’t perfect, but compared to my old student flats, it feels like pure luxury (I mean, we have a washing machine, an oven and a terrace!) And the beach, with its beautiful blue, crystal-clear water, is only a five-minute walk away.
The next day, I met my new roommate, colleague, partner in crime, safe place, and very good friend: Ona. A dramatic queen, fan of pop music and supermarkets… I knew right from the start that we would get along, and this past month we’ve shared together has only proved it. I mean, how could it be otherwise with someone you get to know while scuba diving, aha?
A day later, we went to the office for the first time, discovering both the place and the team at once. I remember feeling quite overwhelmed during those first days (so many protocols, ahah), but also really happy, because the whole team seemed nice, open-minded, and friendly, always available for our questions, and we had thousands of them.
I think I will remember my first workshop at Argonauta for the rest of my life, because it was the first part of a project in collaboration with a dolphin protection association, which meant actually going out on a boat trip to see dolphins! It really was a dream come true, and it couldn’t have been a better way to start my volunteering journey.
And it was with our eyes still full of stars that we packed our bags once again for a new adventure, another project, our first youth exchange. This youth exchange lasted ten days, and to start with the small negative part, it was quite tiring: the lack of sleep, the initial confusion (I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do at first), and the constant interaction with 39 other people all took their toll. But of course, I loved it all. And if I had to sum up this experience, I’d say it was full of activities that were both interesting and fun, amazing encounters, breathtaking landscapes, lots of laughter and dancing, and plenty of new opportunities in the field of intercultural exchange.
After this intense experience, we returned to Murter and slowly got back into our routine.
Well, to be honest, Ona and I decided to go on a trip to Split together the following weekend, and it turned out to be another intense journey (definitely not the calm routine we were supposed to have, aha).On the first evening, Ona was sick, so we spent it at the hospital LOL. But soon she was feeling much better, and we were able to enjoy the city, its tiny old streets, medieval architecture, beautiful sightseeing spots and nice focaccia!
After that, in the following weeks, we took the time to settle in and make our new apartment feel like home (obviously with the help of pictures, blankets, candles, and flowers).
Now, even though the days are getting shorter and colder, and the city slowly empties. I still feel extremely happy and lucky to be here (mainly thanks to the breathtaking sunsets we get to admire every single day!!). I organized my own personal objectives (running a lot, reading more classics, cultivating myself on random topics and looking for a master), which help me to be constantly active despite the lack of activity here in winter. I would actually recommend to any new volunteer, to do the same, to make sure they never get bored.
I am now looking forward to seeing what awaits me in the next month, but I have no doubt that coming here was the right choice! 💕 
