A lot of water.
Sooo I don’t really know where to start, but May definitely went differently than planned…
But let’s begin with a positive thing: my solo trip to Malta! To be honest, it took me a few hours to get used to being completely on my own on the first day of travel. It happened too much in these three days to go into detail, but I absolutely loved the country! There was so much beauty all around, especially in Valletta and the different lagoons and beaches. I think my obsession with blue water reached its peak at the “Blue Lagoon,” where a girl I met—who was also traveling solo—and I jumped from the boat after successfully tanning on the deck (Mama, if you’re reading this, of course with a loooot of sunscreen).
I had so much fun going with the people I met, just enjoying the summer atmosphere, dancing, and laughing together. And even though the return trip overwhelmed me with multiple buses to catch and some awkward encounters, I managed to get back to Murter safely. Overall, the trip made me feel a new kind of trust in my own abilities. I realized once again that I can make plans and follow through on my own without depending on others.
I arrived home to an empty house because Ana and her pArtNeR stayed longer in Turkey. On my first day back, I met the five new volunteers of the “Island Extravaganza” project, who would stay for the entire month of May. I was happy to have some young energy on the island, but I also needed some time to recover from Malta.
It’s almost funny to think about now, because I was so ready to start my self-care era—clean the house, sleep in my own bed, and cook PROPER meals again—since traveling is always a bit stressful. Well, the house had other plans. On my second night back, a thunderstorm happened, and the ceiling of my room and the bathroom collapsed, flooding the apartment.
Without elaborating further on this amazing experience, I ended up moving to a different room in Betina within the same building as the Island Extravaganza volunteers, packing all my (wet) belongings and leaving my old room behind. The first few days and nights after the flood, especially without Ana (who was still in Turkey), were probably the worst of this volunteering experience, but they passed, and when Ana arrived, things definitely got better.
The new room has just one double bed for us to share, which we’re already used to from the first weeks in September. But then we faced another challenge: my friend Eva arrived a few days later to visit me after her final exams. At first, I couldn’t quite believe we’d be able to enjoy those days together in such a small room, but I was proven wrong. We spent a night in Split, and even though we wouldn’t recommend the Split party scene in May, we had the funniest time.
Back in Murter, she met Ana, and we spent the following days soaking up the sun at the beach and debriefing the past months. I was so happy to enjoy the island with her, and I think Ana and I once again gained a fresh appreciation for it.
After Eva left, we continued to get to know the other volunteers better and showed them around the island. We also participated in a cleaning and planting activity with them, which was a new type of volunteering work for us and a lot of fun.
As I’m writing this, I realize how much we’re experiencing here — it’s crazy.
Last week, we went on an educational trip to Kornati National Park to hold a workshop on the boat. The Kornati islands were stunning, and I was really happy to see them up close—something I always see from afar. Not sure why, but the end of May turned into a bit of a National Park check-list, because the three girls of Island Extravaganza and I also used our weekend to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park, which was incredibly beautiful as well. Croatia’s nature is truly something special, and honestly, I’ll miss it a lot.
But now, it’s time for me to leave again. After five months, I’m so sososo excited to return to Germany for a concert and some other plans. I’ve been craving Döner Kebab, vegetarian food options, and Club Mate like crazy. I also really need some time with my friends from home and a short break from life abroad.
See you next month, hopefully in a new apartment :))
Theresa, volunteer from Germany
About the ESC: The European Solidarity Corps is a program of the European Union to strengthen solidarity in various areas: from helping the disadvantaged and providing humanitarian aid to engagement for health and the environment in the EU and beyond.
The program offers young people the opportunity to respond to the needs of the community, make a concrete contribution to society, and in the process gain invaluable experience and develop new skills. The program is also intended for organizations active in the field of solidarity that want to involve young people in their activities.
