Can you feel the intensity ?.
Already a month has passed. It’s crazy how quickly time flies and how things evolve here.
At the beginning of the month I experienced what we could call “the end of the honeymoon”. It is said that during an expatriation, you live for about a month in a happy bubble, followed by a downward peak, to finally find balance afterwards. So I think I went through a few days coming back from my honeymoon. “Why am I here?” “What’s in it for me?” “Am I not wasting my time instead of finding a permanent job?” “I’m 27, not 19…” etc., etc. That allowed me to take stock of what I expected from this adventure, and more generally what I expected from life. I felt supported by Romi who had also gone through a difficult phase earlier. She played down my questions. It’s reassuring to know that this is a usual phase, it allows you to take a step back, to wait for the wave to pass, to take the time to let your emotions evolve calmly. I also spoke to Suzanna and Lucija about it, who were understanding and reassuring. According to her, I had to be confident, it would pass, and the good times will soon arrive. And I believed them, it only lasted a few days.
The intensity is at its maximum here. The feelings are heightened. Whether they are pleasant or not. Maybe it’s the fact of being far from loved ones, alone facing yourself and your emotions? It’s interesting to live at this level of intensity, you feel closer to yourself, you feel alive. And finally when it goes away, it gives way to a lot of serenity.
During this month, we continued the Christmas workshops, it was good times and joyful. Even if it was sometimes complicated for us to communicate, as we don’t speak Croatian yet, it was so good to see that children were having fun and sharing it with us in a different way. The children are so pure, they spoke Croatian to us even if we didn’t understand a word, and smiled. Children are not influenced by ways of thinking given by the society in which we evolve, by social constructions, they are them, that’s all. It was funny to see that they are exactly the same as children at school in France. Cute, funny and spontaneous. They were beautiful moments.
This month was therefore the month of Christmas. I went to visit Zadar for two days, where I enjoyed listening to the sea organ and drinking coffee on the terrace along the water. It felt good to break away from the routine and go off alone to breathe new air, discover new things and meet people.
Back in great shape, we enjoyed a happy meal at the restaurant with the team. Romi and I were so happy to be able to eat at the restaurant “for free”. Because yes, the budget here does not allow you to deviate too often. It develops the imagination, we find schemes, we invent dishes, so we don’t get bored and we learn to manage a tight budget (which I really needed). In short, we ate well, laughed well, danced well and the mulled wine was good and appropriate !
We hosted Petra for a weekend, a great girl that Romi met at the start of the adventure. We were so happy to welcome someone into our home. It was a party, we had lots of energy to show and share our island and our daily life.
Little by little Murter becomes known. We discovered the Reful pub, its darts, its billiards, its concerts, its rock music, and its really nice clientele, and young ones at that !
A little before the holidays Romi returned home. So I had 8 days to spend here alone for the first time. I was excited to experience total solitude in this little piece of paradise. I spent my Christmas at the top of a mountain to see the sunset. I celebrated with new friends. I started Muay Thai boxing, I discovered a strength and a sporting enthusiasm that I didn’t know I had. It gives me confidence. I was alone here, in this absolute calm, and life was peaceful, once again. And to mark the end of the year, I bathed in the sea with a friend. It was cold. I was delighted to taste Murter water for the first time, especially in winter, it was exciting and unusual. I made a wish before diving into the water. The year 2023 was coming to an end, and the water gave me a makeover for this new year.
Today, it’s been 2 days since I returned from Budapest. I went there with a friend I met in Orahovica, Maxime, a french man with whom I got along straight away. He is volunteering in Serbia. So we decided to meet in Hungary to celebrate the new year. It was so great. The city is very beautiful and the local specialties are delicious. We had a really good time, ate well, walked well, drank well, danced well, laughed well… A joyful vacation that allowed us to get off to a good start to the new year 2024.
Work at Argonauta has resumed. Many projects will be put in place, it’s exciting and motivating. I found Romi again with joy and love. Back to Murter, where the cold takes its place. On my trip back here, I sent a message to Romi, I said “It’s funny I feel like I’m going back home, Murter is kind of home now”, and she answered me “Yes definitely”.
Juliette, volunteer from France
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.
