Cześć! My name is Yara. I’m 18 years old and from the beautiful city of Cologne, or “Köln,” in the west of Germany.

I just finished high school and now I will be working at a special school in Kraków for 10 months. I decided to do this because I’ve always enjoyed being and working with children. Also, I wanted to get to know a new country and culture. I was once in Warsaw with my family and really liked Poland; even back then, I thought that I would like to get to know this country better. So when I found out about this ESC project, it was exactly what I was looking for.

Back at home, I did theatre and was politically active. I play guitar, and I like to read, take photos, write, or bake, but I also enjoy doing things outside and with friends. I’m also very interested in history and politics. I enjoy learning and am very motivated to learn Polish throughout this year.

I’m really happy and grateful about this opportunity to meet so many people from different backgrounds and life situations, especially with all the different projects IB Polska has. I think that I will learn a lot during this year.

Even though I have only been here for a week, I already love Kraków. It’s such an incredibly beautiful city with so much history and culture, and I can’t wait to get to know it better.

In my hometown, we say “Et hätt noch immer jot jejange,” which means “it has always worked out fine.” I know that this way of thinking comes from a very privileged position, but for me it is just a reminder to stay positive and not overthink too much or panic.

Article by  Yara,
European Solidarity Corps volunteer
Welcoming article for European Solidarity Corps volunteers from 6/10/2025