On the morning of October 5th, 2026, the volunteer boarded a train from Kraków at 08:08 and arrived at the Warsaw train station at 11:52. She bought a bus ticket and set off for the Agrykola Youth Hostel. Even though it was not easy to find, she ran into other volunteers along the way who were also there for the training and helped her find it. Although they didn’t know each other, a volunteer from Romania initiated a conversation by asking, “Are you here for the arrival training, too?” They then found the hostel together, checked in, and dropped off their belongings in their rooms. Afterward, they joined the rest of the volunteers and their trainers at a restaurant for lunch.

Later, they headed to the training room, and once all of them had introduced themselves, they went to the nearby Łazienki Park (Park Łazienkowski). Following their trainers’ instructions, they split into small groups and took a walk while chatting. By asking each other questions—such as their names, what their projects were, and why they chose Poland—the group struck up a wonderful conversation and enjoyed the park, which was a true visual feast. The statues, the river, and the squirrels added a special charm to the discussions. They completed three rounds of this activity before returning to the hostel.

After a short break, they gathered again to play some games. Their trainers, Eliza and Wojtek, made this one-week period both easy and comfortable for them. It felt less like a formal training session and more like a short break or a vacation with friends. Their entire schedule, from breakfast to dinner, was well-planned. First, breakfast began at 08:30, followed by their training sessions at 09:30. Then came lunch, assigned tasks, two short breaks, and dinner at 18:00. After dinner, the rest of the evening was open for the volunteers. Emel would usually go for a walk in the park with her friends before returning to the hostel to sleep, as they had to wake up at 07:00 the next morning.

As for the training content, it started with introductions, followed by sessions tailored to topics they were curious about—for instance, learning some Polish. The group was also given a city tour assignment, where they were divided into groups and tasked with asking Polish locals questions directly. Furthermore, they shared dances from their respective cultures, learned about volunteering, the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), and the Henner insurance scheme. At the end, they played an informative game of Kahoot, along with various other games, and were provided with materials to create something original that would help them introduce themselves. The program was both informative and entertaining.

In the evenings, they would go out with their friends to explore Warsaw. Everything from Monday to Friday was so wonderful that it was difficult for the volunteer to leave. She made friends from many countries—including Turkey, Egypt, France, Azerbaijan, Romania, Germany, Greece, Tunisia, and Spain—and they connected so well, forming a truly special bond. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. The final training session ended at 12:30 on Friday, after which they all went to have a meal together. Since Emel’s train was scheduled to depart at 14:08, she said her goodbyes at 13:20 and left the hostel to head to the train station.

The volunteer can honestly say these were the best five days of her life; the training, the trainers, the hostel, and the other volunteers—everything was absolutely wonderful. Warsaw as a city seemed to encompass a perfect blend of modernity, history, and nature. Emel truly loved its natural scenery and visual appeal, though she wasn’t as fond of the areas with narrow streets and buildings packed tightly together. All in all, it was a pretty good city and experience.

Article by Emel Aslan,
European Solidarity Corps volunteers.
On-Arrival Training article from European Solidarity Corps volunteers from 05/10/2026