Hi, my name is Chiara and I’m 20 years old. I’m from a very small town in northern Italy in the province of Padua. I graduated from high school last year, and after a whole year of trying out different experiences, like going to university or finding a job, I finally found the opportunity to go away with the ESC, and the city of Krakow welcomed me. I always had a passion for travelling and discovering new cultures, not as a tourist but by living in a country as a local would; so when I found out about the European Solidarity Corps I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to just follow my instincts and go live in a city I’ve never been before.

Here is the corrected version of your text:The big difference for me is also that Kraków is a huge city compared to where I’m used to living in Italy, in the countryside. My job here is going to be at the library and I’m very excited to start because I’ll get to teach locals about the Italian language and culture. Alongside the excitement of this new adventure, there are of course many fears: leaving my home and the people I care about, not being able to adapt and find my place here, or not being able to complete my tasks at work—and the list could go on and on.

With this experience, I really want to step out of my comfort zone and do all the things I could never find the opportunity to do in my hometown. As an introverted person, this is not very easy, but I’m sure that with creativity and the determination not to let myself down, this will be one of the best experiences of my life.

“it’s not about finding the job and the place of your life, it’s about finding yourself
and what you like”

Article by Chiara,
European Solidarity Corps volunteer.
Welcoming article for European Solidarity Corps volunteers from 3/09/2026