My name is Marina and I participated in an activity where the destination was Kosovo (Peja), from October 14 to 18, 2022.

When they asked me to participate in this project, I accepted without thinking, despite having to leave in two weeks and knowing that I was traveling completely alone. It was my first trip, I was very excited and the only thing I could see was an opportunity. Although the nerves and doubts came later, the days before the trip was when I reconsidered it the most. Fears arose, my level of English was not the best, I did not know if I would adapt well and I did not know the culture or the way of life.

When the day came and I caught my first plane, in the direction of Geneva (since it wasn’t a direct flight), I felt more excitement than nerves. I suppose that his desire exceeded any fear that living something new could produce. When I finally arrived in Pristina, after many hours of traveling alone, I could already hallucinate myself for having been able to accept the experience. There everything was very different from what I was used to.

People welcomed me very well and I felt calm. During the days that I was there, I was okay and calm, any fear disappeared and I only felt beautiful things. I had a great time, although we also worked a lot!!! But that was why we went.

The Hackathon activity ‘Transformers-Age of Youth Work’ consisted of, 48 intensive hours, we had to create, in small groups, new technological and digital solutions to solve problems that affect young people, such as the lack of opportunities due to cultural exchange in areas that have suffered armed conflicts. Other entities and young people from North Macedonia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Albania participated in the activity, carried out with the support of the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission.

Without a doubt, it has been the best experience that I have lived on a personal level, since I went totally alone, to a country that I did not know, with people that I did not know either, being the first time that I took a plane and above all with a level of English very basic. Everything was against me but I accepted and am very proud of myself. Finally, I want to thank the school teachers, especially Rubén, because they were watching me at all times, asking me how he was doing and how I was feeling. From the day I left until the day I came back. This gave me peace since in the end, I felt that there were people looking out for me and that despite physically going alone I really wasn’t. Ruben also helped me before the mobility, on the issue of flights and contact with the association. All this made it easier.

I want to thank the CECAC and the Fundació Catalunya Voluntaria for giving me this opportunity, which I will certainly not forget in my life and would repeat a thousand times more.

Thank you!

Marina