The preparation at the beginning, to be in the best disposition for the stay, is a very important step but the preparation to leave is as crucial and can be quite a challenge. Some preparations are required and steps must not be forgotten. As a volunteer in Slovakia during a year, I will rely on my own experience to tell, for me, what are those steps and how to leave in complete serenity.
First of all, I would say you need to think about what comes next. By that I mean that once the project is over, life goes on, and it is important to think about what you are going to do next, so that you don’t feel lost or overwhelmed once you are back in your home country. If you are planning to continue your studies, don’t forget about applications, interviews or, in some cases, exams; if you simply want to start a new job, it is a good idea to find out about the sector, or even apply for a position straight away…. The idea is to not neglect the future, while enjoying the present.
Secondly, quite inevitable, thinking in advance the way back. It can be booking plane, bus or train tickets, coming back by car or by even bike. All the means of transport are acceptable. The importance is to settle which one to use, the route to take and start preparing according to those choices. For the plane, to avoid unaffordable prices the best is to buy the ticket as soon as possible.
For all the different means of transport there is a major challenge: packing. At the end of a stay there is a good chance there will be more things to pack in suitcases than there were on arrival. It might be due to expenses in the host country. In my experience in Slovakia, I had to buy winter cloths because in my home country the temperatures in this season are softer.
The preparation of the suitcase(s) is something to start ideally few days or even a week before departure. This is also related to the ticket booking. For a plane, a train or a bus, there are additional paid option for extra suitcases, so figuring out approximately the number of luggage but also the weight and dimensions in some cases are information to consider in advance.
The last point I would like to make is to take time to have good moment and activities with people met during the experience. After a time in a completely different country, creating good connections, making new friends from all over Europe, everyone will probably leave and return to their country. The closeness and support we have shown each other during this time are invaluable. When a project comes to an end, there is a lot of administrative work and meetings… all necessary to bring this experience to a close. There may be other tasks to deal with in addition to the various things to do before you leave, some of which were mentioned earlier. Try not to get overwhelmed by all these tasks and forget to spend time with your friends and make sure you say your goodbyes properly.
Finaly, I would say that the safest thing to do is to make a list about all these points you must not forget. I release the brain and at any time if there are doubts, only a little check is needed. To conclude on these various steps you shouldn’t miss, I’d add that, of course, there’s a subjective element to it. Everyone may have different needs. The ones I’ve mentioned struck me as obvious based on my own experience and that of the people around me.
Text: Matheo Penard
Fotka: Dobrodružstvo
Matheo je dobrovoľníkom programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii DOBROdružstvo. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.
