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TÝŽDEŇ DOBROVOĽNÍCTVA

When I was packing my bags to come here, I spent hours thinking about the project, what
clothes to bring, or whether I’d understand the language. But now that I’m fully immersed in
my volunteering, I’ve realized that the most important thing wasn't in my suitcase: it was the
people I was going to meet.

If one thing is clear to me after these months, it's that my experience would have been
completely different if I had stayed stuck in my comfort zone. It’s a bit scary at first, but
putting myself out there to make friends from day one is what has made all the difference.
The craziest part of living this is how you end up surrounded by people from a thousand
different countries who are on the same wavelength as you. They are experiencing the same
"firsts", they’re also in a city that’s new to them, and in most cases, they’re living on their own
for the first time, as may be your case and as has been mine. Moving from living with your
parents to being independent can seem tough, but if you surround yourself with people in the
same boat, everything becomes so much easier.

You go from knowing no one to having plans almost every day of the week. My biggest fear
was feeling lonely in a strange city, but the reality is that I haven’t had a single second to get
bored or even to feel homesick.

Between dinners trying food from other countries, going out for a drink after work, and the
spontaneous trips we take every time we have a break, my adaptation has flown by. Literally,
I feel at home because they are my home now.

My advice if you’re thinking about volunteering: don’t just stick to the work side of things. Go
out, join all the WhatsApp groups, say yes to that coffee even if you’re tired, and travel as
much as you can with the people you meet.

For me, not feeling alone for a single moment is what has made this city feel fun rather than
overwhelming. In the end, places are just places, but it’s the friends you make that make the
experience incredible.

Text a fotka: Paula Fernández Martín

Paula je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Bratislavské dobrovoľnícke centrum. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

The topic of the role of solidarity in society seems to be a complicated issue. First of all, because of the myriad of possible ways to understand the key concepts like society and solidarity, as well as because of the numerous approaches we can adopt when studying them - e.g. economic, political, sociological… not to mention personal opinions and beliefs. This became very clear to me when I first began talking about my ESC volunteering with the people around me. 

Hence before talking about solidarity, it is good to unify our understanding of the key concepts including “society”. To this end, we turn to the Cambridge Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster dictionary which define solidarity as “agreement between and support for the members of a group” and “unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards”. Meanwhile, according to the various definitions the Merriam-Webster dictionary offers on the concept,  society could roughly be boiled down to a group of people with common interests or traits, such as beliefs or nationality, which interact and form relationships with one another. 

These definitions lead us to understand that solidarity and society are interconnected and rely heavily on the factors that unite people into social groups or societies in the first place. As these factors differ, the makeup of the social groups (age, gender, nationality…) and consequently the role of society in these groups vary. Therefore each social group should be studied individually. At the same time, it is important to note that there is no limit to these social groups, neither in number nor size, which makes identifying and analyzing the presence of solidarity even more difficult. During my volunteering, for example, I am a part of various social groups: the receiving country’s (Slovakia), my home country’s (Slovenia), the smaller group that makes up my receiving organisation and the broader group of ESC volunteers in Slovakia and across the world, just to name a few. 

However, for solidarity to be present in a specific social group in the first place, a certain level of uniformity within that group seems to be imperative, or in other words, “to the extent that one identifies with the other one is helping out of solidarity” (Van Parijs). This also implies an inherent element of discrimination, namely between what are considered to be members and non-members of a certain group (Kymlicka). When volunteering in an ESC project in a foreign country this could have a negative impact on your ability to connect with the receiving society, especially if you come from a society that is culturally very different. Even so, there might be other shared traits that help cross that barrier. In my case, volunteering in a very diverse receiving organisation (a circus) and sharing a common interest in circus arts with the people around me has helped me to avoid any problems when forming connections.

All of this means that when we analyze the role of solidarity in society, we need to thoroughly examine what unifies the social group in question and therefore who it possibly discriminates against. At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind other bigger or smaller social groups which might overlap with the observed one and could possibly skew our perception. In practice, this kind of considerations could help an ESC volunteer choose which project would be the best suited for them or identify deeper reasons behind problems they might face during the volunteering itself. Thus, making sure that their ESC volunteering experience is an excellent one and creates the most positive impact.

Sources:

Text a fotka: Živa Jamnik

Živa je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Cirkuskus. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

I believe that in today’s world, we are all global citizens. Traveling has never been easier, we can book a flight on our phones in seconds, and just a few hours later find ourselves in a completely different country, surrounded by new cultures and experiences. Volunteering is a wonderful way not only to help others but also to try new things personally. Since I always wanted to live abroad, this opportunity felt perfect for me.

Volunteering abroad is not only helping a specific group of people, it can also be valuable for bringing new knowledge back home and sharing it with people who might not have the opportunity to travel and experience other cultures themselves. Yes, traveling has become physically easier, but not everyone can afford it. In this way, volunteering becomes an accessible path to explore the world while also making that cultural exchange more available to others. 

Volunteer work offers an amazing chance to explore and understand a new place. We are given everything we need to succeed and make the most of the experience, and while we help the local community, we also learn from it. I get to combine the best parts of my home with the best parts of this new environment, and together we all grow, learn, and create something better for everyone who comes after us.

Now that I’m away from home, I actually feel more connected to my country than ever before. Meeting people from all around the world gives me a sense of joy and pride when I talk about my homeland. I feel a responsibility to share the good things about where I come from, and that perspective helps me look past the negative parts that once seemed so big when I was living there. I’ve realized that every place has its own challenges - the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side. What matters is learning to find the good wherever you are, and sometimes it’s easier to appreciate your home when you see it from afar.  It’s also fun to discover how many similarities our languages share - some words are even exactly the same. 

It's all about self discovery, some people can be perfectly fine living in their home towns, but for some “the ultimate goal is to find the fundamental questions about who you are, what culture is and what it means to live in a global society, beyond the borders of our minds and countries.” (Damon, 2023)

“You Are A Global Citizen: A Guided Journal for the Culturally Curious” Damon Dominique, 2023

Text a fotka: Luiza Helēna Frančenko

Luiza je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Cirkuskus. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    Short-Term project against long-term project - which one has a bigger impact on the organization and the stability aftermath? Let’s see why the two are different and why.

    Let’s start to determine what’s a short-term project? Short-term ESC volunteering refers to placements ranging from 2 weeks to 2 months. It's a quick way to contribute and gain experience in less time and easier logistics that makes you discover volunteering and get a clear idea on what you want to do and how exactly you can contribute to the organization. This is the time when it gets complicated. You have less than 2 months to propose and implement any change for organization or a project in a foreign country you may not know. Leaving a long-lasting impact, if that’s your intention, in just a couple of weeks can be tough or challenging.

    Now for the long-term project you have 2-12 months. It allows you for deeper immersion, more significant impact, and the opportunity to build lasting relationships within a community. You will understand the project more, will get more connected to the people you will meet and work with, have more time to develop your skills, discover a brand new culture, and create a good project that you are proud of having been doing.

    To conclude, short-term projects can be good if you want to travel for the summer vacation for example or want to have an international experience but, in my opinion, you will have less impact on your project and the organization compared to long-term projects, when you can develop deeper connections, skills, knowledge, create something bigger and experience a long adventure.

    The most important thing is to choose with specific intention. Being in a country on a short-term project and discovering something new or being on a long-term project and leaving a bigger impact.

    Resources:

    “Short-Term vs Long-Term Volunteering: Which is Right for You?” (Sam, August 29, 2025) https://volunteering.org.au/blog/short-term-vs-long-term-volunteering-which-is-right-for-you/

    “Can short-term volunteering have an impact?” (Petrina Darrah, August 17, 2022) https://www.gvi.co.uk/blog/can-short-term-volunteering-really-have-an-impact/

    Text a fotka: Diego Guerreiro

    Diego je dobrovoľníkom programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii DOBROdružstvo. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    Since I started volunteering, I knew that technology would help me from the moment I arrived until the day I returned to my country. But you don’t truly realize how important it is until you experience it yourself and see how much it makes everything easier — from our volunteer work to daily life.

    Nowadays, thanks to digital tools, the concept of “being present” has completely changed. Digital platforms have opened up a world of possibilities. Through specialized websites, I can contact my coworkers, receive instructions about my daily tasks, and meet with them using tools like Google Meet and Zoom. This really helps me stay coordinated with the team on days when we can’t meet in person.

    Social media also plays a huge role. Thanks to Instagram and Facebook, we can share stories, promote activities, and show the impact of our projects to many more people. These platforms are not only useful for spreading information but also for inspiring more young people to get involved. Many times, a simple video or post can spark interest and encourage others to participate in activities that help others — and that’s how we reach new volunteers.

    In my case, technology is also making continuous learning easier — both in terms of improving my language skills and through online courses that help me grow in areas like graphic design and social media management.

    When it comes to living in a foreign country, technology is also incredibly helpful. It makes it easier to find directions, use public transport, discover new places, make plans and friends, and most importantly — it helps me communicate in a language I don’t know at all, like Slovak.

    Therefore, for me, technology has been essential in my volunteering experience. It connects us, educates us, and allows us to contribute in a much simpler way, with endless new possibilities. Being a volunteer in this digital era has taught me that helping others doesn’t depend on distance — it depends on our willingness and the tools we have at our disposal.

    Text a fotka: Paula Fernández Martín

    Paula je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Bratislavské dobrovoľnícke centrum. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    During my volunteering experience in Bratislava, I worked on social media and communication tasks. It was exciting, but international volunteering also came with some unexpected challenges.

    The first one was communication. Although we used English, it wasn’t always easy to explain ideas or understand everything in meetings. I sometimes felt lost or unsure. To fix this, I started repeating tasks in my own words and asking more questions. That helped a lot.

    Another challenge was motivation. Working on a laptop every day can be hard. Some days, I didn’t feel very useful. What helped me was having a routine, tracking small wins, and talking with other volunteers. Sharing experiences made me feel less alone.

    International volunteering also taught me to be more organized. I used tools like Google Calendar and
    Trello to plan my days and stay focused.
    Even with these difficulties, this project helped me grow a lot — both personally and
    professionally.

    My advice to future volunteers: be patient, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

    Text a fotka: Jose Ángel López Salvador

    Jose je dobrovoľníkom programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Bratislavské dobrovoľnícke centrum. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    Moving to foreign country is a little challenging, for sure, but we should remember that it is important to go out of our comfort zone to get a better reality, better experiences and better opportunities for self-development. Before coming to Slovakia, in general, I recommend you to check basic details about the country and its capital – Bratislava. Of course, in practice you will go through many things when you settle down properly. 

    Bratislava is the biggest city of Slovakia, with almost half a million population. I come from Tbilisi, Georgia so it is quite a small capital for me, though I love the calmness of Bratislava. It is not very crowded and busy, no traffic jams, better and fresher air. Bratislava is a safe and clean city. If you love nature, Bratislava will be great for you, we have many parks here, forests and lakes as well. Also, Slovakia is a very green and mountainous country, perfect for hiking and/or at least chilling out in nature. 

    My next tip would be about the weather and temperature, here it is not very cold and freezing winter but if you are coming from a super sunny and warm country, keep it in your mind that winter days are quite shorter (early sunrise and sunset) and quite often foggy too. Then bring proper clothes, mood and readiness for that. 

    After you arrive in Bratislava, if you are non-EU, I really recommend you to make an appointment for the residence permit as soon as possible. There is a chance that you will not manage it immediately, so keep going, you can win over the booking system 😊 

    There are international people in Bratislava to whom you can make contacts. Comenius university has the Erasmus page too and plus there are many bars, centers and organizations where you can meet international people. Also, Bratislava is the capital so here lots of locals speak very good English, some of them are shy so it is your turn to be initiator and start the conversation. The local people are very nice and friendly. They will appreciate it if you learn some basic phrases, words in Slovak. It is not about Slovakia, in general, it is super nice and respectful when you know the basics in the locals' language. 

    I would like to mention some info about public transport, it is really amazing. Even though the city is not very big, they have lots of routes of buses and trolley-buses and plus the trams. I recommend you to buy a monthly ticket or if you stay for 1 year then 1-year ticket, that is smarter and cheaper. Also, there are night buses in Bratislava. All the stops, info-desks and announcements are in English too. Bratislava has the perfect location, you can travel abroad very easily as well. The city has an airport and the bigger Vienna airport is just 50 minutes away from here. Don’t forget to explore Slovakia too. The country has quite good train connections that are more eco-friendly and comfortable. 

    One more tip is to check the city website - https://bratislava.sk/en and also https://www.citylife.sk/ plus follow the Instagram pages according your interests to get all information on time, city is quite livable, lots of cultural, sport and outdoor activities, including festivals and historical celebrations. Also, I really enjoy visiting cozy cafes, the city is full of delicious pastry and coffee. Prices are quite affordable, as in the supermarkets as in the cafes and restaurants too. Here I will not mention “must see” places now because anyway you will find them out yourself, just try to walk a lot, go out of central areas, Bratislava offers you much more than only “must see” spots. 

    Last but not least, if you need any help or support, you should ask for it. No one can guess automatically so don’t be shy or afraid of asking for help. Take it easy, locals, your mentor and organization can support you, they are very empathetic and helpful. 

    Enjoy your stay in Bratislava! Eat local food, get local drinks, be lost in the streets of Bratislava! If you love the city then it will adore you back! 

    P.S. Don’t tell the locals that you like Coca-Cola more than Kofola. What is Kofola? Hmm, you will find out 😊 

    Best wishes,

    Zura

    Text a fotka: Zurabi Sanadze

    Zura je dobrovoľníkom programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Mládež ulice pod koordináciou Bratislavského dobrovoľníckeho centra. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    Circus is a wonderful thing. It connects people, makes them laugh and makes them move. There are so many possibilities. Anyone can find something that they like. Some are maybe more drawn towards acrobatics like silk, hula hooping or trapeze. Those who are less flexible and athletic, can always grab some juggling balls, flower sticks or a spinning plate and lovers of finding balance can find it on a slackline, giant spinning ball or a RolaBola! Best of all, these are not just toys and ordinary movements, you can create choreographies and performances. You can really express yourself and combine different circus skills.

    I wasn't new to doing circus before coming to Slovakia. I am already part of my local community circus in Ljubljana and when I came to Bratislava, I noticed quite soon that CKK is not as experimental and free as my home circus, where we improvise a lot. The approach in Cirkuskus is more based on choreographies and workshops, because they work a lot for various companies, who rent them and they require more structured shows.

    Something totally new to me in Bratislava was becoming a circus teacher for kids and before the first class ever, I was of course kind of nervous, asking myself, what are they going to be like. And then the day came and it wasn't all that scary. I actually enjoyed being with them, interacting with them and giving them tips on how they should juggle or spin a plate. Actually one of my favorite weeks during my time in CirKusKus was doing the kids summer camp CircusOK at the end of June, where I was helping with teaching and also doing some food preparation and cleanup work. It was hot, but so much fun!

    The CirKusKus family is kind of big, as there are many people teaching various circus disciplines. Helli is the main acrobat, teaching silk, aerial hoop, partner acrobatics and trapeze. Suzanne, she is from Belgium, living now in Slovakia for 9 years already, is the captain of balance skills and Eli and Dejvo are the main teachers for juggling, POI and other circus disciplines that mostly involve more work with hands and dancing. Besides this core group, there are also other affiliates of the CKK, who perform, sometimes help with workshops or are just a part of the Bratislava Circus community, that has weekly meetings on Wednesdays in the evenings, where many of the local circus artists meet and train together.

    Another thing is also travelling around for events and workshops with CKK, because when it gets warmer in the spring, CirKusKus suddenly awakens from its winter sleep and starts to travel around. Mainly with two little cute cars. An old little yellow WV and an old Škoda Felicia. Sometimes we started packing these cute old cars very early in the morning, opening the little circus storage in the basement of Nova Cvernovka and getting ready for our daily performance trip. 

    Oh yeah and I did stilting for the first time here in Slovakia. It was so much fun, but at first of course a bit scary, because you are suddenly so high up, so you just have to get used to it! But it's one of my favorite things now. It's the way people look up at you. And all of the kids want to be as big as you. Sometimes the parents take them up to you, to give a high five! Sometimes we even grab some clubs and start juggling! I hope I can do it more in the future.

    Text a fotka: Fedja Saksida

    Fedja je dobrovoľníkom programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Cirkuskus pod koordináciou Bratislavského dobrovoľníckeho centra. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    When doing an ESC project, you get food and pocket money. It depends on where you are volunteering, some countries have higher budgets, some lower. In Slovakia we get a total of 380 euros per month. For some people this may be enough, but for a majority, I would say there are months where you will go quite over this budget. It is not only advisable, but necessary to come here with some savings. Say 1000 euro minimum for a long term volunteering. All in all it's a good way to learn to become more humble and try to get used to living on a budget. So, maybe sometimes you have to skip buying that souvenir you really wanted or maybe skip that trip to Prague. But maybe then you will find something much more meaningful and cheap in your surroundings. Meet new people, which is free! It's also kind of realising that your role currently as a volunteer is not one of a tourist, who spends a lot of money. Volunteers really shouldn’t be materialistic people. 

    I always say that experience is much more important than money. And in ESC, there is really a lot of experience you will get, while meeting new people, living in another part of the world and trying to be a helping hand in a different community than your own. Also, you will get to live on your own, as ESC does in fact cover your living rent! You will either have your own room, or share it with another person. Both options are cool, because when living alone, you have your own space, maybe for the first time in your life, and you really need to learn to be alone sometimes. Or maybe you will share your room or apartment with more people, which is also a very nice learning experience, to get to know how to set up borders within a small space and create this nice harmonious living situation. Also, when living with other people, it enables you to make lunches together, which is another great way to save money.

    There are not only benefits to the volunteer, but also for the community itself. For instance, I myself volunteer here in Bratislava as a circus instructor in the organization CirKusKUs. Firstly, we are working with a lot of kids and in this way the children have a very good chance to be in contact with people from other cultures and therefore learn to communicate with people from other cultures and overcome some prejudice, which they may have. Secondly, we also do workshops and performances outside our school and in this way share our positive and creative vibes with various people from the streets of Bratislava or sometimes even from other cities, because in the spring and summer times we travel around Slovakia a lot!

    Text: Fedja Saksida

    Fedja je dobrovoľníkom programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Cirkuskus pod koordináciou Bratislavského dobrovoľníckeho centra. Projekt bol podporený Európskou komisiou z programu Európsky zbor solidarity.

    In a world facing increasing environmental and social challenges, from climate change to inequality, one of the most powerful tools we have for building resilience is community — and at the heart of strong communities are volunteers. Through my experience volunteering at a circus school, I've come to see how even unconventional forms of service, like teaching circus arts, can help weave stronger social bonds and foster resilience.

    At first glance, a circus might not seem like a space for community empowerment. But in reality, it's a place of inclusion, creativity, and growth. As a volunteer instructor, I work with both kids and adults, teaching them circus skills like juggling, acrobatics, or clowning. These may sound like simple, fun activities — and they are — but they also build trust, cooperation, physical confidence, and emotional resilience. For many children, especially those facing social or economic difficulties, the circus becomes a space of empowerment where they learn to overcome fear, work as a team, and celebrate small wins.

    Resilience isn't just about surviving a crisis. It's about having the networks, relationships, and confidence to adapt and grow. Circus teaches exactly that: when someone drops a juggling ball or stumbles during a trick, we don't see failure — we see a chance to try again, together. This mindset spills over into real life, especially for young people who carry these lessons into school, home, and beyond.

    Beyond teaching, my role also involves performing, which helps bring joy, connection, and inspiration to the community. Performances are open to all, breaking down social barriers and creating shared moments of wonder — something deeply needed in uncertain times.

    Volunteering in a circus school may not fix climate change or poverty directly. But it helps build the human foundation needed to face those problems together. It shows that resilience is not only about infrastructure or policy — it's also about joy, trust, creativity, and community.

    Text: Zoe Guicquero

    Zoe je dobrovoľníčkou programu Európskej komisie Európsky zbor solidarity na dobrovoľníckom projekte v organizácii Cirkuskus pod koordináciou Bratislavského dobrovoľníckeho centra. Projekt bol podporený Európskou úniou.

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