TEN MONTHS OF ACTIVISM: My European Solidarity Corps Experience
Hello readers!
It’s Silvia here! I concluded my ESC experience in Slovenia just a few weeks ago and today I will be sharing my afterthoughts with you. I arrived in Ljubljana towards the end of November last year ready to start this new adventure at Društvo DIH. I admit that I was a bit anxious at the beginning, because I didn’t know how I would react and adapt to this new reality, despite my numerous experiences abroad.
It was my first proper experience with long-term volunteering and with a new language that has completely different roots than the ones I was used to (romance languages). However, the excitement started to grow while on the way to Slovenia, which I shared with another young volunteer from Romania that was doing a short training course near Ljubljana and whom had had previous ESC experiences.
I have to say that those chats and encountering friendliness during my travel certainly made it easier and when I met one of my coordinators and my co-workers, who came picking me up at the bus station, I felt even more relaxed and welcomed. One of the first activities that I remember partaking in were a drag show in Metelkova and learn about other important queer places in Ljubljana and their history behind them (e.g. Café Galerija, Škuc Gallery, K4). I got to meet lots of queer people (from Slovenia and other countries) and soon created connections also with my flatmates and roommate. The greatest aspect was certainly to be surrounded by queers all the time, with different stories, life experiences and cultural baggages.
Over the course of the months, I got more acquainted with the local reality and learned how to use new tools (Canva, WordPress, Meta Business Suite, Twitter, TikTok), organise events and create informative content on the association’s different social media channels, also for awareness days. Furthermore, I increased my knowledge and understanding of the Slovene language and culture, allowing me to have little conversations every now and then in shops or restaurant or to recognise some words in the streets. Moreover, I acquired a more in-depth knowledge of STIs and safe sex practices. On numerous occasions, during important days and months of awareness, we held regular workshops and info stands in order to spread more the word and encourage the local and international population to be more responsible and aware of the risks of infections, but also have more enjoyable sexual contacts. In fact, one of the projects of the association consists in distributing free condoms and lubricants.
Volunteering at DIH also brought in new challenges and responsibilities, like project management
and team leadership. In fact, thanks to the association, I had the opportunity to participate in project writing and other types of Erasmus+ experiences (youth exchanges), where I put myself out of my comfort zone and tried new things. I am very grateful that I could do this, because my coordinators and mentors trusted me and wanted every ESC volunteer to develop further skills, other than the ones associated with the regular work.
It wasn’t always easy to manage, but without these experiences I wouldn’t have known what I am
capable of achieving. What stayed with me the most, though, is my role as an activist.
These ten months showed me how important is the concept of solidarity and how this should always
be seen as intersectional.
There is no freedom, until all of us are free.
Participating in protests to reclaim and reaffirm how human rights should be applied to every person, no matter the gender, the sexual orientation, their country of origin or status, made me realise how the world still sadly tends to discriminate those who do not confirm to the “norm” and that each individual should support the fight of other groups that have little means to shout their struggles to the world. If there is globalisation, why shouldn’t all realities be visible and worthy of help?
I left Ljubljana on a rainy day, but fully grateful of having had such an experience where I put myself at the service of the community I wrote my Master thesis on and I identify with. I am happy that I did not put this desire of “giving back” aside. I believe that we reap what we sow and that giving kindness, understanding and full support will lead to more kindness, understanding and full support.
Hvala lepa, Društvo DIH! Never stop creating free safe spaces for all human beings!
