My name is Maria Castillo, I am 26 years old and I come from Spain. For the last six months I have been a volunteer at the SCHULGARTEN – Aktive Montessorischule Telfs and now, as I prepare my return to Spain I can only think that this opportunity has opened the door to my best life.
When I came to this volunteering I was already contemplating Montessori education as part of my future and after this experience it is clear to me that this is the path I want to follow.
The school is small and has a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere, I have felt loved and I have learnt a lot since the first day. My tasks have been to support teachers, work with the children in daily activities, create my own presentations or come up with ideas for creative activities.
Telfs is a small town near Innsbruck, I have loved living here. It’s a super quiet place with amazing nature, having the possibility to walk in the mountains or in the river valley every day has been the best thing.
Volunteering with the European Solidarity Corps is an incredible experience that all young people should consider. The opportunity to travel, to meet new people, to take on new projects is definitely a journey of personal growth and an unforgettable life experience.
Volunteering experiences are not the same and you can approach your volunteering experience in very different ways. Mine has definitely been about personal growth, working on myself and creating the life I want to have.
I am grateful for the time in Austria, for the project I have worked on and for the people I have met.
This volunteering has become an experience I will never forget.