Samantha Metzler

When did you do your volunteering project at Fekete Sereg and for how long?

-I did this volunteering project in the framework of Fekete Sereg for a total period 2 months, starting from January until the end of February

What was your motivation to do the project/Why did you decide to be a volunteer (in Hungary)?

-Having participated in another volunteering project before, I decided to gain different experiences in other countries, especially in the social field. I was interested in getting to know more about the Hungarian culture, and the social work offered by Fekete Sereg seemed to be a great opportunity to acquire and practice new competences.

What was your project? What was a regular day like?

-As a volunteer, I worked in the kindergarten of Nagyvazsony 4 days a week. As I worked in the morning from 8 to about 12 o clock, I had the chance to schedule my day flexibly, enabling me to do errands, such as grocery shopping. This also allowed me to have a lot of leisure time for the rest of my day. Every Friday I worked in the youth center in the afternoon from 14 clock to about 19.30 o clock, spending time with the locals and other international volunteers as well. As I worked during the week, I used the weekends to travel around, inside and outside of Hungary.

Which is your favorite memory of the time you spent here?

-I have a lot of good memories from my time in Nagyvazsony to take home with me, a lot of interesting conversations and good laughs. I enjoyed the karaoke evenings in the youth center, loved to spend time with the people, and saw a lot of good new things during my time travelling around.

A funny memory you’d like to share?

-One of the many good memories I had here, is the time my roommate and me spent 2 hours learning a       Hungarian rap song, that we performed in the youth center afterward. Even though neither of us speaks adequate Hungarian, we are now able to sing a whole song of it by heart.

 What do/did you like the most about Nagyvázsony?

-Nagyvazsony is a small, quiet and home-like village with friendly, open-minded people and I felt at home right from the beginning. Besides, if you happen to be interested in history, it also has an interesting cultural background, harboring the Kinizsi castle. Its location close to the Lake Balaton is also ideal, if you are interested in travelling and exploring.

How was life in the flat?

-It was easy to settle in, because we were only 2 volunteers living in the flat and therefore everyone had a room for himself. We also had no difficulties organizing the different tasks related to the household and got along pretty well.

Why would you recommend doing volunteering? Why at Fekete Sereg?

-Volunteering is a great way to travel and to thrive in a new environment, especially if you are looking for a change of scenery. You encounter a lot of different people, with various point of views, who welcome you with open arms. Furthermore, by spending time with the locals, you might learn one thing or another about the language.

 How did you benefit from your project/the time you spent here?

-The project benefited me in different ways, for instance getting a closer look at the world of work, understanding a lot more the effort put into pedagogical work and the responsibility that it acquires.

What are you currently doing in your life? What are your plans for the future?

-I finished high school last year and have been taking part in volunteer projects abroad ever since. After this project, I will go to university in Berlin to start my studies. Regardless, I have made a lot of good experiences and hope that travelling will always stay an important part of my life.