Hello, I’m Carmen, a passionate 24 year old crocheter and traveler. I studied German back
in France. After graduation I moved to Germany for a school year as a language assistant in
a German high school.

Have you volunteered before?

No, I didn’t.

What motivated you to apply for this project?

Back when I studied, I had a FLE (French as Foreign Language) class to learn how to teach
French to foreigners. I then moved to Germany as a language assistant where I had to do
activities with pupils learning french. I had an interest in French abroad so when I found the
mission at the Alliance Française de Varna, I thought it was the perfect mission for me to
discover the network of Alliance Française and to learn more about French and
Francophonie abroad.

Tell us about your experience as a volunteer

My most important tasks during the volunteering were the communication on social media.
To prepare posts, to write articles… I also created a crochet series on the YouTube channel
of the Alliance Française. I participated to multiple events such as Rendez-vous Langues,
the Fête de la Musique, Beaujolais Nouveau… During this year I learned how to make a
video and edit it which was a fun new skill to learn. I can see my growth on so many levels
but not just because of the volunteering, also thanks to people I’ve met outside of the project
and the travels that I did around Bulgaria. The entire year itself was a big improvement for me.

What challenges did you face during the project?

The lack of participants in certain of our events. It can be complicated to stay motivated and
find new ideas and turn them into reality when the public isn’t there. Moreover I personally
needed time to adapt. To really find my place in the team. It took me a few months to finally
feel at ease.

What is your favourite moment of volunteering?

Probably meeting new people. That’s also what’s interesting about volunteering abroad: to
meet people from different origins, cultures and speaking different languages. That’s what
makes our world so rich and diverse. And I also really enjoyed my free time with my new
friends here and all the travels that I did, both with my friends or on my own. Personal life is
also part of the experience and that’s how you make memories and remember the incredible
year you’ve just spent.

What would you say to young people to motivate them to volunteer?

That it’s a once in a life experience, that it can be scary to land in a country you don’t know
anything about, nor the people, the habits or the language. But challenge is what makes you
grow. It opens your mind and makes you see the world differently. So go for it!

What awaits you after the end of the project?

My future is still unclear yet. But I traveled a lot on my own during this year and loved it so
much that I want to carry on. So traveling for sure and working to save money. It’s a life that
suits me well for now I guess so let’s see where life takes me!

Follow our website and our Facebook and Instagram profiles for current opportunities and offers!

The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects the views of the authors alone, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.