Volunteering Stories: Opened my eyes – by Pauline

Hello!
It’s me again — Pauline, the French girl in the group! It’s been three months now since I arrived in Baia Mare as a volunteer with Team for Youth. Since my last update, my missions have changed a little… Let me tell you more about them.

Wednesdays with Roma children

Every Wednesday, I take part in activities with Pirita Children, working with Roma kids. We play, we laugh, we connect.
It may seem simple, but these moments are incredibly meaningful. They’ve opened my eyes to the realities of their daily lives — often very tough — and reminded me just how privileged I am. It also made me want to do more. These children deserve as much joy, care, and opportunity as anyone else.

Thursdays with Esperando

On Thursdays, the setting changes. We work with Esperando, an association supporting people with disabilities.
There too, we play games, chat, and simply spend time together. We don’t do anything extraordinary — but sometimes, just being there means everything.

What this experience has taught me

I came here with the goal of improving my English… but I quickly realized that volunteering is about much more than language.
It’s a deeply human experience — one that teaches you perspective, empathy, and the importance of presence. What I’ll take with me are the people, the smiles, and the small, powerful moments of connection.

Voluntarul activează în proiectul Year 4 (cod 2024-1-RO01-ESC51-VTJ-000199420), un proiect implementat de Asociația Team for Youth în comunitatea locală pe durata unui an, cu sprijin financiar din partea Comisiei Europene prin Corpul European de Solidaritate. Opiniile exprimate în acest articol sunt cele ale autorului și nu reflectă neapărat poziția Comisiei Europene.

The volunteer is active within the Year 4 project (code 2024-1-RO01-ESC51-VTJ-000199420), a project implemented by Team for Youth Association in the local community for one year with financial support from the European Commission through the European Solidarity Corps. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Commission.