Category: Blog

Check this amazing receipe from one of our ESC volunteers at OCC Barcelona! Learn how to make a traditional Arabic sweet.

My name is Mimi, I am 19 years old and I am from England. I am volunteering at OCC Barcelona as part of my European Solidarity Corps project for nine months. My main role is as the English teacher in which I teach locals at a beginner and intermediate level and also to refugee minors.

Enric was carrying out his ESC project in our partner organisation in Italy called Vicolocorto. He learned a lot, met great people and shared his experience in order to motivate others to participate in such projects.

“Good news from Italy. Following a period of political and social closure, new scenarios appear on the horizon. Italy in recent decades has represented a country subjected to huge migratory waves: a lot of statistics have been shared, which often favored a growing situation of unjustified fear in the population.”

“Some of my favorite memories when I started my new life were the lessons, learning new languages and doing things I love such as my favorite sport which is swimming. Completing my project with OCC was also a dream come true. Last but not least, one of my favorite moments was meeting with my family.”

“My full-time project is teaching Farsi. But I also had some other tasks like going to schools to inform them about the situation of refugees, and other times prepare food for intercultural events hosted by OCC.”

In the past I have worked as a volunteer in several organizations, that directly or indirectly manage diverse groups, but I never had the opportunity to get really involved. Cooperating with Open Cultural Center, is a totally different experience. Not only I come across with different activities and get involved in different projects, but also have the opportunity to get in touch with people that I could never get in touch before.

The day starts on wheels when the bike team opens the doors of the school (Madrasa), to take out the bicycles that will help occupy the classrooms with people who have the desire to learn. In the cafeteria, the volunteers who arrive earlier prepare the first coffees, and the occasional family sits on the sofas.