Within the framework of the Volunteer Fair project, College students will be visiting 6 high schools in Trieste and Monfalcone to promote volunteering and invite their peers to the Volunteer Fair, to be held next April 18 at the College. Seven first-year students started these presentations and have visited the Dante high school in Trieste: Amanda (Brazil), Fatemeh (Iran), Gabriel (Venezuela), Ines (Spain), Esraa (Egypt), Mercy (Uganda) and Veronica (Italy). They spoke in very passionate terms to their peers about what community service has come to mean to them since they joined UWC Adriatic.
Amanda attends a study support group for the children of the Bangladeshi community in Monfalcone. “I have only been in Italy for a few months” she explains, “and at first I saw my poor Italian as a huge communications barrier but I quickly realized that this is not true. The children are just so happy that we are there for them. Of course they appreciate our help in doing their homework but what they really love is knowing that we show up every week and make time to be there and encourage them. At first it felt funny to be called ‘teacher’ at 17 but now I realized that this has made me grow and feel more responsible”. Fatemeh, on the other hand, visits a residence for elderly people. They are very old and some have Alzheimer’s. She too says that understanding that communication does not just happen at a verbal level was a major discovery in doing her social service. “These people are very lonely. Some even feel they have been abandoned by their family. In such a situation even the smallest gesture can be extremely meaningful: a simple smile and our presence helps them to feel wanted and makes their day”. Esraa described how she and 4 other students do musical activities with children, teaching them how to pay attention to sounds. Ines too is involved in a musical social service, by playing music in retirement homes and hospitals. She explains “We are especially lucky, because music is a universal language that everyone understands and enjoys. Music lights up people’s faces, even in the saddest situations – it is a source of joy”. Gabriel is involved a pre-primary English social service and finds working with children so rewarding that he has also joined the Science for Kids service, while Veronica finds dealing with adults as a ‘teacher’ of English not just enjoyable in itself but also an experience that has made her become aware of her responsibilities and of the need to be conscientious and committed. Mercy, who is involved in a community service helping out at a facility for seriously disabled people said it all in a nutshell “In my service I give a lot but I get so much in return!”
