Finding a new home

Grenzenerfahrung Europa – Jumping the borders and boundaries

Traveling alone, foreign environment and being in a group of strangers have always made me a bit anxious. It seemed to me that becoming a volunteer in a foreign country gives me plenty of possibilities to experience these situations and to expand my personal boundaries.

I like, how I jumped to Austria, more specifically to Tirol, like into strange water. Though European voluntary service program gave me some certainty – there were people waiting for me at work and we, the volunteers eagerly changed contacts on the first training in Vienna, to stay in touch. But I still didn’t prepare myself for a life in a small town where instead of expected German I only heard chatter in spicy dialect. Even in German I could only introduce myself and lead a very simple conversation. In addition I knew Austria as a postcard image on my mind of green mountain meadows with traditional wooden houses and classical music playing on the background.

During one year I have worked, traveled and lived in Austria. The smoking chimneys of a wood factory aka the first sight of my new town while arriving neatly shook me out of my tourist romantic. I have let go of several stereotypes – you can find wild forest also outside of Nordic Countries, the French can also speak English etc. Every person carries a slightly different image of his/her country and culture.

My homeland, Estonia has seemed very distant, like in another world, that is mediated only through internet and phone. Although we have one Europe – the freedom to travel, work and live – the common European feeling is still developing. The sense of belonging doesn’t move so easily, my land remains my home. But at the same time, it is interesting to recognize, how quickly this inexplicable sense of belonging arises. The local environment and people have quietly but persistently grown to my heart. I have won another „hometown”.

The aim of European voluntary service is to develop solidarity, promote tolerance and active citizenship and to strengthen the understanding among youth. It sounds big and glorious, but if I think back, I am sure, that while working in the local youth center and culture center and by living in a new community, I do have actively developed these features in myself. In spite of language errors, e.g. that I am engaged to Italian ice-cream (as it appears, verliebt – verlobt are in fact not different tenses of one word) and moments, when out of tiredness all of the conversation just passes my smiling face, language is not an obstacle in understanding one other. I have learned, that the most important is openness and the will to relate.

Jumping over the geographical borders as well as personal boundaries makes us think about our habits and comfort zone, shakes apart old thinking patterns and stereotypes. Being open to novelty has brought me to low spirit as well as to exuberance. I find this movement to be vigorous and impelling. So I continue to explore.