It’s been only a few days since we left Romania, but the memories we made there still feel very fresh. As we return to our lives in Budapest, it’s hard to believe how much has changed in just two months. 

Before we started our short-term ESC volunteering journey in the tiny village of Bicacel, Romania, we knew it would be something very different. But we didn’t know how deeply it would touch us or how much it would help us grow.

We both came with our own reasons. For one of us, it was about stepping away from a fast-paced city life to breathe in the simplicity of nature. For the other, it was about discovering new perspectives after years of studying and volunteering in multicultural settings. But what we both found was far more meaningful than we expected.

Living in a remote village with a small team of other volunteers was both peaceful and challenging. The green fields, the animals passing by, and the sound of roosters became part of our daily life. 

We saw spring come alive in the countryside, and it reminded us how healing nature can be when you slow down and let yourself feel it.

But of course, it wasn’t always easy. Sharing a house, chores, and different cultures in such a quiet and sometimes isolating place meant that we had to deal with small conflicts, communication gaps, and moments of loneliness. And that’s exactly where the biggest growth happened. We learned to listen better, speak up kindly, respect space, and come together again after misunderstandings. These were lessons we couldn’t have learned from any online training or city-based activity. They were real, raw, and human.

While the outside world was calm, we used that time to work on our personal and professional goals. We took online courses in Human Resources, Customer Service, Social Media Marketing, and even explored Artificial Intelligence and advanced English grammar. We had time to reflect on our future careers, update our CVs, apply for new programs, and attend online interviews. It was a rare opportunity to invest in ourselves without everyday distractions.

We also got to be part of local events—like the traditional Easter celebrations and the National Days. We learned a bit about Romanian politics, admired how local people lived closely with nature, and even took a short trip to Bucharest, which opened our eyes to the wider culture and modern side of the country.

Now, as we sit back and write this reflection, we realize that these two months gave us something we truly could not have experienced at home: A new way of living, a deeper connection with others, the courage to slow down and still move forward.

We are thankful to the supporting organization that made this experience possible and believed in our potential. Thank you to everyone who was a part of this journey.

This is not the end - it’s just the beginning of many new adventures to come.