Mariana in Cyprus

Looking back on my ESC experience with YEU Cyprus, I can say it has been a journey of both personal and professional growth. 

Living in Cyprus, working in an international environment, and contributing to projects that promote youth participation and European opportunities gave me the chance to step outside my comfort zone and see community work from different perspectives.

Throughout this experience, I strengthened my communication and adaptability skills while learning to navigate new challenges and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.

One of my biggest takeaways was gaining a clearer understanding of the type of work environment where I can contribute at my best and discovering what my long-term interests are.

This experience also gave me more confidence in trusting my professional judgment. Every challenge became an opportunity to reflect, grow, and better understand the kind of impact I hope to create in my future career.

I leave Cyprus with new perspectives, valuable memories, and a stronger sense of the direction I want to pursue professionally. I look forward to carrying these lessons into the next stage of my career.

Hosting organisation:

Youth Exchange and Understanding Cyprus is a non-profit, independent youth NGO based in Nicosia, that works closely with young people aiming to empower them in realizing the societies they want to be living in. The NGO implements a number of projects and carries out a variety of activities on non-formal education both locally and transnationally, with a focus on active citizenship, human rights, sustainability, inclusion, cultural exchange and understanding.