Thinking about taking a gap year? Wondering what are the best ways to invest your time and effort?

Stowarzyszenie Akwedukt’s speciality is providing unforgettable experiences for young people through volunteering in Kwidzyn, a nice town located in the North of Poland, next to the Liwa River. The best thing is that we provide fully funded opportunities for youth under the European Solidarity Corps program, which means we cover all your expenses (travel, insurance, accomodation, etc.) and you will also get monthly pocket money for your personal needs.

So if you want to experience new things or just spend a year for exploring yourself while volunteering in something you enjoy. This is your chance! We have different hosting organisations that you can choose according to your preferences.

We spoke with Lujza, our volunteer from Slovakia, to learn a little bit about her perspective and her experience volunteering in Kwidzyn:

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Lujza, I am 20 years old and just finished high school this year. I come from a very small city half the size of Kwidzyn where everybody knows everyone but, on the other hand, from a big family with 5 siblings where growing up was a lot of fun.

What interested you most about taking a gap year in Kwidzyn?

Gap year was for me always the number one option on the list of things I wanted to do after graduating from high school. I am a person who loves to try new things, meeting new people and challenging myself. A gap year was therefore a perfect opportunity for me to fulfill my lifelong dreams and travel the world (at least that is how it initially looked in my head). For me it was simply a move to try to figure out what I want from life and ensure myself that I am going the right direction while also using extra time I gained to have as much fun as possible before committing to university.

During your first month, what did you enjoy the most in Kwidzyn?

This question might seem hard at first sight considering the fact that I came here in the middle of a pandemic with a lockdown just around the corner. But I can say I enjoy mostly the company of the amazing people that are around me: the volunteers in Akwedukt, the teachers and children in the special school who are always so nice to work with and talk to. Also about Kwidzyn I like that it is not a huge, crowded or busy city but it surely is very beautiful and green.

What is your advice for those who are thinking about taking a gap year?

I am not usually good with advice, I am rather the type of person who asks for one. But, luckily for you, this time I actually have few:

Don’t let the fear of the unknown get in your way of all the amazing experiences awaiting you, replace it by the word ‘excitement’. Don’t listen to people telling you it is a waste of time because (at least from my experience) you might end up having the best time of your life, full of growth and realizations as a bonus. And last but not least, do not just sit around waiting for adventures to find you, put yourself out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to go a little crazy, talk to people and say “yes” to new things even if it seems strange at first, strange is good.

By: Heba Shahin