European Solidarity Corps (ESC) — volunteering teams (two weeks)
Dates: 18 May—2 June 2025
Venue: Galrstedt, Germany
Volunteer: Viviane A.
Please read the info-pack.
Hosting organisation: NaturKultur e.V.
Volunteering diary:
Solidarity Meets Sustainability: My Experience in Germany
Hello! My name is Viviane, I’m 24 years old, and I’d love to share my experience during the Solidarity Meets Sustainability project, which took place in Bremen, Germany, from May 14th to June 2nd. The project was organized by NaturKultur, and even though it was their first ESC Team Volunteering, the organization has been working with youth projects since 2011 and has a lot of experience in the field.
We were hosted in Kulturhaus, a house owned by the NGO, located around 45 minutes from Bremen. If you’re planning to join a similar project, be prepared to ride a bit if you want to visit the city or go to the supermarket. The house was very well-structured, with big rooms, we were around 25 people, and we shared rooms with just one other person. I even had a bathroom inside my room!
Working and Living Together
Our group was super diverse, with people from Georgia, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, England, Syria, Kurdistan, Iran, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Vietnam, and more. It was amazing to live and work with people from all over the world.
We had all meals included , breakfast, lunch, and dinner so we didn’t receive the usual food money (around 10–12 euros/day), but we did get 152 euros in cash as pocket money for other expenses. As a vegetarian, I felt very well taken care of, and I didn’t miss meat at all. If you do eat meat, just keep in mind that you might need to buy your own. We were divided into cooking teams, which was a great experience , I even baked a birthday cake and learned how to make new dishes from different cultures.
Volunteering Activities
We did a bit of everything! On the first days, we sanded and painted fences, and helped with gardening around the house. One of the most special parts of the experience was working with the educational farm in the community of Garlstedt, where we helped take care of the animals and supported some construction work.
One of the coolest things we did there was building a pizza oven for the community. We even broke ceramic bricks ourselves and reused them to create the structure a really hands-on and sustainable project! It felt great to contribute to something that will continue to bring people
together in the future.
Free Time & Travel Tips
Out of the 14 days, we had 5 free days, and we were given train tickets to travel to Bremen during all of them. If you’re planning to come from Czechia (or elsewhere), I recommend getting the Deutschland Ticket , it allows unlimited train travel and is often the cheapest option. Just be prepared for long travel hours and bring your patience along 😅. The north of Germany is full of charming small towns and beautiful nature. This project was more than volunteering it was about building community, exchanging cultures, and making sustainable impact together. I left with new friends, new skills, and a heart full of good memories.
If you’re thinking about joining an ESC project, do it, you won’t regret it! 🌍💚
Viviane
