January 27, 2026
DECEMBER
This first month has been a first contact with the country and with its people. The first week I met Sofia, Ada and Laurine (the others volunteers) and the rest of the LEVEL UP team. Everybody was so nice to me and they helped me do all the proceedings and paperwork.
The second week, Sofía and I went to Warsaw to the on-arrival training for the European Solidarity Corps where we could meet amazing people from other parts of the world, it was very enriching! Moreover we learnt more about the ESC and its principles. And when we came back to Lodz we had the Christmas event of LEVEL UP where we ate typical Polish food and we were able to have a fun time with the others.
The third week, I had some meetings about my future in LEVEL UP, how the organization works with my mentor Ada, Julia and Monika. I also had my first international masters´ meeting with Ania. This week I collaborated with the delivery of charity boxes too.
The fourth week, I had a workshop with Monika and the other volunteers about the goals during my volunteering and the management of projects and events. It was so interesting and useful!
And the fifth week, I came back to Spain to spend Christmas with my family and friends.
During this month, I could visit the city and get to know new places and events, like christmas markets, Pietrouska street, karaoke nights… I went to other parts of Poland too, like Warsaw and Poznan and I loved them! The only bad thing was that I got a fine on public transportation the first day I arrived. The lady who gave us the fine was very rude to me. Anyway I feel very comfortable and happy in Poland with the people, the culture and the country.
JANUARY
In January, I returned to Poland, from the Christmas holidays in Spain, where I spent a good time with my family and friends. And the first weekend, I went to Wroclaw with my friends, and I could visit the christmas market, the old town, some churches… it was a really nice weekend!
The second week of January, the volunteers had a workshop with Ania, the team leader of International Masters, about project management, which was so interesting and dynamic, and I am sure that it will help us in the process to do our own project. Moreover, I created a new poster for English talks and I started the polish language lessons, the teacher was so nice! It was a little bit difficult for me but the class was so funny and dynamic.
The third week, I distributed posters about English Talks with Ada in a few libraries and I helped to do the script for the Recruitment interviews for the volunteers.
The fourth week, I had my first English talk, where we could talk about our culture, our country and our travels, it was a really great time. Moreover I was preparing a presentation for one Infomeeting about ESC and LEVEL UP, that took place in LCP. In addition, I went with Sofia and Laurine, to the Armenian Day event, that was organized for three volunteers from the ESC that were staying in other organisation in Łódź, and we could learn more about the armenian culture, we ate typical armenian food and we talked a lot with them about our life in Poland and about our experience with the ESC.
I had my first presentation in primary school, talking about the ESC program, about LEVEL UP values, Spain, France… Also, I went to an event about NGOs, it was organized by the City Hall, and I was supporting the stand of LEVEL UP, and meeting new people from other organizations. It was a really good time! And, finally, I started to go more to the office, to do my online tasks and to help the girls of the office.
FEBRUARY
The first week, I had a presentation in a Primary School, where I could spend time with a very nice group of kids. They were so interested in asking us questions about our culture. I also had the another English talk since more people came and we had a discussion about our countries, about our cultures, about trips… It was so nice! For the other hand, I had to go to some institutions to give them documents about our next social event. And I went to work at the office, in LCP, and I helped the girls to organize the Discussion panel that we would have next week.
The second week, there was the Discussion Panel in LCP, where I could meet new people from other organizations and support LEVEL UP with the event. I had two meetings, one with Julia, to talk about my ESC project, and another with Ania to plan a new project in LEVEL UP. And also, I had Polish lessons and English talks about series, films and books. Finally, at weekend, i went to a brunch with my friends and also, I had a ponchek<paczek> too, it was really great!
The third week, I worked in a report about volunteering in LEVEL UP, and in a draft about my own project, that it will be a mentoring about volunteering, where I could help people to find some options and improve their skills to get a good opportunity. Moreover, I had polish lessons, I went to the office to work there, I met with my mentor Ada to talk about my progress here and I celebrated with the other volunteers Laurine´s birthday.
And last week, I continued working on the report about volunteering, i celebrated Paczek Day <Tłusty czwartek> and it was so fun! And also I traveled to Brussel to meet with my friends from Spain. There, I could visit Bruges, Ameberes and Gante too, and of course I ate belgian chocolate and waffles.
This month was very nice, I had a mix between work, trips and new discoveries about the polish culture.
MARCH
I started the month in Belgium and when I came back to Lodz, the weather was so fantastic. I could have a picnic with my friends, walk in the sun and have a drink on a terrace on Piotrowska Street. And also, I finished the report about volunteering and I supported the IdealnaMama event in LCP.
The second week, I had a presentation in school to talk about ESC program and about my country, but this presentation it was a little bit chaotic, because children didn´t pay attention and the lesson was so long for that. Moreover, there was a huge event in LEVEL UP that take place in a hotel, Ideathon, it seemed interesting but lots of events are in polish so i can´t understand anything. But anyway, I supported the girls with the event, with the catering, the pictures and of course with networking. That week, I also had polish lessons and english talk about traditions. It was a very busy week!
On the other hand, between 15-03 to 20-03, I had a trip to Finland. I could visit for 1 day the capital, Helsinki, and the other days I went to Rovaniemi where I could visit Santa Claus Village, see the northern lights, do a hike for amazing landmarks,and meet new people from other countries… It was my dream trip! I am so happy about that trip 🙂
And when I came back to Poland, I continued with Polish lessons and with the work in LCP, and I met the new volunteers, Sacha and Dimitri. We had a good time in a typical Polish bar. For the rest of the week, I went to a training that was organized for Wella Company about Growth Mindset and I was working with Ada and Sofia on the Spanish day.
Last days of March, I was working on the Discussion Panel about women in sports and leadership and in the Mentoring Project, with the offer and the form to send to other organizations, universities and schools.
This month, the weather in Poland was better so I could go to new places in Lodz, such as the Cinematographic Museum or walk around some parks. Also, I could meet new volunteers from France, and spend time with them in a coffee shop.
APRIL
April started with a trip with my family in Slovakia and Austria. I visited Bratislava´s old town, the castle and some small villages near to the Danube River, because we went to Wien by ship. In addition, Wien was so nice, so beautiful, and I could visit Belvedere Palace, some churches, the Prater, the center… and more awesome landmarks. And of course, I spent a really good time with my cousins.
The second week, I had the Mid Term Training in Torun. I met really nice people from Turkey, France, Morocco, Spain… It was really inspiring for me, because we were talking about our projects, our development since the first training, our worries, our highlights and about our future. This last was a difficult topic to discuss, but with our amazing mentor, we could see a big amount of possibilities. Also, we did a lot of activities in the city, and I fell in love with the city, it was so cute!
The third week of April, I went twice to a school to talk about our countries and the ESC program. Also, I had a meeting in the University to share my experience in the ESC program; English Talk about sports; office shift; a meeting with Ania to talk about the Mentoring Project; and a meeting with Ada, my mentor, to talk about my progress here.
The last week of April, I celebrated Easter with my friends in Lodz. I had some meetings in schools and also I organized with Ada and Sofia the Spanish day, where we could talk about our country and we did a cooking workshop, it was really fun! And I traveled to Budapest to see the city and spend a really good time there.
MAY
The month started with a bank holiday, the Polish constitution holiday, and on the 1st of may I could enjoy the marvelous weather in Poland, with the terraces of Piotrkowska street. Also, I spent the first weekend of May in Berlin. It was my first time there and I could visit some historical places, like the jews memorial and some museums about the Second World War and the Cold War. And of course some cultural centres and charming streets.
The second week of May, we had the European day where we could talk about our countries and traditions, and of course about the ESC program. I also had an office shift where I worked in the Volunteer’s Compass <Kompas Wolontariusza> project; I saw for the first time the new office; and we had a workshop with Ada (our mentor) about the clever method, where we could work in depth our values, passions and preference for the future. And on the weekend, I went to Krakow where I could see the beautiful old town. I did a free tour to learn more about the history of the city and I went to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
The third week, I spent more time in the office, because we started to have office shifts in the new office and I helped Ola to order everything there. Also, I had a training with the rest of the ESC volunteers, about SCRIPT led by Monika Ciennik, it was really useful and dynamic and I think that I will use all this information in my future; I started too with the english meetings with the Europe Express´participants, so that they can practice english; and I finished the polish lessons with Marta:(.
The fourth week of May, I had office shifts where I could work on the preparation of the European Day; I had a online training about AI at work; I had other meeting in english with the participants of the Europe Express program; the ngo fairs; and I finished the week with a trip to Copenhaguen.
And in the last days of May, I had office shifts where I could work on the Kompas project; I had the first meeting of the project to talk about the volunteering´s opportunities; I had a training about how to prepare an event; we had a control from the National Agency in the office; and finally I had a meeting with Ania to talk about the progress of my projects and my work in LEVEL UP.
JUNE
The month started with a festival in Lodz, Juvenalia. I went with Ada and Sofia and we met a lot of polish people, the atmosphere was very nice and friendly. We had a nice time there. Also, I had some meetings with the participants of the Compass Project; we already have 5 applications. I went to the office to work and to help Ola; I had the weekly english talks with the Europe Express Participants, in this one the topic was to learn basic spanish expressions and words; we had the European day where we could share information about our countries and cultures; I went to Laurine´s dissemination; and I supported, with Sacha, the event of Discover EU in LCP. As you can see it was a really busy week!
Second week of June, I had an office shift where I could still work on my project and having a meeting with a new participant. I had my last weekly English talk and two events: “Travel around the world” and “Picnic in Polesie”. It was sunny and very busy events, but we get to interact with many people and promote our initiatives.
Last two weeks of my project, I focused on the Compass project and passed it on to other volunteers, as it will be continuing after I come back home. I also helped organise an NGO fair in ŁCP – it was a very big event, and I got to talk about my project with many new people. I have finished all of the other tasks and say my goodbyes.
During my volunteering project with LEVEL UP in Łódź, I had an incredible journey full of personal and professional growth. I participated in numerous activities including English talks, school presentations about ESC, cultural events like Spanish Day and European Day, and developed my own mentoring project called Volunteer’s Compass to help people find volunteering opportunities. I traveled extensively across Poland and Europe, visiting cities like Warsaw, Kraków or Helsinki, Vienna, which allowed me to explore different cultures and make amazing friends from all over the world. The project gave me valuable skills in project management, event organization, and cross-cultural communication, while also helping me discover my passions and values for the future. I will always remember the warmth of the Polish people, the support from my mentor and the LEVEL UP team, the inspiring conversations during trainings, and all the unforgettable moments shared with fellow volunteers. This experience truly changed my perspective on volunteering, community work, and showed me the endless possibilities that exist when you step out of your comfort zone.
This article was created as part of the Individual Volunteering project – LEVEL UP with volunteering (2023-2-PL01-ESC51-VTJ-000173505) implemented by the European Solidarity Corps program with European Union funds.
Author : Marta