My name is Paula, I come from Spain and I have been volunteering in Petrinja for one
month and a half. I chose to volunteer because I have met so many inspiring people that
had done it, which motivated me to venture into this field, as a way of personal growth,
experience different cultures, and of course helping others.
The work of Udruga IKS ranges from activities with different groups of beneficiaries, like
children, the elderly, the visually impaired, people with mental health issues… As well as
preparing social festivals in the town, Eurodesk projects, and gardening.
The ambience at work is very relaxed and easy going, and we get a lot of liberty when
planning activities, which leaves space for creativity and self organization. The team is very
understanding and supportive, and co-living with the other volunteers is so fun and easy.
When it comes to the work we do as volunteers, I have personally struggled with the
language barrier, as it is sometimes frustrating to not be able to properly communicate
with the beneficiaries. This sometimes complicates activities, but it also forces you to come
up with other ways of communicating that makes interactions more fun and creative.
As for the rest, the work is usually very intuitive and you learn a lot as you go, but it has also
been a challenge to adapt the activities to the timeframe, as well as to organize and divide
the work as a team. This is why it has been so helpful to improve skills like teamwork, time
management, and adaptability according to the needs of the beneficiaries.
When it comes to customs I have had some cultural shocks, but only for good! I come from
Madrid which is a fast paced and busy city, so coming to Petrinja has taught me
community-oriented life, local and sustainable consumption and lifestyle, and to go by in a
slower rhythm. I also love how the Croatian culture and traditions are always so present,
and how Croatians are so proud, outgoing, relaxed and approachable.
Outside of the volunteering duties, we get a lot of time off, which is perfect for socializing,
traveling, and discovering life here. I can happily say I have created many special memories
and bonds with the other volunteers, and even though there isn’t much to do in Petrinja, I
have so much fun hanging out with them. I think sharing an apartment has only brought us
closer and improved the experience, it’s such a nice multicultural space!
Furthermore, I have been pleasantly surprised by how stunning Croatia is. Although public
transport can be a bit of a pain sometimes, it is totally worth it to visit as much as you can. I
personally have been to Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Slano, Rijeka, Krk and Plitvice for now, and fell
completely in love with all of them. I would honestly say Croatia is one of the most beautiful
countries I have visited to this date!
Overall, volunteering with people from diverse backgrounds has had a profound impact on
me, as working directly with the beneficiaries has helped me realise the privileges of my
own life, emphasizing the importance of empathy, patience, and understanding in daily
interactions, and strengthening my sense of responsibility toward the community.
Moreover, living in a shared apartment with other international volunteers and working
closely in teams taught me patience, flexibility, and the importance of clear
communication, especially when navigating cultural differences.
On a personal level, this experience has encouraged self-reflection and growth, confirming
my interest in contributing to social projects while also challenging me to step out of my
comfort zone and embrace new perspectives.
- Paula
In Petrinja, 20.08.2025.
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Moje ime je Paula, dolazim iz Španjolske i volontiram u Petrinji mjesec i pol dana. Odlučila sam volontirati jer sam upoznala mnoge inspirativne ljude koji su to činili, što me motiviralo da se upustim u ovo područje, kao način osobnog rasta, upoznavanja različitih kultura i, naravno, pomaganja drugima.
Rad Udruge IKS obuhvaća aktivnosti s različitim skupinama korisnika, poput djece, starijih osoba, osoba s oštećenjem vida, osoba s problemima mentalnog zdravlja… kao i organiziranje društvenih festivala u gradu, Eurodesk projekata i vrtlarstva.
Atmosfera na poslu vrlo je opuštena i ležerna, a imamo i mnogo slobode pri planiranju aktivnosti, što ostavlja prostor za kreativnost i samostalnu organizaciju. Tim je vrlo razumijevajući i podržavajući, a zajednički život s drugim volonterima zabavan je i jednostavan.
Što se tiče samog rada, osobno sam se susrela s poteškoćama zbog jezične barijere, jer je ponekad frustrirajuće ne moći se pravilno sporazumjeti s korisnicima. To ponekad zakomplicira aktivnosti, ali vas istodobno potiče da pronađete druge načine komunikacije, što interakcije čini zabavnijima i kreativnijima.
Sve u svemu, posao je uglavnom vrlo intuitivan i puno se uči kroz praksu, ali izazov je bio prilagoditi aktivnosti vremenskom okviru, kao i organizirati i podijeliti posao unutar tima. Upravo zbog toga bilo je vrlo korisno razviti vještine poput timskog rada, upravljanja vremenom i prilagodljivosti potrebama korisnika.
Što se tiče običaja, doživjela sam određene kulturne šokove, ali samo pozitivne! Dolazim iz Madrida, koji je brz i užurban grad, pa me dolazak u Petrinju naučio zajednički orijentiranom životu, lokalnoj i održivoj potrošnji i načinu života te usporenijem ritmu. Također volim to što su hrvatska kultura i tradicija uvijek tako prisutne i što su Hrvati toliko ponosni, otvoreni, opušteni i pristupačni.
Izvan volonterskih obaveza imamo mnogo slobodnog vremena, što je savršeno za druženje, putovanja i otkrivanje života ovdje. Mogu s radošću reći da sam stvorila mnogo posebnih uspomena i prijateljstava s ostalim volonterima, i iako u Petrinji nema puno sadržaja, jako se zabavljam družeći se s njima. Mislim da nam je zajednički život u stanu samo pomogao da se više povežemo i poboljšao samo iskustvo – to je jedno jako lijepo multikulturalno okruženje!
Osim toga, ugodno me iznenadilo koliko je Hrvatska prekrasna. Iako javni prijevoz ponekad može biti nezgodan, potpuno se isplati posjetiti što više mjesta. Ja sam, primjerice, do sada bila u Zagrebu, Dubrovniku, Slanom, Rijeci, na Krku i Plitvicama i potpuno sam se zaljubila u sve njih. Iskreno, rekla bih da je Hrvatska jedna od najljepših zemalja koje sam do sada posjetila!
Sve u svemu, volontiranje s ljudima različitih pozadina duboko je utjecalo na mene, jer mi je rad izravno s korisnicima pomogao da shvatim privilegije vlastitog života, naglasio važnost empatije, strpljenja i razumijevanja u svakodnevnim interakcijama te ojačao moj osjećaj odgovornosti prema zajednici.
Štoviše, život u zajedničkom stanu s drugim međunarodnim volonterima i bliska suradnja u timovima naučili su me strpljenju, fleksibilnosti i važnosti jasne komunikacije, osobito pri suočavanju s kulturnim razlikama.
Na osobnoj razini, ovo iskustvo potaknulo me na samorefleksiju i rast, potvrdilo moj interes za doprinos društvenim projektima te me izazvalo da izađem iz svoje zone komfora i prigrlim nove perspektive.
U Petrinji, 20.08.2025.
