*scroll down for Croatian translation
Hi ! My name is Chiara, I’m 20 years old and I come from the south of France, in Aix-en- Provence. I love this city, you should try to visit it ! You can eat in delicious restaurants, do shopping or just drink something outside while the sun warms your skin.
Before living in Aix-en-Provence, I was next to Paris, in a town called Cormeilles-en-Parisis. I did all my childhood in this city. In 2021, I moved to the south of France with my parents and my two sisters. Over there, I started my law studies. Today, I did 3 years so I obtained my
license. I love being a student, go to the university, learn new things, hang out with my friends …
But law studies are also very stressful and my mental health has gradually deteriorated last year. So, my motivation for finishing my university year properly was the gap year I decided to take. I made a pact with myself: “If I get my degree with a good average, next year I am going on an adventure, I am taking a break!”
And now I’m here ! From September to December, I worked in a brunch restaurant and that was a very good experience ! My team became a real family and I learn a lot of things on myself : being patient, to be of service to people while smiling without showing tiredness. Today I’m here, in Petrinja, until middle March, to continue my year of discoveries, but this time abroad. My goal is to feel useful, to meet people from other countries and who has different habits than me, and obviously improve my English (because the stereotype that French people are the worst at English is absolutely true ;)).
Finally, my main objective is to grow up my self-confidence and prove to myself that I can help people and change little things.
In my life, during my free time, I love doing sport like Pilates, running or dancing. I feel better when I can move my body. Also, I love doing creative things like coloring, painting or creating little things with my hands. It helps me relax and put my brain on “pause”. Obviously, I love spend time with my family, hanging out with my friends and my boyfriend, doing activities with them, laughing and create memories. Before go back in France, I hope that my visit during 2 months in Petrinja will have helped people, and also that I will have met other incredible volunteers and that I will simply have wonderful memories in my head.
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Bok! Moje ime je Chiara, imam 20 godina i dolazim s juga Francuske, iz Aix-en-Provencea. Obožavam ovaj grad, stvarno biste ga trebali posjetiti! Možete jesti u odličnim restoranima, ići u shopping ili jednostavno popiti piće vani dok vam sunce grije kožu.
Prije života u Aix-en-Provenceu živjela sam blizu Pariza, u gradu koji se zove Cormeilles-en-Parisis. Tamo sam provela cijelo svoje djetinjstvo. Godine 2021. preselila sam se na jug Francuske s roditeljima i svoje dvije sestre. Tamo sam započela studij prava. Danas sam završila tri godine studija i stekla diplomu prvostupnice. Volim biti studentica – ići na fakultet, učiti nove stvari, družiti se s prijateljima…
Međutim, studij prava je također vrlo stresan i moje se mentalno zdravlje prošle godine postupno pogoršalo. Zato je moja motivacija da uspješno završim akademsku godinu bila pauza (gap year) koju sam odlučila uzeti. Sklopila sam dogovor sama sa sobom:
„Ako diplomiram s dobrim prosjekom, sljedeće godine idem u avanturu i uzimam pauzu.“
I sada sam ovdje! Od rujna do prosinca radila sam u brunch restoranu i to je bilo jako lijepo iskustvo. Moj tim postao je prava mala obitelj i naučila sam puno o sebi: kako biti strpljiva, kako služiti ljudima s osmijehom, čak i kada sam umorna.
Danas sam ovdje, u Petrinji, do sredine ožujka, kako bih nastavila svoju godinu otkrivanja, ali ovaj put u inozemstvu. Moj cilj je osjećati se korisno, upoznati ljude iz drugih zemalja i s drugačijim navikama te, naravno, poboljšati svoj engleski (jer je stereotip da su Francuzi loši u engleskom – apsolutno točan 😉). Na kraju, moj glavni cilj je ojačati samopouzdanje i dokazati sebi da mogu pomagati ljudima i mijenjati male stvari.
U slobodno vrijeme volim se baviti sportom poput pilatesa, trčanja ili plesa. Osjećam se bolje kada mogu pokretati svoje tijelo. Također volim kreativne aktivnosti poput bojanja, slikanja ili izrade malih stvari rukama – to mi pomaže da se opustim i „stavim mozak na pauzu“.
Naravno, volim provoditi vrijeme s obitelji, družiti se s prijateljima i dečkom, raditi aktivnosti zajedno, smijati se i stvarati uspomene.
Prije povratka u Francusku, nadam se da će moj dvomjesečni boravak u Petrinji pomoći ljudima, da ću upoznati druge nevjerojatne volontere i da ću ponijeti sa sobom predivne uspomene.
Hvala IKS-u što ste me primili i omogućili mi da ovo međukulturno iskustvo postane stvarnost. 🤍
