“Journey before destination – there are always several ways to achieve a goal. (…)” – Stormlight Archive Saga by Brandon Sanderson.
The summary of Daniel’s volunteering project Challenge Yourself in Rybnik 2.0 starts with the quote. I am inviting you to read more about his adventure.
Close to the end of my project I realized something. I had made mistakes in my past, but if someone offer me to change them, I will refuse, because my mistakes form part of the path that I did to be here today. Step out of your comfort zone it is something really scary, but the rewards are amazing.
Coming to Poland was something in my to-do-list for a long time. I have Spanish friend here, many friends tell me so well about Poland and I participated in others projects with a Polish association, so I have a lot of Polish friends here too. So, when they choose me to come to Rybnik, I was truly happy about it.
I always say that to be a true volunteer you should expect nothing of it. However, at the end there is always a reward. Of course, not in a material way, but in an experience way or even in a soul or inside way. Every time I finished a volunteer it made me feel so great and full of energy and has taught me a lot.
Thanks to Zabytkowa Kopalnia Iganacy I discovered a lot about Poland and its history. Now I am more awareness about Silesian problems and situation. Also, I am more concern about how luckily, I am being Spanish and European citizen, than other volunteers that are not. I had visited so many cities, met a lot of wonderful people and visited my friends here and even in others parts of Europe, like Prague.
Even this project gives me the courage to try to stay in Poland a little bit longer, I want to learn Polish, discover every corner of this amazing country, still be an independent person and keep challenging myself. I started with the Journey before destination quote and I want to finish it with a Spanish poem by Antonio Machado which speak about how there is not path, we do the path by walking it.
“Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.”
Article and presentation prepared by Daniel Goméz Carrasco! Thanks!
Daniel was one of the last volunteers in the frame of Challenge Yourself in Rybnik 2.0 European Solidarity Corps volunteering project.
