Hi! I’m Tobias, a new volunteer here with “Link”. I’m 22 years old, I’m from France but with British and New-Zealander parents. 

I’m currently a student of Anthropology on a gap year, looking for an adventure, opportunities to explore new environments, build new relations and get hands-on experience in projects that matter to me. I’ve wanted to go abroad for a long time and get the chance to learn a new language, meet people from around the world and participate in community driven initiatives. In fact, my original plan was to volunteer right after high school, when I was 18. Unfortunately, Covid-19 had other ideas, so instead of traveling, I went straight to university. Four years later, I realised I still hadn’t given myself the chance to have that kind of international experience, so the plan was clearly overdue.

Then a friend told me about the European Solidarity Corps, which led me to the Auxilium programme. After applying, Mino got back to me and suggested to me a different project: “Link”. It felt like a perfect match. Creating activities, building community, arranging events, all things that strongly connect with both my studies and my personal interests. And being able to work in a library is a huge bonus! It’s been a bit of a life goal of mine (even though I barely read books…).

I’m really looking forward to meeting new people, exchanging stories, and learning about different cultures, which fits perfectly with my studies in anthropology. Beyond that, I’m excited to observe, participate, and better understand how people interact, collaborate, and create things together. I hope that after these six months, I’ll go back home with stronger people skills, lots of inspiration, and a clearer idea of how meaningful connections can be built across differences.

I also really wanted to come to Italy. I have a lot of nostalgia for this country, as I travelled here when I was younger. I also thought learning Italian would be easy since it’s so close to French, like cousin languages. After three days here, I can now confirm that I don’t understand a single word…(except “ciao”). But I’m optimistic!

During my time here, I hope to learn how to create and manage events, contribute to community driven activities, and along the way, hopefully learn a new language. If you're reading this I look forward to meeting you here in Agorateca!