Happy about life

Spending two months volunteering in Aruba was a transformative experience that left a lasting impression on me. The island’s natural beauty, vibrant culture, and time spent with the hosting organization and the local people made for an unforgettable journey of personal and professional growth.

From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed into a supportive and vibrant team. CEDE, the organization I worked with, supports and helps other NGOs and projects on the island. I met my fellow “dushi” volunteers, David and Francesca, and we quickly grew close as we worked and lived together, forming friendships that I will cherish forever. Our strong bond set the foundation for a great time spent in Aruba. Each night, we would share stories, learn about each other’s backgrounds, and explore the island together.

Aruba’s stunning landscapes and rich culture were both relaxing and awe-inspiring. In my free time, I soaked in the sun on pristine white sand beaches, explored the island, and participated in various local activities. I hung out with the locals, made great friendships, and immersed myself in the local way of life. The warm-hearted people, relaxed lifestyle, and amazing music made every day a memorable adventure.

Professional experience

My main role in Aruba involved marketing, helping CEDE prepare for future ESC projects and how they are going to present themselves with the goal to attract more participants. This allowed me to apply my skills meaningfully and make a significant impact. 

I was working with Nygel (my supervisor) who had a marketing background to envision and discuss the possible changes that could be made to boost their presence. What kind of videos should CEDE post, what should be the general message, their branding and core values. We had an in-depth analysis of other NGOs and their strategies, strengths and weaknesses and saw what can be adopted and replicated on the island. 

It was fun and challenging to think outside the box and come up with new solutions. I also worked on making some landing pages that would address the frequent questions that were being asked and give a glimpse of the expectations and possibilities for the potential volunteers on the ESC opportunities provided. Overall, I learned a lot and practiced many new tools like Framer, Figma and Canva.

The experience taught me valuable lessons in marketing strategy and community engagement, showing me how to reach out to people and adapt my perspective on Caribbean life to encourage volunteering in Europe.

We also facilitated and helped organize an Erasmus project called “Bridge to Europe” where multiple people joined from the other Dutch Caribbean islands and from parts of Europe. The topic was to connect and discuss what it feels to be European. There were multiple sessions where we shared our values, feelings and perceptions of what being European meant for all of us. 

At the end of it there was huge progress where we connected between each other and gained perspective of other people’s points of view. It was thrilling to be in a vibrant group with new friends, partners and amazing memories made.

Absorbing the culture

Throughout my time in Aruba, I met incredible people from diverse backgrounds. I had an amazing mentor who helped me get the local vibe and guided me whenever I needed help. Nygel, and our wonderful facilitator, Xenia, kept the atmosphere light, fun, and professional. These connections broadened my perspective and enriched my understanding of the world. I never expected that the people there would be so Balkan like, caring, valuing the small moments and cherishing connections above all. 

There were many challenges as well like the hot humid weather, the new languages we were adjusting to like Spanish, Dutch, English and Papiamento, the animals I’ve never seen before like iguanas and geckos everywhere and the cute sand owls.
Ultimately, working closely with others, I honed my communication and teamwork skills, which will benefit me in all future projects.

Volunteering in Aruba was a life-changing experience. The two months passed quickly, but the friendships, cultural immersion, professional growth, and personal development I gained will stay with me forever. This journey not only allowed me to contribute to a meaningful cause but also helped me grow in ways I never imagined.

Dushi

I want to leave you, dear reader, with a gift, and that is the word “dushi”. I used it in the beginning of this article and it is my most loved new word I ever adopted. And I hope I can convince you to use it as well.

“Dushi” is a dynamic Papiamento word. In Aruba, “dushi” can mean a lot of things; it can be used to describe food as ‘sweet‘ or ‘yummy‘, or to describe a good feeling (good music, a great vibe), but it is also used as a term of endearment for your friends or your lover, translated as ‘sweetheart‘ or ‘sweetie‘. Dushi is used in flirting as well. When you say someone is “dushi” it is comparable to saying someone is ‘hot‘. 

Basically, for me everything that I enjoy is dushi… “Dushi” is dushi! It sounds similar and correlates nicely with my languages for ‘душа’ which means ‘soul’ and its variations which all accent the amazing side of someone.

Lastly, I passionately encourage anyone who wants to make a difference to get involved in an ESC project to take that step. And trust me, IT’S WORTH IT! The experiences and memories you make will stay with you forever and enrich your life in ways you would never expect.

Mario Krstevski