Hi I’m Sophia, I'm 23 years old. I’m from Marseille, and I’m an INTP, which means I’m analytical, curious, and love exploring ideas. One of the main missions I came for is the creation of VOICES magazine. Creating articles has always interested me and especially writing for a magazine so it is beneficial for me…
I wouldn’t have read this editorial a few years ago. Back then I wouldn’t read editorials, introductions, author’s notes... I was always too excited to jump straight into the article I wanted to read. Why should I read about the behind the scenes of the article? With time and experience, the world around us changes…
Hello, my name is Adrien, I'm 22 years old, and I'm from Saint-Tropez in the south of France. I studied graphic design for two years after high school, finishing in December and graduating. Then I had a sudden realization: I wanted to go abroad. In January, I did my first two-month volunteer placement in Petrinja,…
Hi, I’m Berna from Türkiye. I’m 23 years old, and I’ve been living in Istanbul, but recently I felt like I needed a change, new places, and a different atmosphere. That’s what brought me to Macedonia. I’ve always been someone who notices the little things, like the atmosphere of a street or the feeling of…
Zdravo everyone, My name is Aurélie, and I’m from Marseille, France. Rather than writing a long paragraph, I’ll list 10 facts about myself: I’m a Taurus, first things first. I was born in Paris, but I live in Marseille. I dislike loud people. I’m an ENTP on the MBTI. I love the sound of Balkan…
Hello, my name is Karola and I came to Skopje from the capital of Polish Song - Opole. I have just graduated from European Diplomacy and an LL.M. in International & European Law. Before officially closing the “kidult” chapter of my life, I wanted to do something meaningful and experience something new. That’s how I…
Hello, My name is Piotr and I come from Opole, Poland. I have finished my masters in economics. Now I am exploring my adult life. I think it is the perfect time for volunteering. Before job, kids and mortgage. I love exploring new countries and cultures. I hope my visit to Macedonia and trips to…
Hi everyone! My name is Žaneta, and I come from a small village in Slovakia. Since I was a child, I have dreamed about exploring new countries and discovering different cultures, and that curiosity is still very much a part of me. I would say that my journey of exploring the world began with a…
Hi ! I’m Paul, I’m from France and I just turned eighteen in September. After finishing high school, I was completely lost about what I wanted to do next, and what I wanted to study. I was living in a small city, so I was seeing the same people all the time. I obviously needed…
Hi! I am Carolina, a French-Brazilian 21 years-old living in Paris. After studying history and art history I wanted to discover different parts of the world and their people. Taking a gap year and volunteering seemed like a great opportunity to do so! I just stepped foot on Macedonian soil two days ago and I…
⭐Lea: Life in Skopje is so different. It is unpredictable. It is surprising. Sometimes taking all my willpower and strength. Still, so beautiful. The people, the cultures, the different ways of living. All the new things I get to do and see. It is changing me in ways I never expected, and I enjoy this…
Ahoj! As we say in Slovakia. Where I am from, sometimes during the winter, we get to play ice hockey on frozen lakes. I love it. The freedom, cold air and the sport. Other than moving in any way possible, you name it: tennis, ping pong, football, swimming or ninja… I will gladly join! I…
While traveling to a new place and starting a new life, a new job, building new relations, you will always be accompanied by one constant: things are going to change. Since my arrival in Macedonia, this is what I struggle with the most. I keep telling myself I want to discover as much as possible…
Hello and welcome to the November edition of VOICES, This month, we sadly say goodbye to two long-term volunteers at VCS. I’m Cassandre, also a long-termer, and watching volunteers leave is always bittersweet, especially Terry and Chloe, the last ones from when I first arrived. In this editorial, they share their final thoughts and reflections,…
Hello! My name is Arthur, I graduated in Philosophy, and have worked as a French teacher for more than one year now. I come from a small city next to Lyon, France, which I really like, but the call for adventure was bigger than that love for my hometown, so here I am. As a…
Hallo! I’m Nelli, an 18-year-old from Thuringia, the green heart of Germany. After finally finishing high school this spring, I knew it was time to try something new before choosing my life's path. Also, because different cultures and countries have always interested me, I thought volunteering for a year would be an awesome opportunity to…
Hallo! My name is Lea and I am an 18-year-old high school graduate from Germany. For as long as I can remember, I always dreamed of moving abroad and discovering new places and cultures. After spending a lot of time researching for opportunities to do exactly that after finishing school (honestly, most of the research…
Since I arrived in Macedonia, I have felt a small shift inside me. It might be the way people open me their doors without hesitation, or how a shared drink can turn strangers into something closer. The welcome I’ve received here has been more than politeness, it feels like a real invitation to belong, to…
I was certainly aware that the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), held in Skopje from July 20-26, would teach me something as an Olympic volunteer, but it went beyond my expectations. I spent the entire week at the venue with competitions in taekwondo, which allowed me to see a world I hadn't previously been aware…
In April, I was sitting on campus in Ankara, just thinking about summer internship plans. I had no idea that in just a few weeks, everything in my life would change. While browsing through the university’s programs, I came across a three-month volunteering opportunity in Skopje, Macedonia. At that moment, I realized that something important…