This month has certainly been different and significant in my experience in Greece.My first important decision has been to dedicate all my time to the House of Arsis, which for me has been a great discovery of myself, considering that when I started I had doubts if it was for me and if I would want to stay for a long time. During this month, and because of everything I have learned so far, I have naturally understood that my place is now there and that my energy and dedication somehow have to be with the people there.Despite having made this decision with a lot of confidence, this month has been very complicated for me. I have realized that my relationships with the children are strong and meaningful, but that at times I have felt stuck and lacking in creativity to do activities with them. Finding a balance as to where to put my energy can be difficult and I am in the process of learning that right now.A highlight of this month is that I have had the opportunity to go to Spain and be surrounded by the people I love the most, which has made me feel great during my time there, and also disconnect from here in a good way. Although I was ready to go back, the restart became uphill as from then on I started going to the House without my roommate and friend Miriam, who is now back in Italy continuing her experience in this sector. The first days without her were a bit sad for me because we were always very supportive of each other. But I take this opportunity to mention how great she has done things at the House and how much the kids appreciate her. For all this, the month of October – the Equator of the project – has definitely been a turning point in this experience. In this month my role in the House of Arsis has evolved and I am happy because I feel more and more connected to the children and more able to be autonomous. I have learned that doing creative activities with the children is a unique way of interacting with them. I have also learnt that the real meaning of doing an activity together is that they trust me and that leads them to seek for more time with me. Understanding that has meant discovering a source of motivation for me. During this month I have enjoyed Thessaloniki spending more time with friends and I have felt that this is my place now. I feel that I still have things to give and things to learn, and at the same time all these changes and learnings are starting to make me wonder about the future. The experience that has definitely fulfilled me this month has been to visit Mount Olympus and do an 8-hour hike up to thousands of metres high. It was the most difficult route I have done so far and the view makes it well worth the effort it takes to climb. Don’t hesitate to go for it if you have the chance and you like challenges 🙂
