My name is Branislav Gabric. For me, volunteering has been a fantastic learning experience that has greatly boosted my personal and professional development. The training I went through as a volunteer prepared me for a large number of activities and jobs that I enjoyed during my 6-month stay in Klagenfurt. I had wonderful mentors who were very helpful in setting clear goals and showing me how to achieve them. I had the opportunity to improve my language and intercultural skills, learned to live independently, overcome challenges and work in a team. Volunteering has improved my organizational skills.

Living in another country and discovering its secrets, learning about other cultures and meeting new friends was an inevitable part of my volunteering.

Volunteering is much more than just an opportunity to show solidarity, it has also brought new ideas and introduced a multicultural spirit to the local community and organization where I volunteered. I became part of a wonderful community.

Thanks to the international dimension and its informal approach, this volunteering project was a unique opportunity for me to get to know different cultures and to acquire skills that are useful for personal and professional development. At volunteer meetings in Vienna and Salzburg, I met enthusiastic volunteers from different countries, their culture, traditions, customs and beliefs, I learned basics of the German language, gained new knowledge and skills in communication and public speaking, exchanged experiences and ideas with other students on important topics, participated in the organization of events and activities and developed an international network of contacts.

When I return to Serbia, I will stay in touch with the community in Carinthia and Austria, remember the wonderful friendships with the volunteers, share my experiences and inspire other students to try this activity.