VIE+W | My volunteer experience

I personally do not have a classic volunteer experience in helping children or people in difficulty. However, I cannot say that I did nothing concerning volunteer work.

It all started in 2016 when, on the Facebook group of my University, one of my professors shared a post from the city’s volleyball team.

The city volleyball team, the Kioene Padova, is one of the top 10 volleyball team in Italy. It is in the SuperLega championship (comparable to the football Serie A or Ligue 1) that is the best volleyball championship in the world. No foreign volleyball championship has as many good teams as the SuperLega and all the best players choose to play in Italy.

They were looking for hostesses to help them with the public attending the matches.

I love volleyball, it is my favorite sport and I had never thought that I could apply to such a position since in some arenas this type of job is done by other volunteer organizations.

So I applied and I got accepted. However, I could not start right away since I had to go to Belgium to do my Erasmus experience there.

Nevertheless, I started as soon as I got back to Italy and I have been volunteering there since then. However, due to the covid-19 pandemic situation, the arenas are closed to the public, so I do not know if I will be able to continue to work there for this sporting season.

We hostesses do not have an actual uniform, at the beginning we just had to dress with some jeans, a white shirt and a black jacket. Then, the white shirt turned into a green t-shirt with the main sponsor on it, the official supporters green t-shirt.

My main activities were not at all difficult, but I had a lot in return. I just had to go there early, usually three hours before the beginning of the match to distribute the match programs and other pamphlets. Seeing the arena so empty, with no one around alway gives me a sense of peace and of powerfulness.

Then, when they opened the doors to let the public in, I had to help people find their place to sit and helping them if they needed it or help in case of catering. At the same time I could watch the field and see the players warming up. I have to say, that’s a really nice view. Sometimes I had to be at the entrance to check the tickets, so no warming-up for me, helas!

During the match I could do what I wanted, so I basically always set and watched the match for free. Moreover, to repay us hostesses for our work, we had the possibility to accredit a person to enter for free. There is nothing better than watching a volleyball match in the arena, sitting next to your boyfriend who just became a volleyball referee.

At the end of the match, I had to place myself at the entrance of the court to prevent people from entering it before it was allowed. Everyone wants to take a picture with their favourite volleyball player, especially if they are extremely famous: Juantorena, Atanasijevic, Leon, and, above all, Zaytzev (oh, I hate when Kioene Padova plays against Zaytzev’s team!)

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Marta Bragagnolo, intern@ICDET

Explore+ in French #2 | Mother Languages

Hello everyone! ICDET has good news for you... the second Explore+ in French workshop is coming soon! Next week, on Thursday 25th of February, at 5 pm CET / 6 pm EET, we will be speaking about the International Mother Language Day. We will cover the topics of multiculturalism, linguistic and cultural diversity while learning French and even other languages.

Get ready and save the date, see you next week!

VIE+W | Visiting the Belogradchik Fortress

We all love Sofia and visiting the city center: the National Palace of Culture, the parks, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, etc. However, if you need a deep breath of fresh air and escape from the crowds while enjoying nature and a historical environment, one of the best options is to visit Belogradchik’s Fortress.

As its name indicates, this fortress is located in Belogradchik, a town near the Serbian border, in the north-west part of Bulgaria. The easiest and fastest way to get there is by car, and although the 3-hours (from Sofia) drive may seem tough, the roads are in a good state and the landscape is pretty enjoyable. Just remember to have a good playlist! Once you are in the fortress, you need to go to a white ticket office and get the tickets; the standard price is 6 leva, but if you have your student card it will only be 4 leva.

Entering the fortress is being amazed little by little. At first you see a wide green space but then you start noticing some details that awake your curiosity. There are some “windows” from which you see the fantastic views to the woods and beyond, and there are also points that make you understand why would romans build a fortress in such a place. The height and the distance leave the fortress isolated, as if you were alone in the middle of nowhere. Yet, at the same time, you are in the middle of everything. Wherever you look there are either mountains or standing rocks, one of the most famous traits of this location.

Belogradchik is not only popular due to its splendid views but also because of the fortress’ history. Its strategic location amongst natural walls was first used by the romans. After several reconstructions, in the 14th Century it was used as a strong military defense against the Ottoman empire; however, when this latter conquered Bulgaria and held power, it was reconstructed and reinforced. The last time the fortress was employed for military purposes was during the Serbo-Bulgarian war in 1885.

All the history it conveys, its strategic position and its natural wonders make Belogradchik's fortress a must in the list of places to visit in Bulgaria.

If you are interested, note that there is also an astronomic park just next to the fortress, as well as routes surrounding it to go with bicycle or walking.

Now that you know about it, you can’t miss a trip to this lovely place!

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Marina Palau, intern@ICDET