"Omnia Mutantur: My First Month in Angered - Zakaria
Hej! My name is Zakaria. I'm 23 years old, and I come from Italy and Poland, and I'm a master's student in East European and Eurasian studies. I'm a new volunteer at Fjället, and I'm writing after my first month here! It's been quite intensive, but very positive: meeting lots of new people, finally living in my favourite country on Earth, and getting to know Fjället and daily life in Angered. I chose to apply to our youth centre because I was, and still am, captivated by its approach and the role it gives to youth: you're not passive members of the centre but the fabric that composes it; you are entrusted by the staff and free to explore your inner self while creating a strong community and lifelong memories. I think that's so wholesome!
My first month at Fjället was full of emotions; each day, I'm so grateful to be part of it and for the warm support I received, both from the staff and the youth. When I think about it, I remember my first Killmiddag and the amazing boys who took part! I was surprised by their lovely attitude and behaviour, calm yet lively, and the yumminess of the tacos they cooked; or my first MiniFjället, when, after some hours spent in the house playing FIFA, talking and baking, we all went to the park to play soccer and had lots of fun! The atmosphere was friendly, and the competitiveness was totally replaced by care and teamwork.
In September, I also had my on-arrival training in Stockholm, and if I'm honest, I was a little sad to miss a whole week! That sadness quickly turned into enthusiasm when I met the 14 amazing volunteers training with me. We all bonded and got to know each other: we shared plenty of stories about our lives, our respective volunteering experiences, and why we're here. I felt part of a larger multicultural community, as you all may feel when you think about Fjället. That feeling was incredible because it made me realise I'm not alone. When it comes to the city - WOW, I always thought that Stockholm was the best city ever, from the first time that I went there during a middle school exchange trip, and I was extremely pleased when I found that my opinion didn't change at all; maybe it got even stronger! We had the chance to explore the capital multiple times, from Norrmalm to Södermalm, and everything that I saw left me speechless. I fell in love with Lake Mälaren and its views; Gamla Stan and its stunning historical buildings; all the islands, big and small, that we explored; Kärsön, where we stayed the whole week, and its picturesque nature. Everything was truly incredible!
I'm lucky to say that, so far, I haven't encountered any major difficulties or obstacles. I'm not very nostalgic for my hometown in Italy (shoutout to Cesena, ti amo tantissimo), since I'm exactly where I always wanted to be, and I really hope that I will be in the future; or my family and friends, whom I deeply love and stay in contact with - even though sometimes it might get difficult since I'm living in my own bubble kilometres away from them. The only issue I can think of is the language barrier. I really want to learn Swedish and be able to communicate with everybody in their main language, but I know it might take time and a lot of energy. Nevertheless, I want to do it, and I'm ready for this huge challenge!
I'm really looking forward to the months ahead: learning more, developing my projects, getting to know the youth and colleagues better, and leaving a small positive mark on Fjället. As the Latin saying goes, "Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis": All things change, and we change with them. Next time I write, I hope to have at least a few more Swedish sentences in my pocket. Tack för allt, and see you around!"