Project code: 2025-1-HU01-ESC51-VTJ-000347162
My first month in Fót has been exciting, full of new impressions and a bit challenging. When I arrived in Fót for the first time everything was new and so different to what I am used to. As I come from Berlin a very busy City and I now found myself in a town of around 20.000 inhabitants. However, I was very curious about it and the changing environment just encouraged me to adapt.
Hello everyone, my name is Veronica, I’m 23 years old and I come from Ciriè, a small town near
Turin, in northern Italy.
Since I recently completed my bachelor’s degree and my year of civil service in a municipal office ended last June, I was looking for a new adventure abroad. I previously had the opportunity to spend one academic year in France through the Erasmus+ programme, and I wanted to experience something similar again. That’s why I decided to become an ESC volunteer, and I’m very grateful to now be part of this project in Fót, Hungary.
Even though my stay here won’t be long, I want these three months to be a period of personal growth.
My goals are to improve my English and overcome my insecurities by stepping out of my comfort zone. At the same time, I am taking this gap year before my master's degree to figure out what I really want for my future.
Living abroad during this time will allow me to discover a new country with its traditions, people, food, and lifestyle. I consider myself to be open-minded and curious about these things, in fact I love travelling, which helps me broaden my horizons; to me, the main purpose of travelling is listening to other people’s life stories, which can be truly eye-opening.
My other hobbies include reading, writing in my personal journal, playing sports like volleyball, or running. I also like crafting, collecting coins and solving logic games such as Sudoku.
As days go by, I’m starting to get used to my new Hungarian life, and I’m looking forward to discovering what this country has to offer.
Hello!/ Sziasztok! My name is Tatiana, I am 23 years old and I am from Bucharest, Romania. I recently graduated from university, having a Master’s in Legal Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Psychology.
I decided to join the volunteer project in Fót, because I like challenging myself and stepping out of my comfort zone. Fortunately, this is not my first experience living abroad (during my studies, I participated in 3 Erasmus mobilities, each lasting one semester), so it didn’t take me long time to adapt in Hungary.
Even though I finished my studies, I haven’t decided yet what career path I want to follow. However, one thing is clear: I want to make a difference by helping people and contributing to their communities. I believe that even small actions can create meaningful change and volunteering is a wonderful way to contribute while learning from others. I love working closely with young people and children and I am happy that this project gives me the chance to do that both in the kindergarten and in the high school.
During this project, I hope to gain more experience working with children and teenagers, to improve my intercultural and communication skills and to learn more about the Hungarian culture.
In my free time, I love going on spontaneous trips, exploring nature and taking pictures. I also like reading, expressing my creativity through different arts and crafts, going to theatre and spending time with my friends and family.
I am looking forward to this new chapter of my life and to all the experiences, people and lessons it will bring! :)
Hey everyone, my name is Peer I am 18 years old and from Berlin the capital of Germany. I just finished school in the summer of 2025 and was looking for a new adventure. For that I didn’t only want to travel but also do something with a purpose. That is why I wanted to do a voluntary service where I can engage in a community. I decided to go to the small town of Fót near Budapest because I wanted to have a contrast to my busy hometown Berlin, and I am very interested in Hungarian culture.
Furthermore, I am a very active person and love the outdoors. I play football in a club, enjoy Volleyball, Basketball and running. I go for hikes and like to spend time in nature. While doing sports and being active I listen to a lot of music as it has always been a part of me. When I am not outside, I enjoy reading and cooking various meals from all around the world. So, the challenge of living on my own gives me the perfect opportunity to improve my cooking skills even more.
After I read about the program, I immediately knew it was the right one as it matched my interests. When I applied and got in contact with the organization, I encountered a lot of nice and
welcoming people. This was also very important to me as I love to socialize and learn about new people.
From this time during my volunteering, I hope to become more independent and to learn about life. I also want to improve my English skills and hope to learn a bit Hungarian during everyday
situations. In addition, I’m looking forward to meeting new people and hearing about their stories. In general, I hope to grow as a person.
Project code: 2024-1-HU01-ESC51-VTJ-000205308
The ESC programme is promoted in the local newspaper: "Fóti Hirnök"
My School Experience
My experience at the schools and high schools in Fót, Hungary, has been one of the most enriching of my life. Since I started attending once or twice a week, I’ve immersed myself in a completely new environment that has changed my perspective in many ways. Primarily, I attend English classes, and through them, I’ve learned a lot not only about the language but also about the teenagers who speak it.
Sziasztok! Dani vagyok, 21 éves.
Tősgyökeres fótiként ez a város mindig is fontos része volt az életemnek. Ide köt kismillió emlék, itt találtam meg azokat a dolgokat, amik igazán boldoggá tesznek. Jelenleg gyógypedagógiai asszisztensnek tanulok, mert szeretek emberekkel foglalkozni, segíteni másoknak és hiszek az esélyegyenlőség létjogosultsában. Emellett falat mászok, hisz kell valami, ami levezeti az energiát, és közben megtanít arra, hogyan koncentráljak, küzdjek és haladjak előre. De ami igazán az életem középpontjában áll, az a színház és a szereplés. Ha lehetőség van rá, hogy színpadra álljak vagy szervezzek valamit, akkor ott vagyok. A színjátszás számomra nem csak egy hobbi, hanem egy olyan közeg, ahol nem fél az ember kifejezni önmagát és ahol olyan kreatív energiák szabadulnak fel mint sehol máshol.
Ebben a városban nőttem fel, itt élek, ezért szeretném, ha a közösségi élet pezsgőbb lenne, különösen a fiatalok számára. Sokan érzik úgy, hogy itt nincs elég lehetőség, nincs elég
program – ezen szeretnék változtatni. Jó lenne, ha a helyi fiatalok nem csak elmenni akarnának innen, hanem látnák, hogy itt is lehet számos dolgot csinálni. Szeretem a pörgést,
az új kihívásokat. Ez a projekt erre ad lehetőséget, én pedig szeretném a saját ötleteimmel és munkámmal ezt előremozdítani.
Hi everyone, my name is Dustin, I’m 21 years old, and I’m from Haselünne, Germany. For the duration of this project, I am living in Fót, near Budapest, Hungary.
I studied at a Gymnasium but left after the 10th grade to start an apprenticeship as a fitness salesman, which I completed in 2024. Since I’ve always wanted to do something voluntary
and have a strong interest in traveling, discovering new cultures, and meeting new people, I decided to join right away.
Another reason this opportunity was perfect for me is that I wasn’t sure which career path I wanted to take next. So, this experience came at just the right time. My main goals during
these four months are to improve my English, learn Hungarian, and immerse myself in the culture and community here.
I’m really excited to be part of this journey and to see what the next few months will bring!
Hey, I’m Mark, 20 years old, and I’m from Papenburg, a small town up in the north of Germany. After finishing school, I started feeling like I needed to break out of my routine and see something new. I was a bit stuck in my hometown and knew I had to make a move, so I started thinking about doing a year abroad. Hungary caught my eye because it’s not your typical destination—there’s something about it that feels more off the beaten path, which I found really exciting. Plus, the nature here completely blew me away. I remember after my interview, where I met my super friendly bosses, it just clicked. I knew this was where I wanted to be, and that this year was going to be something special.
Sports have always been a big part of my life. I love staying active, whether it’s running, playing basketball, or trying out new things like wakeboarding, parkour, or even breakdancing. I’m always down to challenge myself and try something different—it keeps life interesting and gives me a good rush. But I’m not just about sports. I’m also really into going to festivals and taking road trips with my friends. There’s nothing better than hopping in a car with some good music, great company, and just hitting the road without a real plan, seeing where the day takes us.
Speaking of music, I’m obsessed. I could spend hours diving into new tracks, discovering different genres, and letting the music set the vibe. Music’s a huge part of my life—it’s always there, whether I’m working out, chilling with friends, or just watching the sunset. And honestly, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a good sunset. There’s something about watching the sky change colors at the end of the day that just makes me feel grounded and at peace, no matter what else is going on.
Right now, I’m just taking life as it comes, soaking up everything this year has to offer. I don’t have everything figured out yet, but I’m enjoying the adventure and looking forward to seeing what the future brings. For now, it’s all about living in the moment and making the most of every experience
Hi everyone I’m Anna and I’m 24 years old. I live in the north of Italy near Venice. I have a degree in Political Science and Human Rights in Padua and after that I worked as e educator with children in a school. But now I’m trying to understand my future job.
Which are my passions? I love animals, in fact I have one dog, his name is Jack and two cats, Blue and Luna. In my free time I prefer reading a book, listening to music ( especially rock or pop) and hiking mountains. Of course staying with my friends and my family, like having dinner together or drinking something.
My plans in Fot are many: of course I desire helping local people and meeting new friends. Also I’m here for learning better English. I’m enjoying staying here and discover more places. And of course Hungarian food. There are a lot of farms, so it a good point for me. I hope that this experience helps me to be more independent and confident about myself.
Hello! My name is Nuria, I am 22 years old and I am from Spain, Madrid.
I was looking for a change of scenery, and then some friends told me why not go volunteering.
I searched a lot and I loved this project for many reasons. One of them was to work in nature and at the same time with the young people of the neighborhood.
It is also a great opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and at the same time a great challenge to grow mentally and as a person. Now I am very happy and it will be eight months that I will never forget.
Project code: 2022-1-HU01-ESC51-VTJ-000065987
During her brief involvement at our Fót location, Csenge started activitites for young people in the Youth-Club at the lake Somlyó (encouraging outdoors games, board games, billiard, etc), making the Club more cosy and clean.