Get to know our ESC volunteers - Gabriella

Where are you from?

I am from south Italy, Naples.

What is your training or background in circus or the arts?

While I was working toward degrees in languages and in fine arts, I spent years studying theatre and aerial silks at the same time. After six years, I left theatre to dedicate myself to aerial silks and rope which I have now been doing for the past six years.

What made you want to volunteer at GCC?

When I saw the project, I saw a school where I could teach and put into practice what I learnt, but most of all I saw a place where I could learn a lot of disciplines and activities from others – disciplines that I could not find in Naples. In Naples it also would have been much less manageable to be a teacher in this field since there are less opportunities, and there is no circus school there.

Who is your sending organisation? Tell us about them.

NOI @ Europe

What do you love about working with GCC?

I really like that the environment includes people from different countries, which is the kind of environment that I enjoy the most. I also like that I have the space to put in practice what I learnt about theatre, silks and performing arts.

What projects are you working on at the circus and what results do you hope to achieve?

Unfortunately, I will not be able to achieve the results I had planned, and I will not be able to do the projects I wanted to due to health problems. At the moment I am working on posters and graphics for the circus school, which is enabling me to put into practice what I studied for at the Fine Arts Academy.

What do you love about Ireland?

I still do not know how I feel about Ireland in general. I specifically like Galway because this city is multicultural and, again, this is the kind of environment I enjoy.

What are a few important things you have learned while volunteering with GCC?

At GCC I learnt, first of all, how to make the basics of a discipline even more simple for those who need it. Then I learnt that when I have the chance to lead activities or an entire class, teaching makes me learn new things, even about things I already know, through the relationships with the students.

What is one thing you love about circus in general?

I like that circus is like theatre, which means it is about playing with apparently nonsensical things that actually, eventually, become a means of expression.

Why do you think a program like ESC is important?

Programmes like the European Solidarity Corps are extremely important because they offer a chance to go abroad to those who do not have the opportunity (socially, economically) to do university Erasmus programmes.

The experience abroad gives young people the opportunity to experience different ways of living. It is not only about getting to know different cultures, but it is also about different and new people getting to know you, which allows you to act in new ways and discover new things about yourself.

The European Solidarity Corps programme also gives young people more and different options for the types of activities they like to do. For a lot of young people, it is not possible for them to do the things they like to do in the places they are born, as those opportunities are not offered there.

Would you recommend that other people apply to volunteer at organisations through the ESC programme? Why?

I would highly recommend volunteering in European Solidarity Corps projects to both people who already have had an experience abroad and people who still have not.

For those who have already experienced living abroad, the programme is great for both learning and planning things for your future, since you already know yourself and what you want to do, better than you did before.

For those who have still not had an experience abroad, the programme gives a certain level of protection in that you do not have to worry about making a living right away, allowing you to focus on the psychological side of your experience, giving you a lot of time and stimuli to grow as a person.

You can learn more about the European Solidarity Corps here or visit the European Solidarity Corps page on our website for more information.