Who I am and why I chose Estonia and a kindergarten for my volunteering project
I ́m Jana from the south of Bavaria in the south of Germany where we have many mountains and much
nature. I ́m 19 years old and so I just finished grammar school last June
As I didn’t know what to study exactly, I got the idea of doing a volunteering service. Therefore, I decided
to do it abroad for improving my existing language skills, learning a new one and discovering a new
country. During my research, I found out about the ESC program and applied to some projects in
different countries. Finally, I chose Estonia because that was completely new for me. I haven ́t been in
Estonia or neighboured countries of Estonia before, can ́t speak the language and didn’t know much
about it. So it was a perfect possibility regarding my desires: discovering a new country, improving my
English (and French) skills, learning a new language and experiencing something completely new in
general. As I grew up in a small village, I was also a bit curious how living in a (capital) city will be.
I was quite open about the project too but then very happy that I finally chose a kindergarten because I
really love the work with children. Since 5 years now, I ́m training children between the age of 5 and 16
in getting better in skiing and since 4 years in inline skating. After the volunteering year, I really hope that
I can continue that beside my studies. That ́s why I want to improve the skills which you need while
working with children and take the experiences I already made for the work in the kindergarten.
Short description of the ESC program
ESC stands for European Solidarity Corps and is a program founded by the European Commission to
encourage young people all over Europe to interact and improve their own skills and get new
experiences alone and together with other volunteers. As it is from the European Union, it ́s an
accredited program and you get a certificate what could be practical later for finding studies or a job at
the end of the project.
Life in Tallinn
I arrived in Estonia on Saturday, the 16th of September. It started quite good because there was a light
festival on that evening where I went with my flatmates and some of their mentors.
The next days weren’t the best because normally my mentor told me that she will show me the old town
but then she always had other things to do and my flatmates didn ́t really want to go out and then the
weather was really bad and there I didn ́t want to explore it on my own for the first time.
But then I already had my On-Arrival-Training in Viljandi, where I met many other nice volunteers with
some of them we still experience things together sometimes. After the training, I went into the old town
for the first time and I liked it from the beginning because it ́s not so big and really beautiful with its old
buildings. I also really like in Estonia and Tallinn that you can find much nature and many parks. That ́s
good for me because I love being outside in the nature whether good or bad weather.
I also found quite interesting that Viljandi is the sixth biggest city of Tallinn but is smaller than my
homevillage and has more residents but we didn ́t see anyone (only some people in a shopping center).
It also was a new experience for me that in Estonia nobody talks in buses or at bus stops. So we already
had some funny situations because of that and other things. I really like the life here because we are
quite a big group of volunteers who do much together and it ́s very nice that there are many free
concerts and events in Tallinn so that you always find something to do.
Work in Kiikhobu
I started working in the kindergarten the 18th of September and on that day there was a fair market in
the evening where from the parents self-baked food was sold to earn some group money for activities
with the children and buying new “equipment” needed. It was quite nice. Also the days afterwards were
really fun because the kids of my group, Katid-Matid, wanted to play with me from the beginning and
hugged me or drew pictures for me. So it was a bit sad that I already had my On-Arrival-Training in my
second week because so I couldn ́t learn all the children ́s names immediately. But as I saw most of them
every day after the training, I learned the names quite fast.
It ́s really nice, that we do so many excursions in the kindergarten and that it ́s allowed. About every
month is one bigger activity we do with the children. For example, we already were in a bread museum
where we baked traditional Estonian bread, in the zoo and in the cinema. These activities are very nice
for the children. In the kindergarten I was, we didn ́t do such activities. A reason therefore could be that
it wasn ́t allowed. Even in school we weren ́t allowed to do some activities at all or only not without a
sports teacher (like swimming or going into a theme park). But in contrast, in my kindergarten we were
outside almost the whole time and with almost every weather condition.
Another point what ́s different from Germany is that even the younger children have almost every
morning a kind of learning activities like in Germany you only have in preschool. It ́s quite good as well
that the children already have activities for learning the behaviour on streets and in traffic because that ́s
really important and so very nice that they learn it early, even already with their bikes. We only had that
in our fourth year of primary school and in the kindergarten only one day when we learned to cross the
road correctly.
Furthermore, the Estonian class for the children is really interesting and I ́m glad that I also can join
sometimes. That helps a bit with learning the language and is also interesting to look how the children
behave in there and what they learn and remember every time.
I really like my work tasks. Beside playing with the children, I have to help with the daily activities,
dressing them for going outside, looking after them, helping with other decorations or sometimes also
helping out in our neighboured group Naksitrallid. So it ́s always different and doesn ́t get boring.
For the next six months, I hope that I will learn more Estonian language and that I improve my skills in
working with children still more. With my project, I ́m quite happy and really glad that everyone in the
kindergarten is nice and especially in my group tries to support me as much as possible. I ́m really looking
forward to the rest of my project but unfortunately, I already know that it probably will pass very fast.