THE BALKAN HIGHWAY: FROM UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH VOLUNTEERING TO SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Long-term volunteering project in Bulgaria (ESC / European Solidarity Corps)
1 November 2020 – 30 October 2021
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Hello, my name is Kalda, I’m 24 years old and I came to Plovdiv one week ago to become an ESC volunteer at Smokinya Foundation.
I’m from Georgia. Please do not think that this is one of the states of the United States, my country is located exactly in the middle between Europe and Asia.
Georgia is the homeland of wine because we have more than 8000 years old tradition of wine production, and if you taste the culinary masterpieces of Georgia cuisine at least once, you will never forget it. Georgia is rich in natural diversity, so the number of tourists is growing every year.
I graduated from Ilia State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and studied the sommelier profession at the Georgian Wine School. I also attended a school for young entrepreneurs which gave me theoretical knowledge on how an idea can become a reality. Additionally, I was a member of a non-governmental organization called “Pshav-Khevsureti Community Organization” in Georgia, whose main goal is to improve the living standards and conditions of the highland population.
I have loved traveling since childhood, especially in the mountains and pristine nature of Georgia, and being in Bulgaria is my first experience abroad.
I am always ready for new things and challenges, and this project is a kind of challenge for me because I never received funding before for a long-term project abroad.
When I discovered this project, I was looking for a new challenge and a way to gain new knowledge. This project sounded quite interesting to me, so I decided to fill out the application immediately and now I am here. I think I made the right decision!
I am sure that the knowledge and experience gained in “Smokinya” will help me to share it with the population after my return to Georgia.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
Find us also at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/smokinyafoundation
https://vimeo.com/smokinya
https://www.facebook.com/smokinyafoundation/
https://www.instagram.com/smokinya_foundation/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/smokinya-foundation
https://www.facebook.com/groups/synergynetworkinbulgaria/
This program is co-funded by the European Solidarity Corps program of the European Union.
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be
held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. //
Подкрепата на Европейската комисия за изготвянето на настоящата публикация не представлява
одобрение на съдържанието, което отразява гледните точки само на авторите и не може да се търси
отговорност от Комисията за всяка употреба, която може да бъде използвана за информацията,
съдържаща се в нея.
