Volunteering in Kita Martha Maria - report from Dajana Miskovic

My name is Dajana Miskovic, I have 25 years, I’m a Bachelor of Social Work and I come from Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’m volunteer since I was 16 years. For me, volunteering is not a waste of time and a way to lose time. Not executing other people's obligations or meaningless work for others. It is a process of true happiness for you and for others, happiness that lasts. That's why I came to Germany, specifically in Halle (Saale). I wanted to experience volunteering in another country, as something new, learn something new and meet people from other countries.

Every beginning is difficult, so it was hard for me also, start the process of getting used to life in a new environment, new people, new culture, language and so on. I had to learn to communicate only in German, but I admit, it was not that hard. At the very beginning I immediately had a German language course that helped me a lot with that. But the most important role of my knowledge of the German language, actually have colleagues in kindergarten. With them I learned to communicate, exchanged information, opinions, receive feedback, and so on.
Acully, I forgot to say, I’m volunteering in Kindergarten Martha Maria with very small/young children (between 1 and 3 years old). Since they are very small with them I easily learn German. But also learn to identify and meet their needs, for food, drink, purity or play, but also I can learn very good manners from them .
In addition, children are very simple creatures and it is very easy to love them. Especially if that love is reciprocated. Children are very honest, it is a thing that you always need to learn from them.
I really love all children from kindergarten, especially the group of small (up to two years), which currently makes seven children.
For me the greatest happiness is smile on their faces, I like to take care of them and I enjoy about it.
The children and I learn together, sing together, laugh together, together having a difficult time.
At any moment, they were my motivation and they are my motivation. For me, the most moving moment was when the children, who still could not talk when I first came here, the first time began to shout my name from "Nana". I knew that my pay and that I somehow recognize that I'm here.
Apart from children, my great support were my colleagues in kindergarten, they did their best to teach me many things and they have managed. They have always been there to listen to me, give me advice about my work or about my private life.
Volunteering in Germany (in Kita Martha Maria) give me great educational and professional opportunities. During these 10 months, I learned a lot of about many social work and pedagogical models that I would like to explore more through my future social work. I find that life in Germany is very organized and that I have opportunities to improve my knowledge and skills and to adopt and transfer to my country, my peers and my colleagues. The target groups that I would like to work with are children and young people.