25/08/2026
"Five months ago I arrived at Hopeland, in Greece, without really knowing what to expect. I only knew that I needed to test myself and in that place I found the ideal environment to do so. Living and working within a community whose everyday life is grounded in values such as sharing, self-sufficiency, and respect for the land was, for me, a deeply formative experience. Looking back today, I can say it has been one of the most intense and meaningful periods of my life.
Over these five months I had the opportunity to take part actively in a range of community activities.
Eco-building, for which I won't easily forget the satisfaction of looking at a wall I had personally helped to build.
Working in the fields, that allowed me to discover just how much care, effort and above all patience lie behind every single item of food that reaches the table.
Environmental and emotional education, through which I was able to deepen my relationship with nature while, at the same time, developing a greater awareness of myself and my emotions.
Equally important was learning to live in community, sharing spaces, time, and responsibilities every day with many people different from one another in background, history, and character. The real added value of this journey lies, in fact, in the dimension of sharing, which at Hopeland can be felt in every moment. People arrived as strangers and, over time, became a real family. I am certain that many of these people will remain part of my life well beyond these five months.
Of course, it wasn't always easy: there were moments of homesickness, moments when I wished for my comforts and my usual routine. But it was precisely in those moments that I learned the most about myself, about my strength and my ability to adapt, coming to understand how much lighter everything becomes when faced together with people who support you.
I am not going home with just a suitcase full of memories, but with the certainty that it is possible to live in ways different from what I was used to. I am truly grateful to Hopeland and to all the people who, over these months, always made me feel at home, part of one shared project. This place taught me far more than I managed to give back to it."
- Chiara -
"Vitality" project is part of the European Solidarity Corps Programme. Implemented by Ελπιδοχώρι / Hopeland in cooperation with Associazione Vagamondo. The project is supported by Agenzia Italiana per la Gioventù - AIG and funded by the European Union.
