«Leaving was the first step. Coming back meant discovering how much I had changed.» – Massimiliano’s testimony after 10 months of European volunteering in Lithuania
Ten months may seem like a long time, but they are often enough to change the way you see the world.
In autumn 2025, Massimiliano travelled to Vilnius, Lithuania, through the European Solidarity Corps, where he took part in a project focused on the social inclusion of young people from challenging family backgrounds. Through football, he helped create spaces for connection, trust and participation, discovering every day how sport can become a powerful tool for dialogue and inclusion.
Today, having completed his experience and returned to Italy, he looks back on those ten months with different eyes. He does not remember only the activities he took part in or the city that hosted him, but above all the people he met, the challenges he faced and the personal growth this experience gave him.
Here are his words.
Why take part in an experience like mine?
If I had to give one reason for going abroad, I would say there are many, but they all lead in the same direction: growth.
At first, it is not easy. Choosing to leave your home, even for a limited period of time, takes courage. It means stepping away from your habits, your loved ones and all those small comforts and certainties that are part of everyday life. It is normal to have doubts and fears.
Then you meet people.
They are the ones who really make the difference. I never imagined that I would finish the project wishing I could get on a plane just to see again the friends I had made in another country. In such a short time, you can build genuine connections that go beyond distances and cultural differences.
The project itself was also fundamental. Every day, I worked alongside extraordinary people who were always willing to listen, help and support the volunteers. I found an environment where I felt welcomed and valued, even during those moments when I felt homesick.
Finally, this experience taught me something about myself.
Living in another country means facing new situations every day, learning to adapt, finding solutions, communicating with people from different cultures and stepping outside your comfort zone. At first, it seems difficult, but over time you realise that you are much more capable than you thought.
If I had to give one piece of advice to a young person thinking about going abroad, I would simply say: give it a try. Because an experience like this does not just change the place where you live for a few months; it changes the way you see the world and, above all, the way you see yourself.
