One day I woke up in a different room, in a different bed, in a different country.
The day before I had changed my life forever. Without knowing I have chosen the path that would make me (re)do my existence and attitude about life and people.
CICD… Here every single day is a challenge. You are tested in several completely different occasions comparing with what you are used to. I believe that only the ones who experiment this kind of life understand what it really means to live in a community. You are used to do less than you have to and, as a community, only if you do a bit more than what is supposed to be done things can work well to everyone.
You are constantly meeting new people, people that in other circumstances you would never meet. You let yourself be surprised with every new discover about yourself, about others and about how people connect with each other.At the beginning everything was strange and different and cold… but here even time is different. People you meet live and work with you and that gives you the freedom to create bounds with them so quickly that is almost unbelievable how fast you can connect with others.
The People… Besides all the work and all the knowledge you acquire… The People!
Sometimes when I’m in the bench outside I notice the people lying in the grass with the sunlight in their eyes.
I notice the conversation and the plans about Africa.
I see good people trying hard and in a completely different way to make a change.
I see amazing creatures opening their soul and delivering themselves to another kind of life where everything you do is to learn as much as you can.
It’s when I’m outside on the bench…
When I talk with people about choices, decisions, indecisions, dreams and fears, it’s in that moment that I’m growing as a person, when I deliver myself to a friend that I have never planned to meet. We explore the World in another way, we see other points of view, we understand things that we have never thought we could understand. With so many different people together we are, for sure, different and special.
I could write about this volunteering life but we all know how different it is… Sometimes is even in the fights and constant obstacles that you learn how to get through the hardest thing… to change and adapt yourself to the hardest situations.
I have watched people leaving and coming back, I have met people with the most amazing stories about the work they have done and I will always remember their shining eyes when they say “It is worth it…”
At night I fall asleep in my room, in my bed, as a citizen of the World, with a smile in my face because I have made the right decision.

Mel

Hi my name is Paulius Baltakis and I’m from Lithuania. 

When I became 24 years old I decided to change my life and I joined CICD. I m just a simple person who thinks that the world is what kind of place that you create by yourself.  And if you want to create it of your best vision first of all you must find yourself. So CICD is great place to start doing it. It helps me to keep my mind clean and keep focus on my goal. It gives me opportunity to live with people from all around Europe, teaches me practical things which can help me to feel like a “real human” - who cares and helps other people, shares everything that we have and that gives a reason to live a full life.
Here are 5 things that I learned here until now.

Living in community

Living at CICD you are always surrounded by the students from all around the Europe. And this makes it into a small international community in which you learn many many small things, which have a big influence in yours and others life quality.  Starting with how to share your opinion and finishing with team work. And the main thing of all this is respect for the people and the place that surrounds you.

To speak better English

At CICD everybody must speak in English  - which helps to improve my English and helps to reach another level of understanding it and speaking it.  At first it is hard but after some time you just brake the ice.  And now after 5 and a half months here I can share my mind and speak pretty well. So it gives only plus.

Discipline

It's one of the best things I have learned out here. Because my life was a little bit messy and I didn't know such a thing as discipline. Everyday discipline allowed me to see myself in another way and I like it. I became more simpler. Also the no alcohol policy is a brilliant rule, because of it you can see clearly and brightly and your mind is clean so you are more focused on your goal.

Inner peace  

It's one of the biggest things that many people are missing these days. Staying at CICD has helped me to shut my inner voice who worries and doesn't have any meaning in the real world. And this mental state makes everything easier on my way to reach my goal. Also it gives me more self confidence in all kind of situations .

Volunteering

If you are thinking that volunteering is an easy thing to do, you are wrong! Sometimes it seems to be the hardest work I have had ever done. First of all you must minimize your ego. After this you need to work hard mentally and physically to reach your goal. Starting with preparing projects and finishing with making them a reality, this takes maximum energy of every person so no one can be lazy. If you are not sure that you can give maximum, you shouldn't  even start. But if you feel that you want to change something in your  life and make good influence over people, don't wait because world needs you ! :)