I wanted to serve, to connect, and to grow
After a long semester filled with lectures, exams, and legal debates at the Faculty of Law in Prishtina, I felt a quiet urge for something different, something that would challenge me in ways the classroom never could. I didn’t know exactly what I was searching for until I stumbled upon INEX-SDA’s open call for summer workcamps in the Czech Republic. I just knew I needed something that would shake me awake, something that would remind me of who I am beyond roles and expectations. One camp stood out: Terezín. A place I had never heard of, with a history I didn’t yet know, but somehow it pulled me in. I’ve always been drawn to stories from the past, especially those that carry pain, resilience, and memory.
Even though I had volunteered before, this felt different. It wasn’t just about helping; it was about stepping into the unknown. I had never led a workcamp, never travelled alone to a foreign country, and I wasn’t older or more experienced than the participants I’d be guiding. I was scared. But I also knew that fear is often the first sign that something important is about to happen. I wanted to discover who I could be outside the world of law, beyond textbooks and routines. I wanted to serve, to connect, and to grow. And Terezín gave me that chance.
Little did I know that this decision would lead me into one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Terezín wasn’t just a place on the map, it became a space where history, humanity, and personal transformation met. And from the moment I arrived, I knew I was about to learn something far deeper than I had imagined.
Am I enough, can I lead?
I arrived in Prague on a golden summer afternoon, the kind that makes everything feel possible. At the train station, I met Martin, my co-leader, my soon-to-be teammate in this unknown adventure. We didn’t know each other yet, but we shared the same nervous excitement. From the bus ride through Vienna’s quiet hills to the Czech countryside’s open skies, I felt something shift inside me. I was leaving behind the familiar and stepping into something that felt both fragile and powerful.
Terezín greeted us with silence and beauty. The town held stories in its walls, and I could feel them even before I understood them. Martin and I spent the first two days preparing for the arrival of our group, cleaning, organizing, planning, hoping. It was our first time leading a camp, and we had no idea if we were doing it “right.” But we were determined to create a space that felt safe, warm, and open. I remember lying awake that first night, wondering if I was enough, if I could lead, if I could hold space for others. But the next morning, as the sun rose over Terezín, I felt a quiet strength settle in. I didn’t need to be perfect. I just needed to be present. INEX-SDA had given us the tools, but the heart of the camp would come from us, and from the people we were about to meet.
How quickly connection can bloom when people are open
When the participants began to arrive, something magical happened. Strangers from Kosovo, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Germany, and Belgium gathered in a small kitchen, cooking together like old friends. I remember standing back for a moment, watching the laughter, the clinking of dishes, the mix of languages, and feeling overwhelmed by how quickly connection can bloom when people are open. I had feared that cultural differences might create distance. Instead, they became bridges.
Our group was extraordinary. Each person brought something unique, humor, kindness, curiosity, quiet strength. I often found myself sitting in silence, just listening to their jokes, their stories, their gentle teasing. No one was ever left out. No one was ever made to feel small. It was the kind of harmony you don’t plan for it, just happens when people show up with open hearts.
Martin and I created a daily rhythm: work in the morning, free time in the afternoon. The tasks were simple but grounding, cleaning the yard, maintaining the castle walls, caring for animals on the farm. I hadn’t touched a goat or fed chickens since I was a child, and suddenly I was doing it again, laughing at myself, feeling joy in the most unexpected places. There were no phones, no distractions, just the sun on our backs, the dirt on our hands, and the quiet satisfaction of doing something real.
Even the chores, cooking, shopping, cleaning felt like rituals of togetherness. We shared everything. And in our free time, we explored nearby towns, wandered through Litoměřice, got lost in Prague’s charm, and sat in parks talking about life, dreams, and the things we missed back home.
Terezín gave me more than I expected. It gave me a community. It gave me courage. It gave me the kind of memories that live quietly inside you long after you’ve left.
it’s just showing up
When I think back to Terezín, I don’t just remember the place, I remember the feeling. The quiet mornings, the laughter in the kitchen, the way the sun hit the castle walls while we worked. I remember the people, their kindness, their stories, their willingness to show up fully. And I remember myself unsure, hopeful, and slowly becoming someone I hadn’t met before.
Leading this camp wasn’t easy, but it was real. It asked me to be present, to listen, to trust others and myself. I learned that leadership isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being human. It’s about creating space for others to grow while growing alongside them.
I left Terezín with more than memories. I left with a deeper understanding of connection, of history, of myself. I saw how strangers can become family, how shared purpose can dissolve borders, and how even in a place marked by pain, we can build something beautiful together.
This experience reminded me that courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s quiet, sometimes it’s just showing up. And I’m so grateful I did. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I still hear the laughter echoing through the courtyard, feel the warmth of shared meals, and see the faces of people who reminded me that leadership begins with heart. Terezín will always be a part of me, a quiet chapter that changed something on me.
Vedení workcampu je jedinečnou příležitostí, jak si vyzkoušet roli leadera*ky mezinárodní skupiny. Během této zkušenosti rozvineš své organizační schopnosti, naučíš se efektivně vést tým, zvládat nové situace a lépe porozumíš sobě i ostatním. Osvojíš si mezikulturní komunikaci, procvičíš angličtinu a objevíš svou zemi zcela novým pohledem.
