ANITA (THE U.K.)

Volunteered From APRIL 2021 TO JULY 2021

2021 I was fortunate enough to arrive in Athens as months of strict lockdown restrictions were coming to an end – and the Habibi Center was finally able to open its doors again. My first day of teaching was also many of my students’ first time coming to the ‘physical’ Habibi Center, having only met their classmates on screen up to that point. So in a way, we were all in the same boat – nervous, excited, but above all grateful to be in the same room together after the isolation of lockdown. And what a lovely room it was! Steph and Alex have created an amazing space, transforming an Airbnb apartment into a welcoming and inspiring learning environment. From the very first day it was a pleasure to teach the students, who are in some ways ordinary teenagers but in many other ways extraordinary people. I was constantly impressed by their maturity, generosity and commitment to learning, all in spite of the injustices they’ve faced at such a young age. It was also really nice to see the students come together and find common ground in spite of their differences in language and culture – even if it was often through a shared love of TikTok… I’d like to thank Steph, Alex and Camille for making my experience such a positive one. As someone new to teaching, I was a little daunted by the prospect of taking two classes every day. However, with their constant support and the wealth of resources available, I was quickly put at ease. Nearly three months on and I’m planning to continue teaching back home in the UK. I will miss my Habibi students and hearing “teacher, teacher” every day, but I wish everyone the best and hope to see you all again soon!