Two Weeks of International Exchange at the Narva House of Children’s Creativity

For two weeks, a special intonation could be heard at the Narva House of Children’s Creativity — a soft German accent weaving into Russian speech, and in the corridors one could increasingly hear quiet laughter and newly learned words, carefully pronounced.

Two volunteers from Germany came to us for their internship — bright and radiant Iona and Matilda. Their hometown is the small town of Engstingen, not far from Stuttgart. There, at their school, they have been studying Russian for several years. When in the second grade they had to choose between French and Russian, they chose Russian — a difficult and unfamiliar language, yet surprisingly fascinating. They have always wanted to discover something new, to try themselves in a different cultural space, to open the world a little wider than its usual borders.

The idea to go on an internship and try volunteering was suggested by their teacher. She also helped them choose the place — Narva. That is how our city became for them not just a point on the map, but part of a personal story.

During these two weeks, the girls managed to visit several clubs at the House of Creativity, meet students and teachers, take part in classes, workshops, and the daily life of the center. They observed with interest, tried new things, asked questions, shared their experiences — and, of course, communicated a lot.

Iona is thoughtful and gentle, fond of books, horseback riding, gymnastics, and playing the cello. She once planned to pursue medicine, but now she feels that before making a serious decision, she wants to see the world — to travel, to discover different countries, cultures, and people — and only then decide where her path will lead.

Matilda is focused and creative; she plays the flute, draws, reads, and plays badminton. She dreams of becoming a lawyer — to defend, to stand up for others, and to seek justice.

They liked Narva — its small streets, parks, calmness, quiet atmosphere, and the openness of its people. They enjoyed communicating with children, drawing together, laughing, explaining and understanding each other, even when words were not enough. And also baking pancakes and appreciating how simple things can bring people together.

Two weeks flew by quickly. But the memories — warm conversations, new friends, their first independent phrases in Russian, the winter air of our city — they will carry with them back to Engstingen.

We wish Iona and Matilda the courage to follow their dreams, not to be afraid of change, and always to keep the openness to the world that brought them here. May their roads be wide, their decisions thoughtful, and their hearts grateful for every new experience.

And perhaps one day, hearing familiar Russian speech or catching the scent of freshly made pancakes, they will smile and say: «And it all began in Narva…»