Almost twelve months ago, I started at AJR, very excited for the year ahead of me.
Now, my voluntary service has come to an end and I am going back home not only with good memories, but something far more meaningful.
My name is Mirjam and I’m from Germany. After completing my Abitur, I chose not to go straight to university, but to take the opportunity to live abroad for a year and do something purposeful, while broadening my perspective.
When I first arrived in England, I did not quite know what to expect. I was overwhelmed by all the new impressions of living in a big city, communicating in another language and starting to work in an office for the first time. Fortunately, all my wonderful colleagues were incredibly welcoming from the very beginning and helped me to settle into my new life quickly.
At AJR, I worked in the Volunteers and Communities department. My role included leading the weekly German conversation group, assisting with the preparation of the poetry booklets for the poetry meetings and supporting various administrative tasks.
However, my favourite part of the day were the afternoons spent visiting four first-generation AJR members. Sometimes we would simply sit together, chat over a cup of tea and have a good laugh. On other occasions, we became surprisingly competitive over games like Rummikub or Scrabble. There were also moments when we looked through old photographs and documents, reflecting on their past. I learned so much during these visits and felt deeply inspired by all the stories and advice I was given. Over time, the age difference seemed to matter less and less, and I will truly miss these visits.
Another valuable aspect of my work was attending outreach meetings. These offered the opportunity to meet AJR members of different generations and showed me the great impact AJR‘s work has on so many people’s lives. They also allowed me to explore more of England, as I often travelled to different cities for these events.
I am really grateful to AJR for this unique experience. It has not only deepened my understanding of the Holocaust and why it still matters to remember what happened today, but also gave me the chance to meet so many inspiring people whose stories and wisdom I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
