Unusual life paths have brought a Colombian to Serbia. Twenty-year-old Nikola Vujčin Ramirez moved from Colombia to our country almost three years ago because he wanted to get to know his father’s country, about which he had heard so much. He enrolled in the Faculty of Economics in Novi Sad, but also became part of the “Maglič grad” organisation and works as a ferryman on the Ibar river, below the fortress of the same name.
-My father is from Serbia, but he passed away when I was a child. Something pulled me to come here, I somehow had to and it came true. My first arrival in Serbia was through a student exchange programme, and then through the website workaway.info, where volunteer projects from all over the world gather, I found an opportunity right in Maglič. On that page you have over 10,000 projects for volunteering, but this one in Serbia was the most interesting to me and that’s why I came here, Nikola tells RINA.
Living 10,000 kilometres away from his hometown is not difficult for him, because, as he says, he also experiences Serbia as his home in a way. He has fit in very well with the community, which is guided by the slogans of values and self-sacrifice. All for one and one for all while living and working in the picturesque areas around Kraljevo.
-When I first came, I was surprised at how different everything is from Colombia. The winter and cold were incredible to me and it was difficult for me to get used to it. Then everything is different, from the way of life, to the appearance of the people, their height… but as time passed, I noticed numerous similarities. The landscapes are really great, as are the people who accepted me wonderfully. I am also delighted with Serbian food. I haven’t tried anything yet that I don’t like. Thank God, there are sarma, ćevapčići, musaka… I’m crazy about that!” says Nikola with a smile.
He adds that he plans to stay in Serbia until he finishes his education, which he started at the Faculty of Economics in Novi Sad.
-English is mostly spoken in the camp, but since I started transporting tourists and working as a ferryman, I have started using Serbian again, the basics of which I learned during the student exchange. All of this is a wonderful experience for me, but I have to say that the people I transport are really surprised that a Serbian Colombian is driving them. I guess those genes are in me, so the Serbian language is not so foreign to me. In Serbia, I also like that life is calmer and safer than in our country in Colombia, adds Nikola.
The creator of the unique camp, of which this valuable Colombian is a part, is Miloš Sretenović, a young archaeologist who decided to implement a sustainable community project at the foot of the walls of the medieval fortress Maglič near Kraljevo, in which volunteers from all over the world participate. He bought a property of about five hectares and built a unique volunteer camp in the region there – Magličgrad. So far, volunteers from all over the world have passed through Magličgrad.
-The competition is open to anyone on the planet, anyone can come to us, but the greatest interest is shown by people from Western Europe and South America. They are attracted by the beauty and mystery of the Maglič fortress and our actions that we carry out. They help us in cleaning the fortress and the surrounding area, maintaining the space, working with tourists and welcoming visitors. They also participate in our major environmental actions, such as the ‘eco rally’ from Kraljevo to Ušće, where we clean the highway and bus stops. So far, more than 230 volunteers have passed through the camp, and for them and for us, it is a great adventure, said Miloš.
On the plot that Miloš bought, there are also two old stables, which were renovated on the same principle and repurposed for the accommodation of both the members of his self-sufficient community and for visitors and lovers of this way of life.
Basic conditions such as electricity, water, internet, and toilets are provided for all visitors. What makes this place different from others is that food is served in cauldrons, and the menu consists of fruits that they find exclusively by themselves in the surroundings, such as porcini mushrooms, chanterelles, nettles and some trout.
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Source: RINA; Photo: RINA