Updated on September 1, 2022
Meet Project M.A.R.E. Team 2022
Hello everyone!
We are very pleased and excited to finally introduce the volunteers of the 10th edition of project M.A.R.E.! This year is very special for us not only because of our decade long journey but also because our family reached its 100th member!
Being here has been nothing but amazing for all of us! Exploring the region getting to know everyone involved in this adventure and participating in the activities of the project.
This is only the beginning for all of us so stay tuned to know more! For now, though, this is our official introduction to all of you!
Andrea Ivančić, Croatia 🇭🇷
Hello!
I’m Andrea from Croatia! I graduated in ecology and nature protection. I am outgoing and cheerful person who likes to meet new people and learn new things. I love new challenges, traveling and eating good food. I have a great love for the oceans and marine animals. I believe that these are the organisms to which humanity pays the least attention so I decided to educate and empower people in both my local community and wherever the road takes me. I am now here, in Italy, and I want to explore as much as I can. Taste Italian well-known food, explore marine biodiversity, become more familiar with turtle monitoring, hike in all the mountains… I can say, even only after one month, volunteering in another country would enrich your life with new friendships, beautiful memories and a sense of satisfaction so I would recommend it to everyone. The new Project M.A.R.E. team is more than ever determined to make a change!
Xenia Symeonidou, Greece 🇬🇷
Hellooo! My name is Xeni Symeonidou, but everybody calls me Xenia. I am 24 years old and I am from Greece! I live in Thessaloniki, the second largest city of Greece which is known for its beautiful vibe and people. I have studied Biology in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and I am very interested in marine biology specifically. Growing up I was always near the sea and during summer my daily life revolved around water and the exploration of it! This is also the main reason I decided to apply for this project. Project M.A.R.E. is not only the perfect opportunity for me to test my limits and to learn more about the marine environment of the Mediterranean, but also to understand how such a Marine Protected Area is being handled and conserved. In addition, I am here to try to understand myself more and to see what my next step will be. Living in a communal way with so many different people around me with their own unique experiences and lifestyles, is so educating and enlightening for me. Having the chance to dive, see a hatching or (hopefully) the nesting process of a turtle, and learning more about Italian culture, myths and history is what I am looking forward to the most! Getting to know each other, exploring this beautiful region of Italy all together and sharing this project with them are the best ways to broaden my own personal horizons as well. After all, this project is not just a volunteering experience for me, it is a chance to learn and get out of my comfort zone! I am so grateful to be here and so excited for the moments we are all about to live!
Anäs Zïna, Tunisia 🇹🇳
Everyone greets the new sea ninja; this man came from a beautiful and touristic place. It is a real one that despite being little in the map is great and rich in history, this country is Tunisia 🇹🇳. I live more precisely in Monastir, a small place on the coast. I am Anas Zina, the new volunteer of the M.A.R.E. 2022 project 2022, I’m 25 years old. I’ve already finished my studies in marine biotechnology and entrepreneurship. I’m now trying to finish my end-of-study project. I’m here in the M.A.R.E. project because I’m interested in biodiversity and conservation and in protecting the marine areas. I have worked a little in Tunisia with an association, so I know how to help to protect the Marine Protected Area of Punta Campanella. I want to say that I’m friend of the sea because it is with whom I can share my failed moments. It always listens to me and tries to relax me. Moreover, I’m a fan of Italy and its people’s culture, food, fashion and their football team. I am here to live another experience and challenge myself at the same time. I’m sure it will be perfect. I’m here and ready for the experience 💪🏻.
Ons Benzarti, Tunisia 🇹🇳
My name is Ons Benzarti, I am 24 years old, I am Tunisian, I have been born and raised by the coast of Monastir, which explains my admiration for the sea. In fact, since I was a child the sea seemed a mystery for me, which I always dreamed to explore which lays beneath its surface and beyond. What I feel is like that, the sea is where I belong; I dive into the blue where I learned how to be lost into the chaos of my thoughts and how to surf on the wave of my dreams. I am a future marine biologist, ecologist and I am here to learn more, discover new cultures, challenge myself and enjoy this volunteering experience!
Pedro Ribeiro, Portugal 🇵🇹
Olá a todos! I am Pedro Ribeiro and I am coming from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea to discover new cultures, new friends, a new place, to get involved in marine activities, to communicate and to have fun doing what I really love. I am Portuguese and I invite you to visit the land of the giant waves, of the wine/food and of all the history behind each place. I’m 26 years old and I completed my Master’s degree in applied biology at the end of last year in a project about the impacts of microplastics. I also worked in a topic related to boars, deer and beetles, but the ocean keeps calling me every time. My goal is to work in marine conservation as much as I can and learn more about this field. This experience in Italy makes me very happy, as it allows me to grow as a person and as a professional. Having the privilege to meet so many interesting people is fantastic and I am very grateful to be here. I have to thank everyone who allows this to happen and those who accompany me in the process.
Yens Vandenboer, Belgium 🇧🇪
Ciao! My name is Yens Vandenboer. I am 25 years old and I come from Lommel, Belgium. Ever since my first volunteering experience in a South-African wildlife reserve it has been my dream to work in conservation. Later, while learning how to dive in the coral reefs of Indonesia I fell in love with the beauty of life underwater. These two newfound passions are what motivated me to do a master degree in marine ecology and conservation after which I have been working as a bartender while applying for jobs in the field for two years. Hence, when I was accepted into Project M.A.R.E. I was very happy to finally have the opportunity to contribute to marine conservation. I hope to gain experience in communication and community outreach while learning what I can about the functioning of a marine protected area and the practicalities involved in marine conservation. After being landlocked for two years, I can’t wait to get back in the sea and to discover the beauty found in the Punta Campanella MPA. If you’re looking for me this summer, you will probably find me kayaking or snorkelling and exploring the underwater landscape of Ieranto Bay.
Mahdi Tounakti, Tunisia 🇹🇳
Aaslema, my name is Mahdi and I’m from the south side of the Mediterranean. I was born in the Capital of Tunisia, the beautiful city of Tunis and it’s my first time traveling outside of my country. I graduated from the university of Tunis el Manar with a bachelor’s degree in currency, finance and banking followed by a master’s degree in analysis and economic policy. Growing up I was always near the sea and during summer spending hours under the sun exploring the long beautiful sandy beaches and the beautiful sea. Usually, I’m the financial guy but lately I’m passionate about nature and being here in the south of Italy for the Project M.A.R.E. is a perfect opportunity for me to learn more about natural science, especially the sea. I feel so fortunate to be here in this environment, in the company of biologists, because this gives me the opportunity to look at the world from a different perspective, I have to say that I’m loving this part of the whole experience. Living in this multicultural space is a wonderful occasion to discover different people, their lifestyle, their habits and everything about them and this is so educational for me. Being here is such a unique experience to learn more about Italian culture, starting from the history to the art, the people to the food but also to explore the beautiful land of the southern part of the country. This project is much more than volunteering because this can be an enlightening experience for me to learn more, so I’m grateful and I’m excited to be here with these beautiful people in this beautiful journey.
Paul Descoeur, France 🇫🇷
Ciao! I’m Paul, I am French and I am 24. I come from Massif Central and I studied political sciences and history in Strasbourg but I am also passionate about languages, art and natural as well as historical heritage.
Ever since I was a child, I’ve always looked at nature with eyes wide open and I would like to work in the field of natural and historical heritage conservation, with a sustainable approach. That’s why, after the end of my studies I wanted to do something meaningful and which can be useful: indeed I wanted to help the M.A.R.E. Project for a long time, hoping to be useful with my creative gaze, my knowledge of Italian and the passion I cultivate when I get involved in an activity that interests me.
Currently, what interests me the most is to be able to pass on knowledge about the priceless heritage of the Punta Campanella park, because it is very important to keep alive this interesting place, full of natural and cultural features. A place that is worth protecting, with the help of the locals but also the visitors, a water drop in the Mediterranean Sea but a very precious one.
This summer, you can find me sketching on the shore or writing a poem in Ieranto Bay, with a lot of enthusiasm to learn more, to help to protect the this invaluable nature, but also to widen my world view.
Claudia Gaspar García, Spain 🇪🇸
Ciao! My name is Claudia and I come from Barcelona. I am a marine ecologist looking forward to exploring the biodiversity of the Sorrentine coast, getting involved in turtle nesting and to help the park with the conservation of the Posidonia meadows found in Ieranto Bay! I have studied in Biology in Spain and later I have done an Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Marine Environment and Resources, which has given me the opportunity to live in different European countries and to learn about different cultures by sharing classroom with people from all around the globe. Being in the project M.A.R.E. allows me to keep enjoying living in a multicultural environment. Now, I am living in Campania, a region filled by beautiful landscapes and full of culture, myths, and history, and despite being my first time living in Italy, it feels somehow like home. The project M.A.R.E. became very quickly a dream come true, because it allows me to work in a field I’m passionate about and teaches me so many new thinks. Moreover, it allowed me to meet amazing people, with whom I am looking forward to spending the following months. The team from the 10th edition is strong and looking forward to starting the adventure!
Olivier Rikir, Belgium 🇧🇪
Hi there ! Arriving from the bucolic place of Stembert, in Belgium, here is a new volunteer of the M.A.R.E Project. My name is Olivier, and I am 29 years old. Since my childhood, I have always felt a strong connection with the environment that surrounds me and its inhabitants. When I think about it, my best memories are the ones where I spent hours playing and discovering the fields or the woods, observing my surroundings while enjoying the quiet peace of the place.
Being fascinated by languages and interpersonnal communication, I studied french and roman languages and litterature in Liège. After a license in linguistic, I did another license in didactic and pedagogy before becoming a teacher for two years. Today, I am opening a new chapter of my life, following an urgent desire to dedicate myself to the conservation of the environment that surrounds us.
Joining the M.A.R.E Project is a thrilling opportunity, as I will be able to learn a lot about marine conservation, the functionning of a Marine Protected Area, while being in contact with the local populations and putting my communication abilities to use for a really important cause. I am also very excited to learn more about italian culture and to live in Italia, the cradle of western Europe.
I can’t wait to live this whole journey, sharing it with like-minded people everyday through thick and thin, and growing together as responsible citizens of the world. As some say, we need to be the change we wish to see in the world.
