Merhaba!
My name is Manon, I am French and 22 years old. I recently completed my Bachelor’s degree in Design but wasn’t sure what to do next. That’s when I discovered the ESC program. I came across Pi Youth Association’s mission, and was drawn to their vision and goals, so I decided to apply.
And here I am !
In Izmir, where I spent two months having an incredible experience that I am about to share with you !
IZMIR
Before I applied, I didn’t really know much about Turkey. It wasn’t a place I had planned to visit and my only knowledge of it was from my sister, who loves watching Turkish TV shows (and we all know that TV shows are not like reality ! ).
All I knew was that there would be cats and dogs on the streets, which isn’t much!
But thanks to PI Youth Association, who gave me some useful information and a bit of background research, I was able to arrive in Izmir ready and not in the complete dark.
And Izmir was such a beautiful discovery!
Coming from a very small town in France, I am not used to living in a big city. Izmir is the biggest city I’ve ever experienced, and it was the perfect way to dive into “city life” ! With so many public transportation options available, it’s a dream for a countryside girl like me ! ( Even if buses sometimes seem to have a mind of their own ! )
Izmir is so big that there’s always something new to explore ! I never ran out of things to do! ( And the cats are just the perfect finishing touch !)
THE WORKSHOPS
The workshops were a big learning curve for me. I was taken out of my comfort zone and found myself teaching after spending my whole life on the learning side. It was a wonderful challenge to come up with games and activities to help people have fun while learning English and French.
From kids to adults, every session was unique, and it was so rewarding to see people happy to learn ! The workshops weren’t just about teaching, they were also about exchanging ideas, discussing topics, and learning from each other.
THE PEOPLE
Talking about people, the people I met during this experience were the highlight of my volunteering.
Starting with PI Youth Aassociation’s team and the Pixel team! Such nice and amazing people who perfectly represent the Turkish hospitality everyone talks about! They’re so welcoming and happy to share their culture and listen to yours that you just want to stay in Turkey!
My experience was also amazing thanks to the other volunteers. Even though I was only a short-term volunteer joining after they had already spent two months together, they were incredibly welcoming. They included me in their group, even though I wasn’t living in the shared flats with them, and helped me learn everything I needed to know about the city and the workshops. It was such a pleasure to spend time with them and share this amazing experience. I didn’t know a group of people could be so nice!
And last but not least, I want to mention someone without who this experience wouldn’t have been the same, my flatmate Zeynep. She is the most caring and wonderful person I could have lived with during these two months ! Our nightly chats became a little ritual that I will really miss!
CONCLUSION
Overall, this experience has been incredible. For me, sharing is one of the most important values in life. There’s always something to learn from others, and life wouldn’t be as meaningful without the people we meet along the way. Through this volunteering experience, I’m so grateful for the Turkish people and the wonderful community I had the chance to be part of.
If you’re reading this and wondering whether or not to volunteer with PI Youth Association, here’s your sign ! Just go for it, you will not regret it !
While I’m sad that this incredible journey has come to an end (it went by way too fast!), I’m leaving with so many memories and so much gratitude for everyone who made it so special !
To the Pi Youth Association team, the Pixels team, all the volunteers, my mentor Ayşegül, and Zeynep: thank you so much. Whether we shared a short moment or a longer one, you all made a real impact on this experience and on my life.
I’ll leave you here and make the most of my last week in Izmir before thinking about doing another volunteering project!
Bye everyone ! Take care!
Görüşürüz !
-Manon-
Ps: I’ll leave you with a quote I really love from a book, that I think perfectly sums up my volunteering experience: “Every person you meet is like a leaf on a tree, they help you grow and change.”