Merhaba dear reader!
I am Ida, an 18-year-old German who just graduated from high school and is currently volunteering with Pi Youth Association in Izmir, Türkiye. I have been here for one and a half month and I will stay for a full year.
I chose Türkiye because I have been interested in learning more about Turkish culture. There are many people of Turkish origin in Germany, and their influence has been a big part of the modern German society. Additionally, Pi Youth Association seemed like a reliable, open-minded organization and their project description sounded fun. Their work caught my attention, and I had a good feeling about working with them. So my adventure began!
Before coming here, I have never been to Türkiye, so I did a lot of research about life in this country, especially in Izmir. Adapting to the new environment was definitely a challenge: learning a different language, not getting lost in such a big city, adjusting to a new work environment, connecting with new people and the hot weather in September was a real struggle!
But despite these challenges, I am happy to say that I already feel at home. Izmir is incredibly vibrant and beautiful. The diverse districts that showcase the variety of people who live here. The city’s overall atmosphere is so unique, and I love discovering new parts of it every day. I thought I would struggle with the crowded and noisy streets, expecting to feel overwhelmed, but, to my surprise, I feel calm and at ease. The ocean’s bay and the big mountains surrounding the city gives
me a feeling of space and openness. I remember the first time taking the ferry, having this amazing view displayed was absolutely breathtaking and I could not believe I was going to spend a whole year in this city.
At Pi Youth Association, my main job is to prepare and to lead workshops in various locations around Izmir. The workshops are as diverse as the places and people we work with. One of our key activity is organizing conversation clubs where participants can practice speaking a foreign language in a relaxed and judgement-free environment. We incorporate interactive games and debates to make the experience engaging and fun, rather than a typical classroom setup. At first, it was quite a challenge to come up with new ideas every week and take on the
responsibility of organizing these sessions. Sometimes I still feel a bit stressed or nervous beforehand, but thankfully, my worries are usually unfounded. In addition to leading German and English conversation clubs, I also co-host and art workshop with another volunteer at a community centre. Our little artists are aged between 2 and 6, and we meet every week to unleash our creativity together.
Of course, working with such young children can sometimes be tricky, especially when some of them get bored or need a change in the activity. At these moments, I really feel the language barrier and I wish I could communicate more easily with them. But I know it is only natural and sometimes funny miscommunications occur, like when we met a man and we thought he was trying to tell us he is the father of Mehmet Scholl, a famous German football player. Turns out Mehmet Scholls’ father is already dead.
Regarding my workshop with the children, I believe that, over time, us, volunteers, and the children, will get more comfortable with one another and even now we have already started bonding with them.
Overall, even though it is sometimes challenging to adjust, I am happy and fulfilled with what I do. I meet so many different people from various backgrounds, ages and life stages, which, not only helps me understand Türkiye better, but also inspires me on a personal level. These interactions are incredibly meaningful, and I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives andstories of the Turkish people.
Looking back on these past six weeks, what stands out most is the incredible variety of people I have met – whether my fellow volunteers, members of the organization, workshop participants, or even random locals, like my neighbour greeting me every time I pass him on the street. He only speaks Turkish with us and even after I try explaining to him that I don’t understand anything except basic greetings, he insists on trying to communicate with me all the same, saying that I will improve my Turkish. I feel touched by his optimism because, even though I have already been here six weeks, my Turkish skills are pathetic.Many of the conversations and interactions I have had with all the different people here have been very inspiring. Building strong connections in such a short amount of time and having the chance to explore Türkiye and its people is something I am so grateful for and I am excited about what the
coming 10 and a half months will offer on further experiences!
Görüşürüz <3
Ida
