And just like this, in a blink of an eye, two months already passed and it’s time to start packing my bags. Oh and hi everyone, I’m Eloise from France, I’m 25 and I’ve just completed my short term volunteering in Izmir. Turkey had always been calling me, for reasons I couldn’t quite explain. It felt like a need, something telling me I had to be there. And now I can say it was true: coming here felt like the right decision.
After just a couple of days in Izmir, I quickly found my way to like minded people who share similar values and energy. Those encounters really made my whole experience here so valuable and I cherish all the moments spent together deep in my heart. I’ll carry a piece of each of those people with me for the rest of my life. They’ve inspired me for what comes next. They reminded me that when you’re surrounded by the right people, paths you never dared imagine can open up. Through them I discovered not only new layers of a culture I didn’t know but also layers within myself.
My daily rhythm revolved around giving English and French workshops, which quickly became much more than language exchange. Teaching here immersed me in Turkish culture really quickly. The students, aged anywhere between 3 to 50+ shared their stories, their customs and their favourite local spots. Thanks to their advice, I explored the city not as a tourist but as a curious friend and it immediately made me dive into Turkish culture.And whenever I had a moment, I spent it with friends I made here, either watching the sunset from every corner of the city, going to the beach, cooking and sharing a meal, dancing as much as we could, talking, meeting more people,