Welcome back! Since my last post, my time in Izmir as a volunteer has only become more exciting and meaningful. Every day brings something new – challenges to tackle, discoveries to make, and connections to cherish. From moments of reflection, this experience has been so much more than just a cultural exchange. It’s been a journey of growth, adaptability, and learning to work together with others.
If I had to pick one moment that stood out recently, it would be painting the walls of a Community Home with a team of volunteers. We tried to do as much as possible and improve the look of the older building, but we are not professionals, and the job done by us was not enough. The people coming to that place deserved a lot more.Fortunately, the interior was renovated by paid workers and got to the point of good standard. Reflecting on that experience, as volunteers, we have to be aware of our weak and strong skills and characteristics so we can help and improve people’s lives through our work. Our involvement with this project wasn’t the most successful, but we learned an important lesson, that some things should be left to professionals.
There was a turning point for me during our trip to Diyarbakir for mid-term training. It reminded me of why I chose this journey in the first place. I loved every second in that city, meeting other people from all around the world who are also volunteers in Türkiye, exploring this very beautiful city full of history, and learning. The educational part was very important, we reflected on our experience so far in the projects, explored our struggles, and tried to solve the problems. The most memorable time during our stay there was getting to know all the opportunities and European projects that we could take part in after this volunteering. I realized at that moment how big is the world and how little I have seen and experienced. I will be always grateful for this training and all the people I met there.
Not everything has gone smoothly, though. One of the biggest hurdles I’ve faced recently was planning, preparing, and executing Polish Cultural Night, which is a one-time event focused on showing off your home country and revealing the culture and traditions it has to offer. It sounds pretty simple and easy to manage but this wasn’t the case for me. I am beyond grateful for all the people that offered help. Even though I wasn’t alone in the process, I felt overwhelmed with the expectations and possibilities. The event itself went great, we had a lot of fun and I was so relieved that the activities we prepared were enjoyable for other people too. A very crucial part was just chatting and allowing people to discover my country and its beauty. I hope I inspired at least one person to travel there and see how amazing and good Poland is.
Of course, my time here is not always fun events, extraordinary activities, and new experiences every time. The most amount of hours is still spent leading English Conversation Clubs all around Izmir. The work became repetitive and mundane but the important part is to not be bored and always try to come up with new ideas. I like to remind myself why I am doing this and it helps me to stay connected and motivated to plan the best workshop I can. The biggest happiness for me is seeing progress in my participants‘ English-speaking abilities.
Looking back at the past few weeks, I can see how much I’ve grown as a person. I experienced many challenges I had to overcome, learned more Turkish, and became more confident while speaking to natives. Thanks to lessons provided by the organization I could practice more, in a bigger group and in a more fun way. I also appreciate the time off work, that I spent working on myself and creating the life I desire. In addition, I want to thank my beautiful flatmates for being always there for me when I needed it and supporting me in my projects and adventures. Without you guys, I wouldn’t have grown so much, so thank you.
One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is how important our monthly planning meetings are. I am grateful for giving us a space to reflect and learn from our mistakes. During the gathering we exchange new ideas, make plans for the future, and catch up because we are not only working together, we are friends and our time together is precious. Let’s hope the future has many more great things to come. I cannot wait for new opportunities, experiences, and friendships that will show up in my life, living on the Aegean coast…