Hello everyone! My name is Nisa.
I first heard about European Union ESC projects when I was in high school. Years later, while I was looking for a job, the idea suddenly came back to me, and I thought, “Why don’t I apply for these projects myself?”
While researching, I discovered Pi Youth Association (PIYA). At the time, just like you may be reading this now, I was excited to read blog posts written by people who had already experienced volunteering. I kept wondering, “What will my own experience be like?”
I applied to many projects. I didn’t even receive a response from most of them, but I refused to give up and kept applying. Eventually, I was accepted by a youth center where I would spend eight months as a volunteer.
And so, in January 2026, I left Türkiye and arrived in Gulbene, a small town in Latvia, ready to begin my ESC journey.
Throughout my project, I worked at a youth center. My main responsibilities included spending time with the children and young people who visited the center, helping them use the game consoles and VR headsets in the digital room, organizing cultural days, and preparing various activities and workshops. In addition, I taught Japanese twice a week and dance once a week.
Of course, like every new experience, this journey also came with its challenges. Even though I usually adapt easily to new environments, the first one or two months were quite difficult for me. Getting used to a completely different culture, meeting new people, and adapting to temperatures that sometimes dropped as low as -25°C was not easy.
For example, people here tend to be more reserved compared to people in Türkiye, so I sometimes struggled with communication and had to find different ways to express myself. There were also situations where my host organization and I disagreed on certain matters. However, trying to find solutions to these challenges, adapting to my new environment, and learning something from every experience helped me grow tremendously.
Some of the moments I will never forget are very simple ones: a child giving me a drawing and saying, “I drew you,” playing bingo with elderly people and helping them experience a different kind of day, and knowing that I was able to make even a small difference in people’s lives.
Meeting volunteers from different countries, learning about their cultures, and forming new friendships was also one of the most valuable parts of this experience for me. Looking back, I realize that both the challenges and the beautiful moments contributed to who I became during these eight months.
I see a big difference between the person I was when I started the project and the person I am today. Most importantly, I can now express myself much more comfortably and feel much more confident than I did eight months ago.
I recommend that everyone experience volunteering at least once in their lifetime. I believe it is not just about working and discovering new places, but also about getting to know yourself, growing as a person, and having an experience that you will remember for many years to come.