When I left Türkiye for Liepāja, Latvia, in October 2025, embarking on a journey shaped by strong winds and the restless waves of the Baltic Sea, I had no idea what awaited me.
I began living in a small village called Rude, in a school surrounded by nature. During the first few days, the silence and freezing cold felt overwhelming. But as time passed, they gave way to a fast-paced daily life and the warmth of a new culture.
This project became much more than an opportunity to discover a new country. It was a turning point in my life—a period during which I challenged my limits and rebuilt myself, both physically and mentally.
My volunteering experience was far from a vacation—it was a true immersion into real life.
Some days, I loaded humanitarian aid packages at our headquarters and delivered them to people in need living miles away. On other days, I assisted with the transportation of bedridden patients to hospitals using the organization’s medical vehicle. We also organized first aid workshops for preschool children and held activities in nursing homes and centers for people with disabilities.
Beyond the physically demanding fieldwork, I also took on responsibilities in the digital sphere. I designed and developed the organization’s website from scratch, and I was responsible for coordinating the entire planning process of the Rude Marathon, one of the region’s largest community events.
One of the most unforgettable moments of my project came in April, when we drove the organization’s vehicle all the way to the Polish–Ukrainian border to deliver the humanitarian aid we had collected. It was a long and exhausting journey, but one that left a lasting mark on me and became one of the most meaningful memories of my life.
Amid this busy schedule, one of the most rewarding aspects of my experience was undoubtedly the cultural exchange.
Although Latvians may seem reserved at first, they are genuinely warm people with a deep respect for their history and traditions. I joined traditional folk dances, walked alongside thousands of people carrying lanterns during Latvia’s Independence Day celebrations on November 18, and had the opportunity to experience their hunting traditions firsthand in the heart of nature—a culture that I was already familiar with.
One of the most unique experiences for me was taking part in a traditional Latvian sauna ritual. Surrounded by the scent of oak leaves and treated to a massage using salt and amber, I was able to leave behind the exhaustion of our demanding work. More importantly, it allowed me to experience the profound connection that local people have with nature and its healing power.
In return, I had the chance to introduce my own culture. The staff at my host organization had previously visited Türkiye and were already familiar with many aspects of Turkish culture, which made these exchanges even more enjoyable. During various events, I prepared traditional Turkish semolina dessert balls (irmik topları), cooked Turkish-style grilled chicken, and taught traditional Turkish street games to preschool children. They were all received with great enthusiasm.
Seeing how naturally two different cultures could come together, learn from one another, and build meaningful connections was one of the most valuable lessons of my entire volunteering journey.
Of course, not everything went perfectly all the time.
There were moments when disagreements within the team, the challenges of sharing responsibilities in a communal living environment, and Latvia’s harsh winter conditions tested me both mentally and physically. However, throughout these difficult times, I was never alone. The support of my sending organization, as well as my mentors, Süleyman Kodal and Şermin Çolak, was invaluable.
Even before arriving in Latvia, the pre-departure training organized by my sending organization prepared me for many of the challenges I would face. After my arrival, our regular follow-up meetings and their thoughtful guidance helped me navigate difficult situations with greater confidence and composure.
This strong support behind the scenes, combined with everything I experienced in the field, taught me how to build self-discipline, stay motivated even when I was on my own, and approach challenges with professionalism and a solution-oriented mindset. These lessons became some of the most valuable outcomes of my ESC journey.
As my months-long adventure comes to an end, I look back at the snowy landscape I saw from the airplane on my very first day with a completely different perspective. I am leaving as someone who is more mature, more certain about what I want in life, and proud to have made a meaningful impact on the lives of local people in a small corner of Europe.
This journey taught me that volunteering is about far more than helping others. It is about discovering your own potential through every act of kindness, every challenge you overcome, and every effort you make. In the process of giving to others, you often find the very best version of yourself.