Hello Everyone,
I’m Yusuf. This past July, I had the chance to gain a once-in-a-lifetime experience through Pi Youth Association. From July 1st to August 8th, I volunteered for the “Unity” project. The project kicked off with a training course in Craiova, Romania. During this week-long course, we learned ways to communicate more effectively with children, focusing mostly on using games as a medium.
We were a group of 60 volunteers, divided into teams of 12 from countries like Italy, Romania, Spain, Jordan, and Turkey. Seeing how people from such different cultures could come together for a common cause was both touching and rekindled my hope for the future. I had the chance to bond with the other volunteers during the training sessions, and I formed deeper friendships with some. I realized how much we had in common, despite our different backgrounds.
One of the most exciting moments for me was presenting Turkish culture during a cultural night in Craiova. The enthusiasm from the other volunteers motivated my teammates and me to share our culture even more. I had brought Turkish coffee from Antakya, and we prepared it together. Serving this beloved coffee to 60 people was an unforgettable experience. Afterward, we read fortunes from the coffee grounds, sharing this tradition with them. We also introduced them to Turkish delights, halva, and İzmir Bombs, which we had brought along. It was fascinating to hear how these everyday tastes of ours were described by people from different cultures. After the food, we sang Turkish songs like Tarkan’s “Kiss Kiss” and showcased traditional dances like the Groom’s Dance (Damat Halayı). After enjoying presentations from other countries and tasting their snacks, we ended the night dancing to “Made in Romania,” a beloved part of Romanian pop culture.
As part of the training in Craiova, we learned about the Giant Dolls’ House method. This social art project involves participants using shoeboxes to build homes from scratch, allowing them to express their emotions creatively. The method aims to raise awareness about issues like homelessness and asylum, helping me understand the importance of home and belonging. One Ukrainian participant shared a memorable model that represented the metro station in Kharkiv, which had become a temporary home for her and others during the war. The station’s lobby had been turned into a children’s playground, a train car into a bedroom, and platforms into social areas. The story of how people built lives in that station brought the harsh realities of war into sharp focus for me.
When I built my own house, I placed a large clock on the desk. After completing my house, I was asked to write its story, and I started thinking about why I had included the clock. I then remembered the large clock that used to sit in my childhood bedroom in Hatay. Writing that story brought tears to my eyes, as I had subconsciously included something I had loved years ago.
At the end of the week, we reached the most emotional part of the training course: saying goodbye to the other volunteers. After parting ways, we were divided into 12-person teams and went off to volunteer for a month at five different organizations across Romania. While some teams headed to Arad, Bucharest, Timișoara, and Târgu Frumos, one team stayed in Craiova. I was in the group that went to Timișoara, and I’d like to share my experience there.
Timișoara, being close to both the Serbian capital, Belgrade, and the Hungarian border, was one of the Romanian cities where I felt the most cultural richness. With the help of the local volunteers, we explored much of the city and got to try many local flavors.
In Timișoara, I volunteered for about a month with an organization. During this time, we saw how the training we received could be put into practice. Along with the other volunteers, we organized a summer camp for Ukrainian refugee children. We played games to help them integrate more easily into everyday life. Throughout this time, we saw the positive effects of what we learned during the training course and also noticed its weaknesses.
For example, we thought the language barrier between us and the children would be our biggest problem. To overcome this, we focused on developing and choosing more universal games that could be played using body language. However, when it came time to practice, we found that some of the children spoke English very well and helped by translating for their friends. With their input, we adjusted our games accordingly and worked to create a safe space where they could freely express themselves.
Besides games, we also held art activities to help the children express their emotions. In one activity, we used clay for sculpting, and something unforgettable happened. One child came up to me, saying he wanted to make a cat and asked for help. After assisting him, he hugged me and said I was his friend from then on. Every day after that, during the camp, he would come up to me, hug me, and greet me. Building such connections with the children made me realize once again the importance of this project.
On another day, we took the children to a pool. There, they enjoyed crepes we had prepared for them beforehand, and we played water games while they swam. After a fun day at the pool, on our walk back to the organization, the staff asked me to keep an eye on one of the younger children. As we walked hand in hand, I used my limited Ukrainian to ask him his name and how he was. He seemed to believe I understood him because he continued telling me things in his language throughout the walk. Without saying a word, I just smiled and listened to him until we arrived. This is another moment I’ll never forget.
We also used the Giant Dolls’ House method here, allowing the children to model what “home” and “belonging” meant to them. As they expressed their emotions through their creativity, I realized once again the importance of imagination. As a child, I used to dream a lot, but I had forgotten how much this ability fades over time. Since returning from Romania, I’ve noticed that I’ve been dreaming more, which is one of the countless things I gained from this project. We concluded the Giant Dolls’ House activity by exhibiting the houses designed by the children in a park in Timișoara.
Overall, the time I spent in both Timișoara and Craiova was incredibly rewarding. I feel very lucky to have had this experience. As someone who dreams of specializing in pediatrics after graduating from medical school, I’m especially happy to have had the opportunity to closely experience the world of children. The time I spent with the children brought me back to my own childhood and helped me see life from different perspectives. The friendships I made during the project made the experience even more special. For all these reasons, this adventure will always be a cherished memory for me. So, once again, thank you Pi Youth Association!
Yusuf Düzel
