Hi everyone!
We came to the moment where I have to write about my last months in Ankara with this project and since I’m a very emotional person, right now, I feel both sad and happy.
Several things happened, I went through a lot of new experiences and I felt so lucky in every moment.
During the second month, we had several important dates. With the end of December and the start of January some of us celebrated Christmas and New Year.
Since our traditions are different it was a great opportunity to learn about others’ celebrations. But mostly, we had so much fun.
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I want to make clear that my roommates are amazing and incredible people, and they tried to make my important day the best even if I was the only one celebrating on the 25th. They managed to that.
Then we had New Year’s celebration, which was the best.
We all cooked something and we made a wonderful dinner together waiting for midnight to cheer and eat twelve grapes for twelve wishes.
We also decided to do Secret Santa, so we exchanged presents, it was all very funny and cute.
After New Year we had some time to rest, so on our holidays we planned to visit Istanbul.
Even if the planning of the trip stressed all of us, we made it, and it was AMAZING!
In the end of my last month, I can really say it was one of the best trip in my life.
I fell in love with Istanbul and its fresh and salty air from the sea.
We spent a lot of time with local friends, who helped us a lot, and I’m deeply thankful to them. I’m glad we had the opportunity to know each other better.
They showed us amazing places in Istanbul, I really hope to meet them again and to give the favor back.
Three days will never be enough to visit the whole city of Istanbul, but we managed to see a lot of mosques and we even saw the city at night from a boat, and it was that one opportunity in a life time. We enjoyed every second.
In food delivery activity I had the chance to meet people from the team who were amazing to me, everyone was so kind and including despite the persistent language barrier. Hand gestures are the way of course!
Not only from the team I met amazing people, also kids from refugees families.
We danced a lot together and seeing them smiling and be happy to see me, was an honor, it warmed my heart and I already miss them all.
I hope that our work will help them to grow in a better world.
As the previous month, kindergarten’s activity was the best for me.
I bonded more with almost all the kids and I started to communicate with them in clearer ways, since turkish classes helped me too.
During these months the kids had so many fun activities, preparing for New Year’s holidays, and I’m very happy I could help them with it.
I will miss this activity the most and I’m glad I had this opportunity that made me also understand something new also about myself.
I’m infinitely thankful for this whole experience.
I’m not going to pretend that everything was “rose e fiori” as we say in Italy (means easy and beautiful). Sometimes it was difficult, sometimes I missed my family, my country, my comfort zone. But nothing in life is easy so it is veery normal.
We just have to adapt to different realities. And it’s okay to have difficult moments, if we can solve them.
Mostly, though, the experience was very happy and healthy for me.
One of the most difficult barriers to me has always been anxiety and this brings me to procrastination. Now, that I’m going back home I already have so many plans for my 2023, and I’m sure about them, I will put all my efforts in them. So this project also helped me encouraging me in new experiences.
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Thank you for being with me in hard times, for helping me every time I needed it, thank you for everything really.
I’m waiting to see you soon again, don’t forget about it!
I will miss you Ankara, and Turkey! I hope to see you soon.