My Motivation for Volunteering Abroad

Merhaba ! 

My name is Takoi from Tunisia. I would like to share my first experience of volunteering abroad and the  importance of volunteering for me and its positive impact on human life. 

How was the beginning.. Where and when? A must question. 

The start was from the preparatory school by participating in youth centers and  activities of charitable associations, up to the university level I have always  taken the initiative to participate in these activities that focus on the preparation  of youth service organization and contribute to the organization of cultural  events and competitions. 

First of all Volunteering for me can be a means of feeling useful and satisfied.  By helping others or contributing to a larger cause, volunteers can feel a sense of  achievement and meaning in their lives and can also be a way to get to know  new people and connect with others who share similar values and interests so  Volunteering can provide opportunities to learn new skills or put them into  practice. For example, a person interested in planning an event could volunteer  to help organize a charitable fundraiser. And from then on, I started looking for volunteer opportunities, especially  experiences in a different country from mine. And I started my search journey  through the platforms related to youth activities and the social networking sites  of associations and organizations and the most important :“The European Youth  Portal” is an initiative of the European Commission and was launched in  2004.The portal was suggested in the European Commission's White Paper "A  new impetus for European Youth". It has been developed with and for young  people, particularly in association with Eurodesk and the European Youth  Forum.. One of the strategy's objectives is to enhance the participation of all  young people in society and to increase their participation in civic life and in  representative democracy.

Until I found an opportunity to volunteer in Ankara with “ANDER Ankara  Eğitim Gönüllüleri Derneği” ANDER - Ankara Education Volunteers  Association is an active Civil Society Organization working on education, youth  and lifelong learning. The association carries out activities with the aim of  contributing to the development of all individuals, especially young individuals,  in social, cultural and educational issues. Of which I submitted my application  and sent all the necessary documents, and I was very excited by this experience.  I kept waiting for a response, then I did many interviews with them to finally be  accepted.So I started with all the preparations and did some research and  discovered places in Ankara and their culture through the Internet and  preparations, including flight tickets and all travel equipment. 

The day of my trip was February 1st. The first flight was from Tunisia to  Istanbul, and the second flight from Istanbul to Ankara it was my first travel  experience solo , which I really enjoyed and contemplated on its details. It was a  marvellous experience, especially when I came to Ankara, the mountains and  buildings were covered with snow. It was a wonderful sight. 

The start was to meet the whole team, including Azerbaijan, Italy, Hungary,  Ukraine and Georgia. It's a truly amazing team. We shared ideas and cultures,  and we enjoyed spending our time either in the activities we do or in the visits  we make to Ankara. I couldn’t be more grateful for such an opportunity is given  to me by such people.

And here I am in my fourth week on the trip. They may seem a little to you, but  for me, they are a complete stage in which I learned a lot, in which I discovered  many things of culture, food, and places, and I had the friendship of nice people, gained skills, and trying to got out of my comfort zone.

Finally, volunteering abroad can be an incredibly rewarding experience that  allows you to make a positive impact on the world while also gaining valuable  personal and professional skills. Just remember to do your research, plan ahead,  stay open-minded, and prioritize your safety. 

My journey of self-realization continues, and I continue to have adventures and  discoveries.

Takoi Gharsellaoui