Türki̇ye'ye hoşgeldi̇ni̇z!

Türki̇ye'ye hoşgeldi̇ni̇z!

Hi everyone! The first month of my volunteering experience is coming to an end, and it was so exciting and intense that it really flew by.          
I arrived in a country with a culture and language completely different from my own, and, instead of being scared, I felt welcomed. I love Turkey, and its culture.

What I liked the most was to get to know this country during the period of Ramadan, such an important part of Turkish culture, in between iftar, and street parties.
During this month, I had the chance to explore Ankara, the capital city: together with my companions we visited the Mosque, with its lavish colors; the Castle and the old part of Ankara, among bazaars, carpets, and traditional dances; Antikabir, with its patriotic importance and the changing of the guards.    
I tasted many new dishes: baklava, manti, ciborek, boyuz, çorba, lahmacun, çig köfte, kunefe, lokum, durum, sarma, and lots and lots of çay!

I also visited other corners of Turkey, such as Pamukkale, Izmir, Efes, and Eskisehir.

Izmir is such a vacation city: as soon as you get there you instantly feel happy and relaxed. There you can visit the seaside, the ancient Agora, the main plaza with its Clock tower, the big bazar, and admire the city from above from the Historical Elevator. In Efes, I was very pleased to find out more about ancient Turkish history. There I actually found a very strong link between my country’s history and Turkey, being Efes a site where you can find a lot of Roman ruins and legacy from the Roman Empire. History was also a major thing while visiting Pamukkale, where I discovered a very well conserved Hierapolis, with its famous terraced basins, and thermal springs.

But, for sure, my favorite part has been working, spending my days for those who are struggling right now because they were forced to leave their homes, becoming refugees or natural disasters’ survivors. Spending time with these people has given me strength, and taught me the value of the little things that I give for granted. It can be hard sometimes emotionally. With adults and children begging you for an extra portion

of food, and us unable to grant the request, because otherwise there wouldn't be enough for everyone. These moments break your heart, but they also teach you valuable lessons. The people I worked for taught me that, despite the difficulties that life puts before us, we must never lose our smile and hope. I am extraordinarily grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this project and to share these important life moments. Working as an ESC volunteer has given me the opportunity to explore this country by leaving a meaningful impact to the community.

Teşekkürler Türkiye!

 Chiara Gisinti