My second month in Turkey starts with a mix of curiosity and familiarity. Daily life feels more natural now, yet everything around me still surprises me. Even simple moments, like walking through local shops and realizing how cheap everything is compared to Italy, make me reflect on how different life feels here. I keep telling myself that when I go back home, everything will seem expensive and I will regret not buying more—but the fear of my suitcase weight always wins. It feels strange to think that now these places, this culture and these foods have become part of my everyday life.
At the beginning of the month, I had the chance to experience a very traditional part of Turkish culture. With some of the other volunteers, I tried a typical Turkish board game in one of those local “game rooms,” with loud traditional Turkish music that suddenly makes you want to dance, çay everywhere and people playing for hours. It felt like a real immersion into everyday Turkish life. By now, drinking at least two cups of çay a day and grabbing a simit or a dürüm while walking through the streets of Ankara has already become part of my routine.
This month, we also started teaching at Altındağ Anadolu İmam Hatip Lisesi. Teaching was a real challenge for me, especially because I had to speak in another language and improvise when needed. But I quickly realized how much I was improving. I gained confidence, learned to adapt and experienced what it feels like to be an authority figure in front of students who greeted me in the corridors, asked questions and showed curiosity about my life in Italy. It was incredibly rewarding to see their reactions, receive little notes from students and even sign their diaries it made me feel respected and appreciated.
Another activity we continued was food packing in LÖSEV. Just like last month, it was wonderful to contribute to something meaningful and help families in need. Wearing the orange vest and sharing a few words over coffee during breaks made the experience even more special.
This month, I also had the opportunity to organize my Italian Cultural Day. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to present Italy in a playful and authentic way, showing our traditions, family moments, love for food and, of course, espresso. It was important for me that people understood the real Italian culture, beyond stereotypes.
In addition, I presented my first workshop entirely on my own. At first, it was intimidating, but once I started, it felt natural and simple. This experience taught me confidence in speaking in front of a group, managing a session independently, and sharing my ideas in another language.
Overall, February has been a month full of learning and personal growth. I explored new aspects of Turkish culture, gained a deeper understanding of religion, traditions and daily life and improved my ability to connect with people from different backgrounds. I also have the chance to travel to new places in Turkey, which completely enriches my stay. Konya welcomes me with its ancient streets full of shops and families. Istanbul amazes me with its size, chaos and the magic of standing between two continents. Cappadocia feels unreal, like a fairy-tale world. İzmir offers the sea, warmth and a completely different atmosphere. Being able to visit so many places in such a short time is something I do not take for granted and I feel incredibly lucky.
Living two months in Turkey, surrounded by volunteers from Tunisia, Poland, Ukraine and North Macedonia, helps me understand more about who I am and why learning about others is so important. Our differences matter, and so do our similarities.
This experience has been truly transformative. I have grown, challenged myself and discovered so much about culture, food, language and human connection. I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience so much in such a short time and I know that these memories and lessons will stay with me forever.