Maissem's Second Month

 Hi! This is me again

This month was so cool. We started it by doing a new activity which is going to a school and giving non formal education to pupils from 5 th grade to 9 th grade. The teachers were so nice and helped us when needed. Also, the pupils were happy about our presence there and they welcomed us with warmth the first day by giving us beautiful notes.

During this month I did Tunisia’s Culture Day! I enjoyed sharing my culture, food, dance and history with the other volunteers and I am sure that I did well representing my country.

I am extremely happy that I was able to finish creating a scarf during the knitting workshop. I hope the kid who will receive it will be happy as well about it and I hope he/she will like it. Actually, I think knitting will be a new hobby for me from now on!

We finished also 8 lessons of Turkish language and I am satisfied by the level of Turkish that I attended currently! Now I am able to manage small conversations with venders in the shops and that’s impressive in only two months!!

During this project I didn’t do only project related activities, I visited 3 Turkish cities: Istanbul, Cappadocia and Konya. I enjoyed discovering each one of them and I made a lot of memories and pictures in each city. I also appreciate the international friendships that I created during those 2 months.

Overall, my experience in this project is a very special one. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of this journey. Turkey will always have a special place in my heart. And now I am going back home with tears in my eyes and holding onto moments that will stay with me forever.

Thank you ANDER! Thank you ESC.

Maissem’s First Month In Ankara

 Hello eveyone ! My name is Maissem. I’m from Tunisia. And I’m volunteering in ESC project with ANDER Association in Ankara, Turkey. 

Well, my experience was special since the beginning because I actually started the 2026 year with this project, literally. I came to Ankara on the first of January 2026, and today I officially have been here for one month. I’m not gonna lie to you, this month passed so FAST!I came here knowing only “Merhaba” and “Inshalah”, but today after 4 lessons in Turkish Language offered in this project, I know a lot more and I am so happy about that! Even the sweet lady from the Simit Shop that I go to almost every day is now proud of the progression that I made. I started understanding the prices that she’s saying in Turkish, doing a “Hi How are you” conversation with her in Turkish, and of course thank her saying the magical word that everyone here smiles when I say it: teşekkür ederim and I smile back when she responds Afiyet Olsuuuun 

Another beautiful new thing I learned during this month is Knitting! 4 weeks ago I knew Nothing about knitting, but look at me now! I almost finished quarter scarf! And the amazing part about this activity is that I’m making that scarf for a beautiful kid out there who maybe cannot afford buying one.

Also, since Ramadan the holy month is coming in two weeks, a generous hospital needed our help in food packing and we gladly answered the call! That activity was super cool and emotional, we were active and served with a smile.

For sure I cannot be living in a place for a whole month and I don’t try to discover the most of it right? Yes, exactly! We actually had an activity centered around Discovering Ankara where we went to the most famous places here. Our first station was Anıtkabir which is a mausoleum complex which serves as the resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Then, we went to Hacı Bayram Câmii which is a very famous mosque in Ankara. We also visited İşbank Museum with an official name of “Economic Independence Museum”. And of course, we went to Ankara Kalesi which literally means the Castle of Ankara.

In only one month I did those activities and a lot more. That’s why I’m so excited about the next month: the new adventures that I will live and the new skills that I will learn!