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Hey AIESEC,
“Every person can make a difference, and every person should try.” – John F. Kennedy
You’ve read the quote at the start of this article. Well, volunteering with AIESEC helped me make many differences, in my life and other peoples’ lives. If you asked me at the beginning of 2022, whether I would fulfill my dream of travelling outside of Sri Lanka within this year, I would have probably said no. Little did I know the adventures that awaited me in October, and I am excited to revisit those memories and share my experience. I am Aysha Ajward, an exchange participant from AIESEC in Ruhuna and I travelled to Turkey for a global volunteering project.
My project was based on the 4th SDG, Quality Education, and I signed up because I love teaching and imparting my knowledge to others. I joined the project “Global Classroom” and worked in Mahir Öke Kreş Ve Anaokulu, Gebze, Turkey. As soon as I met the children, I was welcomed affectionately with a huge group hug and felt so loved by them. The school was located in the second largest city of the Kocaeli Province.
My accommodation type was a host family, and I got to stay with the principal’s family, in her apartment, which was a 5-minute walk away from the school. My role in the school was to speak to them in English as frequently as possible, and to conduct short lessons each day on simple topics. I taught them songs and sang with them as they were more engaged that way. Since the school was a daycare as well as a preschool, I also stayed with the children until their parents came to pick them up at the end of the day. Some parents even tried to say goodbye to me in English! I learned that many people do not speak in English in Turkey, so it was a kind gesture from them, to make me feel more welcomed! Similarly, I also started learning Turkish to understand them better, but communication was effortless with the translation technologies that we have now!
Speaking of my host family, I couldn’t have imagined a better family to live with! They looked after me as their own and always made sure I was well fed and comfortable. When I went there the seasons were almost about to change from Autumn to Winter, there was a definite chill in the air! They were kind enough to give me special winter jackets and extra sweatshirts to adapt to the cold. The principal was also so generous to take me on a tour to Istanbul to see some favourite tourist spots like The Grand Bazaar, Sultanahmet mosque and Hagia Sophia. It was inspiring to see the beautiful Ottoman architecture that has been standing strong for many years.
I wouldn’t lie if I said that Turkey has an amazing cuisine! I got to taste many unique dishes special to Turkish culture. Turkish breakfast is always such a grand deal, almost like a mini buffet. The table was always spread with bread, cheese, olives, honey, butter, herbs sprayed with lemon juice, sausages, eggs and a special tomato and pepper curry called Menemen. I also learned that Turks love their bread, they have it for every single meal of the day and you would always find fresh bread in the kitchens. Speaking of desserts, yes it also a heaven for sweet tooths! I got to try Baklava, Kunafe, Lokum (Turkish Delight) and many other sweets during my travels.
Well now would a trip to Turkey be complete without visiting the destinations we always see on TikTok? On my second weekend there I left Gebze to take a 10-hour trip on a bus to Cappadocia, often described as a magical land with its hot air balloons and fairy chimneys. The memories I made on that trip are truly wonderful. I met Turkish people from many cities and travellers from other countries, like Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Egypt. Waking up before sunrise to watch the hot air balloons to take off into the air was a thrilling experience, not to mention the -1 ℃ temperature, leaving my fingers frozen stiff! Visiting the fairy chimneys, Ihlara valley and a Pottery workshop were the other highlights from this tour.
The next weekend I visited Izmir, with my manager and the principal! There I was able to visit the ancient city of Sardes, a summer mathematics school which was located in Sirince, and also the Kemeralti bazaar in Izmir. We also took a walk through the streets of Izmir at night, and it was amazing to see music and food all in one place with people enjoying the weekend.
When it was finally time to say goodbye, it really was heartbreaking to leave. The children made a small booklet for me to take back and I also delivered a presentation about Sri Lanka. They were fascinated about the tropical climate and the wildlife and wished to come and see me one day. I left Turkey with a happy but heavy heart, and I would like to share one last incident that really highlighted the joy of a cross cultural experience : I was at a small souvenir shop at the Istanbul airport and I spoke with the little Turkish that I knew, and the shopkeeper was so excited and he said that he knew Sri Lanka, and he was amazed at how I was able to pick up a decent amount of Turkish during my journey! I love learning languages, so it was a huge compliment for me!
As I conclude my story, I would like to say that this volunteering experience has definitely been a leadership training experience for me. The challenges I faced in preparation and throughout the journey has shaped me into a more capable person. I travelled out of Sri Lanka for the first time, alone and learnt to take responsibility for myself as an independent individual. This opportunity helped me learn about a new culture, a new country, and the lifestyle there. Above all, I want to highlight how, with the help of Global Volunteering with AIESEC, I was able to achieve one of my goals in life, to travel to another country but for an affordable cost. I will forever be grateful for this experience and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is brave enough to explore new chapters in their lives! So do not hesitate anymore and take this wonderful chance to make beautiful memories!
