I didn’t have many life-changing experiences until I moved to college. In fact, most of the time I thought it was too late to do something. Staying away from social environments for a long time during the pandemic period increased my thoughts. I was afraid to step up and try something. Going abroad was one of my fears. I was still applying for some intercultural projects, but I didn’t have any expectations.
One of the most important events that happened to me at the university was the ESC project. In the beginning, I was very excited about the one-month volunteering abroad project, but as time approached, I started to get scared and nervous. I didn’t know what to face or how to overcome it. It scared me a lot as it would be my first experience. When I arrived, I felt lost and wanted to return home, to my safe place. But day by day I started to get used to it more and more. I was relieved (and a little emotional) that people who do not know each other and come from different countries always try to be kind and understanding toward each other all the time.
Trying to produce something together brought us closer. After spending a week on the project, I unexpectedly had the opportunity to participate in the youth exchange project. Two countries in two weeks! Meeting new people and seeing new places, and the fact that all this happened in such a short time, gave me a completely different experience.
I’m proud of myself for being able to accomplish one of the things I’ve always feared but also wanted to do on my own. This project will be an unforgettable experience for me and will be a pioneer for my participation in other projects.
