Ezgi in Wonderland Blog
Ciao tutti,
My name is Ezgi. I am 27 years old and from Turkey. I live in Mersin, a Mediterranean city in Turkey. I am a mechanical engineer. Before applying for a job, I wanted to give myself a gap year. I am volunteering in Trento since 28th of October. I was living in Mersin with my family and my dog. I miss my dog but everyone has pets here. Even when I walk on the street I can see lots of cute dogs.
Time is flying, my second month here. It is truly incredible to see my own change in a short time and to meet the sides of me that I did not know. The best gift 2022 has given me is to experience an ESC in Italy. I am happy that I have found the most suitable project for me. Also, Italy has a homey energy. I don't feel as a foreigner in a country that I have visited for the first time.
The reasons why I want to volunteer in Italy are that the project is suitable for me and I want to get to know the Italian culture closely. I am also interested in creative work and I paint. Italy is a very rich country in terms of art and as an artist I would love to be inspired by it.
I am a volunteer in the office of INCO. I help with various projects, organize workshops, design posters, brochures, infographics for events, and manage the volunteer blog here. I will do my best to make sure you read regular volunteer stories and fun posts. Here I will develop my creative and communicative skills, learn Italian at B1 level, make new friends, have an international network, make my artworks with a new perspective, redraw my boundaries with more empathy.
During these two months I lived like a tourist, tried various dishes and fell in love with Italian food. I also traveled to several cities in Italy and a few countries in Central Europe. I started learning Italian. I still find it difficult to communicate in Italian but I know that by the end of the project I will be able to express myself in this language.
Allora, now I want to talk about things that have surprised me since the day I arrived.
- Most markets are closed on the weekend. Markets also take long afternoon breaks.
In Turkey, you can find markets open until late every day. That's why I had a little bit of a hard time the first week I arrived.
- Even if you don't speak the language, body language helps a lot.
Since we speak English in the office and at home, I often needed Italian outside. Where I could not explain myself, I could communicate with the body language and help of kind Italians.
- It's really cold in Trento.
Where I live, Mersin, is a warm Mediterranean city. It never snows in winter and the temperature is usually 10 degrees Celsius. In summer it is very humid and hot. It's really cold but different experience for me. Now we can say that I am resistant to hot and cold weather.
- No stray animals in the street.
It is possible to see a lot of stray animals in Turkey. Especially cats. You can adopt any cat from the street. You can pet a cat while having a coffee in a cafe. But I remember seeing a few cats when I visited Molfetta. They're just shy.
2022 ended well and 2023 started well for me in Italy. I know that Trento has some nice surprises. Have a great year and shine !
Piacere,
Ciao !
