My Volunteering Journey Blog dei volontari

16/04/2025 Servizio Civile

Ciao! I’m İlke from İstanbul, Turkey. I’ve been living in Bolzano for 6 months, and this was my first experience living abroad. Bolzano is a city surrounded by mountains with incredible natural views.

I volunteer at a resthouse. In the early days of my volunteering, I faced some challenges, but the only thing I’m still getting used to is living without seeing the sea every day. After 6 months, I see that I have truly connected with some of the elderly residents. I thoroughly enjoy my project. Spending time with them and listening to their life stories is always very valuable. In this process, I had the opportunity to learn a lot about myself, and they taught me many things as well. ESC can be really challenging, but it also offers a chance to feel grateful for many things. Every day, I learn new things—about culture, language, and new skills etc.—and I try to explore different cities whenever I get a chance. I believe the important thing is to choose the project that suits you best. I realize every day that I made the right choice.

İlke