Burhan Kurt
My name is Burhan, from Turkey. I am 24 years old. I am a history teacher.I started a six months EVS project called GAIA, 3nd stage, in Craiova on 17th of November 2016 thanks to my sending organization ‘‘system&generation’’and the hosting organization Explorator. I am gonna write a short description and personal feelings. So many things came to me during this days.
When I landed Bucharest, I could understand nothing and didn’t feel anything.I don’t understand totally everything even now. The only thing that I remember is that I hurried not to be late from train. For me Romania has begun from Craiova.
It is a my First EVS here in Craiova , before it I did not have any experience with EVS. On the very beginning, as I really didn’t have any kind of experience, it was too difficult for me to work with me. Besides, I couldn’t role my feelings and the only thought flying every minute in my mind was “It is impossible for me, I cannot ever overcome it…”
I will work with children and teenagers with special needs. I don’t have an experience of doing such kind of work with disabled people. But it is not important. We are here to experience the new, to volunteer and to become experienced. I want to do something really good in this big world and this is exactly my chance!
Suddenly I did remember that I had very impressive tool exactly in my hands. I am talking about the time. Time is able to change everything, due to it and our efforts and willing we`ll become more clever, smart, serious, even elder, ready to fight against new challenges and become more stronger than before..
For me any volunteering experience is a great chance to get to know myself . Doing something for other people without thinking about what I can get for it makes me feel free: I don’t do that for necessity but just because I want to, and from freedom comes self awareness. Because of that, I feel very lucky to have this opportunity and I’m sure it will help me to take important decisions in my life.
All volunteers from all project presented their own country with movies, brochure and a lot of passion..cultural exchange and knowledge are the first words that comes to me when I think to this day. I met a lot people from Italy, Portugal, Spain, Georgia and other countries...and everybody had something to say, something that I wanted to know.
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The following days were also full of interesting activities, more related with our team (Me, Marina, Lena, Karina and other volunteer’s) management and we started knowing each other prepare ourselves for the activities.Although things are always meant to be changed and we will never know as they will go to end up, my first impression is absolutely positive because I feel comfortable and excited at the same time.Ready for the challenge!!
I have been here only for 20 days. But there are so many things to express and to think about. For me everything is interesting here and I am sure that these 6 months will change my life a lot. I am here only 20 days, but many things have already changed. Every day changes me and I am sure, for better.
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08.12.2016
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In the middle of December we had one more trip. This time was to Sibiu. But it wasn’t a holiday it was for on arrival training. The training was very intense but really interesting and useful. Amazing trainers worked with us during the week. They informed us about Erasmus + program. We played different games and they answered all of our questions. We stayed in a beautiful hotel. During the training we met amazing people – trainers and volunteers from the other projects in Romania. After the training even I felt closer to everyone than our team from Craiova. And we ended up with an exercise about the fact what will we take if we go for a one-week training. What are we taking with us? We were calm and sad. The seminar was over, but it was very sad. All good memories were in very short time. I left there happy and calm. I am in the train. Again the same way, the same beautiful nature. Everything is the same. Only a thing has changed, I am not the same.
My biggest dream is to visit various countries and to see a lot of historical places as a history teacher. And I'm approaching this dream step by step. I went to Serbia for the new years eve. My friend from Macedonia who I met during the on arrival trainig has hosted me. I have never met such a hospitable family in my life As I said in my earlier writings, I get new experiences every day.
And I will never forget in my whole life, the big heart man "Dane". He takes care of his sick and bedridden mother every day and loves her like a baby. He prepared traditional Serbian and Macedonian food for us and was respected as his own son. I never forget that one day when I was walking on the street, I saw the horse and i was so excited and the next morning, he took us to the horse farm and we walked for hours. I will never forget you…
As i said that before, The best memories happen in a short time. Now it's time to go back and there's a lot of work waiting for us. The children are waiting for us.of course we have troubles sometimes but when the children hug us we forgot everything. Nothing is hard and the children will save this world.
31.01.2017
We are a Big Family
When I was writing the article today, I realized that I am going to finish my 3rd month. But time is passing sometimes you cant feel. Sometimes I want to stop the time.If I should write every detail, I will not be able to finish my list. All moments pass in front of my eyes like in the movies. The time flew and I decided to enjoy every second. You should change yourself to enjoy more. You can look at everything from both good and bad points. I decided to look from the good point. And as result there were a lot of moments that I really enjoyed everytime with a group or alone as well. Everything has its own value in this life. And the freedom is precious for me. we started to recognize each other in a better way and I slowly changed my mind. Everything changed: classes, breaks, tasty foods, music.Yes, it is really impossible to describe the real feelings with words. We started our activities at Elena Farago School, ANCAAR and Handball club. At the first time it was quite challenging for me, but now it became more interesting and easier because we already know what should we do. There are many important questions in my mind which are still exist without answers. But, to be honest, at this moment I don’t want to think about it. Now I am calm.Life is too short. We need to be in mobility and collect many memories as much as possible. As a result you will have lots of things to remember and retell. My thoughts are mess and I can’t concentrate on something. But now I want to share my impressions and feelings. I will try to describe my feelings but surely I will not manage to give an exact description because all my feelings are inside of me. Sometimes there were some problems because of the language. Sometimes it is not possible to express all what you really feel. And, anyway, you are not a stable and persistent person in the new environment as you were in your motherland. And here the same process starts. The period of adaptation, period of understanding and admitting the new and also the period when people start the recognize me.
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20.02.2017
We're rehearsing for about three weeks. Because there is a very important event waiting for us in the future. World Autism Day. And we will dance in the city center to create awareness. I have never had experience before, and I do not know what to do, but it does not matter, I think I should do this as long as I remember the smile on their face. And the expected day came when there is a big crowd in the city center. I smile and I am interested in my students. Just make sure you do not have a smile.
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When they say hello to a difficult world unaware of everything, they are confronted with a brand new identity loaded on them. They are the most beautiful children with beautiful chromosomes. They are in need of our love and love in this difficult battle where they are burdened.If you can put love droplets in your hearts, ; Maybe then the glow of those angel eyes will set you in your eyes. Could it be nice love shopping on the earth?
05.03.2017
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I got my wage at the beginning of April and started traveling nice countries. The weather was much more hot than here. A while ago we made a plan with my project partner to tour the Balkans and travelled 6 countries by hitchhiking. We gained a lot of experience and met some nice people. I don't think I will ever forget those people. Although it wasn't on their travel route, there were people who took us all the way to the countries borders, there were people who bought us food and even the look of pride in their eyes when we said we were volunteers of humanism made me so happy.
Towards the middle of the month, I got a very exciting news saying that my Schengen visa was approved. For years I had told everyone that my dream city was Vienna, now I am getting prepared for this trip and I am so happy. Every single day I am gaining more and more much hotter experience
I have been travelling…
I’ve traveled and traveled, and I do not think that I lost myself when I am away from home. I met with a lot of people by visiting them, explored a lot, shared a lot and I learnt how can I learn.
I visited the countries which I dreamt about, I have been looking for my soul and I felt like a player looking for a role, that was the streets that smelling of history. I was sipping in Vienna boulevards. I'm in Poland I was freezing, I was in the city and not alone. I traveled, but I do not really know where was it. I was traveling far as possible and wide. I was wondering who would be my guide. Living in reality is far but far, but this kind of happiness was lovely. I was wondering how Budapest would look towards the next, I wondered how bird observing would be during cruising in the channels in Prague. I realized what happened and realized that nothing was impossible.
17.04.2017
22.05.2017
There is always learning in your EVS… Sometimes less but you are always learning. Difficult situations make the best chances to learn for me. There is always some supporters, you just have to search for him/ her and find that person.
The EVS experience doesnt mean only good moments, it has some bad ones as well. The learning style is not black and white, all of us have his own style. It depends on the situations. I realised what I have done during my EVS project until now, how I have learned and what will help me in the future and I learnt what I have to change.
I discovered more difficult and challenging situations I experienced, to be more confident and motivated. That’s why learning through experiencing is the best way for me.
During my EVS I discovered that criticism blocks me a lot and highly discourages me. What helps me to move on is giving me clear instructions how to act. What really motivates me is gratefulness of people and especially children who I work with. When I see that they are happy because of my help, I feel more confident and full of energy.
20.06.2017
TIME TO GO...
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There was time that it seemed to be a dream. I thought whether it would be possible that I collect my luggage and go very far from my country, to another country. Would it be possible that I live independently and alone, manage my time and budget, make decisions by myself.
Many things come true during the time and you understand that actually It was not so important or it was not what you expected or maybe it is an approved right of life...It already came true and the meaning of it changes, like losing its sense.
Anyway, it was your decision that you made and you must be satisfied it.I will remember every second with smile and pride.I will miss. I will miss my own and private space. I know I will miss my friends, i will miss my girls
I want to thank all people who appeared and left traces in my life. I will never forget the members of my small family: Russian and Ä°talian friends, Marina, Karina,Lena and Ä°sabella…Simone my brother… It was difficult for me to adapt to this life, volunteering life, but he have helped us a lot. He became brothers for me…
Yes, of course, we had a lot of times that we didn’t understand each other and we had a lot of difficulties, but that made our friendship stronger…
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It is this world draped in gray, where people are alive and living and working and bothering each other senseless. The sun shines in theory, but only behind some curtain of gray that can’t be outrun by a ghost horizon of an indelectable quality.When you leave the waiting room, you are transmogrified into a winged being, incapable of flight, but most able in wisdom. One only hopes.
Goodbye my readers, you are as imagined as these words here scribbled.sorry that I can’t hide my tears. I am strong, you know, but there are some things in life that are beyond human forces…
I WILL MISS…
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03.07.2017
