When I was seriously bored with my work and my routine, I learned that there was a volunteer project in Romania. My professor at the university encouraged me because it was a very difficult decision for me. I had to get a visa in one week and go to Romania! A real madness ?! I was worried about the thought of leaving all my order, home, school, family and work behind me. This would be my first experience abroad and I was afraid. Because my project friends came to Romania 1 month before me. I was a little late ... I didnt know them, I didnt know how to greet me. After talking to my family and friends, I thought that Romania would be an opportunity for me and I would be distracted while I was learning new things there. I had an ordinary life, I got up in the morning and went to school, and then I even worked at work and at the weekend. The place where I work is very formal, so we can work for hours without laughing, always wearing formal clothes. The idea of getting to know new people, visiting places to eat and living in a different culture for 3 months came with great fun. I made my decision and contacted my sending organization within 1 hour and started the process. A week later, everything was left behind, all depressed thoughts and fears, I was in Bucharest, Paris of the East. OMG! My first month was a dream, thanks to the wonderful time I had with my project friends and children at school. Volunteer organization is a process where volunteers are very kind, understanding and helpful to each other. In some cases, the host organization may not understand you, but another volunteer will help you with everything. You can be sure. You are there for the same purpose, whether you speak the same languages or not. I think that volunteering projects have a sacred side at this point. I had the chance to make friends with many volunteers in the training course organized by the National Agency for volunteers. I introduced my own country, my culture, expressed my own views. And the most wonderful thing is that if I want to travel anywhere in the world someday I know that I can have a friend who lives there and welcome me. 
Apart from that, the other part of the project that left my mark on my life was my trips. During my holidays, I had the chance to visit many cities in Romania and 5 countries in the Balkans. Without the Internet, without knowing the language of the country youre going to, I learned how to travel, how to live with little money in your pocket. In short, nothing is impossible ... I also met with other Turks born and raised here in Romania and with the Turks in the Balkans. I have received numerous help from them. Maybe there are thousands of kilometers between us, but the fact that we are still speaking the same language, I have seen the same kindness.
Then I started working in the office. This part was a bit boring, but on the weekends I was motivated to discover new places and to see the sky of Bucharest at night. I am grateful to the Grow up By Education project for all my wonderful moments and experiences. I would like the European Union to further diversify such cultural sharing activities in the future. In this way, many young people will have the chance to go abroad and gain cultural exchange, even if they do not allow the financial situation. In the globalizing world, I would like to thank the young population for seeing new places and meeting new people. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of my country, once again made sense to me. ''Grow youth. Give them positive ideas of knowledge and wisdom. You will attain the light of the future with them.'' Thanks to everyone who contributed to this path…
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