VOLUNTEERING 101

Now I will tell you my adventures as a former Turkish volunteer in Latvia. As I have been told I found myself in a very small and young NGO with a lot care and motivation. All the ideas I had were supported and brought to life. My favorite of all was Science Festival! 2 days full of hard work with my team. Working to see the light made by the magic of science in the eyes of Latvian children. 

Fridays Turkish classes with my dear Latvian students. Thursdays English Speaking Clubs. Besides that I had the opportunity to volunteer with a large group of Turkish students which made me feel loved and all the effort I put worth it! In a very short time thankfully we did great things. Some days to work 10 hours a day, with love and care… I loved every moment of my work. 

But then there was the chilling part! Bunch of travels; beautiful lakes, forests, churchs, castles. A lot of calories! The food in Baltics is heaven... Especially the Latvian bread I’ve made myself in the Latvian Bread Museum. You gotta visit it! I had the opportunity to be there thanks to my lovely coordinator. All the lakes in every corner that I can’t remember their names, magnificant. White, the snow over them, to walk or even to lay over them, to listen the silence of nature... I was one luck girl. If you are a nature person Latvia is definitely your place. 

Riga is the magical capital of Latvia. There are the cities that I want to hug, Riga was one of them. It is the city where I happily walked around the streets of old town seeing all the beauty and peace. The city where I got to walk on a frozen sea! Daugavpils, the city where I’ve volunteered was really near Lithuania so I could visit Lithuania multiple times. Kaunas, Vilnius, Trakai and Zarasai. Trakai was the most unique of all. I got to know many new things during my visit, like Trakai is the city of jewish Turks! We even met one of them… I had no idea...

I can’t leave this writing without mentioning the beautiful fat cats of Latvia. They made my time. I love them each. Especially my bestie in front of our apartment the fluffy grey kitty, you made me freeze outside every time I pet you because I couldn’t leave for how fluffy you are. And of course the people. They were way warmer than their weather. After all the best of Latvia was my Latvian friends. Thank you Linda, Veronika, Arthur, Svetlana, Ivita, Donat, Inola and of course Zenja! Latvia wouldn’t be my happyland without you. 

My experience in Latvia

When I ever thought of Latvia, there was nothing around my mind. Just some cold Baltic country. And as it is cold, its people should be cold as well. Winter country, they shouldn't have a lot to eat. This was all. I had only a little idea and all that was wrong!

Sweet and hospitable people, wonderful food, small but really beautiful country. I learned a lot about its history to understand better their situation now. I learned another way to see the world through their eyes, I gained a new point of view. I traveled, I enjoyed but most importantly I made smile tens of Latvians through volunteering!

I have weekly orphanage visit, I met the most beautiful children I've ever seen. They hug me through my belly and they made me feel blessed. I learned that they kept asking about Turkey after I left. Today I go to see them again and I made cake for them!