My name is Marion, I am 22 years old and I'm from Sweden. Between July and August 2026, I had the opportunity to spend a month in Istanbul volunteering with Ilk Sen Ol in Istanbul with the European Solidarity Corps (ESC). I had a variety of tasks to complete during my volunteering experience, including partnership building with British and Swiss non-profit organizations for the next Erasmus+ funding cycle, volunteering at a charity store distributing necessities to lower-income families and writing a KA153 project for the Turkish Folk Dance Federation.

I arrived to Türkiye late one night with few expectations other than to experience a new country, learn about a variety of cultures and meet new people. I certainly feel like I have gained much more than this. Volunteering with Ilk Sen Ol has shown me how an organization can take ideas and turn them into tangibly impactful projects with a strong sense of collaboration and support shared across the whole team. It has been lovely to see the team's wins with securing more funding for future projects and partnership building with new organizations, and it inspires me greatly for my own career within the non-profit sector.

I have also built a stronger sense of self while volunteering in Istanbul. Navigating such a large city whilst trying to make sense of the public transport system, currency and communicating with people despite the language barrier has all contributed to me feeling more confident in my abilities to handle challenges and unexpected situations. However, I don't think I would have been able to enjoy my time as much without my amazing roommates and mentor, Şeyma. Anytime I needed help they always offered a hand and I cannot count the amount of times they have translated something important for me! As vibrant as the city is, it is the people that I have been so lucky to be surrounded by that have made it even more beautiful.

Some of my favorite moments have been taking trips after work with the Ilk Sen Ol team to watch The Odyssey in IMAX and the World Folk Dance Festival opening ceremony, traveling to Trabzon for the ESC On-arrival training and visiting Kapadokya to watch the hot air balloons at sunrise while also making a new friend that was traveling solo in the area. I had also had the chance to explore many markets and bazaars, which has been so fun as I was able to try new teas, delights and much more.

Volunteering with the ESC has given me such an enriching experience that I would recommend anyone who has the ability to participate in it to try it out! The combination of personal, professional and cultural experiences that you will gain by taking part in a project are invaluable and will give you a much broader view of the world and hopefully encourage you to keep exploring it < 3

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