I am fresh and foreign student in Bulgaria. It’s been 9 months abroad since I chose independence from my parents.
I am the kind person who always willing to try to get scholarships for my education and Bulgarian government scholarship was my first and big one which gives all my costs for living and studying. Then, one sunny day, as people often feel, I felt FOMO. Oh geez!.
Actually, I was quite an extrovert in my hometown who can easily make friends when there are a group of people. But, the situation became different in a foreign country where I can’t express myself fully because of the language barrier/Bulgarian/, culture differences and so on. I felt loneliness realistically.
Because, loneliness which I have felt in my hometown with my parents, friends, relatives was not the exact same thing. I can say, it was real loneliness that made me depressed at all.
After 14 hours of traveling, I arrived at Turkey.
Day 1
There were students, workers, freelancers from all European countries. We got to know each other in a unusual way that we introduce ourselves the person who seat beside us in 1 minute and after that that person will have to role to introduce us in front of others.
Also, We did energizer to boost our mood. Energizer is the thing we should do before every training course day begins in order to make the day more efficient for us. I have to say it is the most wonderful time of day!
We separated into 5 teams and build a tower by balloons 🎈 in 15minutes. Our team immediately started to build a tower without any plan or something because our excuse was the time was not enough tho. When the winner was announced, we pondered that we should have done a plan or any kind of scratch before instantly building like the winner team did.
Winner team has planned to do in order to make it stable so that they won. Sounds cliche, but when something challenges you, we just do it without even thinking any consequences.
And sometimes we make mistakes, although it is good to make mistakes sometimes something is being already done by others and they say it’s a mistake. I wouldn’t understand that thing from reading a book, wisdom, quote etc..
That was concept of my very first day.
Second day
We did awareness of the gender equality content/video/ in a real life by we were playing a role in circumstances that gender equality and discrimination occurs.
I got role as Muslim girl who tries to get a job in a big corporation even if she is well educated and has competitive CV.But she was not hired. Our team members, Alek, Inna, 2Ritas, Sveta, Mateus, Anara played as a pregnant woman, senior, and people with disability, etc.
We had Culture night that every European country team has to present their country’s cuisine, snacks, strange things, clothes.
I assume that the core value of this event is to every country has their own unique, in.. sometimes peculiar things that has to be shown to other country people. It was just amazing to try Turkey’s and Lithuana’s snacks, sweet, Romanian and Bulgarian milk products, Portueges cocktail while they are watching Football..
Third and Fourth day
We discussed about gender equality problems, and practices. Actually, It was quite hard to explain social issues such as equality, discrimination, human right in real life. We just know the general concept of these issues, just the-top of the ice. But, We went into deep to these issues we acknowledged in and it was our purpose too.
Fourth day, It was our day-off. We traveled the nearest big city which is Bursa, Turkey. And our Turkish people lead the each team to guide us. Everyone realized that Turkey is always a good place to travel around. Turkey is always a good idea too.
As mentioned above, we were gathered in one hall and organizers said that open your eyes. We felt that they were light up the candles even though we were closing our eyes.
They told us to give our candles to the person whom we made lots of memories together during the course. Almost everyone cried and cried in our heart. Because, each and every person made connection between each other in 7 days boot hotel.
Now it is time to write about our course topic which is “Gender equality”. I assume this course’s aim is to educate youth people in this social issue. And we achieved this purpose by including each person’s opinion. I really appreciate There was the fact that every participant has a better understanding of what the equality is.
Gender equality is a way of how men and women collaborate in any circumstances such as work, family, university, religion etc.
I am libra so that my daily quote is life is all about its balance like equality 🟰
Equality is basically a Communication which happens all the time if you live in human society. So that means it occurs us like our breathe in process. At the same time, we always do things in equality spontaneously. Briefly means we are equality.
However, There is one question that what the difference between gender and sex. First and foremost We have to clarify the difference.
Before making a search from google, We/our team/ discussed about this.
Sex is a tool for how to name the child as a boy or girl when they born for the purpose of just defining the sex. In other words, it is made by other people, not their choice.
But, Gender is a “choice” that they can choose related to their own opinion.
In a nutshell, it is this incredible opportunity for all people from European country, and who study there. Life is a game of opportunity.
Real Results that I made during program:
- My English speaking level has improved. a lot in the best way possible that talking social issues which is quite hard in English without preparing for too long. I was kind of stuck with the B2 level that I had some sort of difficulties with talking with people and express myself properly.It was like “pop a balloon”level, like As long as I will pop balloon, it will be popping up and I will go on.
- 2. For some reason, this program lead me the chance to feel more confident in front of others, and how to be good-mannered, and communicative.
- 3. I made many of foreign friends there which now we have very good connections with each others.
- Also, I made my dearest friend there who is a girl from Turkey 🇹🇷 After the project, she invited me to visit her hometown, It was one of the best memories in my life, I really enjoyed all the beautiful places in Turkey, and of course, the food. If I wouldn’t have gone to this program, I would never had to meet with her.
- Thank you, ErasmusPlus.
- Life is Good.
