Anıl AŞCI

Hello everyone,

I am Anıl Aşcı. Today I want to tell you about a journey that looks like just one week in the calendar but held a lifetime of experience for me. Through KOZ-DER I joined an Erasmus+ project in Madan, a charming mining town in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria. It was my first project, and honestly I never imagined so much could change in a single week.

Meeting People, Taking First Steps

Throughout the project we worked on developing a more aware view of the world of people with special needs, while also coming together with a wonderful group of young people from around the world. I met peers from Poland, Romania and Bulgaria among others. The excitement of it being my first project made me a little shy at first, but Madan’s warm atmosphere and the group’s energy shook that off within hours.

During the day we generated ideas together in workshops, learned new things and worked jointly. In the evenings, the Culture Nights gave us the chance to get to know each country’s food, dances and stories. Even though we spoke different languages, seeing that we were all there with shared dreams, similar feelings and the same excitement moved me. In that short time I learned first-hand that sincerity really does know no borders.

The Spirit of Madan and What It Gave Me

Madan was not just a project venue for me. It became the place where new friendships, shared laughter and the feeling of being a “citizen of the world” began. In the calm air of the Rhodope Mountains we formed strong bonds with people from cities I had never even heard of, as if we had known each other for years.

Those seven days taught me to renew my self-confidence, to grow my curiosity about other cultures and to use my English more boldly. More importantly, I felt deeply that difference is not what separates people but what enriches and colours life.

An Unforgettable First

I was lucky that my first project was this meaningful, this warm and this transformative. I did not only meet new people; I discovered new things about myself. Sometimes a single week can teach you a great deal. This project was exactly that for me.

Thank You

My deepest thanks to the KOZ-DER family for making this unforgettable first possible and standing beside us at every step, to all my fellow travellers on the project, and to the people of Madan who welcomed us so sincerely.

That week was not just a good memory for me — it was a very strong beginning. I now look at the world through a wider window, and far more boldly.