Bulgaria
Aysel ÖZTÜRK
"On the ART EVS project in Madan, Bulgaria, Aysel Öztürk found art, solidarity, intercultural learning and personal growth — and a place she felt she belonged."
Programme
Bulgaria ART EVS Volunteering
April 12, 2026
Coming Back to Madan
Sometimes you go somewhere and, even without staying long, you feel as though you have always belonged there. Madan was exactly that kind of place for me.
I am Aysel Öztürk.
Last year I went to Madan on the Green World project through KOZ-DER. During my time there I had wonderful experiences and discovered sides of myself I had not noticed before. So when the chance came to return to Madan this year with the ART EVS project, again through KOZ-DER, I did not hesitate for a moment.
The Project
Over the two months of the ART EVS project we made art together; we created, shared and learned. As the days passed the distance between people shrank, and I saw how those from different cultures can come together around a shared purpose.
The Crystal Festival and Solidarity
One of the most meaningful moments of the project was the Crystal Festival. Putting the pieces we had made on sale in aid of the Children With Special Needs association made us feel that our work touched a real purpose.
What This Experience Gave Me
The project did not only teach me about art. It taught me to step out of my comfort zone, to live alongside different people and not to fear the unknown. Beyond languages and cultures, seeing how similar people’s feelings really are meant a great deal to me.
In the End
When I left Madan I did not leave only a project behind: I came back with unforgettable friendships, valuable experience and a wider sense of the world.