Inviting the World to Kilis: 10 Unforgettable Days with LIFE for PRR

Hello, dear KOZ-DER family. I am Fatma Begüm DURMAZ.

Today, I want to tell you about one of the most transformative and colourful experiences of my life: my journey to Kilis, which taught me that borders are crossed through the bonds we build, not just with passports.

The “LIFE for PRR – Yaşama Kat” Youth Exchange, held in Kilis on 3–11 July 2025, was much more than a youth exchange for me. It was the story of a city that once seemed distant on the map finding a huge place in my heart.

From Going Abroad to Welcoming the World to Türkiye

For a long time, I had been one of those young people applying for Erasmus+ projects abroad without receiving a response. The visa barriers and uncertainty that came with my ordinary Turkish passport were dampening my enthusiasm. Then, right in the middle of final exams, while I was weighed down by studying, I came across an announcement for a youth exchange in Kilis.

I told myself, “If I cannot go abroad right now, let them come to Türkiye, and I can experience this intercultural exchange in my own country!” Besides, Kilis was somewhere I had never visited and might never have travelled to otherwise. Seeing a trip to Şanlıurfa and Göbeklitepe in the information pack doubled my excitement. I applied, and the acceptance email that arrived a while later brought me the joy of being accepted for a project for the very first time.

My First Steps in Kilis: A Long Journey and a Warm Welcome

That was how my long solo bus journey began. When I arrived in Kilis, Halil and Özlem welcomed me at the bus station. From the moment I saw their warmth and energy, I knew this project would be wonderful and that I would never feel alone. That was exactly how it turned out.

There was never a dull moment throughout the project. As a future educator, I will definitely use the wonderful energisers and icebreakers I learned in the workshops in my professional life. But our learning went far beyond classroom activities: we learned dances from Poland, Italy and Romania and tasted their cuisines. The friendships we built even crossed borders: I later had the chance to visit an Italian friend I had met during the project in Italy!

From the Horon to a Polish Wedding, from Kuymak to Kebab

In the evenings after the sessions, or during coffee breaks, the room would suddenly turn into a little festival. We taught one another our songs, dances and languages.

As young people from five different countries, we danced the Black Sea horon and acted out a traditional Polish wedding. I made kuymak for everyone myself, shared Turkish culture and tried to persuade them to visit our country again.

And then there was the food in Kilis… The delicious kebabs we ate almost every day and the city’s legendary hospitality amazed us all. I still miss those flavours and the meals we shared.

Hard Work and Sustainability Alongside the Fun

We had a lot of fun during those 10 days, but we also worked hard on the project’s main themes: the environment and sustainability. We went to a field and picked watermelons, used needles and thread to upcycle discarded fabrics and clothes into new designs, and collected litter around Oylum Höyük. After all that work, exploring the ancient mystery of Göbeklitepe and walking through the magical atmosphere of Balıklıgöl felt like an enchanting reward.

If Only We Had a Magic Time Machine…

We had so much to share that 10 days were simply not enough. On the day we parted, I remember hugging everyone quickly and walking away, because if I had stayed any longer, I would not have been able to hold back my tears and would have wanted to remain in Kilis forever.

Sometimes I cannot help thinking, “If only we had a magic time machine, so we could relive the laughter in that room, those shared meals and the solidarity in the heat of Kilis whenever we wanted.”

Thank You

I am so happy to have added such full and unforgettable 10 days to my life.

My heartfelt thanks go to Halil and Mevlide, who opened this door by selecting me and always supported us with their vision; to Özlem, whose boundless energy and kindness were there for us at every moment; to my dear Bea and Fürüzan, who made me feel as though we had known one another for years from the moment we met; and to all my fellow participants who made this story so special.

Without you, Kilis would have remained just another city on the map for me. Thanks to you, it became a home that I will remember with a smile for the rest of my life.