H. Elif ÖZÇELİK

I am H. Elif Özçelik. In the spring of 2026 I had the chance to join a two-month volunteering project in Italy.

It was not only a project experience. It was the first big step I took abroad on my own, stepping out of my comfort zone and following my own decisions. Life sometimes pushes you to look for new roads and test your limits; for me this project was exactly that kind of turning point.

Crossing paths with people from other geographies, speaking completely different languages but carrying similar human feelings, showed me that the world is both bigger and more whole than I had thought. Those two months were far more than a set of moments I will not forget.

My Project

My volunteering story took place in Orta Nova, one of the quiet towns of southern Italy. Orta Nova is small and unassuming, but the space it opened inside me was very large.

The days I spent there were far from monotonous. Every day we had the chance to touch another side of life.

At a local language school we came together with people eager to learn, whatever their age. We did not only support them with English practice; we also introduced our own culture, our traditions and our intelligence games, building good bridges between cultures.

Alongside that we took part in environmental work to raise ecological awareness and help protect the balance of nature. Later we joined a festival that brought the town to life and where we felt the healing power of art.

One of the most special experiences was a week-long Youth Exchange in a green garden, surrounded by animals and nature. Stepping away from the noise of the city and modern life and feeling the simple rhythm of nature was genuinely striking.

What This Gave Me

One of the greatest gifts of those two months was meeting people I could not simply call project colleagues. We built friendships in which we spent time together, nourished each other culturally, shared how we see the world and constantly learned from one another.

Being able to build such sincere, deep bonds with people from different backgrounds reminded me of the common language of humanity. The mark each of them left will stay in one of the most special places in my mind for life.

The project may look short in the calendar, but the change it created in my inner world was considerable. Taking a step by your own decision, standing on your own in the unknown and taking responsibility rebuilds your belief in yourself.

The sweet apprehension of going abroad for the first time turned, over time, into the strength of being self-sufficient. I understood better that I can shape my life with my own hands and should not fear responsibility.

Being able to touch people’s lives without expecting anything in return, feeling the power of solidarity and seeing how sharing transforms you was very valuable to me.

Above all, this journey taught me not to be afraid of being myself, and to live according to my own values rather than other people’s judgements.

Looking Back

Looking back today, one of the most important things this experience gave me was belief in myself. Living in another country, creating with different people, taking on new responsibilities and finding my own way in the unknown gave me great confidence.

It did not only offer me new places; it taught me to look at the world, at people and at myself through a wider window. Those two months in Orta Nova were both instructive and transformative.

Thanks and New Beginnings

My sincere thanks to KOZ-DER for opening the door to this adventure and giving me the chance to live it. They gave me not only a project but a perspective I will carry for life.

I am grateful to the Beyond Borders team, who made us feel at home from the moment we set foot in Italy, and to all the companions who shared this journey, lightened my load and brightened my days with their laughter.

I feel very lucky to have had this experience. This adventure was a good beginning and a brave preface to the roads I will walk for the rest of my life.

A part of my soul will always stay under that southern sun.

With love.