İlknur PEHLİVAN

Hello,

I am İlknur Pehlivan. Through KOZ-DER I took part in a two-month European Solidarity Corps project in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. I am sharing this unique adventure — in which I touched children’s lives and collected valuable friendships — in the hope that it inspires anyone who wants to walk the same road.

The Decision: From Computer Engineering to Volunteering

When I decided to apply, I had not long graduated from university. As an engineer I was looking for somewhere I could touch people’s lives directly and use what I know in doing so.

As someone who has always been interested in other cultures, I thought this programme was a wonderful option: volunteering while experiencing another culture where it lives. After learning I was one of three people chosen from around a hundred, my motivation multiplied.

The Magic of Portugal and Viana do Castelo

As someone who has always loved Portuguese culture and music, I was very excited that the project would take place there. And Portugal proved me right at every step. The moment we landed, the warmth of the university driver who met us showed us in the first minutes how friendly and hospitable the Portuguese are.

Viana do Castelo is about an hour from Porto — small, but a place whose nature and peaceful atmosphere enchant you instantly. You wake to an endless ocean breeze, with green hills behind you and, in front, the extraordinary calm where the Lima river meets the ocean.

The safety of its streets and the ease of reaching everywhere on foot or by bike make it a genuinely peaceful place to live. The first moment I saw the town I was sure I would collect valuable, unforgettable memories there.

Handmade Flowers, Children and a Toy Hospital

The university told us we would be working with a local association. My days there were so colourful and lively that every day brought the happiness of touching a new heart.

Sometimes our days went by helping make handmade flowers to be sold at local festivals, sometimes playing games and spending priceless time with the children who came to the association after school.

One of our most special tasks was in the toy laboratory, which worked rather like a Toy Hospital. There we repaired worn and broken toys, cleaned them carefully and passed them on to the children at the association, sharing in the smiles on their faces.

We were not only guests in the children’s world; we also opened windows onto other colours of life. Every two weeks we started visiting older people living in a village called Montaria. Those visits meant a great deal to me. On one, an elderly man brought out his old family albums and told us his life story — I will never forget it.

But the moment that made me proudest, the one that had me thinking “I am so glad I am here!”, was when I brought my own knowledge to the children.

Using my computer engineering background I designed an activity to teach children algorithms and logic gates through play. Seeing the spark of curiosity in their eyes as they played was wonderful in itself; but the truly unforgettable moment came afterwards.

After the activity, one of the children — amazed to learn I had designed the game myself — sat down at a computer and began researching “How do you make a game?” with real curiosity. That child’s excited look at the screen made me feel I had fully achieved what I came for and left a lasting mark.

Travel and Intercultural Bonds

One of the greatest riches ESC gave me was building bonds across borders with people from all over the world. Our paths crossed with European Solidarity Corps volunteers working at the town’s surf club and other associations, and we became close friends very quickly.

Every moment together and every shared experience brought us closer. Looking back, I can clearly see I opened the door to lifelong friendships there.

Those friendships were crowned with wonderful travel memories. During the project I had plenty of chances to explore Portugal’s historic and cultural fabric; I lost myself in the streets of Porto, Lisbon, Braga and Melgaço.

My curiosity did not stop at Portugal either; crossing into neighbouring Spain I added the vivid, artistic atmosphere of Valencia and Madrid to this unforgettable journey. Breathing in other cultures where they live, and walking those roads with friends from all over the world, was a unique experience that made me feel like a citizen of the world.

Final Word: To the KOZ-DER Family and Future Volunteers

As I write this I remember the sweet excitement of first packing my case and the feeling I carried on the way to Portugal. Looking back now, I see priceless memories and lifelong friendships from all over the world.

My heartfelt thanks to the KOZ-DER family and my mentors, who believed in me from the very beginning of this journey, whose support I felt at every step and who helped me build this bridge. Without their trust the story would be incomplete.

To future volunteers, and to anyone reading this and wondering “Could I do it too? Should I step out of my comfort zone?”, I have one message:

Do not think twice — apply for that project.

ESC is a unique opportunity to cross your own limits, to touch someone’s life on the other side of the world with your professional and personal knowledge, and above all to rediscover yourself.

Leave your fears behind and take the first step towards being the next protagonist of this story. Portugal’s ocean breeze and everything else life has prepared for you will be waiting the moment you dare.