Simge Aşkın DOĞRUKAN

Hello everyone,

I am Simge Aşkın Doğrukan, 23 years old. I have come to the end of one of the most special, most colourful and certainly most instructive adventures of my life. My Bulgaria / Madan ESC volunteering project, which I began with excitement in April, has now finished, leaving unforgettable traces behind. Looking back I can sum it up in one line: it was a full, productive and inspiring experience.

Madan and the Project

In Madan I took part in the Art EVS 26 project through KOZ-DER. Let me start with Madan itself. It is a very special place where nature bursts out on every side, dressed in natural springs and trees, where people live peacefully. A town where you find yourself, where every detail affects you and whose calm draws you in.

Over two months we made art, and at the end of the project we sold our pieces at Madan’s traditional festival in aid of the Children With Special Needs association. Taking an active role in art projects and creating for such a good shared purpose made me feel genuinely good.

Creating and Contributing

The project did not only mean learning new techniques or producing art. Knowing that our effort served a purpose made the whole thing far more meaningful. Creating together, sharing and contributing to others was one of the strongest parts of my volunteering.

I saw more clearly during this time that art is a powerful field for bringing different people together and meeting in shared feeling. Every piece we made was not only a product but part of solidarity, of effort and of achieving something together.

What This Experience Gave Me

I did not only meet new people on this project; I learned what it means to cross borders, to be flexible and to feel at home in a completely different geography. I discovered the beauty of understanding other cultures and creating alongside them.

Seeing how language barriers disappear when there is a shared purpose and art was striking. It was a period in which I stood on my own feet, stepped out of my comfort zone, began to see the world from a wider perspective and gained friendships that will guide me for life.

Good Memories from Madan

Every day I spent in Madan, every laugh we shared and everything we made together was precious to me. Not only the project activities but the small moments of daily life made the experience unforgettable. Sharing a space with people from other countries, learning together and creating together gave me a great deal.

The experience showed me how much going somewhere unknown, meeting new people and stepping forward with courage helps a person grow. Looking back, my time in Madan sits in a very special place in my heart.

Thank You

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported me, to everyone whose path crossed mine, to my project partners and to everyone I shared this wonderful experience with. I would especially like to thank KOZ-DER for making this journey possible.

The project gave me not only good memories but a new perspective, new friendships and a stronger sense of myself. It will always be a very special experience.