A year in my EUAID life

 

One of my favorite things when I reach a milestone is look back and do a revision. Go back in time and recollect the first memories of places and streets where I used to get lost and now are so familiar to me, or the first impressions of people who now are family more than friends. I like to look at things that now come easy, but took effort to achieve. 

The specific milestone is the first year in Istanbul.  

I walk though the streets of my neighborhood Balat and everything looks homely and familiar, I know the shopkeepers, my neighbors sometimes share some food with me (I got some great food during Ramadan 😁). Now I can have basic conversations in Turkish and, not a bit shocker for who knows me well, I know everything about Turkish and Syrian food and all the best places for food around the city. I feel home and it feels really good. 

Also, when I look back I feel so glad I was deployed as EUAID volunteer, it has been one of the most formative years of my life, both on a personal and professional level. I gained so many new competences and discovered things about myself that I didn't know, like a passion for graphic design and that I love taking pictures to express myself and the work SPI is carrying on.

I am glad I took part in the pre-departure training, which provided so many useful tips and knowledge which really came handy, especially during this weird 2020. It gave me tools to work in stressful situations and develop resilience, which was very much needed, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, where many changes came all together and forced us to face and adapt to a new reality.

And I am glad I became part of Small Projects Istanbul's team, especially during this weird year, which put many obstacles on our path, but it also became an opportunity to find innovative solutions to thrive.

 

I have to say, I feel very lucky my job was not disrupt by working mainly from home and I still can safely participate in some of the activities of the community center, which has been amazing and I am so grateful for that as well.

For sure, volunteering took a even more important meaning during these times and it highlighted the importance of all the values that it represents. Supporting and helping one another has become even more important and it can help us feeling less isolated and alone and the concepts of empathy and understanding are standing out in a time that we are all collectively living through insecurity and uncertainty. 

Now the first year has passed and I will start focusing on the future and see what's it will hold. I am optimistic they will be good months, because one thing I have learned it's that you can always find happiness and joy, even while surfing through adversities. 

 

Today is my seventh month in Istanbul. Happy monthiversary to me!

I struggle to wrap my mind around the fact that's already 7 months from the beginning of my deployment, because the amount of life that happened in only few months made me think it was 7 years instead. I also look back at the person that took that flight to Istanbul in September 2019 and I am not sure I know her anymore.

It is not easy to write down how these few months of deployments have been, for sure they were nothing I expected, but, we all know that life always finds  unique ways to blow your mind and to go beyond expectations.

I found a family. A lovely team of people who pour their souls in what they do and in what they believe. A community of wonderful people that always welcome me with warm smiles and open arms, and the sweetest children that make my heart melt every time they say my name.

I discover new skills. I learned to use a camera and it came out I love taking pictures and work on projects that require a lot of creativity, which I never really used in the past.

I was given the chance to check my resilience, as the COVID 19 outbreak brought a lot of changes in everybody's lives.  I have been working from home for the past 2 months and being away from the community center has been the toughest part. My favorite part of the day was roaming around during the children's activities and having small talks, play a bit, dance a bit, and then going back to my desk. I hope these days will come back soon and, in the meantime, I know I lucky I am that I am able to work from home.

So, thanks to DG ECHO, MTU Mondo, Small Projects Istanbul for these great seven months and looking forward to find out what will happen in the next five. 😄

Three days ago it was the forth months anniversary of my deployment.

It kind of shock me to think about it, because the months flew by without me realizing it. Looking back, it feels like I have been living here since forever and I love every day I get to spend in the Community center. The work is going smoothly and the days are busy with many activities, I am learning so many new skills I didn’t even know I wanted to learn, like using a camera or building a website and it’s a great experience so far.

Since my arrival, the biggest challenge has been the process required to apply for the residence permit, which is always one of the first struggles everybody needs to face when reaching a new Country. The language barrier, the different regulations or sudden changes in the process create always a lot of stress and confusion which is important to put into consideration before reaching a new country.

This are my suggestion to avoid it, even if it is not always possible:

1.  Get prepared. Read, check website, consult expats FB pages, ask people who already went through the process before you. Make sure you know how the law and regulations work in the Country you are going. Don’t be unprepared, knowledge is power.

2.Apply through an agency. It’s a bit more expensive, but you are paying for expertise that will be very useful in slimming your chances of getting a headache.

3. Be patient. When dealing with very bureaucratic Countries, put your best smile on and be kind, respectful and ready to receive a negative answer, which in many cases will happen if the person on the counter doesn’t know or doesn’t speak your language.

4. Be grateful for the learning experience and don’t be judgmental. If you come from a Country that’s very efficient and you are moving to one that doesn’t have the same level of efficiency, take it as an amazing opportunity to experience a different side of the culture of the Country you are living in. Culture is not only nice food, great music or smiley people and adapting to a new culture is also getting to leave the difficult parts as well as the good.