Hello everyone!
My name is Buse, I am 23 years old, and I joined this project from Turkey. I stayed in a small but beautiful village called Kryoneri for two months. This place is very charming, with wonderful landscapes, lots of greenery, and kind people. Coming from a big city, the calmness here was a big surprise for me, but at the same time it gave me peace. People are very warm and friendly; even if they don’t know you, they greet you and try to chat. I never wanted to get used to the beauty of the views,
so I could admire them every time. I felt like I was breathing fresh air surrounded by nature.
During these two months, many festivals and events took place. I learned dances, tried different foods, sang songs, and discovered another culture. I joined many activities with my housemates. For example, when I first arrived, we painted the school fences
together. We often went swimming, did shopping, joined group trips, had barbecue parties, and shared meals and conversations. These moments helped us bond and created beautiful memories.
My volunteer role was to help in the kitchen where meals were prepared for the groups. At first it was difficult, because I didn’t know Greek and the ladies didn’t know English or Turkish. But we found a way to communicate with body language, gestures, and
facial expressions. Later we even started sharing personal stories. I learned many Greek words, and they also learned some Turkish ones. It was a very unique and enjoyable experience.
Working in the kitchen also gave me the chance to interact with the volunteer groups. We exchanged cultures, taught each other new words, and shared dances, songs, and traditions. The barbecue parties were especially my favorite moments. Here, I also learned that calmness is actually a kind of power. When you are calm, you can relax, and when you relax, you can move faster because your mind is clear. People here live quietly, take long lunch breaks, and respect silence in the evenings. This lifestyle made my adaptation very fast and even helped me heal. The most special part was experiencing things I had never done before: hitchhiking, painting, speaking English more fluently, trying new foods, and joining local celebrations. I thought people might be distant because I am Turkish, but instead, they were very friendly and welcoming.
I cannot explain everything, but these two months were full of new experiences, learning, and kindness. Kryoneri now feels like another home to me, and I will miss it very much.
Thank you for reading.