Transfrorming our lives through EVS

Every EVS volunteer has a different experience with their projects for sure. My EVS is transformative for me since I was searching for that before I came here. I couldn’t find enough time to think, learn or use this information in my life before. This is the most beautiful side of volunteering projects I believe. You are so free to search or find yourself in time while you are volunteering. It was the exact idea that I had before I came to Croatia. My experience is not all white or black, my experience is mixed of colours.

It was not that easy the first months to adapt to the new culture, people, the way of living and working but there were some moments which I found the answers to the questions in my mind. Sometimes I felt lonely or weird out of my comfort zone and I wanted to be at my home but it was not easy to fly every time when I want considering prices and time. So at some point with these feelings and confusion in my mind, I have been here for almost 8 months now and I still have 4 more months.

I wanted to talk about more my transformation through EVS actually. This transformation is more about awareness in my life. Being aware of what I eat, drink, consume and how I affect others or myself. I have always been aware of environmental issues but this year I started with taking care of myself because of the health problem I have. I started to make my own food, reduce my alcohol usage, be more alone to create time for myself, using second hand clothes, reducing my shopping except I really need to buy something, re-using plastic bags or using textile bags when I go to the shopping, recycling materials which we use at home, separating our trash to paper-plastic and glass. I am collecting some toilet papers, egg cups and cartons to create new things using them. This kind of things we have limited in my country, Turkey society is not still aware of this re-using or recycling enough that’s why it is a good practice for me while I am living abroad.

I am trying to learn more about awareness about environmental awareness with going some events and meeting new organisations which are interested in this topics. It gave me some ideas about my future also how I would like to live my life actually. I believe many other volunteers also experiencing this kind of things in their life, if not I really recommend them to start tomorrow…

The things we can do in our daily life is not so hard or takes time. Just to be aware of our consumer behaviour or how much stuff we waste and trying to reduce them or reusing them is a big step. This awareness can give us creativity and instead of buying something processed in the market do it by yourself.