Hello everyone,
My name is Hatice. I had the opportunity to volunteer in Prilep, North Macedonia from February 8 to April 24. I’d like to share some insights about my experience. I graduated from the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts department and, before starting my master's program, I was very interested in cultural exchange programs. I was eager to participate in an ESC project, and I am incredibly grateful for the chance to have this experience. During my time in Prilep, I volunteered with the Youth Council of Prilep. My main responsibilities included writing articles for young people, organizing activities, and recording podcasts. Although I was not very active in the podcast section, we produced a lot of content in other areas. We explored the city with local youth, introduced our cultures, and made a lot of new connections. There were four of us volunteers, and each of us had a mentor to help us adapt easily. During this three-month period, I discovered many commonalities with Macedonian culture and visited several different cities, making this experience truly invaluable. Prilep is a small but warm city, and its people are very helpful. If you plan to volunteer during this period, I recommend bringing warm clothing as it can be quite cold until the second week of April. My only piece of advice is to be open to new cultures and meeting new people. I made friendships during this time that I hope to revisit and maintain for years to come.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to System and Generation, the sending organization, and the Youth Council of Prilep, the hosting organization, for making this experience possible.
