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Hello, I’m Betül. I’m from Gaziantep and currently a second-year student in Textile Technology. At the same time, I’m an athlete; I work as a swimming instructor and I’m also involved in taekwondo.
A Journey to Tetova with the ESC51 Volunteering Project
Together with three friends, we came to the city of Tetova in North Macedonia as part of the ESC51 (European Solidarity Corps) Volunteering Project, carried out by Bülbülzade Foundation and BEKAM (Science Education Culture Research Center). We volunteered as teachers at the Alaca Association, which was established to keep Turkish culture alive in the region.
We tried our best to contribute to the association and to create meaningful work. Although I thought I would struggle at first, the local people were incredibly warm and welcoming.
Taekwondo Training for Children
During the summer school, I taught taekwondo to children from different age groups. Middle school students were more engaged, so the lessons went smoothly, while the primary school groups were sometimes challenging—but overall, it was a lot of fun.
I also told them stories and organized fun activities based on those stories. Seeing them listen with interest made me feel so happy. I hope I was able to teach them good values—because they truly taught me so much in return. In this process, I both took on the role of a teacher and built wonderful friendships and bonds.
The association members became like older brothers and sisters to me. Each of them has a heart of gold, and they made me feel completely at home. I am so grateful to them.
I sincerely thank Bülbülzade Foundation and BEKAM for giving me the opportunity to live this unforgettable experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
