Universelin Blog… What exactly is it aimed at as youth work and travelling blog? Who is universelin?
Just like every blog has a concept, the universelin blog has its own. The purpose of establishing the blog is to help youngsters and travellers researching youth work and travel places. By sharing through the knowledge and experiences that I have so far. In addition, turning personal experiences into an international network. is one of the aims of the blog.
If we can elaborate this a little more, –please fasten your seatbelt– the experiences I gained what I’ve been sharing with you, happened to me after university. Until then, the only program I knew was an Erasmus student exchange at a university. Certainly, I witnessed that my friends who did it also had a lot of fun.
I never even thought about it by creating a negative opinion. Such as, “I am sure it is very difficult to do. Apparently, I already have a language problem.” Moreover, there was nobody to inform me about all opportunities. I wish I could have some support and hear all these. “Look, the EU has very cool youth programs for everyone who wants to join.” The posts about these opportunities did not appear on the social media accounts I used. Even if it was out, I cannot say that there were very interesting posts.
When my undergraduate education ended and I decided to remove this language barrier. Then I realized how limited resources were in the Turkish language. I was doing research like crazy. However, what I really wanted to read the articles of experienced people. At first, planned to go to language school. Nevertheless, I could not get information beyond the technical knowledge provided by schools and agencies. Yes, a young person was having trouble accessing information. Clearly, the information based on personal experience was very limited.
Accessing the opportunities offered by young people is a problem in itself. When we realize that young people in society have limited access to information, we have a role to maximize this information sharing through the networks we have established.
Eventually, I went to a language school for 6 months in Malta. With my own research! After returning, I fell into a huge gap as an unemployed young woman. In other words, I was totally lost. On an ordinary day, I met an old friend of mine who was visiting Bodrum. Luckily he told me about EVS, the European Voluntary Service*. As he realized I was in a quest. (OOOOPSSS)
The turning point of my life…
I have done so much research on this program. However, once again I found that the information on this subject is quite limited. After my 1-year EVS (newly ESC) project in Portugal; I decided to participate in different pieces of training and exchange programs funded by the EU. Likewise, as you can imagine, I could not find many resources for these projects as well.
In this process, started to create my own network as well as to explain to all the people I met that they could take advantage of these opportunities. In other words, I realized that all of these are truly marvellous opportunities. Besides the best way to get out of our comfort zone and explore another world.
Afterwards, I wanted my young friends to access these youth opportunities more easily. Both before and after these events, I had the chance to see many cities & countries. Sometimes I visited different groups of friends. Sometimes with my friends in the country, I went to. Indeed I still have been having incredible enjoyable times.
While youth work gives me the opportunity to develop and express myself in different fields; on the other hand, it provides the opportunity to travel. I could find myself in Italy in March, Slovenia in April, Portugal in June. Often going to Brussels or the Balkans for a meeting. On the other hand, I never go abroad with big budgets for travel. Significantly, I always continue to be on the road. People from Japan to Brazil, Russia to Libya, Spain to Estonia have entered my life. I have friends that we meet every month in different countries. Sometimes seeing them more than my family.
Being a volunteer, running youth work and travelling has become my lifestyle.
I have never given up on my ideals, nor being an activist. As a feminist traveller, hitting the road and blending the road travelled with youth work gives me great pleasure. In addition to youth work and volunteering experiences, I also share with you my travel articles that sometimes include adventures. Surely, with minor suggestions and mistakes that burn my mouth. As well I don’t want them to burn yours.
Writing an article that will appear on people’s screen seems like a puzzle completion process to me. So I spend a lot of time putting all the pieces on a table and creating the actual picture. Wish you to see the good sides of the east-west, north-south and universelin. With this in mind learn a lesson from the bad sides.
