Stepping into a new country always feels like stepping into a new chapter of life. When I joined a volunteering project in Bulgaria, I did not fully know what to expect — only that it would take me far from my daily routine and place me among strangers who would soon become close friends. For one month, I lived and worked side by side with young people from Turkey, Morocco, and Bulgaria, sharing not only tasks but also cultures, stories, and laughter.
Together we built something both practical and symbolic: benches and tables made of wood for a small Bulgarian village. It was my very first experience working with wood — holding tools I had never touched before, learning how to shape raw material into something useful and lasting. Every step of the process taught me patience, precision, and the joy of creating with my own hands.
But beyond the work, this journey opened doors to discovery. We explored Bulgaria’s natural beauty, from green mountains to wild beaches where there was no internet, no signal, and no distractions. Life there was simple, but in that simplicity I found a rare richness — the sound of the waves, the calm of silence, and the feeling of being fully present in the moment.
Looking back, this project was much more than volunteering. It was an exchange of cultures, a lesson in teamwork, and a reminder of how powerful human connection can be when people from different backgrounds come together. Most of all, it was a journey of self-discovery — one that continues to inspire me to seek out new experiences and challenges.