Turkey
6.10 - 10.10 (Student perspective)

When we entered we got batches with our names and the country that was from it and then we sat down. Then the Turkish teachers started off by having a small speech and then it went off by the Turkish students where they had a presentation about the 17 global development goals. After the presentation we had bingo including all the countries that were participating in the Erasmus project. When we had the bingo we were forced to go around to all the other students and ask them questions, it was a little bit scary but it went really well and we won! 

 

Then we had a little tour of their classrooms and their floor. We then had a small break where we got some Turkish delights and on the break we talked a lot with one of the Turkish students, her name is Azra and was super sweet and kind. She taught us a lot about their school and explained that they usually go to another school but only go there on special days after their other school to learn more deeper in education because of their high IQ level. This made us very shocked and impressed by them because we just thought that it was their only school. It was also the first time we tried Turkish tea. After the break we got divided into two groups where they had organized workshops. In one of the workshops we got to make our own pins and in the other group we designed our own tote bag. Then we had lunch break where we went to Mcdonalds with the french students. 

7/10-Turkey ( Elisabete)

 

Tuesday greeted us with gray skies and steady rain, but it didn’t ruin the day at all. In fact, the weather made everything feel even cozier and more memorable.

 

We started the morning by meeting up with the entire group at a museum. Our Turkish hosts had arranged a guide to show us around, and we learned a lot about Turkish history and culture. The museum was quite large and very interesting. We got to see many interesting things like how they used to dress before. And somehow the rainy and calm weather made it the perfect day to dive into the past. 

 

After the museum, we continued our day at a nearby Bazaar. We got a quick tour of the place before heading into a small art gallery inside the Bazaar. That’s where we got to paint our own picture frames using a traditional Turkish technique. The technique is that you splash different paints into a large bowl of water, then swirl it around and at last dip your frame in it. And just like that, it picks up a beautiful, colorful and totally unique pattern. I thought that it was super fun and creative, and again the rainy weather outside made it feel extra cozy and relaxed.

 

After we finished painting, we got a small fika. And as you know we Swedes love our fika. They served us Turkish delights, which I personally don’t love but I’m still glad I got to try them. It’s always exciting to experience parts of another culture, even the sweet parts!

 

Later in the afternoon, our school program ended for the day. We got to explore more on our own if we wanted. We discovered that there was a huge shopping mall close by, so we went there together with our teachers. Even the French students wanted to join us, which we thought was fun! The mall was massive, and after a few hours of walking around, we were completely exhausted. 

 

We ended the day back at the hotel, tired but happy. Excited for the next day, which promised even more adventures! 

8/10- Turkey (Jizelle och Elisabete)

 

When we woke up on Wednesday, the weather had finally improved. The rain had stopped and it was warm again! After breakfast we met the rest of the group and our tour guides at a bus stop near our hotel. We started our one hour bus ride up into the mountains. The view was beautiful, but it was also a bit scary.

 

Our first stop was the House of Virgin Mary, a very peaceful place hidden in the mountains. When we arrived we got to visit the small stone house and those who wanted could light candles, take the holy water and write wishes. This was very peaceful and beautiful! Before leaving we also had time to look around and buy some souvenirs. 

 

Next we went to an open- air museum filled with ruins from the past. Our guide gave us a tour and told us many interesting facts about the history of the area, which made everything come alive. One part of the museum had a big 3D exhibition showing how the place looked thousands of years ago. I thought it was fascinating, it felt like almost stepping back in time.

 

For lunch, the bus took us to a small mountain village. The village was very cozy, colorful and full of little shops with wine and restaurants. The village almost reminded me of Greece because of its bright colors. We ate delicious food, took photos and walked around for a while before heading back to the bus.

 

The ride back felt long because we were all tired after such a long day, so most of us ended up sleeping during the ride. In the late afternoon, we returned to the meeting point and then walked back to our hotel. Happy but exhausted. Our school day was over! But before we could relax, we spent a little time going through our preparations for the next day. Everything went smoothly, and afterwards we finally had the evening free to rest and enjoy the calm after such an amazing and long day.

9/10- Turkey (Mirinda)

We took the tram to the museum. Before everyone had arrived, we were served breakfast and got the chance to look around the museum. When everyone was there, the Turkish students gave a presentation about the Sustainable Development Goals, and after that, a Spanish man gave his presentation.

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After the presentation, we had a coffee break and then continued with more presentations. We quickly realized that it was going to take longer than expected, which made everyone tired and restless.

When all the countries had finished their presentations, we had a lunch break and went to a nice pizzeria. After lunch, we started a group activity where we were divided into groups with one person from each country. Each group was given one of the SDGs and had to come up with three slogans to present to the others.

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When the presentations were finished, we received diplomas and took group photos. After that, we took the tram to the market, where we spent the rest of our money, and then went back to the hotel for a short rest before the farewell dinner.

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The walk to the dinner was quite strange because we went through a weird alley that smelled like rotten fish. At the dinner, there was live music and delicious food. All the students sat together at one table and the teachers at another, so the atmosphere was really fun.

After dinner, we said goodbye to the students from Martinique before they had to fly home, which was really touching. Once we had said our goodbyes, we walked back to the hotel, and that was the end of our day.

10/10 - Turkey (Oliwia)

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The last day of the Erasmus programme was filled with a lot of thrill for us swedes. Our hosts organised a really fun trip to a location about 1 hour from Izmir, where we had the chance to visit one of Turkeys most beautiful beaches. We obviously took the opportunity and had about two amazong hours at the beach, filled with laughter, joy and sunny weather. The funny thing about it was that it was only us swedes that took the opportunity to swim and sunbathe, because of our cold weather conditions up in the north. I’m sure the other countries might’ve thought that was odd, but that’s what we were there for! Exchanging our cultural differences and embrace them. When we got back home to Izmir, it was time for an official goodbye. After a whole week of spending time with each other, it was obvious that this was gonna be a hard thing to accept. The week was full of new things, such as new places, new people and new experiences. I can for sure say that this was one of the funniest and most memorable things I’ve ever done, and something I will not forget. The organisation was amazing, the hosts were so welcoming and kindhearted which made the trip so much more social. Viva la Erasmus!!