I remember when I got my first email with an invitation to write for VOICES. I was still at home, in Poland, impatiently waiting for my visa. Now I'm on the other side of the screen, a few published articles later. What about my home? Well, it's been 3 months since I started to call…
Disagreements often start from differences in opinion, whether at school, home, or social gatherings. These differences can lead to conflicts that, if not managed thoughtfully, may harm relationships. For me, discussing important topics is necessary, especially when they address big issues. However, for these discussions to be productive, it's crucial to listen to others’ perspectives…
Sharing… What is sharing? Before I came to Macedonia I knew that one of the main tasks is writing Voices. It’s not my main hobby to write articles but when I found out the importance of writing I was thinking deeply about what sharing is. According to Cambridge dictionary, the definition is “to tell someone…
Once we were an earthling. Cherishing the simplest moment came together with breathing. We would open our eyes and smile to the sun tickling our cheek through the window or greet the rain knocking gently on the windowsill. Having a coffee with a tint of milk or a fruit tea in the cosiest place at…
Since you are reading these lines, I congratulate you because it means you are reading "something". Increasingly, people have renounced themselves from reading books. It has become a complicated movement for people to pick up a book and read it. People prefer to watch short videos instead of reading written sources such as books, magazines,…
Holiday privilege; is what summer vacation truly is. Not everybody has the chance to rest that long or to plan a two-week vacation on an island in Yemen or a road trip in Eastern Europe to discover the Circassians’ unique ways of life. Holiday at home; is also a luxurious option. Not for Parisians this…
Time is passing so fast. I feel like it’s speeding up. I don’t know if it's the same for you, but sometimes the world seems to change faster than before. Maybe it’s because I’m aging. Maybe it’s also because information systems work faster, social media are always more instant and you can be connected with…
“They look here” or “They would look here” (in Turkish: buraya bakarlar) is a poster you could only find in underground metro stations in Ankara back in the 2000s. It was a red poster that had one big eye and an eyebrow as if it was watching you on your way. Very dystopian at first,…
With April being the second month of spring, flowers start blooming and trees start turning green. Mother nature slowly but surely comes back to life as plant buds open. That’s also how the name of the month April came about, because in Latin ‘aperire’ means ‘to open’. April is the month of the birth of…
“Come with me into the woods where spring is advancing, as it does, no matter what, not being singular or particular, but one of the forever gifts, and certainly visible.” – Mary Oliver March has arrived and with it the beginning of spring. While the first crocuses grow their way into a warmer sun, we…
Welcome to February! The name of our second month comes from the Latin word “Februa” and means clean. During this period there were “Februalia” associated with celebrating the beginning of the sacred year, rites of spiritual purification, and penance for transgressions. This definition also concerns the later phase of this month when the winter time…
Welcome in January and the New Year! The name-giver for the first month of the year is the Roman god Janus. He is the God of all beginnings and endings, doorways, transitions, and time. With his two faces, he looks into the future and the past at the same time. In the beginning of the…
“My humanity is linked to yours, because we can only be human together.” - Desmond Tutu, South-African archbishop Humanity is the theme chosen among us for this end-of-the-year edition. Why? Maybe because our generation lives in a world of paradoxes regarding this topic. On one hand, we are closer than ever to forming a human…
Hereby we mark the start of November. It might just be that time of the year to sit down, lean back and relax. With colder days and even colder nights, it has become clear that the summer days have passed. No matter what, we have to try to make the most of every day. Although,…
We have already entered October, which does not make you feel that summer is over, thanks to the sweet rush on the streets because of school. Since the arrival of the new year is closer, this month we take a look at the current year and say “how quickly did we get to October?”. Be…
September carries a bittersweet feeling of summer’s end and the arrival of fall. It evokes images of changing seasons, with leaves turning vibrant colors and temperatures cooling down. The month holds a certain calmness as the pace of life shifts, and it’s a time for reflection and preparation for the months ahead. For the reflection,…
It’s already August… Have you ever wondered where this name came from? The month of August is named after Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Auger means “to increase, to grow” in Latin. What a great month for inspiration! Chloé’s article “Leaving and saying goodbye: the inevitable step in volunteering”, which is the topic…
July - the month of long summer nights, parties, and sunshine! The anticipation of this holiday month is enormous every year. And what’s a better month than July to read our latest articles in this edition of VOICES? July is a month of traveling, whether it’s to heavenly beaches or high mountains. Our topic of…
“What time is it? Summertime!” Let’s kick off the summer with the month of June, which symbolizes beauty in all its forms, from spring’s flowers to the sunlight heralding the arrival of summer. And what could be more splendid than starting the season with long nights, breathtaking sunsets on the beach, or a warm barbecue…
May…May is the shortest month of the year with its three letters but May is the beginning of sunshine and birds singing. It is the month of celebrating Labour Day and the hard work that everyone is doing throughout the year. May is a happy month, people are gathering around for a drink in the…