Здраво, Hello, and Merhaba! I'm Berfin, 22 years old, and this is my first time going abroad for the Erasmus project. Even though I hail from Denizli originally, it's the connections I've made, the experiences I've had, and the memories I've created in Ankara that truly make me feel like I belong there. I am…
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…
Hi, I am Berna. I am 20 years old and this is my first Erasmus related project. I am a 1st year economics student at Galatasaray University in Istanbul, Turkey. I study economics in French and it is a completely new perspective to an interesting field such as economics. This also helps me get more…
Hi there! My name is Tara, I’m 19 years old and I come from a sunny island called Aruba. I spent the first years of my life in the Netherlands but moved to Aruba at 8 years old. After my volunteering journey here I will be moving back to the Netherlands to study applied Biology.…
Hello! My name is Kimberly. I am a 19 year old girl from Aruba. I graduated from high school last year and decided to take a gap year to work and to work on myself. Back in Aruba, I used to be in this youth group where we as a group would volunteer at different…
It is a pleasure to come once again to this city, which I have experienced before, and to volunteer in VCS again. In my previous project, I stayed here for 6 weeks and now I will stay here for 3 months. I am sure that this city, which I will experience again, will give me…
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…
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…
Hey, I’m Alexander. Son of a Venezuelan mother and a Dutch father, whilst I myself am from Aruba and consider myself Aruban. At home we mostly spoke Spanish, until shortly after I was born when we gradually switched to Dutch. I have 2 siblings, the eldest my sister, we are separated by no less than…
Bondia! My name is Amanda, I'm 19 years old, and I'm from a sunny little island called Aruba. It's nearly impossible to pinpoint some defining traits about me; my interests are all over the place! From singing to poetry to debate: I'd be happy to exercise my skills. I love to travel and explore the…
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,…
Hi! I'm Büşra and I am 24 years old. I came from Ankara which is capital of Turkiye. I already graduated from university. I am an interior architect. I met VCS at my university's conference. The team told us what they are doing about volunteering. I remember very well how excited I was. I decided…
If I have to identify myself with one thing it would be probably water. An organism that can be everything. I am Ismail Eren Demirtekin, I’m coming from Ankara, Turkiye and I’m 22 years old. I feel that I am in the middle of my long life. I am happy because I am meeting and…
Hello, I'm Nele. I'm 19 years old and I live in Mechelen, Belgium. My hobbies are volleybal, photography and musicals. I am a big animal lover. When I came here the first day I saw a lot of cats and dogs on the street and I immediately fell in love. I came here because I…
Have you ever wondered how it is to live on a Caribbean island? We have just an answer for you as 4 brave girls from Aruba came to volunteer in VCS! Let’s hear what Chantal, Lipika, Emely, and Angely have to say at the beginning of their ESC journey far away from home. Hello,…
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…
February is the border between winter and spring.” – Terri Guillemets The time has come to say goodbye to the cold winter and greet spring with open arms! Named after Februus, the ancient god of purification, February is the month for a refreshing spring cleanse. Use the last weeks of long nights to take a…
As another year is coming to an end many tend to have a look back on how we spent the time we were given this year. Sometimes it’s good to take a deep look at the beautiful and peculiar things that are there rather than things that are not. The things that can happen instead…