Oláááá´a todos!!
Tudo bem contigo?
Está vez, eu vou escrever o artigo todo em português!!
Não não, é uma piada!
Or as Nuno say frequently:
“Come on! It’s a joke!” =)
You should hear from him. When you do, you can easily understand that he is happy, and can feel his joy =)
I will write about why why I am here to burn(!) my time at this critical age of me? In this article, and the next will be about why do people work in these kind of volunteering or helping/supporting organizations, in this field, or why do they become youth workers?
When I was around 12 years old, I always wanted to be a volunteer and work for African people who are suffering extreme hunger, drought, illnesses, lack of education, and much more. When I met with Rato – ADCC almost 7 years ago for a short time, Nuno asked me to provide some language and culture classes to kids between 7 to 18 years old at another organization called Estas N@ Mira, an organization generally African kids visit since it is at the same location with us, Rato – ADCC, in Miratejo. I really enjoyed my time there with great coordinators and funny and really respectful African kids. I think they also like me and enjoy their time with me that they were visiting our office even multiple times during the day to say hi to me and ask how I am doing in Turkish or English. They were inviting me or were forcing their coordinators to invite me for their outdoor activities with them.
Other reason is working with seniors. It is really difficult as well as fulfilling experience for me. It gives me endurance for being more patient. Actually, nobody believes me but the only thing my father complaints about me is being high or short tempered person. I believe that I have a good sense of humor and am a really happy person in my life. I always enjoy spending time by myself in peace. There are some stories from my family why I come to the edge quickly but I will not mention here 🙂 Anyway, I am here to polish off my sharp edges by helping and adding a tiny value to the life of others.
Furthermore, I have always been enjoying having conversations with old people and listening their life stories, experiences and so on. When you talk to them even with your very limited local language, they become really happy and give respect back. You become the first person they salute among the other volunteers when they enter the room or office, which is a tremendous feeling for me. Even these two reasons (besides many others) are remarkably enough for me to give my time and efforts with joy.
Some people might think that I am caring or considering this work too much but no. This is my general attitude in life to use my time and passion wisely. I always explain with the same example or my motto. Even the last day, I told to Laura this during our monthly mentoring session. While I am doing something, even peeling of an orange, that is the most important thing in the world for me at that very moment. Because if I am spending my precious time on that, I have to give my best. Other than this, if any other thing is more important at that time, I would be spending my time on the another. Not to mention, I have self-respect and self-discipline on the things I am doing. Whatever I do, I would love to give my best to please myself first, and then the others with my work and effort.
I will give other words from my father about me =) He always says that he is so happy that I have this discipline that make me finalize anything I started. Until this time, I only gave up on my PhD study because I came here to work on this project. However, I will start my PhD again soon and get my title in the near future, hopefully. Because I used to work my a$$ off until this age with joy, otherwise I feel that I am a lazy bone and doing nothing.
So, these are what volunteering is for me and why I am doing this in brief! Besides personal and professional growth in this area, I am also developing my emotions, feelings, attitude and vision. Yeah, I said what is in my mind briefly. I am writing to much and enjoying with that. =)
Até a Próxima Malta!
Fica Bem.
Written on 20.01.2024
Published on 23.01.2024
