Gyro-ing Around Turkey: Greek Erasmus Experience like no other!
Participating in the “Let’s Do It in the Social Field” Erasmus+ Programme was a truly remarkable experience. Starting from Thessaloniki, we all met each other with the Greek team, except for one participant that we took along from Komotini. We traveled for around 12 hours, and when we arrived, all the rest of the national teams were waiting to meet us. We had already bonded, having spent 12 hours next to each other. We matched perfectly as a group ❤.
Greek Team in Istanbul
For 9 days, we stayed in a city called Silivri, approximately 60 km away from Istanbul, in a beautiful hotel where the staff was very hospitable, and all the participants had the opportunity to meet everyone. After the end of the activities, we either stayed in the hotel lobby, where we had discussions and, of course, drank games, or we rented buses and headed to the city center. There, we usually had a stroll along the beach and then got something to drink. We had great moments there, and we were back and safe at the hotel every night.
Fun fact: We learned that Turkey doesn’t have oregano chips at all!
Istanbul, of course, stood out from the whole experience. On our free day, we visited the most famous sights like Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, the Galata Tower, and the Grand Bazaar. As Greeks, we, of course managed to enter Basilica Cistern with a cost of 30 liras = 0,80 euros instead of 18 euros. Don’t ask me how!
Some of us learned the hard way that we should always stick together, especially in a country outside the EU with no cellular data or the same currency. But let's just say some fellas took the wrong boat ending in a different place on the Asian side, and one of us (that's me ❤) decided to enter the wrong tram line alone one hour before departure. But in the end, we managed to find each other, even in a city of 15 million people.
We also had the last day to further explore the city. We did a cruise on the Princess Islands, and it was wonderful, from the trip with the boat along the Bosporus Straits to the final destination. The islands were a marvel of beauty and architecture combined, with exquisite villas and cafes in a magical natural scenery where nature was dominating the views.
In the end, we enjoyed every bit of our experience, and we became friends through the fun stuff but also through the difficulties. We shared experiences and learned to always trust each other, and group work always pays off. Overall, our teamwork skills improved significantly as we navigated through challenges together. Our bond grew stronger as we supported each other.
