Arts Lab 7.0: Beyza Aksu | Month II - Learning to Call This Place Home

About December… Honestly, my feelings are a bit mixed because the holiday break came in between. Before I arrived here, I thought this was just a project, something that would add to me, and then it would end and I would return to Turkey. But now I realize how deeply I’ve gotten used to this place. I even went to the Netherlands during the New Year holiday, yet I found myself missing here.

Before the New Year break, we all prepared an envelope and hung it on the wall for the Secret Santa draw. But it became so much more than just a draw. We started leaving small gifts or sincere notes not only in the envelope of the person we were matched with, but also in others’. It was all about making everyone feel a little more special. Every morning, checking my envelope on the way to the kitchen to see if something new had appeared — and starting the day with that kind of sweetness — felt truly special.

At Ion Creangă School, we spent a week where everyone introduced their own country to the students. The music, dances, food, and traditions of our countries… The competition day was incredibly fun, and I truly believe we did an amazing job. And we won!

As a result, the next residency will focus on Rroma. We’ve already started thinking, researching, and working on it. I think this might be the project I’m most excited about so far. After that, some of our friends traveled back home or to other countries. When we all returned, our tea and coffee conversations started again. Everyone shared what they had been doing and how much they had missed this place.

I’m incredibly excited for what’s ahead, feeling motivated, full, and deeply connected.

This monthly report was written by Beyza Aksu, our Turkish volunteer taking part in a six-month Arts Lab 7.0 mobility, co-funded by the European Union under the European Solidarity Corps.