In five days, I decided to start my two-month North Macedonian adventure thanks to EVS. With the help of EVS Bursa coordinator Mrs. Başak, I was accepted to SFERA Macedonia. In five days, I bought my ticket. Ankara—Istanbul—North Macedonia was a long flight from Skopje. It was easy to find someone who spoke Turkish and English at the airport. People were loving and smiling from the beginning of their assistance. I met two Turks and went to the bus station by taxi. After getting my bus ticket from the bus station, I came to Bitola in about 3.5 hours. You can see natural beauty all the way.

My coordinator welcomed me at the bus station and took me home. As soon as I landed, they prepared dinner for me and the other volunteer friends. I had the opportunity to have a nice meal in a beautiful place and to meet friends. I had no great expectations because I had previously gone to another country with a volunteer program, but everything was above my expectations. I can say that the people of Bitola are very calm, friendly, and helpful. I’ve been here for about eight days, and I’ve never met anything negative.

My stay was in a great place for a nice walk in the mornings; it was a 2-minute walk to the walking path and the zoo. You can walk along with squirrels. You can make yourself breakfast at home in the mornings or have a bakery everywhere. The prices are pretty convenient; you can have breakfast in the morning for 30 to 50 denars. There are not many choices for fast food, but you can eat cheaply and satisfactorily. For those who don’t want to eat because pork is generally consumed, we have to ask each time. The houses are very cold in Bitola. You must pay attention to dressing preferences. Bitola is a small city that does not have much to do, but every day when people are there, we drink coffee in the street and chat with friends. Clothing is often quite expensive here because it comes from Turkey.

In regard to my work, my project is very comprehensive. Now I am asked to find a new project on many topics and work on it. The office environment is very comfortable, and the people are warm-hearted, friendly, and helpful. We did a weekend tour of Skopje with a few friends. Skopje is a great city based in Bitola and has great places to see. We plan to visit other cities and other Balkan countries during the weekends. Calmness, nature, and people who love to walk can come without hesitation.