Young Basaks participated in the youth exchange project “Walking into the World” in Como/Italy. Our group, which consists of Ayşen Alp, Deniz Perçin, Ramazan Demir, Düzen Kavak and Didem Yüce, and our project coordinator Behice Boran met young people of Italy, Palestine, Spain and Israel.

The Project has been realized in Erba town of Como in Italy between December 28 and January 4. At first, our participants met Palestine group at the airport since they were in the same flight. After a joyful flight, they first landed on Milan and then went to Erba by train. Aside the warm welcome of coordinator association, Associazione Voluntariato del Comasco, representatives, they arrived “Don Orione Institute”, the place where the project would be realized.

      They began to experience intercultural interaction as they met the rest of the group. All of them had a kind of pre-knowledge about other groups, one way or another. Some of them were true, but some of them were amazingly different. But the result was a friendship that is beyond the expectations. 

Our young members learnt to listen to, see and understand what others think as they express themselves by workshop activities. With the common activities of created subgroups, they discovered intergroup dynamics and realized the process of group works. They discovered many common points with their friends who are from a different country, different religion and have a different language.

      Besides Erba, participants also visited Bellagio town and town center of Como with a joyful trip over Lake Como. They spoke up their minds and met remarkable citizens and associations of Erba at the meeting in municipality building. Cultural diversity and harmony of the group also impressed local people. 

      They shared the excitement of New Year with people from different countries in a different country. During “Culture Night” they wore their traditional costumes and represented their music, dances, food and even games. Everyone learnt a lot of things about places that they have never seen and heard nothing about. 

     When it was time to say goodbye, everyone had a sour taste of happiness. Not only they missed their home lands, but also they shared the sorrow of leaving the place where they had lots of fun and made new friends. For us, project has succeeded. Basaks stepped into new worlds each time they made a new friend, they walked into the world.