What are your expectations of Izmir?
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the name of this city?
Almost all of participants prejudged Izmir, Turkish culture and Summer Universities. Within the scope of this project, they learned about the Turkish culture and also tasted Turkish food during colourful activites. One of the workshops was about the ancient art of marbling, paper marbling. The dance of colours was impressive to the participants. AEGEE-İzmir is trying to change the participants’ mind about AEGEE, making them see that SU’s are not only for parties and swimming. AEGEE is also there to promote understanding of cultural diversities and active citizenship. That’s why in the SUnkiss event the organisers tried to point out these topics continuously so that it was impossible to miss.
The participants had an introduction to colour and colour therapy: It has been recorded that the ancient Aegeans used colour for the cure of ailments. They worshipped the sun, knowing that without light there can be no life. They looked at nature and copied it in many aspects of their lives.
The vivacious people of Izmir live in the middle of sun, sea and forest, that is to say yellow, blue and green, hence the Izmirian are healthy and full of life.
One of participants, Sanita Slezkina said: ‘’I didn’t expect such a colourful programme, it was really a nice SU full of sun as the topic said! It was really satisfactory, also the places we stayed at and the meals. It was very well organised as well, seemed like I had bought a travel agency’s offer or something like that! It is incredible that students can organise something like this! Also what I understood is that in Turkey it is much easier to find good sponsors than in Latvia.’’
After the end of this Summer University all participants returned to their countries with positive impressions . Some still dream that they were satisfied with a SUnkiss.
Written by Sıla Özdemir, AEGEE-Izmir
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