Hello,

I am Gizem Kozan from Turkey. I have arrived to Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto on the 5^th of July in order to do an Erasmus internship and I have already finished my third week here. It’s a romantic, cheerful and sunny Sicilian town. I will be here for 4 months, so it means that the perfect summer is waiting for me.

Here, I have a chance to meet with new people, the opportunity to get to know the cultures and traditions of Sicily and to explore the new places of the country.

Sicily is the biggest island of the Mediterranean Sea. It is an island to be seen and experienced with its fascinating clear waters. Here the summers are very hot which is so good to enjoy the beaches. I have already been the beaches which are called Caldera, Oliveri and SpineSante. There are many beaches that I need to explore, so I can not wait to discover them.

From Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto where my company places, you can reach the beautiful beaches by transportation, and even by walking. I was lucky because one of my colleagues gave me his old bicycle and the other colleague of mine fixed the bicycle and now it is like new. Thus, after the work hours I am able to go to the beaches with my bike in order to enjoy the time and sun.
If we talk about the warmth, we cannot forget to mention about people. They are really warm and friendly like the weather here. Even if someone doesn’t know English, he/she will do his/her best to help you. As you know, Italian people are really good at with their gestures and mimics. Thus, it is good way to understand them better without the language.

I had chance to visit many cities in north and south of the Italy before I come here. However, the Sicilian dialect which is the most beautiful Italian dialect that sounds to me. The sky, the delicious Italian ice creams, desserts, pizzas, pasta, aperitives, cultures, and life is totally different from my culture but is also familiar. Typical Sicilian foods and drinks are unforgettable. Granita is a  slush-type drink made from various flavours that everybody should taste in their life. I’ve been drinking Granita every day since I have discovered it. There are also more typical foods as brioche, arancini and cannoli. Thus, prepare to be overwhelmed by just how varied, diverse and delicious Sicily’s cuisine really is! In addition, during the summer time, here there are many festivals and events such as Mish Mash Festival and EspressivaMente that I am planning to enjoy. These are the moments and the things that I can never forget.

Sicily is completely different from Italy that you know. From the first moment you arrive the Sicily island, the views of the roads are worth warming you up. I can’t wait to see the other parts of Sicily. The next stop of mine is the capital of Sicily which is Palermo. Let’s continue to discover!

Love you Sicily and love being here!