Esra’s Project

HELLO IT’S ME!

Hej everyone! I’m Esra, from Turkiye. I’ve completed my volunteering project at Café Utopia.

What Makes Café Utopia Special?

The café is really special in every way. Like, seriously, it’s hands down the BEST cafe in town. The most significant feature of the cafe is, employees have some mental health challenges, which causes them to only be able to work for a certain period of time. The goal of the cafe is creating a comfortable working environment with as little stress as possible and helping them to get involved and contribute to society.

What Did I Do at the Café?

Throughout my volunteering journey, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in various aspects of café life. From assisting with food preparation to beautifully plating dishes and serving customers with my perfect Danish skills -not really, the language is just too hard- Each day at the café, brought new challenges and rewards. The year I spent here was nothing short of amazing, and I owe it all to the fantastic people I worked with and the valuable lessons I learned along the way.

My Solidarity Project

One of the perks of volunteering at Café Utopia was gaining a deeper understanding of Danish food culture. Yeah, I know it is not the most interesting cuisine in the world but as I worked side by side with my chefs and colleagues, I had the chance to experience the essence of Danish cuisine and witness how food brings people together. This insight sparked an idea for my solidarity project – I wanted to give back to the friends I made at the café by introducing them to my own Turkish food culture.

We threw a summer party before the café went on vacation for three weeks. I brougt in some Turkish dishes, snacks, fruits, and bread for everyone to try. The timing, just before the barbecue, was perfect, as everyone was hungry and open to try new flavors. As I served the dishes I had prepared, I made sure to provide information about the ingredients and even warned them about the spiciness, because I knew not all Danes are BFFs with spicy food.

Although I had prepared a presentation about Turkiye, technical difficulties prevented me from sharing it with everyone. But hey, it didn’t matter because the real deal was the food. And watching their reaction was a heartwarming moment, knowing I could share a taste of my culture and bring joy to my café crew.

Tak For Alt

My ESC volunteering experience at Café Utopia will forever hold a special place in my heart. Not only did I learn valuable skills in the cafe and gain insights into Danish culture, but I also had the chance to share my own heritage and connect with wonderful people. It has been a truly fulfilling journey, and I will cherish the memories and friendships made during this unforgettable year.