Soul Circle: Finding Small Spaces of Peace in Istanbul
Moving to a new city for your Erasmus is surely exciting, but we can't deny that it also feels overwhelming. Especially in a city like Istanbul, where everything moves quickly, where streets are always full, and where life never really seems to pause.
For many Erasmus students, this journey begins with curiosity and excitement. New people, new places, new experiences. But behind all of that, there can also be stress, homesickness, tiredness, and the quiet feeling of being far away from what is familiar.
With Soul Circle, we wanted to create something gentle.
We wanted to remind students that well-being matters. We wanted to offer them moments where they did not have to rush, perform, or keep up with everything around them. Without a sense of belonging, it is easy to feel lost. Soul Circle created small spaces of peace where students could slow down, connect, and feel at home. It is okay to move slowly in your Erasmus city too!!
Through yoga, mandala painting, vision board creation, and geocaching, Soul Circle brought together different forms of well-being. Some moments were calm and reflective. Some were creative. Some took us outside, walking through the city and discovering new places together.
In each activity, the aim was simple: to help students reconnect with themselves and with others.
A yoga session became more than movement. It became a shared breath.
Mandala painting became more than colours on paper. It became a quiet moment of focus and care.
Vision boards became more than goals for the future. They became a way to dream, reflect, and begin again.
Geocaching became more than an outdoor activity. It became an adventure of connection, discovery, and trust.
What made Soul Circle special was not only the activities themselves, but the feeling they created. A feeling of calm. A feeling of being seen. A feeling that even in a huge city, you can find your own circle of peace.
Winning 1st Place in Health and Well-being with Soul Circle means so much to us because this project came from a very human need. The need to rest. The need to belong. The need to feel supported.
And with Soul Circle, we saw once again that small, sincere ideas can create meaningful change.
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