Tere, mina olen Burak! I am from Türkiye, 29 years old, and studying for a master’s degree in the humanities in Italy. In my free time, I mostly do drawings or photography with my beloved analog camera. The best advice I could give to my 12-year-old self: “Do not fear speaking up and do not let anyone else set barriers to your dreams or desires…”
Three words that describe me best: Creative, mindful, and solitary.
What inspired me to become a volunteer:
For a long time, I really wanted to do something that could touch the lives of young people in a local environment. When I was younger, I couldn’t find a place to channel my energy outside of school hours, nor did I understand what kind of skills I had. Missing these kinds of experiences in my teenage years, and having the chance to experience them with youth, was another major reason I decided to become a volunteer. Thankfully, my path crossed with beautiful Estonia and the wonderful organization of TNTK, giving me the opportunity to impact the lives of young people.
Previous volunteering: I worked as a content writer for the Istanbul-based urban-hacking platform Onaranlar Kulübü (Fixers’ Club) and participated in urban-hacking installations around Istanbul.
A typical day in the youth center: My work starts around 1 p.m. When the different age groups come to our center in Ilmatsalu, I play board games with them, help them with crafts, and make drawings together. Every Thursday, we organize cooking clubs, where the youth are the main stars of the activity.
Favorite moment: On my first day at Ilmatsalu, I was greeted with applause and a heart-warming hug from two sisters who regularly attend our youth center. They said, “We already like Burak so much!” When I heard that, I realized I was already touching their hearts.
One message for the youth: Always pursue your desires. It’s better to experience them, even if they don’t have a perfect ending. Having regrets about not doing what you truly wanted is worse than experiencing it, even if the outcome is far from ideal.
If my life were a movie, the director would be Martin Scorsese, and the genre would probably be drama/musical.
