The geography is not your destiny

I am Didem Derinçay. I was born 20 December 1999 in Iğdır. In 2006, my father had no choice but to give me and my two siblings to the Turkish Social Services and Child Protection Institution due to financial problems.

First, I went to the Yaycı 75. Yıl Primary School close to the Institute and then to the Kurtuluş Primary School. When the ‘4+4+4’ educational system was adopted, I went to the Ziya Gökalp Secondary School where I spent the last year of my primary education.

That summer, I took the ‘SBS’ high school placement exam and enrolled at the Nene Hatun Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. After completing high school, I went to Karabük for university where I studied in the Department of Radio and Television.

After the university, I applied for a job and, after a process lasting a few months, I started working at the Karabük Training and Research Hospital.

I wanted to work in the press department but the hospital did not have one so I started working in the purchasing department. I am still living in Karabük and I visit my hometown of Iğdır during the summer.