Mucizelerle Dolu Bir Hayat | Bennu Yıldırımlar | TEDxIstanbul Anatolian HS

Childhood

• A life full of miracles and breakages is being shared, with the hope that the audience will understand where the breakages occurred in this life (10s).
• Many people are going through periods of breakage, and it's rare for someone to continue their life without experiencing any breakage (17s).
• Notes were taken about the small events that occurred in life, and an effort will be made to share these events (35s).
• Both parents worked hard throughout their lives, and the speaker was born 7 months premature, with question marks about whether they would survive or not (45s).
• Within the first year, the person taking care of the speaker forgot to give them water, causing kidney problems, but the speaker was able to recover and continue living (1m0s).
• A significant breakage occurred when the speaker's father created a trauma by constantly asking if the speaker was being given water, despite being told that babies don't need water for the first 6 months (1m16s).
• The speaker's father had his own breakages, which he expressed, and this affected the speaker's life, making them more responsible and down-to-earth (1m43s).
• Being a working parent's child and an only child played a significant role in shaping the speaker's life, making them more responsible and tidy (1m51s).
• The speaker's parents were often tired and exhausted when they came home, so the speaker took it upon themselves to keep their surroundings tidy, which became a lifelong trait (2m5s).
• The speaker believes that having a tidy environment is essential and helps them remember where things are (2m28s).
• Despite experiencing breakages, the speaker generally remembers their childhood as a happy time, with various experiences and a large family (2m35s).
• The childhood environment was very diverse, with many different people living in the same building, including a family with two daughters, one of whom was deaf and attended Göztepe School for the Deaf (3m33s).
• The upper floor neighbors were the father's childhood friend and his Bulgarian wife, who did not have children at the time and took great interest in the child, teaching them Russian songs and the Cyrillic alphabet (3m55s).
• The father's background as a journalist led to a focus on reading and understanding cause-and-effect relationships during the child's upbringing (4m12s).
• The father encouraged critical thinking by pointing out the importance of considering people who were less fortunate, such as those without homes, when the child would comment on something being beautiful (4m40s).
• The child was taught to read and write by their mother before starting school, which led to them being considered for placement in a higher grade level, but they ultimately started in the first grade and were later moved to the second grade (5m7s).

School Years

• The child attended Göztepe Pansiyon İlkokulu and had very good teachers throughout their education, which they attribute to being very fortunate (5m21s).
• It is recommended to maintain relationships with school friends and teachers throughout life, as these connections are essential to personal growth and development (5m30s).
• National holidays were celebrated in a special way, with Atatürk being beautifully commemorated and the War of Independence being told in a beautiful way, with veterans visiting and sharing their experiences, teaching the younger generation about the difficulties and hardships of the war (5m48s).
• The connection to these historical events and values seems to be lost, and it is essential to re-establish this connection (6m8s).
• In the past, teachers would ask students about their reading habits and discuss the books they read, but now people mostly rely on digital media, which is not enough, and it is crucial to experience the joy of reading books and visiting libraries (6m32s).
• Having a passion for archeology since elementary school, the interest in this field never faded, even when other interests developed over time (6m56s).

Discovering Theater

• Attending Erenköy Girls' High School, a school with only female students, provided opportunities to form good friendships, but it lacked a theater department (7m14s).
• The interest in theater developed later, influenced by neighbors who were university students, the İşoğlu family from Adana, who would take their time to attend symphony concerts and theater performances at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) (8m14s).
• Being exposed to these cultural events and meeting university students sparked the desire to pursue a career in the arts, particularly in theater (8m42s).
• Growing up, there was a desire to pursue a career in the arts, which was influenced by the family and ultimately led to the decision to try out for the theater department (8m50s).
• The family's support played a significant role in the decision-making process, and they encouraged the pursuit of a career in theater, even though it was unconventional (8m58s).
• The decision was made to try out for the theater department, and the experience transformed into a passion, leading to the decision to pursue it further (9m2s).
• The family's initial reaction was not to discourage the pursuit of a career in theater, but rather to suggest that it could be done as a hobby while studying economics (9m14s).
• The decision was made to attend the municipal conservatory, which allowed for the possibility of attending university as well, and 30 people were selected out of a large pool of applicants (9m40s).

University and Career Choices

• The conservatory had a rule that only 78 students would remain in the class, and only one class would be chosen to move forward, which added to the competitiveness (10m9s).
• After completing the preparatory class, the decision was made to take the university entrance exam again and study ancient Greek language and literature, which had a connection to archeology (10m37s).
• The decision was made to attend both the conservatory and the faculty of literature, but the schedule became challenging, with classes in two different locations, Sultan Ahmet and Kadıköy (11m2s).
• The experience of attending two universities at the same time took a toll, and the decision was eventually made to focus on one, with the mother's encouragement to complete both degrees (11m23s).
• The turning point came when the decision was made to focus on one degree, and the mother's expectations were discussed, with the father being more accepting of the decision (11m29s).
• A turning point was reached when the decision to focus on one goal was made, and the choice was to pursue a career in theater, specifically at the State Conservatory, a full-time program, after dropping out of the Literature Faculty (12m2s).
• The decision to drop out of the Literature Faculty was met with disappointment from the mother, but she did not say anything as the child had made the decision, and the father was also present but not as involved in the conversation (12m12s).
• During this time, work had begun at the City Theater as a trainee, and the opportunity to work with renowned actors and directors, such as Haldun Dormen, was a valuable experience (12m48s).
• The experience of working with established actors, including Zihni Göksal, was particularly significant, as they showed appreciation for the young actors and provided guidance (13m19s).
• The university years were also marked by the influence of professors, including Yıldız Kenter, who played a crucial role in the education and development of the students (14m9s).
• The family, particularly the father and grandfather, had different expectations for the career path, with the grandfather still believing that the individual was studying Greek language and literature, and expressing a desire for a more secure profession like accounting (14m34s).
• The final year of school included a production of Anton Chekhov's "Three Sisters," which was attended by the family, including the mother and father, who had always been supportive (14m59s).
• The person played a game with their sister, Irina, which they found enjoyable and felt good about, indicating that they made the right decision in choosing their profession (15m7s).
• After graduating, their father expressed support and encouragement for their career choice, saying "I'm glad you decided on this, may your path be open," which gave them a significant boost of confidence (15m20s).

Professional Development and Life Lessons

• The person learned German in middle school, high school, and university but believed that English was necessary, so they took advantage of an opportunity to go to England and work various jobs (15m43s).
• They watched games, not just abroad but also in their home country, and always tried to approach their profession with enthusiasm and curiosity about how things are done worldwide (16m6s).
• The person believes that their life can serve as an example for others, especially young people, in making decisions and finding a balance in life (16m33s).
• They advise young people to engage with art in some way, as it can make life more enjoyable and help people understand others better, whether through films, books, theater, or cinema (16m50s).
• The person has always tried to be someone who questions and researches the reasons and consequences of things, which has helped them in their profession and life (17m32s).
• They mention that their experience with theater and archeology has taught them to think about the reasons and consequences of things and to understand people's actions and motivations (17m45s).
• After returning from London, the person continued working in theater, but they had to overcome their stage fright, which took about a year and a half (18m16s).
• After watching the games, when returning, it was said that the game being played is still ongoing, and the person was asked to take their place in the musical "Kuşlar" by wearing the costume, and they remember trembling in the costume while watching 34 games from the side, unable to join the game. (18m21s)
• The person was told that they already knew how to do it and that they should just go on stage, and they believe that this was a breaking point, after which they decided to pick themselves up and move forward, attributing some of their progress to coincidences and surprises in life. (18m55s)
• The person believes they are living a good life, meeting good people, and maintaining their friendships, which is very important to them. (19m26s)
• They advise young people living in the digital age to not get too caught up in their phones or computers, which can minimize their relationships with the people around them. (19m38s)
• The person thinks that there is a generation gap, but they are trying to understand young people, and they hope that young people will also try to understand them. (19m55s)
• They believe that they are living in a country with a rich culture and history, and they encourage young people to appreciate and take care of their surroundings, including nature and animals. (20m16s)
• The person has faith that young people will continue to be sensitive and caring towards the world around them, as this is necessary for the well-being of the planet and its resources. (20m39s)
• They advise young people to read and do things that will benefit their country and community, without getting too caught up in the digital world. (21m2s)
• It is beneficial to repeatedly read and understand the development of Turkey between 1923 and 1938, as well as the significant war it fought before 1923 (21m32s).
• This period is notable for the numerous Turkish writers and poets, including Nazım Hikmet, Aziz Nesin, Sebahattin Ali, and Yaşar Kemal, who are essential to Turkish culture (21m49s).
• Turkish is undergoing changes, and there is a need to be sensitive about this, especially in terms of language usage in acting and other artistic fields (22m1s).
• Listening to old radio theater plays can be nostalgic and educational, providing insight into how great actors used to speak Turkish (22m9s).
• Losing one's native language can lead to losing many other things, so it is essential to pay attention to language usage (22m21s).
• It is crucial to nurture relationships with family and friends, who have been by one's side since childhood, and to maintain these relationships in a healthy manner (22m31s).
• Observations suggest that people tend to forget their friends and elders due to the hustle and bustle of life, but maintaining these relationships can make one's path in life stronger (22m58s).
• It is essential to love oneself, take care of one's body, engage in sports, love one's country, look forward to the future with hope, and not abandon art (23m17s).
• As actors, it is encouraged to appreciate various types of theater and attend performances, as this can make a difference in one's life (23m28s).