Yeter ki İste! -Evrenin Planları | İpek ONGUN & DEFNE ONGUN MÜMİNOĞLU | TEDxCanakkale

21 May 2024 (7 months ago)

İpek Ongun's Life and Career

İpek Ongun graduated from Arnavutköy American Girls College (now Robert College) in 1900 but was discouraged from attending university due to her bilingual skills' practicality.
She worked as a secretary in Istanbul while taking French classes and pursuing personal development through reading.
After marrying a scientist invited to the University of California, she moved to the US for two years before returning to Turkey.
Upon their return, her husband joined Hacettepe University but later transitioned to farming in Mersin.

Driven by her passion for language, İpek began translating foreign novels into Turkish despite limited opportunities.
She diligently visited publishing houses until she gained recognition and published her first translated book.
İpek continued translating while raising two daughters and was encouraged to write her own books.
She wrote her first children's book, "Mektup Arkadaşları," in 1980, followed by several more.
Recognizing the lack of books for adolescents, she wrote "Yaş 17" but faced challenges categorizing it.
After a few years, the publishing house found a place for the book in a mixed section.
Inspired by young people discussing her first book, she published "Bir Genç Kızın Gizli Defteri" in 1990.
She embarked on writing a youth series to provide enjoyable and thought-provoking stories that imparted life lessons and encouraged critical thinking.
Before writing each book, she spent 6 to 8 months researching and consulting experts to ensure accuracy and relevance.

İpek's childhood dream was to become a veterinarian, and she cherished memories of playing with diverse friends and creating adventures based on book characters.
After studying tourism and having a successful career, she faced a dilemma when she became pregnant and couldn't leave her child with someone else.
She sought alternative work arrangements but found them unfeasible due to the prevailing work culture.
As a stay-at-home mom, she felt unfulfilled despite the joys of motherhood.
Determined to pursue her passion for writing, she started a blog called "0 Kilometre Bızdıklar" to share her experiences and connect with like-minded individuals.
Her writing gained recognition, leading to collaborations, event organization, and opportunities to write for magazines and publish books.

Today, İpek engages with children through her books, organizes social responsibility projects, and works with organizations to support disadvantaged communities.
She emphasizes the importance of perseverance, determination, and hard work in finding one's path and achieving personal fulfillment.
The video is in Turkish, and the speaker expresses gratitude, inviting others to join in expressing appreciation.