About Zeynep
Field of study and year of graduation: Erasmus programme at the University of Graz, 2008–2009
I currently live in and work as: I now live in Istanbul and work as a self-employed English teacher. I mainly teach online.
My best memory of the University of Graz: The many people from different countries whom I got to know during my Erasmus year. We spent a lot of time together, cooked together, celebrated special occasions and went on trips and hikes. Through this, I learnt a great deal about other cultures. These experiences also showed me how important it is to be open to cultural differences and how much we can learn from one another.
What has been on my mind recently, professionally or personally: Professionally, the move to self-employment was a major change for me. After many years in a large company, I decided to embark on a completely new career path. In doing so, I realised that teaching means much more to me than simply teaching a language. I also want to encourage my students to discover new perspectives and recognise their own potential. At the same time, I learn a great deal from them, their experiences and their different points of view. For me, teaching is therefore a mutual exchange from which both sides benefit.