the person
behind it.✸
this page is not only about where i studied or worked, but about the path that shaped me. some things lasted years, some only a few weeks, but each of them left something behind.
i’m a Turkish guy in Belgium, somewhere between cultures, languages and ways of belonging. not fully one sentence, not fully one place, and maybe that is why i keep looking for stories that help me understand people, home and myself.
[ɛɹkiːn] in Turkish, it carries meanings like free, independent, autonomous and self-reliant.
a story-driven creative producer in progress.
i am a beginning communication professional who moves between communication, media and design. with my background in audiovisual storytelling and international communication, i see myself as a story-driven creative producer who connects people, ideas and cultures.
i am motivated by projects that have a human side, where creativity is not only used to make something look good, but also to make something understandable and meaningful. in a team, i bring concept thinking, responsibility, curiosity and the ability to see the bigger picture from idea to final result.
i value honest communication, cultural awareness and creative work that feels personal, relevant and well thought out. in the coming years, i want to grow into a stronger international communication professional, with more structure, confidence and experience in creative projects across different languages and contexts.
what shaped meso far.
studies, student jobs, projects and small in-between moments that shaped the way i work, think and move through the world.
little things i wanted to share.
a quote, a video, a song or something random i came across. things i liked, saved and simply wanted to pass on.
see the full archivephotos, stories, pieces of me.
a small visual archive of moments i shared, kept or came back to. not everything is a project, but some photos and stories still say something about where i was, what i noticed and who i was becoming.
open the full archivethe work is not done.
seeing the story before the shape.
i usually start by looking for the story behind something. before choosing a format, i want to understand what it is really about, who it is for, and why it should exist. that helps me make work that feels more connected, instead of only finished.
moving between thinking and making.
i do not see writing, visuals, video, concept and coordination as separate worlds. for me, they are different ways of getting closer to the same idea. this helps me move through a project from the first thought to something that can actually be shared.
working with people in mind.
i care about the people behind a project. whether it is a personal story, a social project, a brand or a cultural context, i like to understand the human side first. that is also where most of my motivation comes from.
understanding different contexts.
because i move between different languages and cultures, i know that communication is never neutral. the same message can feel different depending on who receives it. that makes me more careful, curious and aware when i create.
carrying the bigger picture.
i like to understand how all parts of a project connect. the idea, the words, the visuals, the planning, the people and the final feeling. i think that is one of my strengths: i do not only want to make something, i want to understand what it needs to become.
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German to B2, but especially with more confidence.
i am still practising German, and i want to reach B2. not only as a level on paper, but as a language i can actually use more often in real conversations. especially with future internships in Germany or Austria in mind, i want German to become something i dare to speak, not only something i understand.
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Spanish is waiting around the corner.
once German feels stronger, Spanish is the next language i want to build further. with Erasmus in Spain, future projects and international work in mind, i want Spanish to open new doors for me. not all at once, but step by step, with real life around it.
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an international internship in creative communication and storytelling.
i would like to do an internship where communication, media, storytelling and creative production come together. not only making content, but helping to shape the idea behind it. an international context would challenge me to grow through language, culture, teamwork and a different professional rhythm.
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a stronger place in the market.
i want to become clearer in what i stand for, what i can deliver and what kind of work people can come to me for. not only as someone who makes things, but as someone who can help shape concepts, stories and projects from the inside. my personal brand and website are part of that growth.
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learning from human-centred makers.
i want to follow and learn from more people who work with documentaries, social projects, cultural stories and work built around real people. that is the kind of creative world i feel close to. by meeting, following and studying those makers, i can better understand where i want to grow myself.
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using weak ties more actively.
not every opportunity comes from the people closest to me. friends-of-friends, alumni, teachers, guest lecturers, former employers, LinkedIn connections and people i meet at events can all become small bridges to future internships. i want to become more active in using those connections, without making networking feel forced or fake.
becoming a stronger teamplayer.
i care a lot about direction, quality and meaning, but i am learning that good work also needs trust, timing and clearer communication inside a team. sometimes i can stay too much in my own head, while the work actually becomes stronger when ideas are shared earlier.
delivering before it feels perfect.
i often keep refining until something feels right. that helps the quality, but it can also slow me down. i am learning to finish, share and improve along the way, instead of waiting until everything feels completely ready.
dealing with perfectionism.
my perfectionism often comes from wanting things to feel honest, clear and close to who i am. that can help the work, but it can also make me stay too long in the details. i am learning to keep my standards without letting them stop me from moving forward.
not only executing, but shaping.
i do not work best when i only have to carry out ideas that are already fully decided. i need to understand the bigger idea behind the work, and i like to help shape that direction. my challenge is to communicate that clearly, while still staying open to other people's vision and rhythm.
choosing my direction more clearly.
i am interested in storytelling, communication, languages, documentary and human-centred projects. that broadness is part of who i am, but i am learning to make it more focused. i want people to understand better what i stand for and what they can come to me for.
speaking and showing before i feel ready.
i sometimes wait too long before speaking, sharing or showing something. whether it is in a language, a project or my own work, i want to become more comfortable with trying before everything feels fully finished in my head.
a broad profile can be hard to read.
because i move between storytelling, communication, visuals, languages and project work, my profile can sometimes feel broad. that is a strength, but also a risk. i need to keep showing more clearly what people can come to me for.
competition in creative internships.
international creative internships are interesting to many students. that means my work, motivation and personal brand need to be clear enough to stand out, especially when applying outside Belgium.
too many things at the same time.
school, freelance work, portfolio building, language learning and internship preparation can all ask for attention at once. if i am not careful, that can make my focus too spread out.
waiting until i feel ready.
sometimes i wait too long before sending, showing, speaking or applying. but in a professional context, being visible and present matters too. i am learning that trying earlier can also create opportunities.
language confidence in real situations.
i want German and Spanish to become useful professional languages, not only languages i study. the challenge is to use them more often, even when they are not perfect yet.
