His name is S.E. He was born on March 16, 1996, in Gölcük, Kocaeli. They moved to Yuvacık, Başiskele, during his childhood. His childhood wasn’t easy as he and his mother suffered physical and psychological violence from his father. Because his parents were consanguineous, which was more common in Turkey at the time, S.E. and his mother didn’t receive protection from their relatives and were subjected to bullying. They faced significant financial difficulties during their childhood. Their house was made of stone with a broken roof. They had only one stove to heat the house, but due to the damaged condition of the house, they had difficulty heating it. They also didn’t have enough money to buy food. They were also excluded by their relatives during that time. This was because S.E.'s father was an alcoholic with serious psychological problems, so he didn’t provide a father figure. During that time, his father didn’t come home because he was cheating on his mother and spent all the money he had on alcohol and the woman he was cheating with. At one point, when S.E. started primary school, his father brought the woman he was cheating with to their makeshift home, and they lived together for a long time. As a result, his mother and he went through very difficult times and continued to suffer from his father's violence. Because they had an arranged marriage, meaning his father and mother were actually cousins, none of their relatives supported them, and S.E. was bullied by his cousins. Because during his childhood, S.E. had no money, he was subjected to peer bullying by his cousins, who had a better life than him. When he started primary school, he had to get through the day with only one Turkish lira due to financial difficulties. As he got older, his father tried to prevent him from studying and continued to be violent. However, S.E. struggled to study and managed to complete middle and high school. During high school, he made a promise to himself, "I’ll save my mother and myself from this life." Therefore, despite all the difficulties, he started working part-time during high school. After graduating from high school, he entered a vocational college program and started working while studying, and he began to support his mother and himself because his father didn’t  give him money. After graduating from university, he got a better job and moved to a better house with his mother, and he applied to a hospital for his father to receive treatment. His father received positive feedback from the treatment, and although they didn’t  want to, they started living in the same house with their father, who didn’t return to his old habits. During this time, he had a sibling who is now 10 years old, and he made a good marriage and formed a happy family with his wife and their 1 year old child.

“My name is Beyza. I'm 24 years old. I live in Konya. I came to Istanbul 6 years ago for university. I am studying medicine. Actually, this was not my dream. I wanted to study law, but before my father died, he always said that he wanted me to be a doctor. My father died in 2020 due to doctors' mistake. So I changed my decision. My goal is to become a heart surgeon. I met my boyfriend in the 3rd year of school. We are thinking of getting married when we finish school. I would love to introduce him to my father. The department he wants is psychiatry. He also came to Istanbul from Sivas. I loved Istanbul very much. But my boyfriend didn't like it. He said that Istanbul is very crowded. I can understand him because she is not someone who likes to travel. Since I love seeing new places, the crowds of Istanbul do not bother me. my boyfriend is very important to me. my boyfriend is very important to me. I was about to drop out in my 4th year at school but he convinced me. I didn't know I would be successful. But thanks to him I succeed. We do not plan to live in Istanbul in the future because house prices are very expensive. We do not want to live neither in Konya nor in Sivas. We want to live in a new city. Maybe we can live abroad. The thing I will miss most in Istanbul will be the cats and dogs on the streets. I feed them every day on the way to school. I adopted a kitten. My cat's name is Maya and she is a female. He had neutering surgery yesterday. My life goes on like this. I understand that I made the right decision by coming to Istanbul.“

"The 1999 earthquake was one of the challenging periods we experienced. After our house collapsed, we ended up living on the streets and had to face homelessness. However, this situation didn't discourage us; instead, we focused on our children's education. We had to do everything in our power to ensure our children could continue going to school and build a bright future. That's why we decided to earn a living by knitting and weaving blankets at the tent camp.

Knitting and weaving at the tent camp were tough but meaningful tasks. We would wake up early every day and start working. Even during cold winter days, we were willing to endure the hardship for the sake of our children's education. Their future meant everything to us.

Over time, our handcrafts at the tent camp provided us with a source of income. We no longer struggled to cover our children's school expenses. This brought us immense happiness, knowing that we were contributing to their future. Despite working until late at night, we were always ready to face any challenges for the sake of our children's education.

Our hard work eventually paid off. We opened a shop and took our business to a more professional level. Today, our children are successful teachers, and their achievements fill us with immense pride. The difficulties we faced in the past are now a testament to their success.

As an elderly couple now, we take great pride in our children's accomplishments. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their education and believe they will achieve even more in the future. Additionally, our shop symbolizes our ability to overcome the challenges we faced in the past."

I met my boyfriend in my last year of university and we fell in love. We got married a year later. Around this time, I became interested in professional cake making and I started to a course. Of course, I also started teaching. It was difficult at first, but I got used to it over time. My love, he supported me a lot during this time. We were both working too hard and we needed a change.

The turning point in my life was the idea of going to Istanbul with my husband and opening a Cafe. Our friends told us "this is crazy". But I was feeling it. This was our chance. My friends in Istanbul helped us alot.

We have a very nice cafe now and we are very happy. I don't know what will happen in the future, but if you ask me, this is the Magic of istanbul.

Although I was raised in Silivri, I attended university in Tekirdağ where I studied electrical and electronic engineering. My family had a modest accounting business out of Silivri. Since I was young, I have had a flair for math and computer science.

When I first enrolled in college, I concentrated on growing as an Electrical and Electronics Engineering student. I did well in the theoretical classes as well as taking part in different projects to get real-world experience. My time at Tekirdağ University was filled with interesting intellectual and social experiences.

In my spare time, I worked as an assistant at my family's Silivri accounting office. Together with enhancing my education in electronics and electricity, this experience offered me fresh insights into the corporate world and more accounting expertise.

Attempting to create a link between accounting and my department is how I'm learning the ropes on the job. That's how my life is going at the moment.

Football wasn't just a sport for me; it was a passion. Ever since I was little, my dream was to become a professional football player. I used to attend trainings, play matches, and constantly work on improving myself. But you know, life doesn't always go as planned.

One day, a serious injury during a match changed my life. Doctors told me I shouldn't play football anymore. It was a huge disappointment for me. But I didn't give up. During my recovery, I started exploring different interests. I got interested in music, learned to play the guitar, and started writing song lyrics. Music became a new passion for me and a way to cope with my injury.

By the time I turned 18, I still cherished my love for football and my dreams, but music had become an inseparable part of my life. I wanted to go to university. I planned to study sports management. But of course, I didn't want to neglect music either. I aimed to write my own songs, to touch people's hearts. I looked towards the future with hope, determined to seize all the opportunities life offered me.

From a young age, Aylin showed a great interest in art, particularly in painting. Alongside her studies, she spent her free time indulging in painting. During her high school years, she became enchanted by the allure of graphic design and decided to pursue a career in this field.

When she enrolled at Istanbul University, Aylin focused on courses related to graphic design and began gaining experience in the industry through internships. After graduating, she started working at an advertising agency. There, she participated in various projects, proving herself with her passion and determination. She honed her design skills during these early years of her career and quickly rose to become one of the leading designers at the agency.

However, she began to grow weary of routine tasks and started seeking a field where she could bring her own creative ideas to life. In her quest, she realized that freelance work might be more suitable for her. Determined to carve her path, she opened her own graphic design studio and embarked on an independent career. Although challenging at first, Aylin expanded her client portfolio through perseverance and dedication, working with diverse clients from small businesses to large corporations.

Nevertheless, the competitiveness and intensity of the business world sometimes took a toll on Aylin, leading her to explore activities like yoga and meditation to manage stress. These practices helped her cope better with stress and maintain mental balance.

Now, continuing to work in her own studio, Aylin finds happiness in pursuing her passion and realizing her creative vision. She remains committed to personal and professional growth, constantly striving to improve herself.

In Istanbul, a big city full of noise and people, there are many stories to find. I wanted to learn about these stories and take pictures to remember them. My friend Alp joined me on this adventure.

We walked around the city, visiting famous places like the Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. But what interested us the most were the people we met along the way.

We talked to a fisherman who catches fish in the Bosphorus and a young artist drawing pictures of the city. Each person had a different story to tell, and it was exciting to learn about their lives.

I took a picture of Alp with the city in the background and asked him to tell me his story. He talked about his family and his dreams for the future.

Through our journey, I discovered that Istanbul is more than just buildings and streets it's a place where people live and create memories. Each person we met added to the beauty of the city.

As the sun set, painting the sky with colors of orange and red, I realized that Istanbul is a special place where stories come alive. And in the heart of this bustling city, I found happiness in the stories of its people.

He grew up in his hometown and his family always gave importance to his education. When he started university, he moved to istanbul for study engineering, and this began a journey full of new experiences. During his university years, he did not only focus on his classes, but also worked on different projects and gained new skills by doing internships.

After graduation, he started his engineering career at a technology company. Here, he worked as a team to develop new products and constantly improved his technical skills. In the coming years, he dreams of being the best in his business and one day starting his own technology company.

On the other hand, life is not just work for him. In his spare time, he has hobbies such as listening to music, doing sports and traveling. Seeing new places and discovering different cultures is very important to him. Also, spending time with family and friends is important to him.

In the future, he wants to progress further in the world of technology, finding innovative solutions that can benefit people and make the world a better place.

Amidst the vibrant chaos of Istanbul, I encountered Zeynep, a 21-year-old student from Marmara University. Curious about her perspective on the city, I engaged her in conversation.

Zeynep, with her youthful enthusiasm and bright eyes, shared her experiences balancing studies with the rhythm of Istanbul's streets. As a student navigating the bustling city, she reveled in its diversity and endless opportunities for exploration.

Her story painted a picture of Istanbul through the lens of a young scholar, where ancient history and modern innovation coexist harmoniously. From studying in historic libraries to embracing the city's cultural festivities, Zeynep embodied the essence of Istanbul's vibrant youth.

Through her eyes, I gained a fresh appreciation for Istanbul—a city where academia and adventure intertwine, offering a dynamic backdrop for personal growth and discovery. Zeynep's journey serves as a testament to the boundless opportunities that await those who dare to explore this magnificent metropolis.