Interview with an International: Ayşegül

In March 2016, Ayşegül made the decision to move back to the Netherlands for good. First, they lived in The Hague, and it was finally in 2020 that they could settle in Leiden, her beautiful city of Leiden. This is the place she felt inspired. “This is where I actually found myself to rebuild, you know, to reidentify.” 

Since then, she has worked at a few companies but is now working in cybersecurity. These days, when Ayşegül isn’t playing board games with her husband or singing Dutch songs with her kid, she’s fighting digital piracy… That’s right! Ayşegül spends her days battling online pirates, protecting intellectual property for clients around the world, particularly in the broadcasting and video game industries. Whether it's taking down illegal content on social media or tracking down piracy on online marketplaces, she’s on it. 

"From 'Why Should I Learn Dutch?' to Singing Dutch Children's Song

At first, Ayşegül wasn’t too keen on learning Dutch. She wondered, "Everybody speaks English anyway. Why do I have to put the effort?". She never planned on staying in the Netherlands after her studies or to ever come back. 

Following her marriage and her definitive move to the Netherlands, Ayşegül enrolled in an intensive Dutch course at Direct Dutch in The Hague in 2016.  "I could speak Dutch. I was so proud of it," she recalls talking about the level of fluency she had reached after the intensive course. She also joined the free Dutch book club by the same language school every two weeks, where she and other non-native speakers improved their language skills by reading aloud and discussing books. They attended plays and museums together to fully experience the content they were discussing in the book club. 

At the book club, Ayşegül read a work by Iranian Dutch author Kader Abdolah and came across a quote that has stayed with her ever since (translated from Dutch): 

“Immigrant! Make every effort to come here safely, but remember: you have to work ten times harder than the original inhabitants of this country. Because before you came, others had made these roads, cars, houses, canals and bridges.” 

This resonated deeply with her not only because Abdolah, like herself, is an immigrant to the Netherlands, but also because it offers a powerful and honest perspective on the challenges and determination it takes to build a life in a new country.

Beyond the classroom, Ayşegül immersed herself in Dutch media. She watched romantic comedies, because understanding the plot and relating to the dialogues made it easier to follow the movies through context. She also loved watching Arjen Lubach shows and the YouTube channels NOS Journaal,NOS Jeugdjournaal and Het Klokhuis. After having a child, she even memorized about 20 Dutch children's songs by heart, further improving her Dutch and singing skills. 

Building Community in Challenging Times

Like many people, Ayşegül found herself with unexpected free time during the COVID pandemic. “While it was nice to catch up on books I hadn’t read, series I hadn’t watched, and board games I hadn’t played with my husband, I still missed social connection even if only online. That’s when I came up with the idea of starting a podcast.” 

During this period, Ayşegül created a Turkish-language podcast called Holland Expat Diaries (Hollanda Expat Günlükleri) with two co-hosts. The podcast ran for a year and a half, spanning three full seasons. It featured interviews with Turkish individuals who had moved to the Netherlands for various reasons, such as work, PhD studies, or family reunion. Episodes covered topics from the challenges of buying a house to navigating Dutch bureaucracy. One notable episode included a therapist discussing the psychological effects of migration on individuals and families. Ayşegül saw the podcast as a way to build connections and help build a supportive community during a time of social isolation. 

Looking ahead, Ayşegül is embarking on a new, more personal project: writing a book. She is planning to interview migrants who arrived after 2010 to explore their experiences. Her book will delve into the social, psychological, and linguistic challenges faced by modern migrants, as well as their experiences with gender roles and socialisation. Through this project, Ayşegül hopes to shed light on the unique experiences of today's migrants and contribute valuable insights to the community.