My Story of Believing in Me, Despite Family Doubts

Get ready to dive into a story that’s all about chasing dreams, breaking boundaries, and not taking ‘no’ for an answer. I’m Pinar, and I’m here to spill the beans on how I went from my cozy corner in Istanbul to making my mark in the land of endless possibilities — the good ol’ United States.

Let me tell you about this crazy journey of mine. So, here’s the deal — my family dropped a bombshell on me. They were all like, “Hey, you can’t go to school anywhere other than Istanbul, and it’s gotta be a public school with sky-high entry requirements.” I mean, sure, it’s free, but they really don’t make it easy for you. So there I was, determined to make it happen right where I lived.

For a good four years, I was busting my chops, grinding like there’s no tomorrow. But guess what? During that time, I found myself knee-deep in the insurance game. Yeah, insurance — the “field” that sounds way more exciting than it actually is. Started out in an insurance agency, working for free like an intern on steroids. But, you know, I had to bail on that gig because those guys were all about networking. Education? Nah, not their thing. They were all about cozying up to the big shots who…