This is a translated version of the original text in Turkish.
Growing up young in a sinking economy
This text doesn't contain any visual support; it reflects my pure thoughts and feelings.
I was born in 2005. Türkiye experienced its economic peak in 2007. I was 2 years old. After that, I witnessed numerous economic downturns, price and currency fluctuations in this country. The memories I recall from my childhood became distant figures for me when I went shopping. The lowest exchange rate I remember was around 1.50 for the USD/TRY index; considering it's around 13.50 today, I have witnessed many currency decreases. I started saving money for something I wanted, only to find that prices increased when I finally had enough money. During the exchange rate hike in the last months of 2021, I saw that prices were immediately raised, and people's right to buy products with their own money was restricted. Then, during the currency decline, I witnessed no decrease in prices. When I asked any seller, "Why?" I received responses such as, "Prices never go down after they've gone up." I saw that the production cost of 50 kuruş(cents in Turkish Lira) was 106 kuruş. I saw that religion was trusted as an economic policy. I experienced a lot of astonishment and lost hope for my future. My concerns about the future began at the age of 12, and I decided to live abroad when I was just a child. The idea of continuing to live in Türkiye has never been appealing to me since my childhood. I also wanted to live where I was born, to establish my family here. However, there was only one clear option for me to live a comfortable life, and that was to leave. I didn't want my children to experience what I've seen, and I still don't.
When I got into high school, I was subjected to an exam at the age of 14. I worked for hours in an unhealthy way, and at the end of the day, I succeeded in entering a good high school. For what? To be able to live abroad, not to contribute to this country. Instead of thinking about how much the purchasing power of the money I earn will decrease, I want to dream and be hopeful as a young person in the prime of my life. I want to be around the world like my peers. Maybe I'm not the worst off person you could see, or maybe I'm not the one who should complain about this, but the fact that these issues are not discussed, and the fact that the person speaking out is labelled a traitor, is starting to affect me. In this country where even the simplest citizenship rights have been taken away from me since childhood, I can no longer remain silent. I believe no one should.
If my father pays taxes as much as twice the price of a car he buys, that's why I can't afford the computer I want. If “certain people” use the most luxurious things, that's why I have to use the cheapest phone. With the taxes we pay, who knows how many months we'll have to make ends meet, we apparently “owe this” to our country. So, I ask you, is it fair to be labelled a terrorist when I question where my taxes go? Is it fair to open a case against me and call me a traitor when I don't like and oppose any policy of the government? Is it fair that in this country, when the Minister of Economy resigns, the silenced media can't even cover the news for 24 hours? I leave the decision to you. I no longer have any expectations from this country where I don't know what to do or which direction to go. My only wish from this country, where I have witnessed hundreds of cases of violence against women and citizens being beaten by the police for using their right to protest, is not to be exploited further and to have a more free country.
I am 16 years old, yet I think about these things and write about them. I try to raise my voice in the prime of my youth. Still, I'll forget what I've experienced, and I'll build the life I want somewhere else, but I know that this country is playing not only with my dreams but also with the dreams of millions of young people like me. I'll overcome this, with the hope that the next generation won't have to.
I was born in 2005. Türkiye experienced its economic peak in 2007. I was 2 years old. After that, I witnessed numerous economic downturns, price and currency fluctuations in this country. The memories I recall from my childhood became distant figures for me when I went shopping. The lowest exchange rate I remember was around 1.50 for the USD/TRY index; considering it's around 13.50 today, I have witnessed many currency decreases. I started saving money for something I wanted, only to find that prices increased when I finally had enough money. During the exchange rate hike in the last months of 2021, I saw that prices were immediately raised, and people's right to buy products with their own money was restricted. Then, during the currency decline, I witnessed no decrease in prices. When I asked any seller, "Why?" I received responses such as, "Prices never go down after they've gone up." I saw that the production cost of 50 kuruş(cents in Turkish Lira) was 106 kuruş. I saw that religion was trusted as an economic policy. I experienced a lot of astonishment and lost hope for my future. My concerns about the future began at the age of 12, and I decided to live abroad when I was just a child. The idea of continuing to live in Türkiye has never been appealing to me since my childhood. I also wanted to live where I was born, to establish my family here. However, there was only one clear option for me to live a comfortable life, and that was to leave. I didn't want my children to experience what I've seen, and I still don't.
When I got into high school, I was subjected to an exam at the age of 14. I worked for hours in an unhealthy way, and at the end of the day, I succeeded in entering a good high school. For what? To be able to live abroad, not to contribute to this country. Instead of thinking about how much the purchasing power of the money I earn will decrease, I want to dream and be hopeful as a young person in the prime of my life. I want to be around the world like my peers. Maybe I'm not the worst off person you could see, or maybe I'm not the one who should complain about this, but the fact that these issues are not discussed, and the fact that the person speaking out is labelled a traitor, is starting to affect me. In this country where even the simplest citizenship rights have been taken away from me since childhood, I can no longer remain silent. I believe no one should.
If my father pays taxes as much as twice the price of a car he buys, that's why I can't afford the computer I want. If “certain people” use the most luxurious things, that's why I have to use the cheapest phone. With the taxes we pay, who knows how many months we'll have to make ends meet, we apparently “owe this” to our country. So, I ask you, is it fair to be labelled a terrorist when I question where my taxes go? Is it fair to open a case against me and call me a traitor when I don't like and oppose any policy of the government? Is it fair that in this country, when the Minister of Economy resigns, the silenced media can't even cover the news for 24 hours? I leave the decision to you. I no longer have any expectations from this country where I don't know what to do or which direction to go. My only wish from this country, where I have witnessed hundreds of cases of violence against women and citizens being beaten by the police for using their right to protest, is not to be exploited further and to have a more free country.
I am 16 years old, yet I think about these things and write about them. I try to raise my voice in the prime of my youth. Still, I'll forget what I've experienced, and I'll build the life I want somewhere else, but I know that this country is playing not only with my dreams but also with the dreams of millions of young people like me. I'll overcome this, with the hope that the next generation won't have to.