Sude Atmaca: ‘There is always something to do at AUBG’
First-year student from Turkey Sude Atmaca, who plans to major in JMC and Psychology, tells about her experience moving to Bulgaria, and how she published two books before she was 18.
Where are you from?
I am from Istanbul, Turkey.
What brought you to AUBG?
I would say pure luck. I came to Bulgaria through my sister’s work interests and decided to stay with her. My original plan was to stay in Sofia. However, I could not find any university that had an English degree program in Psychology. I decided to get into an English language program in Sofia, which turned out to be my only bad memory about Bulgaria. After three months of struggling there, I got a call from my education agency and they told me about AUBG. Next thing I know, I was packing my bags. I liked the idea of an open campus and having different students from all over the world.
What major(s) and extracurricular activities are you doing in AUBG?
I am majoring in Psychology and Journalism and Mass Communication.
What is the achievement that you are most proud of?
I published two books before I was 18. I do not like to talk about it too much, but it was one of the most incredible things that ever happened to me.
What are your books about? What inspired you to write them?
Kayboluşlarımız (Our Disappearances) is the first short story that I have ever published. It is about the anatomy of breakups and miscommunication in relationships. When I wrote this book, I did not have any experience about the subject, but I wanted to challenge myself and see if I would be able to reach out to someone. I was very shocked when I got a call from the publishing house. I still remember the excitement and how nervous I was. Luckily, people liked it and now I am working on new projects.
What was the particular thing that made you choose AUBG over other universities?
The campus life and the opportunity for [extracurricular] activities helped me choose AUBG over other universities.
What do you like about Bulgaria and the city of Blagoevgrad?
I love how calm Bulgaria is. Coming from the bustling city of Istanbul, it was almost like a therapy! I like how I can travel from one place to another without feeling like I was on the road for 10+ hours. For Blagoevgrad, I love how half of the city is our campus and the whole city is lively with university students. I am in love with the mountain views and the sunsets.
What do you expect to gain from your time at AUBG?
I want to learn about other cultures as much as I can. I want to have friends from all over the world. I want to represent my culture and break the stereotype about Turkish women.
What advice would you give to students from Turkey who are considering applying to AUBG?
Do not believe the articles about Bulgaria. It does not mean you are not going to be able to live here just because some random person could not. Do not listen to your relatives or friends because they only know about Bulgaria from the television. Do not waste time because every second is important for your education and wellbeing. Our cultures are very similar, so you will not struggle. It is easy for us to visit our country, so you will not feel homesick.
The AUBG campus is very vibrant and there is always something to do. You will not get bored. There are many hidden places that you can visit in Blagoevgrad, and once again understand the value of the nature. There is so much more than wherever you are living right now and AUBG is the way. If you are interested and have any questions, you can always reach out to me. I would be more than happy to answer your questions!