Episode 11: Discussing immigration with a Bulgarian Turk

Our guest is Serra, a Bulgarian Turk living in Turkey. Her mother, as a teenager, was deported from Bulgaria by the authorities just because she was Turkish and had to migrate to Turkey. However, what she experienced in Turkey was not so inclusive and encapsulating. She was not considered Turkish and was treated as a foreigner by her neighbors. Her mother also faced significant educational hardships in Turkey. At first, she could not speak Turkish fluently and was not used to the education system in Turkey. We discussed the issue of immigration and how it has become a decisive political issue in Turkey. We also talked about the impact of globalization on immigration and the development of countries. We upheld the idea that immigration is not a political or economic issue but an issue of compassion, benevolence, and humanity.