Born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and a Turkish father, my parents gave me two names that reflected my mixed background - and should both be pronounceable by people in both countries. Thus my name is Vera Aylin, but I go by Aylin in daily life.

I graduated in Political Science at the University of Amsterdam with a major in International Relations, specialising in the Middle East. One year after I got my Bachelor’s degree, I started a Master’s programme in Middle Eastern Studies at the same university, but decided to quit that programme a year later, without having obtained a degree. Although the subject matter still interests me (and that is an understatement), the academic environment was not the right fit.

I thrive in a free and independent environment, where there is room to improvise and approach things differently than ‘normal’. I owe a lot to many other things than university: my ten years in the hospitality industry; self-reflection; my first internship-turned-grownup-job and binge-watching large numbers of tv series.

I am an independent worker, diligent, have a knack for quality (in every aspect of life), eye for detail, and a curious and analytical mind. And above all: I am never done learning. Over the years I have developed knowledge and skills I never thought I would: from video and audio editing to online facilitation; from organisational development to group dynamics. I use many of these things on a day-to-day basis and constantly reflect and improve on them.

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