The distance from Istanbul to Brno is 1,645 km, and Kerem Efe Özen chose Masaryk University more or less by chance: “I was burnt out from preparing for exams in Turkey, so I decided to go to a university fair. While I was waiting for a presentation on Canada, I came across the Czech Republic’s stand.” He was drawn to Masaryk University – its reputation, wide range of study programmes, and the numerous student societies and leisure activities.
As for the language barrier, he’s tackling it with a compulsory Czech language course for beginners. Like most of his classmates, Kerem knows only a few Czech words, which he happily uses – though he says he prefers to avoid words with an “ř”. “The biggest culture shock for me, though, was how early everything closes here. In Turkey, you can pop into a café even at one in the morning; here, they close as early as ten in the evening,” he adds with a smile.
Kerem lives near the faculty and, due to his demanding studies, doesn’t have much free time. He devotes most of it to activities for the MUN society. “I spend a lot of time studying because I want to be among the top 10 per cent of graduates and achieve a summa cum laude distinction. I devote the rest of my time to the club, where I was elected Secretary-General this year. In the Model United Nations club, each member is assigned a country and sits on one of the committees with a specific agenda. This simulates the work of the UN. The aim is to discuss with other delegates, reach a compromise and jointly draft and approve a resolution proposing a solution to the issue at hand,” explains the Turkish student. MUNI Model United Nations, founded in 2016, is thus a place where students can develop their diplomatic skills. Its core values are international peace and understanding between nations, with the aim of contributing to a better future.
“Many current world leaders have participated in conferences organised by MUN societies in various countries, such as former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon or King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The conferences teach skills such as cooperation, leadership, negotiation and public speaking. It’s a great complement to my studies, as these are precisely the skills that will stand me in good stead in practice,” says Kerem.
In his spare time, he is also interested in cartography and vexillology – the study of flags and banners – and enjoys meeting new people. He also likes the diverse architecture of Brno city centre and enjoys hiking. His favourite route takes him around the Brno Dam.
As there is a fairly large Turkish community in Brno, particularly people from Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, he has made plenty of friends there. Most often, however, he meets up with the team from the MUN society and together they plan various events for students. “My studies and work for MUN take up almost all my free time, but I don’t mind. As I said before – I see it as an investment in my future.”
At the moment, he and the club are focusing on a major spring event. “All our activities are now centred on preparing for a three-day simulated UN conference. It will take place from 10 to 12 April. Further information about the conference can be found, for example, on our Instagram @masaryk_mun. I believe this year’s event will be the best we’ve organised since 2016.”
The conference will feature debates on current issues shaping the world, with prominent guests from the fields of international relations and politics, including NATO advisers, UN diplomats and ambassadors.
After completing his bachelor’s degree, Kerem also wants to continue with a master´s programme. He would also like to go on an Erasmus exchange to the Netherlands. “I’ve always liked it there. It’s a lovely country to study in, and what’s more, my best friend lives there. Time spent with him is always worth it.”
After finishing his studies, he would like to travel around Europe and later return to his native Istanbul. There, he would like to help other Turkish students and share his experiences from MU and the MUN club. His life goals are simple – to find a partner with whom he gets on well and to live a happy life.