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Category: Reflections

  • Thank You ThoughtWorks

    I owe you this ThoughtWorks: Thank You. Thank you for bringing me back to who I once was. Someone who believed in herself and in what she did, who is passionate, joyful and full of energy. I came to ThoughtWorks (TW) because of a good friend’s recommendation. He said “Pinar I know you are going…

  • Buenos Aires Querida

    I am on my way back from Buenos Aires to Barcelona. It is the third time that I am on this route and it is the first time that I am not heartbroken to say goodbye. Still, secretly in me, I am wishing if only I had one more week… Each time I leave Buenos Aires,…

  • The Beautiful Truth

    …is the name of a movie I haven’t yet seen. I read that it is a documentary about a doctor’s quest for curing cancer through alternative methods. Dr. Max Gerson is his name. The quotation you will read in the next lines is from this movie. I stumbled upon it by chance when looking for…

  • User Story Mapping

    I read a wonderful book, User Story Mapping by Jeff Patton. If you are a Product Manager in an Agile environment and are to read only one book, then make it this one. It is not only eye-opening, insightful and full of content, it is also funny. I laughed and learned a lot. What is…

  • Self-Compassion

    If you are like me, you also lack self-compassion. It means you do not love yourself enough and accept yourself the way you are. Probably you are also a perfectionist which goes hand in hand. Ironically, you can be a very compassionate person to others. You can feel their pain as well as pleasure, have…

  • My Next Job

    I now have been in an intensive process of looking for a job, applying, interviewing etc. Much reflection and experience have accumulated, which I want to share. I hope it helps you if you are going through the same process. Here is what I learned for myself: Knowing who you are: It is as simple…

  • Would You Do a PhD?

    It has been 5 years since I completed my PhD. After a very long time, this morning I returned to my thesis to read the Acknowledgements section I wrote back then to feel and understand why I chose to do a PhD. At this very moment, I can only say I am a happy and lucky…

  • The New Life – Sun and Clouds over Barcelona

    It was a lovely Friday. All sunny and happy as every day has been in Barcelona. The day before the Sitges Tango Festival had started. It is an old famous festival known for its relaxed and friendly atmosphere, utmost Mediterranean. I had wanted to go there for many years but there had always been something that hindered.…

  • The New Life – Barcelona II

    This is now my third week in Barcelona. Time is going with the wind. Everything still feels right and in place. I am getting up in the morning without worrying about the weather. Without the feeling of missing out on something by staying at home. It is a relief. I am taking each day as…

  • The New Life – Before Barcelona

    What happened that I came to Barcelona? As exciting as it sounds, I really didn’t decide it overnight. It has been a long process of thinking, checking with myself and calculating whether and what is doable. My life in Munich was what many would consider perfect. I had a well-paid job, a nice apartment in a…