From Germany to Turkey: Şebnem Schaefer discusses the fight against bullying

Şebnem Schaefer will appear on screen as a mother in the film "Bağlantı Hatası", which will be released on March 28. While the film delves deeply into peer bullying and family relationships, Schaefer shares her own experiences with bullying and advises young people to stand strong.

Schaefer states that when she asked for permission to work as a model and presenter while in high school in Germany, she was bullied by her friends following that decision. She expresses that after coming to Turkey, she also experienced being marginalized but managed to stand strong.

Emphasizing that she fought against bullying thanks to her family's support and her love for her work, Schaefer gives an important message to young people: “Love yourselves and never feel guilty.”

The film will meet the audience on March 28 with its notable cast.

"THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE EVEN BOTHERED BY THE WAY I WALK"

She said that when she was in high school in Germany, she received permission from her teachers to work as a model and presenter, which created problems with her classmates. “They applied mobbing, so to speak. They stopped talking to me, gossiped behind my back, and laughed. There were even those who were bothered by the way I walked, sat, or stood up. I used to wonder if there was something wrong with me, but over time I accepted the situation. No matter how much I tried to fit in, they didn't include me, and then I didn't want to be among them, so I distanced myself completely,” she said.

THEY MARGINALIZED ME BY SAYING "YOU ARE GERMAN"

The actress, who said she encountered similar situations when she came to Turkey, shared her feelings by saying, “As a young girl coming from Germany, they marginalized me for a period. I tried to adapt. But they made me feel like a foreigner here too. They marginalized me many times by saying 'You are German.' Yet, I always felt like a Turk.”

Emphasizing that her family's support was very important to her during this process, Şebnem Schaefer said; “I could tell my family everything; they helped me as much as they could. My self-confidence increased thanks to my profession. I was doing my job with great love.

Instead of thinking negatively, I clung to my work. I learned not to be crushed under bullying, but to stand strong. My friends in Turkey were also always supportive,” she said.

Schaefer said that her experiences with bullying made her a stronger individual and gave this message to young people: “Share your troubles with people you see as close. Find hobbies that will develop you. First, love yourself and never feel guilty.”

Many valuable actors take part in the film, which comes to life with the powerful performances of notable names such as Onur Tuna, Belçim Bilgin, Timur Acar, Asena Keskinci, Fatih Berk Şahin, Çağdaş Onur Öztürk, Kubilay Tunçer, and Murat Serezli.