We are now trying to walk into Selin’s shoes and make sense of her experience in Berlin as an exchange student. This User Journey Map is allowing us to see how Selin encounters several pain points and the process she goes through to overcome them. Here is a summary of the findings:
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○ She struggles to find friends at the campus due to language barriers (and Covid). She uses multiple platforms to meet new people but doesn't know where to start. As she is often time-constrained, she cannot always go through all the profiles of students and message them.
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○ She is reluctant to message people that she doesn't know. She is afraid that people may not find her actions friendly.
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○ She tries to make plans to go to a Turkish restaurant with friends from her social circle, however, they are either busy or don’t share the same passion that Selin does for Turkish food. As much as she craves food from home, she hates doing things alone, without a companion. Disappointed, she ends up spending the weekend alone at home watching Turkish shows in bed.

It is normal to feel homesick living away from home and family. While away, we miss everything about your home. Under these circumstances, it becomes harder to meet new people and make social connections with others who share similar interests. Bizdenkimvar targets this audience and aims to connect people like Selin and Ozlem.
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In this scenario, Selin can search for people in Berlin who works in the Science industry. If she fails to connect with Ozlem, she can always find other Turkish people who would enjoy having a cup of coffee with baklava.