The Middle of the Road

After about 2 months here, I feel comfortable enough to call Koç University and Istanbul home. Neglecting those feeling of homesickness, I am embracing the joy that it is to live in a country that has a culture so similar and yet so different to my own. As I wander through the student center and the various academic buildings, it no longer bothers me that I am only a visitor here. I have gained the respect of my professors and peers and have become a valuable part of this community. From the table top conversations with my engineering masters program friends to dinner parties I have organized to the dance parties that I have attended under Odeon, I feel genuinely noticed and accepted. My initial thoughts of not fitting in and being ostracized were swept to the side as wave after wave of generous Turkish hospitality always kept me surrounded with good company. Like a Brave New World, there was always somewhere new to go, someone new to meet, and of course something new to eat. With the helpful guidance and study trips of my program, CIEE, the insightful mentors of ISS, and the cultural interactions that I have shared with my new friends, I have learned a great deal about Turkish culture. After experiencing the culture, I began to study the language to help me further interact and to not lose the meanings of conversation in translation. Enlisting the help of my roommate, I gained invaluable practice in formal sentence structure and entry into the local social scene. Knowing how to converse and understanding more than a tourist just passing through, I have found that I have formed deeper connections with the people that I interact with daily. I am thankful that I was able to come to such an engaging and endearing community and such a wonderfully beautiful country. Dancing, laughing, eating, and genuinely enjoying my time here only two words come to mind, Turkiye Seviyorum! Maybe I will go to grad school here... maybe...:D

Remember,

You are what you eat, and I am enjoying the company!

JD