BY EHSAN SHAREEF (CTIS/II)
Name: Ngwa Bidinga Kapapi
Department: Computer Engineering
University: Case Western Reserve University
Country of Origin: USA
What were your first impressions about Türkiye?
The first thing that hit me wasn’t the language or the food, it was the style. Everyone looked effortlessly put together, men in long trench coats, women in sleek black boots, as if the city itself had a dress code. Back home, people stroll into class in pajamas, but here, appearance feels like expression. I knew zero Turkish when I arrived, yet the sound of it fascinated me: smooth, rhythmic and alive. What truly caught me, though, was the kindness. People hold doors, help elders and even feed the cats lounging outside dorms. The dorm staff even helped us cook a full meal. I realized warmth here isn’t just a gesture, it’s a way of life.
What do you like best about Bilkent and Türkiye?
What I love most about Bilkent is the professors. They teach from experience, from all kinds of backgrounds, and they let you form your own opinions. My favorite part, though, has to be the department talks. Last week I went to one about France’s nuclear tests in Algeria during the 1960s, something I’d never even heard of, and walked out genuinely amazed. The professors noticed I’d started showing up more, and hearing them say, “We love to see undergrads here,” really meant a lot. As for Türkiye, it’s the people. When I visited Amasra on the Black Sea, the kids greeted us with excitement, ran up shouting “Ben Amerika!” wanting photos. It was so genuine, and warm.
Are there any similarities between Türkiye and your home country?
What strikes me most is the size of both countries. Like the US, Türkiye changes completely from one region to the next. The west feels almost European, while the east, I’ve heard, has different rhythms, foods and influences, and more of Asia in its soul. I haven’t made it there yet, but even now, it reminds me how Dallas feels nothing like Cleveland, which feels nothing like Miami.
What will you miss most about Bilkent and Türkiye?
Definitely Yemeksepeti. In the US, ordering food costs at least $20, but here I get a full meal for $8. That’s going to sting when I go back. I’ll also miss the department talks and the professors who actually take time to chat, even about life outside class. And the people, that were kind to me in a way that feels rare back home. In the US, everyone keeps to themselves. Here, someone on the bus will turn around and help me find my stop. That kind of warmth stays with you.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
Honestly, my dorm room. It might sound boring, but it’s become one of my favorite places. It’s spacious, my roommate’s great, and somehow we get more done studying at 1 a.m. on a random Wednesday than I ever did back home. I could never focus in my US dorm, but here, it just clicks. The gym comes close second. I used to play football back home, so staying in shape matters to me, and the facilities here are great. Some of my best conversations started with a simple “Where are you from?” between sets.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and why?
Turkish breakfast. Full stop. I know everyone says the food here is good, but breakfast specifically is on another level. The eggs, the olives, the tomatoes, the cheeses, the jams, everything laid out together, it’s a whole experience. And the bread? Incredible. Fresh, warm, real bread. And simit, those sesame-covered rings you see everywhere, I could eat every single day. The fact that such good food is also this affordable is almost unfair to every other country. Aspava blew my mind the first time I went. The guy just kept putting food on the table and I was like, “Is this free?” And it basically was.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
A happily married man, that’s the foundation. I’ll be 30, and I think I want two kids by then, a boy and a girl. I want to be doing work I actually love, not just work that pays the most. Right now, I’m really enjoying my international relations classes, and I’ve even applied for a NATO internship. So ideally, working for an international organization, something like the UN, based in Belgium, maybe. That’d be cool. In terms of lifestyle, well-travelled, for sure. I’ve only been to three countries so far. In ten years, I want that number to be much higher. Maybe a Tesla Roadster, not because I need to show off, but because I genuinely like the product. A good house and a vacation home somewhere in the US, probably Texas or Maryland. Maryland is where I was born, so there’s always going to be a pull there.
And honestly? I want to retire my parents. That’s probably at the top of the real list. Everything else is great, but that one would mean the most.
What’s one thing you learned from Turkish culture?
Çay with everything. I mean it: every meal, every visit, every conversation. Someone helps you? Çay. You’re just sitting somewhere? Çay. I love it. I’ve fully adopted this now. I’ve also picked up on “kolay gelsin,” which you say to someone who’s working to wish them ease. There’s no direct equivalent in English, and I think that says something beautiful about Turkish culture, you acknowledge someone’s effort just by passing by. Turkish people were surprised and happy when I used it, because not many international students bother to learn those small things. But those small things are everything. I’ve also learned some slang. I said something “çok iyi” the other day, and someone laughed and said, “Bro, that’s actually really good Turkish.” I’m getting there.
What places have you visited in Türkiye, and which one is your favorite?
I’ve been to three places so far: Amasra, Eskişehir and Istanbul. My favorite without question is Amasra. It’s this small town on the Black Sea, and the scenery just blew me away. We’re talking sea views, fresh seafood, a marketplace where I found amazing stuff for nothing, I think I paid around $30 for two full days of accommodation. The people there were incredibly welcoming. When they saw us, the kids especially got so excited. It was one of those places where you show up as a stranger and leave feeling like family. I went to Istanbul in my second week here, and it reminded me a lot of New York, everyone moving fast, doing their own thing, huge energy. I crossed the Bosphorus Strait for about 30 lira, which would cost something ridiculous in the States. I got to visit some incredible places, took a lot of pictures and saw cats everywhere. Istanbul definitely deserves a second visit when the weather is better. I want to do it properly. And I’m planning to get to Cappadocia too.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently at Bilkent/in Türkiye?
There are these WhatsApp stickers that students make and share. One of them says, “Bilkent University really be giving me brain damage”, and it has this meme face on it. Students send it to each other after a brutal exam or a tough week, and it perfectly captures the experience. I’ve gotten that sticker at least five times since I’ve been here. I am sure you know what it is.
Describe yourself in three words.
Outgoing, strong-willed, kind
How is the studying experience at Bilkent?
I’ve been lucky; I’ve made friends in basically all my classes, and two minds are genuinely better than one when you’re dealing with this workload. So, studying together has made it manageable, even enjoyable sometimes. The one thing I’d change is the dorm visitor situation. They limit you to 20 visitors per semester now, which for a college student is basically nothing. I used mine up in the first week. Overall, though, it’s been really good. The students here are motivated and competitive, which pushes you to be better. Being in a space where everyone is trying to level up makes you level up, too. I felt that shift when I went from my high school in Texas, where kids barely cared about class, to Case Western, where everyone was doing research and internships and pushing themselves. Bilkent has that same energy, and I’m glad I’m here for it.
