BY SAİDA RUSTAMOVA (CTIS/IV)
Name: Ulan Turdybayeva (MATH/I)
Country of Origin: Kazakhstan
What were your first impressions about Türkiye?
I was very, very excited, oh my God. My mother was stressed because we arrived a bit late for registration, and we were rushing through everything. But then we saw the Odeon, and it was so cool. I just felt this wave of excitement. Then orientation came and I was, okay, a little lonely, but also happy, and nervous and curious, all at once. It was like a roller coaster, honestly. I went from excited to lonely to happy all in the same week.
What do you like best about Bilkent and Türkiye?
About Bilkent, I like the education. I am not nerdy nerdy, but I like it. I like the professors, they are really good, genuinely nerdy in the best way, and the staff are so kind, the ablas especially. What I do not like is that Turkish students do not really mix with international students. Everyone is on their own. Bilkent feels a bit grey and quiet in that way. But about Türkiye itself, I love that Turkish people are so kind when you try to speak Turkish, even just a little. They light up. I am trying to learn Turkish even though it’s hard, because I know if I did, I would have so many more friends here.
Are there any similarities between Türkiye and your home country?
The first thing is the language. I did not study Turkish before coming, but I can understand it because Kazakh and Turkish are both Turkic languages, so my brain picks up the bones of it. The culture and mentality are also very similar. The biggest difference I noticed is that in Kazakhstan, most people speak English, so you can stop a stranger on the street and get help. Here in Ankara, the chances are very low.
What will you miss most about Bilkent and Türkiye?
I will definitely miss the cats. And the professors, some of them anyway. I will miss the snack machines in the corridors, my room and especially the shared kitchen in the dorm. I think I made the most memories in that kitchen. When a lot of people are cooking, they ask each other for salt and pepper and it is cozy in a way I did not expect. I also learned how to cook here this year, rice and chicken and some fried stuff. I will miss Adana and Urfa dürüms from the not-so-fancy places I found, and Coca-Cola Light, because we do not have it in Kazakhstan. And I will definitely miss Ayjan. She has to know that.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
G building. I study there a lot; I sit there and watch things, I just love it. The layout is completely crazy, you can go from G building all the way to A building or H building through the corridors, and even after spending so much time there you still find a new room. But that is part of why I like it. It feels like my spot.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and why?
Adana kebap and dürüm are my favorites. But Adana is spicy, and I cannot really handle very spicy food, so when I am ordering I go for Urfa instead. It has the same idea but with less fire.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
I am married, maybe with one kid. Maybe I am living in Türkiye, I am not sure yet. I want to be independent and have a job, and I want to live abroad so my kids grow up multicultural and are like the cool kids who have been everywhere.
What’s one thing you learned from Turkish culture?
Hugging three times when you greet someone, and kissing hand, which is taking an elder’s hand and bringing it to your forehead as a sign of respect. I found that really interesting when I saw it. In Kazakhstan we also always address older people formally, with siz, and young people here sometimes skip that, which felt strange to me at first. I still talk to my own parents in siz, it just feels right. So, I would say I learned both the gestures here, and a new appreciation for how different cultures show respect to elders. Here I freestyle it a bit depending on the mood, which is very new for me.
What places have you visited in Türkiye, and which one is your favorite?
I have been to Istanbul and Konya, and I love Istanbul. But for actually living, I think Ankara is better. Istanbul has too many people. I really like Bahçeli in Ankara, there is a vibe there, even if the cafés are overpriced. I love walking through it and looking at all the cafés next to each other. I have also gotten used to Ankara in a way that feels comfortable now. I grew up about 40 kilometers outside Almaty, near the mountains, so I think Ankara feels a bit familiar in its scale.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently at Bilkent/in Türkiye?
“Japon musun?” Are you Japanese? I get this everywhere. On campus, in Istanbul, even from professors. Once I carried a parasol in Istanbul and the whole city seemed completely convinced I was Japanese. I do not mind at all, I love Japan, so I find it funny more than anything.
Describe yourself in three words.
Just a cat. Three words, and I think it is accurate. Cats are organized, and they know exactly who to go to when they need something. Cats are resourceful, they figure things out. And cats are friendly, but only with certain people, not everyone. That is me. I am also always on time, I never forget salt and pepper, and I know my spot in G building. So yes, just a cat.
How is the studying experience at Bilkent?
It is giving me a little bit hard, especially the first semester, because I honestly did not know how to study properly. I came from a good high school back in Almaty, but the actual discipline of university studying was different. In high school I got away with taking it a bit easy even though I am a hard worker. I am learning how to use sources, how to prepare for exams, how to actually build the habits I skipped before. It is not easy, but I think that is exactly the point.
