BY EHSAN SHAREEF (CTIS/III)
Name: Ponnareay Rith
Department: Computer Engineering
University: EPITA, France
Country of Origin: Cambodia
What were your first impressions about Türkiye?
I was still finding my feet when a stranger stepped in to help me. She was a random mom, standing in line behind me at a store, who noticed I was lost trying to pay and simply translated everything for me with a warm smile, without me even asking. That small, kind moment has stuck with me more than anything else from those first days.
What do you like best about Bilkent and Türkiye?
Honestly, the campus here feels like its own little city, you almost never have to leave it. What I love most though is that people are genuinely so nice, and there is this beautiful blend of Southeast Asian energy and modern infrastructure that I did not expect to find all in one place.
Are there any similarities between Türkiye and your home country?
The little bazaars remind me a lot of home, and so does the tea. Everyone here seems to drink it just as often as we do back home.
What will you miss most about Bilkent/Türkiye?
I think I will miss the convenience most, having everything so close by, being able to walk ten minutes to class and back without needing a metro or a car.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
Bilka Hill, easily. The view from up there is so nice, especially at night when the whole city lights up below you.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and why?
Lavaş and lamb kebabs. I really love them; they are so good and oily in the best way.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
I picture myself working in computer science back home in Cambodia, bringing what I have learned abroad back to my own country. Alongside that, I want to keep chasing photography and music production, since that is really where my heart is.
What’s one thing you learned from Turkish culture?
“Kolay gelsin.” It basically means “May it come easy to you”, and I love that there is a whole phrase just for showing someone a little appreciation for their work.
What places have you visited in Türkiye, and which one is your favorite?
I have been to Istanbul, but honestly, the Ayrancı bazaar has been my favorite place of all.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently at Bilkent/in Türkiye?
People ask me where I am from all the time, and it is always fun, since Cambodia is such a small and lesser known country that almost nobody ever guesses it right.
Describe yourself in three words.
Chill, funny, contemplative.
How is the studying experience at Bilkent?
It has been interesting for me. I came from a French computer science school straight into a full university setting for the first time. The whole course and textbook system here is completely new to me, but I have been figuring it out step by step, mostly with a lot of help from YouTube.
