BY MAHİR HASSAN MİAN (ECON/II)
Name: Nuria Jimoenez
Department: International Relations
Country of Origin: Spain
What were your first impressions about Türkiye?
My first impression of Turkey was how attentive and friendly people are here. Also, the traffic is so chaotic.
What do you like best about Bilkent and Türkiye?
The campus. It is soo big. There are a lot of green areas, and my campus back in Spain doesn’t have that. There is a huge number of exchange students, and we get to socialize and share our cultures. I would say it’s the culture in general that I like best, but that’s so generalized. I really like the traditional dance, kebap and the sweets, especially baklava.
Are there any similarities between Türkiye and your home country?
I will say yes. In Spain we’re also very open and always willing to help foreigners. Turkey is very open too, and everyone tries to help and welcomes people with a big smile.
What will you miss most about Bilkent/Türkiye?
I will miss my morning walk that takes me 10 minutes to go from my dorm to the faculty. I will miss the friends that I’ve made here, but still those morning walks are something that I will definitely miss. I will miss going out with my friends as well as the delicious and tantalizing food.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
I don’t know if my room counts, but definitely my room. The views at sunset and sunrise are immaculate, and the hill near Bilka is also very nice. You can see all of Ankara from there.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and why?
Baklava, of course. The almond one. I tried it in Beypazarı at it was awesome. I also like the cheese toast at Bilka.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
This is a difficult question. I have a few options. I’ll probably be a diplomat or a manager at a public agency or I will work with an international organization such as the UN or NATO.
What’s one thing you learned from Turkish culture?
The dance in which you tangle your fingers with the people next to you and form a circle and dance. I also love how Turkish people greet each other. It is totally different from what we do in Spain. In Spain we don’t touch one another’s head, but we hug and kiss.
What places have you visited in Türkiye, and which one is your favorite?
I visited İstanbul with my family, and I also visited Ankara, Beypazarı, Fethiye and Antalya. My favorite was İstanbul, minus the traffic. The trip we took on the Bosphorus river at night has my heart.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently at Bilkent/in Türkiye?
This is not that interesting, but whenever I tell people I am from Madrid, they say “Hala Madrid.” I like “hocam” a lot. For the first few weeks I thought it was a name, but now I know it is a word for respect.
Describe yourself in three words.
Social, enthusiastic, fun.
How is the studying experience at Bilkent?
I don’t find it so, so hard because at my home university you have to work hard too. The thing is, there are so many readings here. In my hometown, I don’t have to read every week.
