BY MAHİR HASSAN MİAN (ECON/III)
Name: Francisco Sánchez Martínez
Department: PHIL exchange student
University: University of Murcia
Country of Origin: Spain
What were your first impressions about Türkiye?
When I arrived here, I had the typical worries about airport scams (taxis for example) or other things out of our control, but everybody was helpful and good to me. I arrived in Türkiye at 1 a.m., and everything looks a bit scary when you are 3000 km from home, but everything went well. For that reason I’ve always had a good impression of this country.
What do you like best about Bilkent and Türkiye?
There are many good things in Türkiye, and the people of this country have been good to me. I enjoy the gastronomy very much: çiğ köfte, etli ekmek, Adana Kebab, İskender as well as many others good meals. I also appreciate the landscapes: Bodrum, İstanbul, Cappadocia, Bursa and Konya, very beautiful places with much history and many things to visit. About Bilkent, the dorms are very good, the gym is incredible and there are many interesting conferences and social activities. The problem at Bilkent is the homework: weekly questions, essays, summaries, midterms, quizzes…sometimes I feel that I have time for nothing, and this feeling could grow depending on the grade.
Are there any similarities between Türkiye and your home country?
Yes—good people, good weather, the same sky and the same moon.
What will you miss most about Bilkent/Türkiye?
Many things, but especially my friends. It is complicated to say goodbye when you don’t want to go.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
Bilka—the staff are so warm and close. One of the personnel is very good with me. He doesn’t speak English, and I don’t speak Turkish, but every day we “speak” about football with names of players and club and with gestures.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and why?
Between çiğ köfte and İskender. Çiğ köfte because it is cheap, you can find it in every place in Türkiye, and it has a very good flavor. İskender has an incredible taste—I really like the mix between yogurt, tomato and meat.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
I don’t know, but I think that I will be happy wherever I am (I guess).
What’s one thing you learned from Turkish culture?
Many things, especially history. I didn’t know about the war of independence in Türkiye, the figure of Atatürk or the travel of the Ottomans from Middle Asia to Anatolia. Also, the way to say thank you by placing a hand on the heart or to say goodbye by gently touching heads. Or the best football club, Ankaragücü.
What places have you visited in Türkiye, and which one is your favorite?
I have visited Bursa, Bodrum, Konya, Eskişehir, Göreme, Derinkuyu, Çatalhöyük, Aksaray, Uçhisar and others that I don’t remember. I enjoyed Bursa a lot; it is beautiful with a lot of history and cheap, not crowded and it is friendly, with many interesting places like the Osman I grave or the old Market. Bursa also has a big and beautiful zoo.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently at Bilkent/in Türkiye?
“Why Ankara and not İstanbul?” everybody in Spain asked me many times. I answered, “Why not?” I like Ankara, it is peaceful and not too touristy and for that it is easier to find good food—I mean real Turkish food for local people at a local price.
Describe yourself in three words.
Sunny, happy, musical.
How is the studying experience at Bilkent?
The social life is very good, but the academic life is so busy. The learning is very good; there are good professors and good expositions in general. They send a lot of homework.