BY EHSAN SHAREEF (CTIS\/III)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Name:<\/strong> Mahad Ahmed BY EHSAN SHAREEF (CTIS\/III) Name: Mahad AhmedDepartment: CTISCountry of Origin: PakistanWhat were your first impressions about T\u00fcrkiye?T\u00fcrkiye was beautiful, but the language barrier was real. I had to use Google Translate constantly just to communicate with locals. Still, there was something about the air here that gave me a certain[Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11722,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[233,83,224],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11681"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11681"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11687,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11681\/revisions\/11687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bilkentnews.bilkent.edu.tr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Department:<\/strong> CTIS
Country of Origin: <\/strong>Pakistan
What were your first impressions about T\u00fcrkiye?<\/strong>
T\u00fcrkiye was beautiful, but the language barrier was real. I had to use Google Translate constantly just to communicate with locals. Still, there was something about the air here that gave me a certain kick. The people were beautiful and kind, and being independent in a completely different country felt amazing.
What do you like best about Bilkent and T\u00fcrkiye?<\/strong>
Bilkent has exceeded my expectations: a g\u00fczel, b\u00fcy\u00fck campus, stunning views, fresh breezes, great students, and facilities for almost every sport. The STARS system is unreal; everything is just a click away. I love the smoke-free campus (so I don\u2019t have to watch people vape and smoke everywhere), and there are so many clubs that I end up trying random activities all the time. As for T\u00fcrkiye, when bargaining or exploring shops, I sometimes just say, \u201cPakistan, T\u00fcrkiye karde\u015fim, yabanc\u0131 \u00f6\u011frenci!\u201d and somehow the conversation flows from there.
Are there any similarities between T\u00fcrkiye and your home country?<\/strong>
The cultures are similar to an extent, especially when it comes to hospitality, relationships and food. People and family connections matter in both countries. At the same time, I\u2019ve learned that two cultures can share the same values while expressing them in completely different ways, which makes living here even more interesting.
What will you miss most about Bilkent\/T\u00fcrkiye<\/strong>?
The homies, without a doubt. From my Pakistani buddies from completely different provinces back home to international friends and the Turkish locals who have been incredibly kind, I\u2019ve met some amazing people here. My Uzbek friends are genuinely among the most goated people I\u2019ve ever met, and there\u2019s the Azerbaijani squad I love spending time with (too many people to name, hahaha). I\u2019ll miss the campus views, kind professors, and Turkish songs whose lyrics I don\u2019t understand but still vibe to.
What\u2019s your favorite place on campus, and why?<\/strong>
Dorm 91, where I live. As a CTIS student, the location is perfect: my department, the sports center, the yemekhane and the football field are all nearby. The dorm is spacious, laundry and ironing are convenient, and most of my friends live here too. Since I\u2019m mostly an indoors person, it\u2019s basically paradise. And the coffee machine? Peak. I use it at least twice a day\u2014an understatement, honestly\u2014sometimes accompanied by a Capri-Sun whenever I eat.
What\u2019s your favorite Turkish food and why?<\/strong>
D\u00f6ner, tavuk \u0131zgara and baklava with \u00e7ay are my go-to choices. I\u2019m a big foodie and enjoy trying all sorts of dishes, but these are the ones I know I can always count on. I could probably survive on them for quite a while!
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?<\/strong>
Honestly, who knows? Maybe I\u2019ll be working in tech at a big company (hopefully), or perhaps I\u2019ll start my own venture and lead teams building something innovative. If things go well, I might even open a caf\u00e9 or bakery\u2014I don\u2019t know why, but I just love being in bakeries. And if none of that works out, you\u2019ll probably find me living the peaceful village life as a farmer, surrounded by animals. I\u2019m keeping my options open.
What\u2019s one thing you learned from Turkish culture?<\/strong>
\u201cKolay gelsin\u201d taught me something simple: treat people with respect, speak politely and help others whenever you can. Make someone\u2019s day a little better if you have the chance. These things should be the bare minimum, but unfortunately, they\u2019re not always as common as they should be.
What places have you visited in T\u00fcrkiye, and which one is your favorite?<\/strong>
I\u2019ve visited Istanbul and Trabzon, and I live in Ankara. Each has its own advantages and flaws, but Istanbul is my favorite so far. The views, the sea, the atmosphere\u2014everything about the city is just insane. I still have a lot of T\u00fcrkiye left to explore, though, so this ranking might change!
What\u2019s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently at Bilkent\/in T\u00fcrkiye?<\/strong>
Turkish people can be wonderfully passionate, so there\u2019s always an \u201c\u00dcfff, ya!\u201d or a \u201cKanka!\u201d somewhere in the conversation. But the question I hear most is probably \u201cNiye T\u00fcrk\u00e7e bilmiyorsun?\u201d \u2014 \u201cWhy don\u2019t you speak Turkish?\u201d Fair question, honestly. Google Translate and I have been carrying this relationship for a while now.
Describe yourself in three words.<\/strong>
Genius. Billionaire. Philanthropist.
How is the studying experience at Bilkent?<\/strong>
Absolutely amazing overall. Good people, fresh air, beautiful views, helpful classmates, and professors who are mostly very friendly and accommodating. The coursework can be challenging, but that\u2019s part of university life, and I\u2019m not complaining. It\u2019s been an enriching experience both academically and personally.
What were your reasons for choosing T\u00fcrkiye?<\/strong>
To be honest, I initially planned to study in another country, but that didn\u2019t work out. Thankfully, my family encouraged me to apply to T\u00fcrkiye. The familiar cultural values, accessible mosques and comparatively affordable cost of living made it an attractive option. Although my perspective on the expenses has changed a little since arriving, I\u2019m glad things worked out this way. And T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s flag is red\u2014which, honestly, I really like.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"