I'm a Turkophile.

It’s impossible to pick just one thing I love most about Turkey. In fact, the thing I am most pleased to have taken away from my experiences in Turkey, is my new found respect for the Turkish people and their country. I find myself revisiting the old, yet busy, streets in my mind. My daydreams include touring Hagia Sophia, hearing a call to prayer, or cliff jumping into the Mediterranean Sea. I even think of the friends I made during my adventures there.

When discussing Turkey with my friends here in the United States, I struggle to convey into words the things which I loved. It is impossible to describe Hagia Sophia, Mt. Olympus, Taksim Square, or even just the excitement of being in Istanbul, and feel that you are doing a proper job of explaining any of these things. To appreciate Turkey’s people, culture, history, and it’s tradition of progress, one must physically visit Turkey. You can’t appreciate how far Turkey has come, if you have not learned about what it once was. I feel lucky to have been able to learn about Turkey firsthand and from the Turks themselves.

I can say confidently that I am not the same after having such an experience abroad. My interests and my opinions have changed significantly and I feel better off because of it. I will cherish the friends I made and the experiences I was able to have with them. This really is KU’s best kept study abroad secret and the experience of a lifetime.

Finally, I have my own list of advice for the next group:

1) When learning how to say ‘thank you’ in Turkish, don’t be like me. Practice pronunciation with the group and make sure you can say it right. Otherwise you might accidentally say something inappropriate.

2) Spend a little extra for an experience. I recommend Kadir’s Treehouses in Olympus for your free weekend, and go sea kayaking. It was worth every lira spent. We made some awesome friends. Cliff jumping was awesome.

3) Sunscreen is expensive there. Pack two bottles (minimum) in your suitcase. And aloe. You will need it, and won’t regret it.

4) Learn to haggle. Not to brag, but I got pretty good at it.

5) Try Raki.