BY AMNA KARA (MAN/IV)
Name: Nariman Zeynalli
Department: THM/IV
Country of Origin: Azerbaijan
What do you like best about Turkey?
The red flag with the crescent and star on it.
Are there any similarities between your country’s culture and Turkey’s?
For sure yes! They’re almost identical. Even our languages are pretty similar.
What will you miss most about Turkey/Bilkent?
Ankara havası and rakı! Like a true Turk, I love having rakı nights and sitting in çay houses.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
My favorite place on campus is the Odeon parking lot. I feel like I’ve spent three and a half years just there. It’s the only place where people forget their differences and just hang out.
Why Turkey?
I lived in Vienna for five years before coming to Turkey, and I missed the warm culture I was used to, which I couldn’t find there, so I came to Turkey.
What’s your favorite Turkish food/favorite part of Turkish culture?
Definitely the food! More specifically, mercimek çorbası at 3 a.m.
Where do expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
Anywhere, with a hard-cover Bilkent diploma—really!
What’s the hardest challenge you’ve overcome in Turkey?
I think moving from the cold culture of Vienna to the warm one of Turkey was a bit of a challenge. I was somewhere in the middle, so it took some time to adjust. Other than that, it was the usual challenges when you move to a new country: dealing with stereotypes and trying to understand the norms, etc.
What cities have you visited in Turkey? Which one do you like the best?
I haven’t traveled a lot, but Ankara is second on my list of top cities to live in, right after Vienna (if you can get used to the culture there).
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can earn money out of nowhere.
What’s a question you’re asked frequently, or the most interesting comment you’ve heard at Bilkent/in Turkey?
People always get confused about my name: “Neriman mi, Nariman mi?”