BY YAREN SAĞLIK (TRIN/III)
Name: Matthew Ryan Paskey
Department: LAUD
Country of Origin: United States
What do you like best about Turkey?
Turkish people are so nice, willing to help and very patient with my inability to speak Turkish. I’m really thankful for the hospitality.
Are there any similarities between Turkey and your home country?
In the past few weeks, I’ve become aware of our shared taste in holiday decorations. It really helps to alleviate a bit of the homesickness to see a Christmas tree here and there.
What will you miss most about Bilkent/Turkey?
I arrived at Bilkent just about three months ago, but I already know that I’ll miss the proximity of everything when I go back to the States. All the things we have within a five-minute walk on campus, and even the abundance of public transportation in Ankara, are just not things I have where I’m from.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
Marmara is such a calm place in the morning. I love starting my day there. It’s my happy place.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and/or favorite part of Turkish culture?
The first time I had künefe with my friend Sehar at Sözeri, I think I actually cried a little.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
I didn’t expect to be in Turkey a few years ago, and based on how it’s going so far, I can say that I hope to be somewhere completely unexpected in ten years. I think life is full of good surprises if you open yourself up to going in unconventional directions.
What’s the hardest challenge you’ve handled in Turkey?
In school, I always told myself that learning the metric system was pointless since I would never actually use it in daily life. Oops…
What places have you visited in Turkey, and which one is your favorite?
So far, I’ve been to Antalya, Alanya and Safranbolu. Am I allowed to say Ankara is still my favorite? It definitely is.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I was in the debate club in high school, so I like to think I can hold my own in a debate. Okay, let’s be honest: I just like to argue.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently about Bilkent/Turkey?
Americans and Turkish people alike are always asking me why I would come to Turkey. So to set the record straight here, I would say, “Why not?”