BY YAREN SAĞLIK (TRIN/III)
Name: Emil Alizadeh
Department: Computer Engineering
Country of Origin: Azerbaijan
What do you like best about Turkey?
I like the people the most. They’re very friendly and compassionate. If you’re in trouble, they understand your situation and try to help you as best they can.
Are there any similarities between Turkey and your home country?
The streets and the people. Even the fashion preferences are very similar.
What will you miss most about Bilkent/Turkey?
Every person I’ve met here, every experience that I’ve had, whether pleasant or otherwise, is going to stay with me forever. After coming to Bilkent, I almost felt as if I hadn’t had a life before. I’ll miss my friends, some of whom I’ll probably have little chance of meeting in the future.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
Dorm 61. I lived there for two years, and made a lot of friends; to some extent, it feels like home.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and/or favorite part of Turkish culture?
My favorite food is baklava. Specifically, Turkish baklava is my favorite pastry/dessert.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
I expect to be graduating from a PhD program and doing research. After all, research is my true passion. It’s funny to think about this question, because I have no idea where on Earth I’ll be, literally. But the uncertainty makes me feel excited about future adventures.
What’s the hardest challenge you’ve handled in Turkey?
Applying for a residence permit. The queues are usually very long and tiresome. Also, whenever you try to apply online, it says the link is broken. Very strange…
What places have you visited in Turkey, and which one is your favorite?
So far I’ve visited Eskişehir, which I liked a lot. The colorful houses make you feel like you’re in a dream.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I don’t know. They’re hidden so well I couldn’t find any.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently about Bilkent/Turkey?
For Bilkent, I usually hear questions about the difficulty, in terms of studies. For Turkey, I usually don’t hear a lot, but have gotten some weird ones. Like, “Is it true people there shoot the sun???”