BY YAREN SAĞLIK (TRIN/IV)
Name: Amirhossein Maghsoudi
Department: EE
Country of Origin: Iran
What do you like best about Turkey?
I love how people take care of stray animals. The amount of care and attention Turkish people dedicate to stray animals always makes me feel happy.
Are there any similarities between Turkey and your home country?
Music is the one thing that comes to my mind. I’m sure there are technical differences between Persian and Turkish classical music, but they are both almost always very emotional. What will you miss most about Bilkent/Turkey?
I’ll miss my friends, because I find it very difficult to accept that I won’t be in the company of many friends once I’m done with university. I’ll also miss my lifestyle. It’s a very carefree lifestyle, since all I do is study and play sports, but I’m not very good at either one.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
It must be Bilka hill, I think, especially around spring. The mood is just indescribable. But I really like EE Building as well, because I love studying engineering and being there gives a relatable vibe.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and/or favorite part of Turkish culture?
I enjoy Adana kebab a lot. As for culture, the main thing that stood out for me was one time when I was in the bus terminal and saw hundreds of people – friends and family members – bidding farewell to their sons who were going into the army. It was very overwhelming, seeing how important the ceremony was for everyone.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
I see myself working on a bleeding-edge scientific project that aims to do humanitarian work.
What’s the hardest challenge you’ve handled in Turkey?
I was in Ankara during the coup. The worst thing about it was that the house where I was staying was near TBMM (the Grand National Assembly of Turkey), and I had firsthand experience of what was going on.
What places have you visited in Turkey, and which one is your favorite?
Ankara, İstanbul, Trabzon and Van. Trabzon was the best one.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can pretend I have no work to do and procrastinate indefinitely.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently about Bilkent/Turkey?
“Is Bilkent EE that hard?” Yes, don’t choose it based purely on family pressure. You’ll regret your choice. The concepts are difficult, as is the case in other fields, but the workload is just unfair.