BY YAREN SAĞLIK (TRIN/IV)
Name: Sara Alqatarneh
Department: Psychology
Country of Origin: Jordan
Are there any similarities between Turkey and your home country?
We have similar cuisines and similar cultures.
What do you like best about Turkey?
I love Turkey’s natural landscape. It’s so diverse, and there are so many places to explore here and so many things to do, from swimming and sunbathing to hiking, camping and skiing!
What will you miss most about Bilkent/Turkey?
Campus life for sure; it’s a home away from home. After all, I’ll have spent three or four years of my life here, and as excited as I am about the next phase of my life, saying goodbye will be bittersweet.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
That’s a difficult one! I love the Bilka hill – I think we all have so many memories there. I also love that tiny abandoned house near the lake on the way to East Campus – well, its roof, to be specific. It’s one of my go-to places when I need to disconnect and have some alone time.
What’s your favorite Turkish food and/or favorite part of Turkish culture?
I’m obsessed with midye and dolma, I just can’t get enough of them! Also, nothing beats Turkish kebabs.
Where do you expect to see yourself 10 years from now?
Ah! Such a difficult question. I’ve answered it multiple times in the past few years, and each time I have a different answer! Well, I’ll be done with my master’s by then, and hopefully I’ll have secured a fulfilling job abroad and started ticking off all the places I want to visit on my bucket list.
What’s the hardest challenge you’ve handled in Turkey?
Oh boy, I’ve handled so many in such a short time here that I don’t know where to start. I would say completely depending on myself, letting go of people I’ve held very dear to me and accepting that not everyone has the same intentions as I do.
Describe yourself in three words.
Passionate. Resilient. Neophiliac.
What’s an interesting question or comment you hear frequently about Bilkent/Turkey?
“Why and how does Bilkent leave such an imprint on most of its graduates?” I would say it’s because during your undergrad years you go through so many new and mostly harsh experiences that help you discover yourself, and that’s the beauty and the curse of Bilkent.