BY AMNA KARA (MAN/II)
Name: Agata Szczodra
Department: Physics/Erasmus
Country of Origin: Poland
What do you like best about Turkey?
I love Turkish pastries like tahinli çörek and baklava.
Are there any similarities between your country’s culture and Turkey’s?
I think there are a lot of similarities in food. Like Turkish food, Polish food doesn’t use a lot of spices.
What will you miss most about Turkey/Bilkent?
The things I will miss are the interesting courses at the university and dessert at the Marmara.
What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
My favorite place is Starbucks, because I love good coffee and nice people. It’s a good place to study, too.
Why Turkey?
Because of the warm weather and the many interesting places to see.
What’s your favorite Turkish food/ favorite part of Turkish culture?
As I said before, I love Turkish pastry, and Turkish food is my favorite part of Turkish culture.
Where do expect to see yourself in 10 years?
I’m trying not to expect anything and instead see what opportunities life will bring to me. I don’t have any plans or career dreams; all I want is to be happy.
What is the hardest challenge you’ve overcome in Turkey?
The hardest challenge for me is living in the dorm. I’m not used to living without the people I love.
What cities have you visited in Turkey? Which one do you like the best?
I’ve visited İzmir and Konya in addition to Bodrum, which is my favorite, because it’s really beautiful. In my opinion every city has something interesting and unique.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I don’t, but I do take part in dance classes, and I really love to dance.
What is one question you are asked frequently or the most interesting comment you’ve heard at Bilkent/in Turkey?
People often think I’m Turkish and start to speak to me in Turkish. They also often think Polish people speak Russian, and that’s not true—we speak Polish.