BY NAUSHERWAN AZIZ (MAN/II)
Name: Ali Altaf Salemwala
Department: CS/III
Country of Origin: Pakistan
1. What do you like best about Turkey?
You can find history almost everywhere. It’s a very odd feeling for me to be standing in the actual physical place where the stories I’ve been reading about since childhood occurred, and to randomly recognize a name or place I’ve known of for over a decade. For example, I was recently standing in the supposed cave of the Biblical and Islamic Seven Sleepers, and I had only discovered that fact ten minutes earlier.
2. Are there any similarities between Turkey and your home country?
Both of them have an area under 800,000 square kilometers.
3. What will you miss most about Bilkent/Turkey?
The library and sports facilities, which are not only excellent, but in extreme proximity to each other and to my other favorite aspect, the dorms. It’s nice to live within shouting distance of so many of your friends.
4. What’s your favorite place on campus, and why?
The Main Campus Sports Hall, since it houses the gym and that’s where I go to just get a break from the daily routine and feel healthy as well.
5. What’s your favorite Turkish food/favorite part of Turkish culture?
Türk kahvesi and the fortune-telling that goes with it. It’s amusing to see what the fortune-teller will come up with, and sometimes it’s fun to believe them as well.
6. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Hopefully with a Wikipedia article, at least.
7. What’s the hardest challenge you’ve handled in Turkey?
The language was a fun obstacle to overcome, but I still have a way to go with that. It also helped me realize some problems with the way we treat our languages in my country.
8. What cities have you visited in Turkey? Which one is your favorite?
It’s hard to pick a favorite since I’ve visited so many, although I’d still like to visit some cities in eastern Turkey as well. Some of the places I’ve visited so far include İstanbul, Fethiye, Çeşme, İzmir, and Antalya. My favorite city would be Efes.
9. Do you have any hidden talents?
The ability to keep secrets secret, and hidden talents hidden.
10. Describe yourself in three words.
Me, myself and I.
11. If you could master any skill, which one would you choose?
Putting a basketball through the hoop for once.
12. What’s an interesting question or comment about Bilkent/Turkey that you hear frequently?
The one I hear on campus the most is “All I ever see are cats and dolmuş buses.”