A year in Ankara - Studying at the Middle East Technical University
Baska isteginiz var mi?
I was standing at a small shop in Ankara’s airport and not understanding a single word of the question the seller was asking me when I wanted to pay my water bottle. A suitcase (exactly 20kg), a Turkish language book (still sealed), some Wikipedia print-outs about Turkey and a big portion of adventuresomeness was all I brought to become the first-ever exchange student of my university setting his feet on Anatolian ground. At this moment, I was not that sure anymore if it was the right decision to spend the next year in Ankara. Obviously, I was not even able to buy a bottle of water! One year later, I am smiling about those first experiences and look back on an exciting year.
Ankara is not a city you fall in love with at the first sight. After your plane touched the meagre ground in the middle of nowhere all you can see on the way to the city centre is dust, crazy traffic and faceless satellite towns. People are looking curious at you, possibly thinking you accidently mixed up Antalya and Ankara when buying your plane tickets. Luckily, my host student was meeting me up at the central bus station, making me feel a bit less lost in this 4.5 million capital.
Trees are rare in Ankara, but after passing the charmless concrete-booth at main entrance of the enormous-sized 45km² campus you will find yourself in the biggest forest around Ankara. However, it is not only the trees, making this place special. During my stay I discovered that the Middle East Technical University (METU) is different from the rest of Ankara and Turkey in many senses.
Founded in the late 50s, the Middle East Technical University is quite close oriented to the American university system. In all of the 212 (under-)graduate programs the language of instruction is English and many degrees are accredited by American institutions enabling METU students an international perspective after graduation. No wonder that METU is among the best and most popular universities in Turkey. Less than 1% of the 1.5 million high school graduates who take part in the national university entrance exam have the chance to get accepted by METU.
The academic quality however, is by far not the only reason for being that popular. METU is an exciting and fascinating microcosm and the campus is designed as a place to live. Besides faculty buildings, dormitories and a library numerous sports facilities, activity clubs, shops, restaurants and a supermarket can be found on campus. The only reason for many students to leave the campus is the nearby infamous liquor store. As long as the nights in Ankara do not get too freezing, students are getting fresh supplies of Efes beer there, sit down at the stadium and drink, sing and talk.
The big letters on the stadium make you soon realize that there is a special spirit in METU. Devrim – revolution was written there in the late 60s. METU is traditionally very liberal and highly political. It seems that there is no week during the year without any protests. Protests against Israel, protests for Israel, protests for America, protests against America and so forth have been seen here. The climax of the student’s activities in METU can be observed during the annually spring fest. The hard-working students are taking a break for one week to listen to concerts, present their student clubs and openly protest – even about the acceptance of homosexuals for example - a topic which is still rarely discussed in Turkey.
Hocam translates to my teacher and is another part of the spirit at METU. It does not matter if you are a professor, a student or the bus driver - everybody is called hocam, following the philosophy that everybody can learn something from anybody. Students strongly identify with their university and after graduation and a successful career quite some alumni decide to come back to METU as a teacher in order to share their experiences.
Of course there is also a life outside the campus and it is full of adventures. Ankara is definitely not the most beautiful city but maybe the best city to experience true Turkey. Far away from the cosmopolitan İstanbul and the touristy hot spots at the Mediterranean you will find real life in a modern Turkish city and with people who rarely speak English or any other language than Turkish. It is a good feeling, to be a peregrine visitor rather than a tourist. People are very curious, warm and hospitable. You can get invited for a çay or even a breakfast just by walking along the street. Although you might be only able to talk about the current weather, your origin and maybe your favourite football club then, such meetings with locals are wonderful memories.
The fact that Ankara is a designed capital is very present at all times during your stay. Huge government buildings, covered with equally big flags of Turkey and Kemal Atatürk are found throughout many parts of the city. The cult about Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic and still person of highest importance, has its climax in the massive mausoleum where you can even see his favourite dog “Fox” (stuffed). It takes some time to understand the history behind this strong Turkish nationalism and especially the fascination for Atatürk. Last reveals an amazing facet of the Turkish soul who seems to be able to merge two very contrary beliefs without any problems. It seems to be possible to believe in Islam on the one hand but also in a leader who was having very secular ideas as well as living a quite western lifestyle.
Ankara is also a great city to discover the contrasts between old and modern Turkey. In just 5 minutes, a mini bus takes you from an old, busy bazaar in small and dark side streets to one of the chic, western malls built just a couple of years ago. Modern apartment blocks are erected right next to gecekondular – small sheds where only the satellite dish on the desolate roof tells you that somebody is living in there. And some girls are hiding their scarves under hats and wigs before they can enter the campus, while others are sitting on the sidewalk right next to them and drink a beer with their boyfriend.
However, Ankara is not all about Turkey. Many people say that AŞTİ – the central bus station – is the best thing in Ankara and maybe this is true. There are thousands of exciting places to discover in Turkey and centrally located, Ankara is a perfect location to get around. With cheap buses you can easily get even to the most remote corners of Turkey. You can explore green mountains where tea is grown at the black sea coast, caves of early Christian settlers in a moonscape called Cappadocia, traces of Armenian culture and the silk road in the East, lonely bays at the Mediterranean or the vibrant İstanbul at the Bosphorus and much more - not to forget about the delicious local cuisine you can taste in all those areas.
In the end, the country and its people make it hard for you to leave. Especially because you finally understand what the guy at the airport was asking: “Do you have any more wishes?”