The option to go anywhere around the world was very limited to me growing up resulting in having an “American” view of other countries despite being bi-culture in both my home and my community. Going anywhere around the world was a dream for me as I wanted to travel worldwide and explore different cultures. Turkey was the first country I had ever visited, but I never thought I’d be in Turkey because of other countries I wanted to visit such as Norway or Japan. However, this experience so far in Turkey has started to become one of the main highlights of my life to not only be able to explore, but to be able to live within the culture. The food, people, and environment of this country can be different based on the language, economics, climate, and, of course, the culture where I’m from, however, I can see a similarity between their culture and mine. Which is how people live. Whether it’s going grocery shopping, eating at a favorite patio/cafe, or hanging out with friends, every place/society/country will always have those traits that make everyone on this earth human. Because that’s what we are, humans but with a different background. This made a lot of sense when excavating Antiochia ad Cragum with the St. Olaf team and other college campuses as we discover not only the buildings and ruins of this once great city but how people were living during that time whether it its pottery/glass objects that we still use today or the community and bond being built for their city to be safe from invaders (building a wall as such which reminds me of my country ._.). These were people like us from a different period, cultures, and languages with the same conditions of objects, governmental systems, and communication all being in that same place that is now in ruins. More can say how people around the world are similar but different in their unique ways, but in my opinion, it’s supposed to bring people together with those differences of language, culture, and/or environment to put trust in others who aren’t familiar to any culture given. Despite growing up with two different cultures and finding Turkish culture to be similar to mine, however, it still wouldn’t change the fact that they are both the same. They’re different, and that is ok. I promise I will learn to trust others with different cultures/languages/environments to build myself more disciplined, humble, and respectful to not only the people of Turkey but any country around the world.
In the end, I feel a sense of authority and gratitude to be able to travel to a country that not only will help my career push the limits, but being able to be in a different country with the same human species. Sometimes, the country you never expected to go to is the country that is calling you. And I feel like this is my call, to be here.