Thursday, May 29

a view of the campus of Sibanci University

Today we headed to Sabanci University on the outskirts of Istanbul to meet up with some students our age. After an adventurous 1 1/12 trek, we arrived at Sabanci. The university has a beautiful campus, but in a very different way than the campus of UNC. While UNC is the oldest public university in the US, Sibanci was only just opened eight years ago. Its newness is definitely reflected in the architecture and layout of the university. Sibanci is also the only interdisciplinary university in Turkey. The students that we met there were in the English program that precedes actual university studies, and they had prepared a presentation for us about Turkish culture. It was very informative and interesting, but the highlight had to be when one of the students made a slight mistake in word choice when talking about the Islamic sacrifices and explained to us that they sacrificed “coaches, bullocks, and calves.” I think she meant “cows, bulls, and calves…”

After lunch in their cafeteria, we got a tour of the University – very nice facilities, although I think we got them on the basketball court! We showed them a picture of the Dean Dome and they were less than enthused about showing us their gym.

We exchanged e-mails and phone numbers, promising to meet up with them sometime next week. They were so welcoming and eager – right in line with the Turkish hospitality that we have experienced since we arrived here.

the library - far less crowded by both chairs and people than UNC's

another view of campus, from an outdoor amphitheatre