Did I regret coming to Turkey?

 

Did I regret coming to Turkey?

This one of the most questions I get from my friends and followers, especially girls who are planning on going abroad alone. This will answer all your questions about me, after six years of being in Turkey, both as a citizen in terms of living, and being a medical student.

I moved here 6 years ago, in beginning, it was not the most fascinating thing in the world to move on, leave memories, friends, and habits back where I used to live. Especially that the decision was some sort forced on me. I tried to adjust to the new environment forced on me.

In the first few months -the first semester- was hell like there was barely any time to do anything but to study, why is medicine that hard? Will it isn’t only being hard but what made it harder than I studied my entire school in Arabic teaching school, add to that that I was studying in English in a country that doesn’t speak the language fluently.

What made it harder? duh, it is Istanbul I came from Jeddah isn’t that obvious, Jeddah is a relaxed city we don’t moves few inches without a car, here, on the other hand, I had to do it all, I mean transportations alone in a country that I don’t even speak its language.  

Wait wait, it was not all bad and twisty, what made it easier? Friends support, the moment I came here I started searching and searching for friends, I kept my friends close and my fans closer, every time I heard a chairing from a friend it gave me a boost of energy, family support means the world they don’t have to understand everything you are going through but them being there for you make all the darker easier.

What made it even easier than I opened to the city allowing her to give me and take from me, only then I realized that I have fallen in love with this city. This city is very big magnificent full of history, the idea that I might be standing in the same place that someone 100 years ago was standing gave me chills, I guess me as a history lover Istanbul was the perfect match for me.

So, I started making sure I can enjoy the city as much as medicine provides for me, participating in trips, meeting friends at new places, exploring activities, doing so medical-social activities.

It wasn’t easy to be part of the new student society, considering my old type of school, my old school was all females no boys around, the university life was different every day I had to take 2 buses for 4 years one of them I used latterly to ride it hocked to the door of the buses, old men used to grape me so I don’t get to fall down. I would leave every day at 6am come back at 7 pm. One more problem I faced was fitting in the student’s society and learning to accept it all and accept everything without judging, and at the same time to learn how to fully stand up for myself.

Meeting all the different religions, nationalities, and different minds gave some sort of resilience.

Crowded roads were a killing problem, studying in buses, spending late nights in school, and most importantly spending nights without sleep. were all problem I faced in this country, but who cares now when I remember the last six years, I have enjoyed every second of the trip.

Last, my most important advice is, enjoy every single step of the way because Istanbul worth it, and do not ever regret this city cause it worth love.