Duke University Office of Study Abroad

Dear Global Education Office for Undergraduates:

The time that I spent in Turkey this past summer was one of the best experiences of my life. I picked the Duke in Turkey program because Turkey offered a unique blend of European and Middle Eastern culture that I was eager to experience. Istanbul was a fabulous city that offered so much to do. Be it exploring a 500 year old mosque, attending a concert during the Jazz festival, or taking a ferry over to the Asian side of the city for a day, Istanbul always offered something fascinating to do. I often forgot that I was not in a major Western European metropolis until the noise of the city was pierced by the afternoon call to prayer, reminding me that I was in a place so similar, and yet so totally different, from anywhere I had been before.

The excursion we took outside the city allowed me to see other wonders the country offered, from the alien landscape of Cappadocia to watching the sunset from Aristotle’s Academy.

Study abroad expanded my world view tremendously and gave me the opportunity to explore a part of the world I might not be willing to go by myself. I encourage students to study abroad in order to see the world from a perspective they might not have previously considered. And my advice to students studying abroad: Take lots of pictures, write about your experience, and don’t be worried if you don’t speak the language!

– Katie Zimmerman