The Way I See It
East/West crossroad offers terrific hospitality and top-notch learning experience

BY AUDRA HERRERA and CHRIS KELLER
Special to the Rice News

The city of Istanbul is beautiful and charming. Its many hills, colorful houses, historical buildings, mosques and palaces, all contribute to its beauty. The Bosphorus Strait wanders through the city, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara; it forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia, making Istanbul a cultural and historical crossroad for East and West.

	AUDRA HERRERA		CHRIS KELLER

We were fortunate to be among 12 Rice students selected for the School of Social Sciences Gateway Istanbul Urban Lab program during spring break. The program is a collaboration between Rice and Koc University, so we made presentations to Koc students and faculty, participated in discussions and learned from lectures by faculty there.

We also were privileged to meet face to face with key people, including the head of Istanbul’s bid committee for the 2020 summer Olympics. Hosting a major event takes strong leadership, planning and patience. Turkey has been working to host the Olympics since 2000, and they have a good shot at getting it in 2020, but this requires excellent strategic planning. They have to prove that they have the stadiums and facilities, the accommodations, decent transportation and much more. The parliament has enacted policies and provides funds to support the bid committee’s efforts.

The visit enabled us to learn about the transportation, logistics and implications of hosting major events such as the Olympics. We met with officials of the organizing committee to learn what they are planning and challenges they face. Those we met were very gracious. They spoke honestly and directly and did not shy away from any question; they offered no ”spin.”

We also met with city officials, the director of the Istanbul Transportation Authority, administrators and students of an elementary school and a college prep school, as well as the director and faculty of Sabanci University Istanbul Policy Center, among others. We learned about leadership, Turkish politics and policy, transportation, business, culture, economics, women’s rights and other significant issues. The people we met at each visit were exceptionally helpful, and it was very humbling that they put so much effort and time into preparing for our visits.

We also were lucky to meet for three hours with Ali Koc ’89, vice president of Fenerbahce sports club. He answered questions about how the club is operated, the budget, future projects and all sorts of questions about the business. The parents of Jones College freshman Hazal Yucel also treated us to a fabulous dinner one evening.

Turkish people know hospitality. Whenever you visit someone’s house, office or even a shop, you usually are offered tea or coffee and a variety of cookies. Everyone we met was welcoming and willing to help us in whatever way they could.

Scattered throughout Istanbul are centers for business and shopping, and it is interesting how the new mixes with the old. Many small shops and markets ensure that, almost wherever you go, you can smell food — and the food is fantastic! People of many different cultures have come knocking at Istanbul’s door, traveling through or settling there, so they are an open, friendly people, noted for their hospitality and the array of food, all of it so, so good.

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country. One key impression that we’ll long remember is the call to prayer, five times every day. Istanbul is a huge city, comparable to the Houston metro area, and we could hear the call to prayer, beautiful singing in Arabic, from every direction. No matter where you are, you can hear it.

We visited an American-style high school, the best in Turkey, and met several students who have applied to Rice as well as other schools. They don’t know a lot about Houston; they think of us as cowboys. Students we met are more familiar with other universities and other American cities. We changed some perceptions about Houston and let them know we have more in common with New York and Los Angeles than with cowboys.

–Audra Herrera is a McMurtry College junior majoring in English and political science. Chris Keller is a Jones College junior majoring in political science.