Recap and Round Two

Jet Lagged Day 1

Last year August, I flew 6500 miles to a city which I had only seen in photos and videos before. Having "walked" around the campus with Google Street View almost everyday prior to my arrival, I thought I knew how it would feel like to be in Tulane, New Orleans, USA.

Well, I had no clue. At first, everything was ambigous. Although I was fluent in English, I couldn't catch up to group conversations yet. I was the kid who didn't speak very much. I would sometimes feel lost during classes.  It took me a while of adjustment to be able to fully appreciate my friends and the education I was receiving, but I got there.

As I learned to accept and appreciate the once problematic cultural differences, my view on humanity changed to a more unifying one. I realised that if we stop focusing on our minute differences, we all share the same needs, hopes, worries and fears. And although I took classes ranging from physical sciences to philosophy and music during my first year, the main idea that stuck with me is this: "We are all citizens of the world." This simple idea, which I somewhat felt towards the end of the year was solidified when my two closest friends came to visit me in Istanbul, Turkey.

Jonathan, Me and Rob. First selfie next to the Bosphorus

As I shared the city which I grew up in with Rob and Jonathan, I got to see it with different eyes. I was walking down the same streets, going to the same cafes, the same museums but it was all happening from a different, new perspective. And I loved it.

The Saturday they were in Istanbul was the first anniversary of Gezi Park Protest, a protest which had started as a peaceful sit-in over plans to demolish a park in central Istanbul but turned violent as the police intervened with tear gas and plastic bullets. My mom told me repeatedly not to take Rob and John to Istiklal Avenue, which was expected to be very chaotic. But I knew we had to go. I knew that no matter how many times they read about the protest, watched videos of it or heard me talk about it, it would not be the same as the experience. They would not have seen how out of everyone protesting first the small Kurdish group got beaten and arrested, how the police looked like they were having a fun day out, how deceiving were the undercover cops dressed like college students with backpacks.

Turkish Police

Our trip wasn't all serious though. We went to a traditional Turkish bath, where we got washed, scrubbed and massaged by Turkish tellaks. Then we traveled south to my grandparents' house in Kusadasi. One night out we met Huseyin, an ex-gardener who had been broke for a very long time. We had a heart-to-heart conversation about life, love and justice with him and promised to keep in touch as we parted. We then traveled along the Aegean coast to Kabak; a beautiful, relatively untouched valley. Although we were originally planning to camp, we had to rent a cabin as the rain flooded our tents during our first night. It was an amazing experience nonetheless.

Pre-Hamam with Rob

John likes to climb

Rob, Huseyin, John and Me

After Kabak, we returned to Istanbul, from where John and Rob flew to Amsterdam to continue their journey and I returned back to my home.

Now I'm back in New Orleans. As I settle in to my new room in Mayer and catch-up with my friends, I'm questioning whether Istanbul or New Orleans feels more like home.

Study Abroad

Guest blogger: James Couturier

Studying Abroad is something special… An important moment in your student life. It is the moment of many “first times”: it is the first time you leave home, the first time you live on you own, the first time you come to a new country for such a period of time. And what can be a better place to study abroad than New Orleans? I made this choice because I wanted to discover a different side of the United States. And I am really happy with my choice!
As a matter of fact, I am going to tell you what it is like to be an exchange student in New Orleans and I will try to give a quick view of the spots I go in my everyday life.

The first good thing that happened to me is that I arrived the day before the BCS National Championship game between Louisiana State University and University of Alabama. Trust me, if you’re thinking of coming to study in New Orleans, you will need to understand the rules of football.

Furthermore another thing that surprised me when I arrived to New Orleans and also to Tulane, is the kindness of the people in this city. It is incredible to see how friendly and welcoming the people are in New Orleans; in restaurants, in the street-cars, at Tulane, in the street… everywhere. The other day, I was shopping and a woman who worked there told us the best places to listen to jazz. Every time, people find out you are not from New Orleans and they help you find your way and  give advice. If they see you are lost and looking at a map, they will help you.

It will be difficult to talk about New Orleans without mentioning Mardi Gras, the craziest, longest, coolest party in the world. I have been hearing for almost a year “Mardi Gras is great, Mardi is going to be one of the best moments of your life”. And you know what? This is true. It is incredible to see so many people enjoying the exact same moment of the year, seeing all those costumes, all those parades. I learned that almost 2 million people come each year to New Orleans for this event. I found it magical to see all those people throwing beads and decorated shoes, and also watching all the cheerleaders and bands from so many schools and universities.  As everyone told me, it will definitely be a moment that I will never forget.

The “Big-Easy” is also a city full of history, especially for music. Certain people will consider New Orleans as the “Mecca” of Jazz and Blues. You have the possibility to listen to music everywhere. Maple Leaf is a fantastic place for music.  You also have the famous French Quarter. People play in the street but there are also famous music clubs such as the Preservation Hall or the Maison Bourbon Jazz Club.

Finally, the best thing about studying abroad is that you have the opportunity to meet so many great people from all around the world. You make some friends and enjoy the moments you spend with them either in class or during parties. I am sure that I will see some of the people I met here again even after I leave New Orleans. It is enriching to discover new cultures and new people.

Definitely, studying abroad is a something special and I think every student should take advantage of it because it is one of the best moments of my life. But studying abroad wouldn’t be the same if it was not in New Orleans.