When I first came to Pitt, I started by taking summer classes before the fall of my freshmen year. That summer, I had the honor of meeting Professor Nur Lider at the LCTL mini-fair, and Professor Lider became a mentor, professor, and friend all in one. She introduced me to the magnificent world of languages, but also to appreciate language and its roots. Learning Turkish and its culture became a source of happiness and an outlet from my academic life. Even though Turkish was a part of my curriculum, it never felt taxing. Deciding to get a minor in Turkish was the best decision I made for myself personally and professionally.

I come from a Latin/Hispanic background, so I found comfort in the realm of roman languages; before coming to Pitt, I never ventured into the Altaic language group or any other language group/family for that matter. Turkish pushed me out of my comfort zone and constantly challenged me. Even though I have yet the opportunity to go to Turkey, I have spent a large portion of my undergraduate career learning and falling in love with the Turkish language and culture (more specifically, the food and history). Professor Lider provided a space where our small class learned how to prepare Turkish tea and coffee, dabble in the art of Ebru (Turkish Marbling), learn about and listen to Turkish instruments and music, celebrate Turkish holidays, etc.

Even outside of her classroom, I continue to connect what I’ve learned in her class to other areas in my academic, professional, and personal life. As an Urban Studies major, I found large interest in Turkey’s infrastructure, to the point that I focused many papers on Turkey’s research. A paper I thoroughly enjoyed writing was for a Global Studies Mini-Course, and I focused on writing about Istanbul as a Global City (linked below). Another connection is through Public and Global Health, for example, the violence against women in Turkey, refugees, and environmental risks to health. I hope to focus on Turkey when I pursue a Master’s in Public Health.

Besides being able to learn Turkish, I was able to enhance my Portuguese level while at Pitt. I only took one semester of study, but I could continue practicing on my own time because of it. Even though my language skill still needs some work, being able to know more than two languages has given me amazing experiences and I can’t wait to continue and grow in my language skill after I leave Pitt.

Mini Course- Global Cities