It is known that every student studying at Kyrgyzstan Turkey Manas University has a desire to go to Turkey once. This dream of five successful students of Manas University is realized by Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB). We, as these five lucky students, had the opportunity to do an internship at TDBB. Selected by the internship commission; Cibek Satımbekova, Nurayım Matiraimova and Cetigen Subanov from the Department of Economics, Nurkız Saparbekova from the Department of Business Administration, Baktıgül Bakirova from the Department of Finance and Banking were the five lucky students who did a one-month internship.
Our First Steps to TDBB
We were experiencing feelings of happiness, joy, excitement, anxiety and a little bit of fear when our departure time was approaching, but when our internship process started, the hospitality of TDBB immediately attracted our attention. The brother who welcomed us at the airport after we got off the plane, our sisters who helped us in every aspect, Secretary General of TDBB Dr. Fahri Solak and TDBB family who always supported us turned into special people for us. The professional and warm environment of the organization made us feel comfortable from the first day. TDBB covered all our expenses including accommodation, food, excursion programs and even transportation.
After a Month
Our one-month internship at TDBB was a very instructive and inspiring experience for us. This internship experience not only gave us the chance to get to know Turkey’s local government system closely, but also helped us to deeply understand the understanding of municipalism in the Turkic world. Staying together with a new nation, different geography, different culture, delicious food styles, and even people with different opinions was not only fun and interesting, but also helped us to get to know our own personalities. Even though our stay in Turkey did not last that long, it is very difficult to count the memories that have stuck in our minds one by one and describe them all. Because every hour we spent there was valuable and enjoyable. Let’s share some of those memories with you.
Zeytinburnu Municipality
Our first visit was to Zeytinburnu Municipality. As this was the first municipality we visited, we were excited and hoped to learn new information. We had a lot of questions. Mustafa Aymak, the director of the municipality’s financial services department, explained in detail the services offered to the municipality’s residents, the opportunities for young people and the various activities that are carried out. He also shared with us his rich experience in business and wished us success in our professional life and gave us advice. Afterwards, we went to the youth center, where we were very happy to see the activities for young people. We also had the opportunity to visit the Medicinal Plants Garden. Our visit was very productive and enjoyable.
Fatih Municipality
Our next visit to Fatih municipality was very interesting and full of adventure. The beauty of Fatih’s biggest library and the crowdnes of the students even though it was summer was the first thing that caught our attention. When we visited Fatih Art Academy, we came across a music class and listened to traditional folk songs. This experience was very different, we liked it very much and thanked them, they wished us success and we continued our visit.
Umraniye Municipality
Within the scope of the internship, our next stop was to visit Ümraniye Municipality, where we met with the employees of the Strategy and Planning Department. They gave us a detailed presentation about their projects and explained their work. Their activities attracted our attention and provided us with new information. We also visited the digital library and came back with the idea of establishing a similar library in our country. We were also impressed by the team’s harmonious work. The municipality’s nation garden looked very beautiful. Since we are students of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, seeing how the theoretical knowledge we acquired at the university is applied in real life was one of the most valuable achievements of this internship.
Bursa
Visiting Bursa, one of the important administrative centers of the Ottoman Empire, added both geographical and spiritual diversity to our internship. We were welcomed by the staff of Yıldırım Municipality, one of the beautiful municipalities of Bursa, which was a good start of our one-day visit. We especially liked the municipality’s 24/7 open “sleepless libraries” that contribute to the development of young people. We thought it was a great chance for the young people of Bursa to be able to study comfortably at night and to be offered food. Afterwards, we found spiritual peace by visiting Uludağ Mosque, Murad Hüdavendigar I Tomb, Üftade Muhammed Muhyiddin Efendi Tomb and Mehmet Akşemseddin Tomb, which are important for Turkey and the Islamic world. Bursa surrounded by Uludağ reminded us of our homeland and our visit ended with positive impressions.
IRCICA
IRCICA (Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture) is a real treasure for those interested in Islamic culture and history. IRCICA is located in Eminönü, the busy and touristic district of Istanbul, surrounded by beautiful gardens creating a sense of tranquility. IRCICA has a large library full of rare manuscripts and documents reflecting the rich history of the Islamic world. It was especially interesting to see old manuscripts written in Arabic, Persian and Turkish. Visiting IRCICA was a real discovery for us. We understood the role of this center in preserving cultural heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue. If you are ever in Istanbul, make sure to visit IRCICA; it is not just a museum but a place where history and culture come alive.
Kagithane Municipality
Even the name is interesting at first glance, isn’t it? Like every other corner of Istanbul, the name of this place is rooted in the past. It is a great achievement for the municipality to complete so many projects in such a short period of time. We were particularly impressed by the municipality’s work on social services, landscaping and economic development projects. We also appreciated the opportunities the municipality provides for the elderly and housewives. Mayor Mevlüt Öztekin’s motto “Our heart is Kağıthane” carries a beautiful meaning. The Mayor said, “Unless one acts with one’s heart, these services cannot be reflected to the citizens. Let the people live and the state will live.”
When we first came to Turkey, we were very interested in cultural and artistic experiences, but the experience we had in Kağıthane was beyond anything else. Because there we visited the Sedef Workshop, and the atmosphere of the Sedef Workshop was perfect. Seeing their passion for art and craftsmanship was a great source of inspiration for us. The craftsmen guided us every step of the way and made us feel how valuable this art is with patience and dedication. The few hours we spent at the workshop showed us how detailed and laborious this art is. Our visit to Kağıthane ended with a delicious meal at a place with a beautiful view.
Veni, Vidi, Vici
(Latin: “I came, I saw, I conquered”)
Istanbul is a vibrant and large city with a rich cultural heritage spread over two continents where East meets West. We still remember our first excitement when we saw from the plane window the brown peaks of the buildings, the countless checkered roads, the white ferries surrounded by the endless sea.
For a traveler, Istanbul is a paradise. With the student card, we had the opportunity to visit the Archaeology Museum, Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. Seeing the lifestyle and living conditions of the Ottoman Empire was also a great experience for us. Topkapı Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, Basilica Cistern were too beautiful for words. Istanbul is the city of mosques (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque,, Suleymaniye Mosque, Yeni Mosque, etc.). We felt like we were part of something important as we toured these massive buildings. Looking up at the high domes, our souls felt at peace.
How lucky those who have the opportunity to live like this every day, how happy Istanbulites are.
The internship process increased our interest in the work of the municipality and gave us the opportunity to see the work on site. We had the opportunity to see the past, present and future of Istanbul.
Thank you TDBB, thank you Istanbul.
