Auburn is home to a small group of Turkish immigrants. They are teachers and students, often moving to Alabama for Auburn's academics.
Members of Auburn's Turkish community gathered to celebrate Republic Day on Oct. 29 in the Student Center Ballroom. The holiday commemorates the founding of the current incarnation of Turkey. There were speeches remembering miners trapped in a coal mine in southern Turkey, and Turkish food was served after the Turkish national anthem.
Red and white Turkish flags adorned the front and back of the room. Small children ran around the room playing.
Eren Sakinc, Turkish expatriate and fourth-year industrial and systems engineering Ph.D student, said he came to the University despite the small surrounding town.
Sakinc, who grew up in Ankara, Turkey's capital, said Auburn surprised him after living in Ankara and Philadelphia. He said he prefers large cities to small college towns, such as Auburn.
"I don't really like Auburn," Sakinc said. "I'm not really an Auburn hater, but I don't really like it."
Sakinc said the town's size has some advantages.
"The good part is there is nothing to do here, so the only thing to do is study," Sakinc said.
Another Turkish student, Polat Kayrak, second-year master's student in electrical engineering, said he likes living in a smaller town.
"People are really nice to me," Kayrak said. "I love it. It feels like a family."
Kayrak said he loved Auburn after a year of adjusting. After living his entire life in Istanbul, Turkey, moving to Alabama was a major change.
The Turkish immigrant said he struggled with different norms, such as driving. He said Turkish traffic laws are more flexible than American ones.
"When I first came here, I was driving like a Turkish guy," Kayrak said. "My American friends freaked out."
When a police officer stops a driver in Turkey, it's acceptable to get out of the car, according to Kayrak. He learned this is not acceptable in America after an Auburn police officer ordered him back into his car during a traffic stop.
Kayrak also found out Turkish fashion norms can differ from American ones.
"I used to put on tight clothes," Kayrak said. "That's what I used to wear in Turkey. When I went out here, a couple of girls asked me if I was homosexual. That's when I realized maybe I should change my clothing style in Auburn."
Menekse Salar, Turkish industrial and systems engineering GTA, said she had little trouble adjusting to life in the United States after visiting several times growing up.
However, according to Salar, Turkish students face some challenges. New transfers often arrive confused about things, such as finding furniture, rides to Atlanta and halal meat.
Until the new food truck, Ceci, opened, there were no options for Muslim students to find meat prepared according to their religious requirements.
Salar said she enjoys living in other countries, especially the United States.
"I love Auburn," Salar said. "There's a really good friendship here. Even if you don't know someone, you say, 'Hi' all the time."
Salar said she has lived in Turkey, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Italy. Speaking to President Jay Gogue at a college fair in Turkey convinced her to come to Auburn.
"I just love the United States," Salar said. "I would like to be a faculty member. There's more opportunities in the United States."
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