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Kezban Duzenli-Cetin
Short Bio:
Hello, my name is Kezban Duzenli-Cetin. I am from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, go Penguins! I chose Cornerstone UK because I love to try new things and to travel and I thought that this would be the best opportunity for that. As an SIS and CLEG double major I knew that in later years it would be more difficult for me to travel during the school year, so I was really appreciative for this opportunity. I'm very excited to meet new people as well as grow closer to those going with me from AU. As an avid traveler my friends and I have already started planning weekend getaways, attempting to hit every spot on the UK bucket list that we made. I hope that the classes I am able to take will better prepare me for a career in diplomacy and help me better understand foreign relations. Study abroad may seem daunting, but in my opinion as long as you leave some room for fun and trying new things anything is possible and it can be a really rewarding experience.
April 1, 2024:
The last few weeks have been very chaotic to say the least. Essays were due the first half of March and then after that we had travel break. The Monday before our essays were due many of us pulled all-nighters fine tuning and editing. Although essays were started many weeks ago, it seems as though even with lots of preparation we were up till the wee hours of the night. A few days after turning in all my essays I had a visitor from American. I took the train into Reading and then ended up on the Elizabeth line getting off at a small stop called Iver. While there I got to try some really good Indian food, talk about the Premier League, play Jenga, and stay at the Tower Arms Hotel. After a long week of work it was a really nice way to get away. After coming back from Iver, we had a girl’s day at the Cotswolds. Between the Christmas store, ice cream, and the cutest bridge we had a great time.
Four days later and it was time for travel break. Emma and I caught an afternoon flight to Istanbul, and it took us about two hours to get to Heathrow Airport. Between the train and the metro, it was definitely a trek. After landing in Istanbul, we took a bus to the SAW airport. From there we flew into Merzifon airport. We spent the first few days of our travel break in Amasya, staying with my family. Between climbing up a mountain, visiting museums, and doing some souvenir shopping we had a really good time. After a few days in Amasya we flew back to Istanbul where we took yet another bus, but this time into the city.
After landing late at night we spend the night with my uncle and little cousins. We started the next day bright and early and took the boat to Kadikoy where we rode the Funicular up to Taksim. The Funicular is the world’s second oldest subway line. Later that day we met up with Charlotte and Sabine who had just flown in from Milan. We got to spend the next few days exploring Istanbul and going to places like Sultan Ahmed Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Tour guide mode and translator mode was definitely unlocked this past week. I also got the opportunity to introduce my American University friends to my Türkiye friends. Although I visit Türkiye almost every summer it was a very new experience to visit with friends and have the independence that I normally don’t have when I visit. While I love to visit family when I go, this time it was very much a trip for fun and I got to explore places that I’ve never been before.
After a few days in Istanbul, we flew back to Heathrow late Saturday night and then took a taxi back to Wroxton. The last two days have definitely been a little bit of lazy days. Between doing laundry and working I’ve spent a lot of time in the library and in my room. It’s been nice to relax after ten days of being away. We were also greeted by Pip at the door at one A.M. Sunday morning which was a nice surprise. Although chaotic and busy the last few weeks have been amazing, and I think I speak for many of us when I say that we had a great time being able to travel to different places.
BLOG SCHEDULE
March 11, 2024
March 11, 2024
Since my last blog post it has been a whirlwind of tutorials and travel. I attend tutorials twice a week, and both of mine happen to fall on Tuesdays. While the presentations may seem intimidating, they are truly just a way to have a more in-depth conversation with a few peers and your professor. Since my last blog, I’ve gone to Stratford Upon Avon, Warwick Castle, and Paris.
At Stratford Upon Avon, we received the full Shakespeare treatment. We went to the Anne Hathaway Cottage as well as his birthplace. While I have never claimed to be someone that into Shakespeare, I still had a great time learning about him and where he grew up. That same weekend we went to Warwick Castle which is the biggest castle in the country. Some of us were a little freaked out by the wax statues, but they truly added to the experience. We got to live our best Tangled lives as we climbed up to a tall tower and enjoyed the view. At the end of the day, both trips were a mini lesson in history as well as a fun time with friends.
I think I speak for most of my friends when I say that Paris was one of the best experiences we could’ve hoped for. While the travel day was long and rainy we took the time between military museums to nap and do some work. When we arrived in Paris, we got ready to explore. After a quick relaxation session, we hit the ground running toward the Eiffel Tower, ready to see as much as we could. We started off at the base of the Eiffel Tower and eventually made the trek to the Arc De Triomph. After a very eventful and tiring Thursday we went back to the hotel ready to watch some French tv shows and go to bed.
Friday, we woke up bright and early, fresh and ready for a new day. We walked to the Petite Palais and looked at all the beautiful sculptress and paintings. One of my favorite sculptures was La Danseuse Nattova by Serge Youriévitch and my favorite painting was Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt by Monet. Afterwards we walked to the Louvre and explored the surrounding area before heading underneath the famous glass pyramid. Our next stop on the list was Notre Dame and Shakespeare and Co., I have been to lots of bookstores in the DMV area but none of them could possibly live up to Shakespeare and Co. The reading room on the second floor is probably the best place to curl up with a book. We then met up with the rest of our friends, who had decided to spend the day at Versailles, and hiked the stairs up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. After celebrating our success at the stairs, we took the elevator up to the very top where almost immediately we watched a couple get engaged.
Our third, and final day, we once again woke up early and took the metro to Sacre Coeur. The view was wonderful, and the architecture of the basilica was so much better than I could have expected. After sitting in on the end of mass we walked around Montmartre and went to see the outside of the Moulin Rouge. After that we took the metro to Musée D’Orsay where I got to see some paintings that I loved as a child. Including Degas and his many paintings of dancers. Growing up as a ballerina, these paintings brought back many memories of my childhood.
Even though the weekend was rainy and tiring, we spent all the time that we had exploring and making new memories with each other. It was truly one of my favorite travel experiences.
February 11, 2024
February 11, 2024 |
Hey everyone! My name is Kezban, and this semester I am studying abroad at Wroxton College in the UK. Our first full day here my friends and I took a day trip to Oxford and explored the colleges as well as the town. We had a blast trying foods at the Oxford Covered Market and popping in and out of places. After that day classes started in full swing. Starting classes allowed a lot of us to get back into a schedule and the normalcy of fall semester came back.
Our second weekend here we took a trip to London. After the two-hour bus ride where most of us slept our first stop was Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. After that we walked the straight shot to Parliament and Big Ben. Although it was raining, we continued our trek across the Thames to the London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel that overlooks London. I am terrified of heights, so I sat this mini adventure out, while waiting for my friends I planned our journey to the AirBnB by tube. We took the London Underground up to Dalston where we were staying in the cutest little three-bedroom AirBnB. After unpacking and relaxing for a bit we took the Tube across the city to Camden Market. Sabine and I were on the hunt for the famous Camden Market chocolate covered strawberries. After dinner in Camden Market, we headed back to our AirBnB for some sleep.
The next morning, we woke up bright and early and took the Tube to Hyde Park and Kensington Palace. It was a busy day, going from Kensington Palace to the Victoria and Albert Museum and then Oxford Street. We ended the night going to Obica a very nice Italian Restaurant that had amazing chocolate almond cake. After a long trek back to Dalston, darkness had hit, and it was time for bed.
April 22, 2024
April 22, 2024 | Blog to be updated in April.