Kate McLaughlin, Staff Writer
March 8, 2024
Exploring Turkish culture and forming international bonds, 12 Nobles students traveled to Robert College in Istanbul as part of EXCEL’s Turkish exchange program over March break last year. In return, their hosts spent the week of January 22 visiting Nobles and discovering Boston. The initiative, led by Modern Language Faculty Amadou Seck, bridges cultural divides to create lasting experiences and strong friendships.
Robert College is an Istanbul-based independent high school with just over 1,000 students. The school is similar to Nobles, being highly selective and excellently preparing students for college. Only the top 10% of scorers on Turkey’s national exam earn acceptance to the institution. “[Robert College] is the Nobles of Turkey, in a way. It’s one of the better schools in the country,” Drew Bonomo (Class II) said.
Nobles students experienced Robert College by shadowing their hosts in classes. Additionally, they explored Istanbul and Turkish culture through tourist excursions and everyday activities with their host families. Some students visited museums and mosques, walked along the Bosphorus River, or attended a Euroleague basketball game. They learned about Turkish history by flying to Ephesus, a city of ruins dating back to Classical Greece.
Nobles students also lent a hand through community service. The group volunteered at sorting locations to relieve the effects of a recent earthquake while growing connections with the country and its people. “I loved learning about the culture and seeing how people live their lives in different ways,” Brenna Thomas (Class III) said.
Although travel to Istanbul was uncomplicated, logistical concerns presented themselves as the Turkish students prepared to visit Nobles. To obtain a travel VISA, families had to travel five hours to the nation’s capital, Ankara.
On top of that, visiting students faced an increasing exchange rate. Before the trip, the value of Turkey’s official currency, the lira, dropped from 0.056 USD to 0.032 USD; the Turkish currency was devalued by almost 50%. This made the exchange program difficult for some Turkish families to afford, and once they arrived in Boston, purchasing food and souvenirs was also challenging. “[The exchange rate] made it difficult for them to afford the trip and use the resources,” Seck said. However, host families displayed generosity by helping Turkish students with the expenses.
After ten months of connecting via text and social media, Nobles students housed their Turkish hosts. “By the time they visited, they were already friends for 10 months. It was like seeing a friend you haven’t seen in a while,” Mathematics Faculty Zeynep Isvan said.
The second round of the program was more personal for most students. By staying connected online, a seamless transition into sharing a home allowed students to develop camaraderie. “When I was there, it was more of a host-guest relationship. When he came, it was just us being friends,” Bonomo said of his exchange student.
The Turkish students experienced American culture through tourism and daily activities with their host families. They spent time sightseeing in Boston, shopping at the Natick Mall, and touring Harvard and MIT with Robert College alums. At Nobles, Turkish students shadowed their host during class, attended afternoon programs, and watched Varsity games.
Evenings were spent at the homes of their host families, which promoted cultural and personal connection on a more intimate level. “They spent their evenings with their families because the program is about connecting with that particular family and culture,” Isvan said. Engaging in everyday life familiarized the students with American culture and created shared experiences with their hosts. “They have very strong bonds of friendship between not only the students themselves but also their families,” Seck said.
A highlight for many students was performing “Diamonds” by Rihanna in assembly. After attending the previous day’s assembly, “They wanted to be part of something like that, and so they just decided to go up on stage and sing,” Isvan said. Joining arms, the students showcased their growing connection. For many, it was the culminating moment of months of friendship development.
Like many EXCEL trips, the Turkish exchange program extends one’s global perspective and cultural knowledge. However, unlike many, the program creates lifelong relationships. Lydia Gatnik (N ’23), who participated in the trip last year, recently hosted her Turkish student for Thanksgiving, showing the deep impact of overseas friendships and cross-cultural connections. Similar to Lydia’s experience, “[This trip] was exactly what we wanted to see: to build a friendship across the pond—across continents—and to have people from so many different cultures connecting on a human level,” Seck said.
The program aims to continue in 2024, led by Isvan, who accompanied this year’s group. Although the trip posed some challenges—cultural adjustments, VISA applications, and the exchange rate—the relationships between the students and host families proved more substantial.
Students supported each other through cultural barriers. They bridged the gap between countries, bonding over their shared experiences and exploring a new culture. “A great program has been built, where students on both sides have developed very strong bonds between themselves and within their families. I hope they will cherish them for many years to come,” Seck said.
(Photo Credit: Guierry Napoleon)
