Türkiye

Türkiye had been on my flight itinerary countless times before it ever became a destination. I had connected through Istanbul more times than I could count, but I had never actually left the airport to explore the country. Fortunately, I already knew someone there. While at the University of Miami, I had been paired with my classmate Mehmet for a management project on his family’s hotel and shopping mall business in Türkiye. A few years later, I found myself visiting his home country with him.

Mehmet showed me around Istanbul, including the quieter Asian side of the city where his family lived. We also visited the nearby city of Bursa, where we tried the famous İskender kebab, a delicious dish of thinly sliced lamb served over pita bread and topped with tomato sauce, melted butter, and yogurt. Sharing that meal and exploring Türkiye with Mehmet reminded me that some of the most meaningful travel experiences begin long before you ever board the plane. Sometimes they’re sparked by the unexpected friendships you make years earlier, halfway across the world.