From Turkey with love: Aslı Çam

Aslı Çam traveled more than 6,000 miles from Ankara, Türkiye, to attend Carroll and to study to become a teacher.

“My first impression was that it was nice and decent,” said Çam, a junior year elementary education major. “It felt like a good place to start.”

Çam came to Carroll to choose a major, as elementary education wasn’t always her first choice. A test she took about her future pointed her toward a career in the classroom.

“I took a test about what I should do with my future, and it said I should go into teaching,” Çam said. “That’s when I knew elementary education was right for me.”

Çam speaks Turkish and English. She often greets new friends with “merhaba,” the Turkish word for hello.

She said college in the United States is very different from school in Türkiye.

“In Türkiye, the professors are very strict, and you can’t really see them outside of class time,” Çam said. “Here it is much easier. The professors are nice, the classes are organized, and the school gives you housing.”

The biggest adjustment has been the language, along with becoming more active.

“Learning the language has been the hardest part, and I’ve had to be a lot more active here,” Çam said. “I miss the food from home, and I miss my family and my friends.

“During the summer, I practice [volleyball] with my old teammates and work out, and after that I go out with my friends almost every day for a coffee or a dessert. With my family, visiting new places is really fun.”

She has made some discoveries of her own in Montana.

“The cookies here are so good, and so are the pizza and burgers,” Çam said. 

What stands out most to Çam about Carroll is how welcoming people are.

“Everyone here is welcoming, regardless of whether they know you or not,” Çam said. “People just make you feel included.”

Çam works in the IT department, which is also her favorite spot on campus.

“I love the IT department because I work there,” Çam said. “I spend a lot of my time there.”

Çam said her first months at Carroll have taught her to rely on herself.

“I’ve become a lot more independent,” Çam said. “I do things by myself now, without anyone’s help.”

After graduation, Çam hopes to become a teacher in the US. She also had advice for other students starting somewhere new.

“Be prepared for anything,” Çam said. “Don’t be surprised if bad things happen to you, because you can get through them.”