Navigating Istanbul: Erin Dickerson’s Journey Toward a Career in Middle Eastern Diplomacy

Erin Dickerson, Duke University Junior, Istanbul

Introduce yourself. 

• I’m a junior majoring in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies with a minor in Political Science. I was awarded the DUMESC Undergraduate FLAS Fellowship Award in May of 2024, and I am part of the Turkish Circle and the Middle East Studies community here at Duke University. My goal with my current studies is Turkish fluency and Middle Eastern expertise so I can pursue a career in Middle Eastern diplomacy in the US Air Force.

Describe the city you’re living in. 

• Istanbul is a heavily European and secular-influenced city that carries beautiful remnants of Muslim Ottoman culture. It is one of Turkey's most diverse cities, with people from small Western Kurdish villages to Turkish Christians. This is unique from other Turkish cities, making it a great place to visit but also a reason to visit other places in Turkey as well. It is a bustling city with many classics on the European side: street vendors selling roasted corn, ice-cream sellers wearing fezzes to catch tourists' attention, 5 pilavci (rice seller) restaurants to every street, and captains honking the horn of their ships as they pass through the Bosphorus. Istanbul lets you experience both life as a tourist and busy city-dweller on the European side and the peace of family and ordinary everyday life on the Asian side.

What is your favorite thing about living there? 

• The beauty of the city in tandem with its rich Ottoman history makes it easily lovable. Walking alongside the Bosphorus and taking the ferry to either side easily became my favorite party of the city. I could forever watch the sun set behind the Istanbul landscape as the fishermen packed up their gear for the day and children dried off from swimming in the Bosphorus. 

What is one of your favorite memories in this city? 

• One of my favorite memories is when I tried to navigate getting home to the European side after having dinner with friends who lived on the Asian side. I originally took a bus to the Asian side but upon my return, the bus crossing the Ataturk bridge back to the European side never came. I then had to figure out alternatives, because a taxi would be too expensive. This led to me getting on a dolmuş (a small public transportation van) for the first time! An older lady offered to help me get home and told me to take the dolmuş to the ferry station, then a ferry over the Bosphorus. I followed her advice and eventually figured out how to get to the ferry just in time for the ferry ride over the Bosphorus as the sun was setting. The ferry ride with the sunset was probably one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen and turned an otherwise stressful night into a demonstration of Istanbul's breathtaking beauty.

If you had 24 hours in your city, what would you recommend doing?  

• I would recommend starting on the Asian side where it is calmer and going for a swim at one of the beaches. Then, I would take the ferry from Kadıköy, a very cute neighborhood by the water, over to the European side for lunch and hit the tourist sights of the Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmet Square, and the Grand Bazaar. Next, I would recommend taking the tram or metro (both are very easy to use) over to Beşiktaş for dinner and walking around the shops. The night life there is great, especially during futbol season when everyone is gathered to watch the matches at all the restaurants. Lastly, I would end the night by taking the ferry back to Kadıköy (and maybe catching the sunset if it's summer) and finishing it off with classic Turkish dondurma (ice cream)!