Cornell Business

Issue date: 10/5/00 Section: People

However, they are very similar in many respects. That is the message that these two women from Turkey want to convey to their classmates. In fact, they did not even know each other before coming to Cornell. It was their real estate agent who simply knew that two women were looking for studios or one-bedrooms, but that none were available. So he suggested that they meet each other and perhaps find a two-bedroom apartment together. Little did he know that they were in fact both Turkish, both from the same city, went to the same university, and have many friends in common. Only the hand of fate could have facilitated such a meeting.

And they have been inseparable ever since. They take all the same classes, and they happen to have both been hired by A.T. Kearney for the summer. When asked about this uncanny event, they shrug their shoulders and smile, suggesting that the hand of fate just may have been involved there too.

But there are plenty of differences between these two women. Neslihan graduated from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara with a degree in Management. She spent two years with PriceWaterhouse Coopers, travelling all around Turkey to serve as a financial auditor. She applied to business school because she "wanted to go beyond the financials" and get a broader perspective on business and consulting. Zeynep also graduated from the Middle East Technical University, but four years before Neslihan. She spent one year as a fixed income dealer and three years with the Ministry of Foreign Trade aiding businesses in interpreting and implementing changes in legislation. Their chief hobbies are a little different as well, with Zeynep preferring to walk or run outdoors and engage in watercolor painting. "She's a great cook, too," says Neslihan, who herself prefers to spend a lot of time online on the ICQ chat program with family and friends back home.

Back to the similarities, this is the first study abroad experience for both Neslihan and Zeynep, and neither had been to the US before. This fact led to some interesting discussion about their impressions about the US. "Everything is marketing oriented," says Neslihan. We also talked about relationships with Americans, who were deemed "very friendly," and "open and easy to make friends." In fact, Neslihan and Zeynep especially value the friendships they've made with Greeks here at Cornell, who share a large amount of culture with the Turks and for the most part are willing to leave the fighting up to the governmental officials.

As for the future, who knows if Neslihan and Zeynep will be joined at the hip for much longer? Neslihan has a fellowship from the Turkish Education Foundation, which will require her to return to Turkey after a maximum stay in the US of 18 months. While she enjoyed the culture at A.T. Kearney, she is deciding right now if she will simply go back to Turkey without an extended stay in the US. Zeynep is a sponsored student from the Ministry of Foreign Trade. If she decides not to go back there, she will have to pay back her stipend. Whatever they decide, however, it is clear that these two friends were fated to start a lifelong friendship here at the Johnson School that will last wherever their life decisions take them.

Tesekkür ederim, Neslihan and Zeynep!

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