French students who came to Istanbul within the scope of the Paris Yunus Emre Institute (YEI) project for diplomat candidates had the opportunity to visit the city's tourist attractions and educational institutions and get to know the Turkish people better.

Guests who saw the city through the Institute's project, which aims to bring together the cultural, social and artistic richness of Türkiye with French students, expressed that they were fascinated by the attitude of the people and the rich Turkish cuisine, and noted that the trip changed their prejudices.

What surprised the French students, who were amazed by the cultural richness of Istanbul, was the love of cats and dogs in the city.

Diplomat candidate French students talked about their experiences and feelings after the intense tour.

Raphael Bonnet Duprey de la Ruffiniere, one of the students, said that it was his first time in Istanbul and he was very pleased with the trip.

Stating that he did not have much knowledge about the cultural texture of Turkey and said, "Frankly, I was a little prejudiced before coming here. When I came here, I was extremely surprised that the society was very lively and the people were very helpful. The people I met in restaurants and cafes were very open to communication, they liked talking about themselves and talking about themselves. They were not afraid to share their experiences. Even though we did not speak the same language, they tried to speak English to us. They were very sympathetic." Ruffinière said.

Explaining that they witnessed Türkiye's historical richness and love for animals, Ruffiniere said that this place has an extraordinary and rich cultural structure with Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman history.

Stating that the city is like a huge museum and said, "I am very happy. This city has a real soul. One of the things that surprises me the most is that there are so many cats and dogs wandering the streets. This is very nice, we can always pet and caress them." Ruffinière said.

Stating that he wants to explore Turkey more, Ruffinière said that he wants to be a journalist working internationally and travel all over Anatolia.

“It's absolutely wonderful to have cats and dogs everywhere.”

Chloe Granger, who is studying international relations, said that the trip changed her prejudices about Türkiye and Istanbul.

Granger described his travel experiences that surprised him as follows:

"I was dreaming of an older city with buildings from the Middle Ages or the Ottoman Empire. I saw that it was actually a very modern city. I think most of its buildings were built recently. It is a wonderful city. There is a sea and I love the sea very much. It is a culturally rich city. People are very hospitable, caring and warm-hearted. That's why I want to come here again, maybe for university education."

Pointing out that he was also impressed by the Turkish people's love for animals, Granger said, "It is absolutely wonderful that cats and dogs are everywhere. It is also very nice that people respect animals." she said.

"I wanted to study here"

Aurelio Bruno also said that Istanbul is a very beautiful city.

Stating that he loved this city very much, "I didn't have much prejudice, but I had some thoughts. Like my friends I thought it would be less modern, I was very surprised. It surprised me very well. It is a wonderful city. I wanted to study here, maybe for a master's degree." Bruno said.

Bruno stated that he imagined he would see kebab restaurants everywhere in Istanbul, but that was not the case at all.

Emphasizing that he did not think the dishes would be this diverse, Bruno made the following assessment: "In addition, what surprised us the most were the animals we saw everywhere. This is not ordinary for us."

Rich Travel Route

Students toured Istanbul for about a week, met with students and academics at Istanbul University, Galatasaray University and Marmara University, exchanged culture and ideas, and participated in various activities.

During their visit to Marmara University, students had the opportunity to meet and chat with the Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş.

Within the scope of the program, students had the opportunity to explore Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Historical Peninsula, Yenikapı Mevlevi Lodge, Fişekhane Museum and Üsküdar, as well as many touristic cultural routes, and visited Bursa after Istanbul.

Paris YEI Coordinator Dr. Celine Aydın accompanied the students throughout the trip.