International Student House Washington DC

Providing an Enriching Experience for Student Residents

When International Student House became International Student Home

by

This is the story of how International Student House became International Student Home for me. It all started on a sunny July morning, one of those mornings your life changes greatly and you are so happy to wake up, like your wedding day or your graduation. For me, I was going to Turkey after a long time, to attend my best friend's wedding as maid of honor for a week, just to return back to the U.S. to start my new job in California. Everything in my life was going according to the great plan in my head; graduate, have a little vacation with my family and start my professional life in the U.S. I had no idea that in a few hours my life would turn upside down.
 
I remember how sad I was saying goodbye to my friends at the House, everyone helped me with my luggage. We cried, we hugged and I said goodbye to DC. I remember how excited I was waiting in the security line at Dulles Airport, as opposed to other frustrated passengers. I closed my phone to save some battery until the flight and started waiting. When boarding started, I opened my phone to talk to my parents briefly.
 
The minute I opened it, I received about 15 messages and calls from my mum and dad. 'DO NOT BOARD, CALL US IMMEDIATELY'. And did I. My mum was so anxious; 'Where are you!?' 'I am about to board mum, what is going on?' 'They have closed airports here, some soldiers also took over bridges and borders - that plane cannot land. They say it may be a terror attack. Do not board no matter what!' Little did she know that it was not a terror attack, but rather an attempted coup.
 
Meanwhile, everyone was boarded and I was the last passenger. I approached the counter with a shocked face. I said one of those movie lines 'Umm sorry but I cannot fly today!' The hostess looked at me worried and said 'What is the problem madam, why can't you fly?' 'Because, I cannot land! The airport I am aiming for has been taken over by soldiers!' The worried hostess picked up the phone, talked with someone in French for a couple of minutes, then returned to me and said 'You are right, it looks like Turkish airzone is closed as of now. Your luggage will be given back to you.'
 
I returned back to the departures lounge, waited for my luggage, and watched live on CNN our national assembly being bombed by airstrike with a couple of other important government places. I saw jet planes flying over Istanbul. I was scared for everyone I know back at home and had a hard time believing that all this was real. It all felt like a nightmare and my tears were running non-stop. I watched my country's fall on live TV, I was Tom Hanks from the movie Terminal.
 
My luggage arrived and I had nowhere to go. I already said goodbye to my friends at International Student House a couple of hours ago, however I called my roommate from the House. I needed help.
Gizem with fellow housemates celebrating her birthday, and Gizem with housemates at our annual Garden Party (2015)

We agreed that I should talk with Jen, the Resident Manager.  I believed my home for the last two years would not leave me alone in my darkest hour. So I dialed Jen and explained the situation. I could not even talk straight from crying at that point. She talked to me calmly and like the pro-problem solver that she always is. She said 'Get your luggage, come back home. You can stay as long as you need in this emergency'.

Without having a country to land at that moment, at least I was not homeless. A tiny bit of hope knowing that my parents were also safe in a smaller city, I grabbed my luggage and headed back downtown, which I had just arrived from with a big smile on my face and filled with hope only a couple of hours ago. Arriving back at International Student House, everyone welcomed me at the door, helped me resettle and gave me much needed emotional support. I was so grateful and love all of them.

Turkey did not have a coup that night. Lots of people died but soldiers who attempted to take over the government failed and the government restored the order a week later. Life turned back to normal at a shocking speed and I left the House a week later, as well, to visit. It was maybe still dangerous, but I needed to see and be with my family. The wedding was postponed to the next week and I could not go back to California for that new job, so I missed that opportunity, however, a better one came just a week later and I got a great offer from a Wall Street Capital Market firm in NYC and I moved to the International House in New York two weeks later.

Just like that, my entire life changed in a couple of hours. Thanks to International Student House and great people working there, I received help when I needed it most. That's what it means to have a family. That was the story of how International Student House became International Student Home to me. 

Gizem Torunlar

About Gizem Torunlar

Country: Turkey
University: Johns Hopkins University SAIS
Gizem is a second year MA student at Johns Hopkins University SAIS and her concentration is on International Political Economy and Economic Policy. She was born in Bursa, a small town near Istanbul, Turkey (with only a population of about 3 million!) and has her college degree from Sabanci University in Istanbul in International Studies. Simultaneously she graduated from the Royal School of Dance in Classical Ballet and Piano. Gizem has had various jobs, from being a journalist to the assistant of the Ambassador in the Turkish Embassy of Croatia. She now wants to continue her career in DC. She loves traveling and learning new languages; having visited almost every country in Europe. Gizem also loves ice skating, climbing and cooking, but dance is her life.

International Student House of Washington, DC | 1825 R Street, NW | Washington, DC 20009

International Student House of Washington, DC is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization located near Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC. Donations will help support our mission to provide an exceptional residential experience to a highly diverse international community of graduate students, interns and visiting scholars. The House promotes inter-cultural dialogue, encourages life-long connections, and fosters global citizenship.