Maya had just arrived in Ankara to start her university studies. The city was already awake when she stepped out of the airport. In the downtown square of Kızılay, she could hear the tram making its familiar “click‑click” sound, and she saw people standing on the platform, sipping tea and eating warm simit. The smell of fresh coffee mixed with the scent of the city’s many bakeries, and Maya felt a little excited and a little nervous.
At the university, the campus was full of students talking loudly about their classes. Maya joined a group that was discussing a history lecture. They used simple words—future, project, culture—and Maya could understand most of them.
After the lesson, Maya went to Ankara Castle. From the tall stone walls, she could see the whole city. She saw new streets, old houses, and the big parliament building far away. She could hear a soft sound coming from the parliament, like a quiet conversation. It reminded her that important decisions are made there every day.
In the late afternoon, Maya went to Atatürk Forest Farm. The trees moved gently in the wind, and crickets sang softly. She sat on a wooden bench and thought about the different parts of the city: old Hittite ruins, old Ottoman caravanserais, and the new Republic. She understood that Ankara’s “language” is not only the words people say, but also the sounds of trams, students talking, and leaves moving.