00:00I have a really love and hate relationship with Istanbul.
00:04Whenever I go to a different city, I always miss Istanbul.
00:08I always compare, like, Istanbul is much more better.
00:11But at the same time, when I come back to Istanbul, I'm like, this is so chaotic.
00:16This is Ada. She is one of 16 million people living in Istanbul,
00:20the metropolis that connects Asia and Europe.
00:23What was it like growing up here?
00:25Can a student really afford this city?
00:27And what continent does she feel identified with?
00:31Hello, my name is Ada. I'm 22 years old and I'm born and raised in Istanbul.
00:36And I'm going to show you my day in Istanbul today.
00:38The sun is rising over the Asian side.
00:42Let's head across to the European side and join Ada.
00:45Merhaba. Welcome to my home.
00:48She lives with her parents and younger sister in a four-room apartment.
00:52This is, like, the place I spend my most time, I think, because I'm always studying.
00:56She's in her fourth year at dental school.
01:01Where she lives isn't central or even touristy.
01:05Like many middle-class households, Ada and her family chose the suburbs.
01:09Newer, bigger homes and quieter streets.
01:13In Turkey, young people typically move out at around 28,
01:17two years later than the average across the EU next door.
01:21Ada has her reasons for staying.
01:29It's, like, a huge responsibility to live on your own.
01:33I feel, like, more comfortable living with my parents.
01:35I actually like living with my parents because I don't think my parents are, like, restrictive.
01:41Many families in Turkey are kind of like that.
01:44I have friends who cannot go out whenever they want.
01:46Before she leaves, she has a light breakfast.
01:49So, normally, when you see Turkish breakfast on Instagram, you see, like, hundreds of plates on the table.
01:55But on weekdays, we don't eat like that because nobody has that much of time.
02:01Today's menu, börek, made by her grandmother.
02:03But no matter what she eats, there's always Turkish tea.
02:09Now I'm leaving for the clinic.
02:11Normally, I go by bus, but today is my lucky day because my dad is going to work and he's
02:15going to drive me to the metro station.
02:18Istanbul's traffic beats that of London, Chicago, even New York.
02:22Drivers spend over five days a year stuck in their cars.
02:25And in 2022, the city had the world's longest public transport commute, 77 minutes.
02:32New rail lines have helped since, but it's still a grind.
02:36So why live this far out?
02:38Another reason?
02:39Earthquakes.
02:40A major fault line runs just south of the city and much of its older housing is at risk.
02:45Two earthquakes struck southeastern Turkey in 2023, killing more than 50,000 people.
02:51Istanbul was untouched, but the danger felt real.
02:53Even before that, it was always something we were afraid of.
02:58But after that, it became more real.
03:01Maybe that is why many people choose suburban places like mine, because they feel safer there.
03:10I just spent an hour to get here from my home, and now I'm just going to walk two minutes
03:14to get to the clinic.
03:16She's not licensed yet, so no drilling, no fillings for now.
03:20For three years, she's been interning here, helping out and learning from the dentists.
03:25For me, I really wanted to do something in healthcare fields, for example like medicine or dentistry.
03:31I decided to choose dentistry because I thought it had better work and life balance compared to medical doctors.
03:37But then after studying for four years, I can say that's not quite the truth.
03:44I will go and see.
03:47Back on the metro, like many students, Ada has a monthly pass for Istanbul's public transport.
03:53The student pass cost 653 Turkish Liras, around 11 euros per month.
04:01Every day, an estimated two million people cross between the continents.
04:06Now we are crossing from the European side to the Asian side to Kadıköy.
04:10There you can see the Galata Tower, like you can see the silhouette of it.
04:14I think it's one of my favorite places in Istanbul, Karaköy, Taksim.
04:18It has a very European architecture.
04:21And there's the never-ending debate, is Istanbul a European city?
04:24If someone asks me, I wouldn't say yes, I am European.
04:28But I also do not identify with Middle East that much.
04:32I also wouldn't say I'm Middle Eastern.
04:33I think Turkish is like a term on its own.
04:38Welcome to the Asian continent, or as Turks call it, the Anatolian side.
04:45Joining Ada are two friends, İdil and Gulce.
04:48It's a special reunion.
04:51Gulce studies abroad and is back for the summer.
04:54Together, they head to the shore in a neighborhood called Moda.
04:58They want to grab some ice cream and settle in for a relaxed evening
05:01at one of the best spots to catch the sunset.
05:04This is pistachio and this is chocolate chips.
05:09Tonight, the future can wait.
05:11This moment is for friends.
05:13Thank you for joining me today.
05:15I hope you enjoyed it.
05:16Now I'm going to enjoy dinner with my friends.
05:19Bye!
05:23Bye!
05:24You
