We Are Being Westernized By Western Foods At Bilkent

WE ARE BEING WESTERNIZED BY WESTERN FOODS AT BILKENT

Many things in Bilkent force us to be western men. These things, such as music, cars, teachers, etc, are westernizing us. Although these things have big effects on us, meals in Bilkent have much more effect on us since they force us to be a westerner. As all we know, we have to eat something everyday in order to stay alive. Therefore, we can easily say that eating is a need for life. Besides, the type of foods, that we usually eat, is very important because it can change our type of life slowly, day by day.

In Bilkent, the students become westerners day by day, because it is provided only and only western foods and fast foods. They provide us this type of foods because this type of foods is prepared quickly and easily. Providing western foods can be considered as a fantasy. Because our people want to be western people and want to be a western society. They think we should imitate western people in order to be modernized. Nevertheless, they do not think that it damages our culture.

We can give some examples about providing only western foods at Bilkent. The first example can be the meals served at Kirac. We usually eat western foods at Kirac. When you go there, you see meatballs with cheese, vegetable ograten, profiterole, etc. all time. These are all western-based foods. Why they provide only these foods? Why we cannot find traditional Turkish foods to eat? Here is the answer: Even though these western meals are expensive, the décor at Kirac is very good and everything is well organized; tables and chairs are more comfortable than other restaurants. However, not all these goods are enough to say that they should provide western meal. So why? Do people

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want western foods? We can say people want western foods but this cannot be the reason for providing only and only western foods. Traditional Turkish foods should be served, too. By providing only western foods, students forget their culture and cultural aspects, which they really should not forget.

Another example can be “the foods that we eat at Table d’hot”. We often eat western foods at Table d’hot. When you go there, you always see western meals and foods, such as spaghetti Napolitano, profiterole, coke (as a drink), etc. Despite the fact that the décor and servicing are not so good, people eat at Table d’hot. Why they eat at there? Because of western foods? “No”. Students go to Table d’hot, because of the lowness of prices. They are able to eat with a little money. For example, the fix menu is very cheap at Table d’hot. People are unaware of the reality that they are being westernized day by day. Meals are consisting of western foods. Therefore, people always eat western foods. Nonetheless, the main thing is they are unaware. Table d’hot must provide traditional Turkish foods, too. Because providing only western foods damages our cultures and makes our people western.

Bilkent has a good restaurant, which can also be considered as a fast food restaurant, called Café In. This pretty restaurant has a well-designed décor. The place is very comfortable. The tables are good quality. Though the meals are very expensive, students go to Café In, because of good décor. Unfortunately, it is served only and only fast foods. You cannot see any Turkish meal at Café In. You are able to find any type of pizza, hamburger, cheeseburger and cake. These are all western-based foods. Why only these foods are provided? They can serve traditional Turkish foods, too. People do not

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know that they are being westernized when they eat at Café In. They are unaware of the reality that they are alienated to their culture.

We have a huge commercial center in Bilkent. The place is called BilkentCenter, which is consisting of Real, Praktiker, Marks & Spencer, Toys r ‘us, Tepe Home and some other shops. There are also some restaurants, such as Burger King, Tadim Pizza, etc. and there should be. These restaurants have comfortable conditions. However, the prices look expensive sometime. Despite higher prices, people always go and eat there. Again, the question is that: Why do people eat there? Because there are no other choices.We should eat at these restaurants at Bilkent Center in order to fill our stomach. Unfortunately, there is an important disadvantage of all these restaurants: These restaurants provide only and only western meal and fast food. Therefore, people can only eat western foods, but it should not be like that. Traditional Turkish foods should also be provided. Being in a richer region does not mean that you should only be provided western foods. There can also be some Turkish restaurants. By providing only and only western-based foods and fast foods, these restaurants have a huge effect on the westernization of Bilkent society.

As a conclusion, we can say that the meals and foods force us to choose western culture at Bilkent. There are restaurants that “only” provide western foods. By eating at those restaurants, we become Western people. Moreover, the population of Bilkent becomes more and more westernized. We can easily say that, the main thing is that there are no other choices. If we want to stay alive, we ought to eat at these restaurants. This means we are being westernized day by day. The conditions force us. Likewise, we lose our

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culture; we are being alienated. The students are unaware of the reality that they become western students, day by day, by eating at these restaurants.

What can we do in order not to be western people and in order to save our traditional meals, culture? We can do several things to save our culture. For an instance, we can try to eat traditional Turkish foods and meals at Bilkent. The students, which stay at dorms, can cook their meals themselves. By this way, they get able to eat Turkish foods. In addition, we may protest western restaurants by not going to them. The example for this is McDonald’s restaurant at METU. By not going to McDonald’s, METU students protested it. Finally, the restaurant is closed forever, because it does not have any customer. With all these behaviors, we defend our traditional meals. We should defend. Otherwise, we will be a western community.

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