After one school year of Parker sports, American food, and an 11-and-a-half-hour plane ride, the Parker community is saying farewell to Senior Eda Altunbas. Her journey back home to Izmir, Türkiye, will be filled with “really, really good memories” from her experiences with her host family, friends, and classmates. 

Altunbas’ experience, while nerve-racking at first, invited her to experience a new learning environment. “I didn’t really know what I would think of Parker and America,” Altunbas said. “I was kind of scared that the classes would not be what I was used to.” 

But, Altunbas’ favorite part of her year abroad was meeting new people: “My host family was so incredible; I think of them like a part of my own family,” Altunbas said. Before the school year began, Altunbas participated in Parker’s Bridge program and joined the volleyball team, two experiences that helped her adjust and adapt to her new surroundings. “I’m so happy that I learned about the volleyball team at Bridge before school,” Altunbas said. “I got to meet people before the year started, and we became really good friends too!” 

The Bridge program at Parker played a crucial role in easing Altunbas’ transition into the American education system. The program provided her with an opportunity to familiarize herself with the school’s facilities, meet fellow students, and connect with faculty members before the academic year officially commenced. “I got a tour of the school which was very helpful, and I learned a lot about what Parker was going to be like,” Altunbas said. This early exposure helped alleviate her initial fears and provided a solid foundation for a successful year ahead. “After this, I felt more ready to start school,” Altunbas said. 

When school officially began, Altunbas immersed herself in the Parker community, attending school events, joining clubs, and actively participating in various activities. “I did a MX, became a part of MSA (Muslim Student Alliance), and did the school musical,” Altunbas said. This involvement enabled her to meet individuals from diverse backgrounds and a chance to practice English, a skill Altunbas was nervous about at first: “At first, my English wasn’t as good as it is now, and I was definitely nervous about messing up, but it got so much better with practice.”

US history teacher Andrew Bigelow also remarks on the growth he’s seen with Altunbas as a student, especially her proficiency in English: “She’s always been good at English, but I noticed that after a few months, she became so confident in her skills,” said Bigelow. “It was as if she was born speaking the language.”

In the classroom, Altunbas was a great student and classmate, “lighting up the room and saying hello every time she walked through the door,’ Bigelow explained. “She was so welcoming and excited to talk to everyone!” Although Altunbas “loved’ her experience at Paker, joining the community was difficult for her at first: “Basically everyone’s known each other for 14 years, and I’m joining as a senior; I knew it was going to be hard,” Altunbas said. And, when asked about any advice she’d give future AFS students about becoming immersed in the Parker community, Altunbas said, “You need to give it time — join activities and talk to people in your classes because they want to talk to you.” 

The Parker community learned as much from Altunbas in the classroom as they did outside of it: “Hearing her perspective in our history class was really great; it added a lot of depth to our conversations,” Junior Alex Ehrhart said. “Her MX was also so great; she taught us so much about Turkey in a fun and interactive way.”  

Her time at Parker was considered “short but meaningful” to Bigelow as she was “able to teach everyone so much in only a year.” The Parker community will miss Altunbas as she heads back to Turkiye: “It’s clear that everyone will miss Eda, but I think we all want her to know that we’ll always be right here for her to come and visit!” Bigelow said.