Road trip to Sophomore Year

Dila Sarikaya and her family pose for a picture at Alaeddin Tepesi Park in Konya, Turkey.

Dila Sarikaya, an incoming sophomore, is taking an incredible trip across Turkey this summer to unwind before she starts the new school year. Born in Istanbul, she moved to Houston with her family when she was three and half years old.

“We left our whole family behind, so when we come to visit during the summers, of course I get emotional,” says Dila. “Everything is so precious in Turkey from the ice cream to the sights,” and she appreciates all of it.

This summer, her family decided to take a road-trip across Turkey; so far she has traveled to Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, and Pamukkale. Next on their journey will be Samsun and Antalya.

“My mom and dad love to make things educational so we’ve been stopping at national monuments like Anitkabir and natural parks like Pamukkale,” Dila mentioned.

Lucky for Dila, with school just around the corner, the education doesn’t have to stop once she returns home.

“I signed up for AP World History since I’ve been taking all AP/ Pre-AP, but I hear it’s one of the hardest classes I’ll take at Bellaire,” Dila says.

She hopes her older sister will guide her on the laborious assignments yet to come. In addition to pursuing academics, Dila will be a reporter for Bellaire High School’s yearbook staff this upcoming school year.

“I’m so excited to be in a club like yearbook and make new friends!” she said.

She will be going into the roots of what make Bellaire High School special and reporting on school club activities. In preparing for her new responsibility she has already met with her crew a few times over the summer. As Dila enters a busy school year, she’s glad that at least she will have a beautiful trip to look back upon. Have a safe trip Dila!