Born and raised on the picturesque banks of the Isfayram River, surrounded by majestic mountains, Madina is steeped in Kyrgyz traditions. She graduated from the Kyrgyz State Technical University named after I. Razakov, obtaining a degree as a "technologist-designer" in the field of clothing production. "As the saying goes, the path to the big world begins in a small village. And my dreams, born in the mountains, led me to Turkey. Today I live in Ankara — the capital of this wonderful country," she shares.
After moving to Turkey, Madina fully focused on taking care of her little son. "I consider myself to be on maternity leave right now. But instead of staying at home, I started an active social media page, sharing the peculiarities of life in Turkey, its culture, and cuisine. This has earned me trust among my followers. For over six months, I have been helping our compatriots by sending them goods and vitamins from Turkey, becoming a sort of bridge between the two countries," she recounts.
Madina and her husband moved to Ankara right after their wedding and have been building their family here for four years. Her husband is a doctor and is undergoing residency in Turkey. "Turks are very open and kind people. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the country is Muslim — here, no one feels like a stranger. They are always ready to offer tea, help, and support. They treat children with special tenderness, which makes them very welcoming. If you meet good people — consider yourself lucky: they care for you like a relative, sharing everything so you don’t feel lonely away from home. But, of course, there are those who might take advantage of the fact that you don’t know the language, as happens everywhere," the young woman adds.
According to Iliyazova, the climate in Turkey is milder than in Kyrgyzstan. "Snow here is a rarity, autumn lasts long, and greenery pleases the eye all year round," she notes.
Madina is particularly impressed by Turkish patriotism. "Turks highly value everything local. That’s why their tourism thrives. Tea, sweets, and cuisine — everything is their own, beloved, and popular. They think: 'Why spend money on foreign goods, let our producers thrive.' We, Kyrgyz people, sometimes lack this — we get too quickly fascinated by everything new, forgetting our roots." She recalls how, when she first started learning Turkish, she tried to tell her neighbor: "Ish ilgiri bolsun!" — wishing her a smooth workday. However, the neighbor misunderstood her and instead brought 15 eggs, thinking she was asking for them for her child: "Take them, take them, don’t be shy, I understood everything." Later, they all laughed together as a family over this misunderstanding," Madina recounts.
There are many Kyrgyz living in Turkey, but each has their own life. "Sometimes we gather for picnics and events organized by the embassy," Madina adds.
She is the youngest of four children in her family, and two of her brothers with their families have also settled in Turkey. Madina and her husband have a three-year-old son who attends a free state preparatory center. "In his group, he is the only Kyrgyz, the rest are Turks. But we have never felt like outsiders: the caregivers are very attentive, and the children are friendly. We are friends with the mothers of other children — we go for tea, bake homemade pastries together, visit museums and parks, and take turns visiting each other. Of course, we dream of returning to Kyrgyzstan, to our home, to our relatives and friends. We want our children to speak Kyrgyz fluently and grow up in our culture. As the saying goes, 'At aylanyp kazygyin tabat' (No matter how much the horse spins, it will find its peg)," Madina concludes.
Gallery: Madina Iliyazova.
