Turkish & Ottoman Studies Program | Near Eastern Languages & Civilization | University of Washington
Turkey in Seattle : an Oral History Project
Mustafa was born in İstanbul and went to school there, attending Marmara University to study business. After graduating in 1993 he spent a few years auditing companies around Turkey and joined Microsoft after a recommendation by a friend, causing him to come to the U.S. He has worked at Microsoft for over 20 years, beginning in 1998. He had a smooth transition to the U.S. with his wife and travels frequently for work. After years of moving around he settled in Redmond with his wife and has lived here since. Although teaching his children Turkish, they generally speak English around the house, but also make sure to celebrate Turkish holidays. He plays on a soccer team with other members of the Turkish American community and is also on the Turkish American School board. He occasionally visits his family back in Turkey and makes trips with his children. He finds Washington to be a welcoming environment to raise a family and appreciates the strong Turkish community he has found.