Turkish & Ottoman Studies Program | Near Eastern Languages & Civilization | University of Washington
Turkey in Seattle : an Oral History Project
Ertan Ozhan, born in Istanbul in 1974 and raised in Terme, pursued Computer Engineering before moving to the U.S. in 1999 for a master’s degree, following his marriage to Ozlem. They navigated early marital life and cultural adjustments in Florida, later settling in Seattle for Ertan's role at Microsoft. The transition was supported by family visits and maintaining connections to Turkey, enriching his Turkish-American identity. Despite initial plans to return, life developments, including his children's birth and U.S. citizenship acquisition around 2011-2012, anchored them in the U.S. Ertan, now non-religious, and his family, engage in both cultures, cherishing traditions while adapting to American life.