Sometimes in life, it takes being separated from things you take for granted to realize their true worth. This understanding came to Janset after more than a decade apart from the city of her childhood, Istanbul.

It was a love for language and a desire to learn that took Janset overseas in her teenage years. Choosing to challenge herself far from the comfort and security of familiar surroundings, her adventure transported her thousands of miles from home. Always remembering her decision was a choice, she resisted the temptation to give up when times were tough. There in this new existence, living, studying, then working in large international cities, Janset joined communities that were rich with different and exciting cultures. Despite the hustle and bustle, life often lacked a connection and the camaraderie she recognized from the streets in which she played as a child.

Istanbul, her faraway intoxicating home, seemed always to offer a warm embrace of familiarity, to visitors and locals alike. Convivial greetings exchanged on the street, the heady aromas of the spice market, the rhythmical sounds of the Eurasian day, love and trust on the faces of each passerby; nowhere she roamed had the charm, the history, and the allure of her origin, her heart never really left Istanbul.

But now they are reunited, Janset welcomes all who pass through The Peninsula Istanbul’s door. Every interaction, a memory of how meaningful it felt when she was far from home, and someone took a moment to touch her life and recognise her as an individual.