On Sunday we went up to the Kastamonu Castle. We have been admiring it from afar since we arrived here. It sits up on a steep hill overlooking our city. Fortunatly, the weather was nice and the views were gorgeous!
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Black Sea
On Saturday, our lawyer friend took Tory, Katie(Tory's friend who was visiting) and I to the Black Sea. The drive was about 2 hours and the views were beautiful! We drove through a lovely mountain range (can not seem to find the name of it) with little towns sprinkled throughout. The town on the sea where we stoped was Inebolu. Cute town. We also bought fresh veggies and mushrooms at the outdoor market there.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
"Wolves in Sheeps Clothing"
The following link is of an article from an English language newpaper here in Turkey. It announces our(Fulbrighters) arrival and talks about the Turkish government's "hopes" for us being here.
Being an idealist, I agree with the idea that this program has been set up to help Turkish college students in small regional universities to further their basic English communication skills therefore propelling them into the western world as productive global citizens. But :
1. Our number 1 priority is to make sure that our sometimes strained relationship with this country continues to be friendly.
2. Not everyone is convinced that we are here for good....hince the comments at the bottom of the article.
3. Now that I am here I have realized that this full force program should have been eased into. Instead, 50+ smiley, friendly young Americans have been thrown on young universities that may have not been ready for us. My university will probably not be ready for real English language and culture classes for another couple of years. The kids are not very motivated to learn English. They are required to take English classes during their freshman year and thats it! They go on and become "forest engineers" or physical education teachers......never to use English again. There is an exchange program available for them to apply for (Erasmus), but only a very few qualify because of language. I don't want to make it seem like I am forcing my language and culture on them........I only want them to learn if they see the usefulness in it.
Again, I agree with their government in that learning English will serve them well in the future, not because I think that America is the greatest and everyone should strive to be more "American", but because English is the major language of business and politics. In order for this country to be where it wants to be, which is a world power in commerce, military stregth and political savvy, the majority of their population must be fully on board and ready to help propel them into the forfront. They are headed in the right direction, but I still think I am here alittle too soon.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=us-yok-launch-major-english-language-program-2010-09-19
Being an idealist, I agree with the idea that this program has been set up to help Turkish college students in small regional universities to further their basic English communication skills therefore propelling them into the western world as productive global citizens. But :
1. Our number 1 priority is to make sure that our sometimes strained relationship with this country continues to be friendly.
2. Not everyone is convinced that we are here for good....hince the comments at the bottom of the article.
3. Now that I am here I have realized that this full force program should have been eased into. Instead, 50+ smiley, friendly young Americans have been thrown on young universities that may have not been ready for us. My university will probably not be ready for real English language and culture classes for another couple of years. The kids are not very motivated to learn English. They are required to take English classes during their freshman year and thats it! They go on and become "forest engineers" or physical education teachers......never to use English again. There is an exchange program available for them to apply for (Erasmus), but only a very few qualify because of language. I don't want to make it seem like I am forcing my language and culture on them........I only want them to learn if they see the usefulness in it.
Again, I agree with their government in that learning English will serve them well in the future, not because I think that America is the greatest and everyone should strive to be more "American", but because English is the major language of business and politics. In order for this country to be where it wants to be, which is a world power in commerce, military stregth and political savvy, the majority of their population must be fully on board and ready to help propel them into the forfront. They are headed in the right direction, but I still think I am here alittle too soon.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=us-yok-launch-major-english-language-program-2010-09-19
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Atatürk,Museum and Dancing
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Ok, The followıng are pıctures from Ankara (where I was for orıentatıon about a week and a half ago) I am uploadıng them now because the combınation of my lıttle computer and slow ınternet connection was not condusıve to uploadıng photos. Today, I am usıng a coworkers computer......
In the last days of my orıentatıon, the other Fulbrıghters and I were treated to the Anatolıan Museum of Ancıent Cıvılızatıon, fıne dınıng at Kale Resturant(and another place that I can not remember the name) and Atatürk's mouselum.
The museum was good....as museums go. It had some ınterestıng artıfacts from Roman and Ottoman tımes. The hıstory of thıs country ıs so long! Thıs used to be the center of the world! Of course Israel ıs very close by and there ıs an ınterestıng connctıvıty of Ancıent relıgıons, Chrıstıanıty and İslam. It shows here. İslam teaches ıts followers that all of the relıgıons of "The Book" are ımportant and should be treated wıth respect. Somthıng that Chrıstıans often forget.....we are ındeed connected.
The mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was fascinating. Thıs man was the founder of the Republıc of Turkey and the people have made him into somewhat of a diety. He totally secularized the country to look more toward the west in everythıng from dress to the Turkısh alphabet. As a result of his "leadershıp", this country ıs very nationalistic. There are flags and pictures of Atatürk everywhere! They are very proud of beıng Turkish......nothing wrong with that! They are a strong, hospitable and capable people.
*FYI, I havet fıgured out how to post the pıctures ın between the paragraphs......they just all go to the top!
As far as the dancıng.......A small group of F.B. and I went out to explore a Thrusday nıght salsa dance party whıle ın Ankara. We had fun and met some great people. I had to bust out my shnazzy salsa skills in Turkey! Ole!
Cıty of Kastamonu
These pıctures show some of the ınterestıng thıngs that make up the small town of Kastamonu. Thıs past weekend, we walked around to explore. There ıs a produce market on Wednesday and Saturday, donkeys on street corners, mosques (camii) as old as the US and beautıful Ottoman style homes.
In one of the markets an artist ınvıted us in to watch hım make "art on water", whıch was very cool. He made a pattern on water and placed the paper on top and the desıgn transfered to the paper........like magıc!
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