Today I met my students and taught my first linguistics and conversation classes. All of my students are undergraduates, and I am teaching just the freshmen and sophmores. The first years were very timid. As they sat down, they filled up only the very back chairs of the classroom, leaving the two front rows completely empty.
Although their grammar skills are excellent, they have never spoken with a native speaker of English; most have only studied with Turkish-born speakers. So to them, my accent was quite difficult to understand. They seem to be very bright and eager - the girls especially. Some of the boys I can already tell are going to be a challenge. I've already found the "joker" - I think there is one in every class.
Speaking of challenging, the linguistics class is going to stretch my abilities. We are covering all of the major branches of linguistics from phonetics to phonology to semantics to tree structure diagrams. A dirty little secret is that I've never really done a tree structure diagram, because my linguistics department wasn't exaclty Chomskyesque (new word). I keep telling myself that I just need to say one chapter ahead and at least act confident.
As I mentioned earlier, the students' grammar skills are incredible. I was corrected today by Okan when I called a verb past tense, but it was really progressive something, something. Note to self: learn English verbs inflections before next Monday.
As native speakers, we just *know* how to use all of the simple, progressive, perfect, perfect progressive aspects and how to pair them with the present, future, and past tenses. But to explain that is another matter entirely. . . Do you know how to explain difference between these three sentences and when to use each?
She has been studying.
She had been studying.
She will have been studying.
Me neither; I will be learning A LOT this semester.
As I have been able to talk to family and friends on Skype during the last few days, I realize how easy technology has made going abroad. I remember just 12 years ago when I spent four months in Kenya. Letters and the occasional phone call (when you could find a working phone and figure out how to use it) were the only communication I had. Now I have email, a cell phone, a land line, and Skype. I guess it is kind of the best of both worlds: experiencing a new culture with the ability to stay in touch with the people you love.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Tavla, Mildew, Community
During the last few days I have visited downtown Izmir, tried (in vain) to figure out the bus system, and spent some time trying to renegotiate my housing. Today I have about 16 hours before I sleep again to plan develop the curriculum and write up the syllabi for the four college courses I will be teaching starting Monday.
First, the fun stuff: Ahmet took me on a city tour on Friday after work. We went down to the main downtown area along the sea. There is one main walking mall with no cars. There are lots of stores, bars, and cafes along the pedestrian mall. The narrow alleyways that lead to it are often narrow and dotted with cafes where people sip strong tea or Turkish coffee and play backgammon, known here as tavla. Ahmet taught me how to play Tavla and was very patient as I picked my way around the game board.
I played again last night when a group of six of us gathered around Esin's table for dinner. Okan wasn't as patient with my speed. His friends laughed from the sidelines and supplied me with the words for Turkish equivalent of "be patient". Whether it be pool in the U.S. or tavla in Turkey, there is a certain type of guy that feels that it is his duty to show you (women particularly) the errors you made, and what would have been a better strategy. During the game Mustafa told me not to worry, that, "everybody who plays Okan wins".
The day before I had asked Ferayal if she could intervene and get me a room that was farther from the street (and the very noisy buses). She talked to the manager but warned me the one remaining room was very dirty and would need cleaning. She wasn't kidding. Every surface was filthy. Okan, Esin, and Adim , the manager, all helped me scrub everything in the room. While I was at the market, Esin attcked the bathroom with a vigor rivaling that of a German mother. Despite our work and copious amounts of bleach the smell of mildew is still overpowering two days later.
I retired to my room yesterday afternoon feeling overwhelmed with my inability to communicate or use the bus system, missing my family, frustrated that I can't figure out how to solve the simplest problems myself because of the language barrier, and upset about the disgusting mildew. Okan came by to invite me to dinner, and he could tell that I had been crying. Minutes later his mother came down. Although she can only count to ten in English, and my Turkish skills are lesser still, I could understand very clearly what she was saying. She saw that I had been upset, and then started crying herself. Although she was speaking only Turkish, her message transcended language. She wanted to know why I was spending time alone when I was unhappy and that I should always come knock on her door, anytime. She made it clear that I was to come with her where she could keep an eye on me while she cooked dinner.
Later during dinner, their friends came by one by one until there were six of us around the small table. We ate more good food, though I don't know what it was and, of course, drank tea. My colleague, Ferayal called to see if I needed anything or for her to take me anywhere. The funny thing is that she called Esin and Okan's room. Evidently she had called the manager who knew I was up in that room, and he forwarded the call. Small world.
First, the fun stuff: Ahmet took me on a city tour on Friday after work. We went down to the main downtown area along the sea. There is one main walking mall with no cars. There are lots of stores, bars, and cafes along the pedestrian mall. The narrow alleyways that lead to it are often narrow and dotted with cafes where people sip strong tea or Turkish coffee and play backgammon, known here as tavla. Ahmet taught me how to play Tavla and was very patient as I picked my way around the game board.
I played again last night when a group of six of us gathered around Esin's table for dinner. Okan wasn't as patient with my speed. His friends laughed from the sidelines and supplied me with the words for Turkish equivalent of "be patient". Whether it be pool in the U.S. or tavla in Turkey, there is a certain type of guy that feels that it is his duty to show you (women particularly) the errors you made, and what would have been a better strategy. During the game Mustafa told me not to worry, that, "everybody who plays Okan wins".
The day before I had asked Ferayal if she could intervene and get me a room that was farther from the street (and the very noisy buses). She talked to the manager but warned me the one remaining room was very dirty and would need cleaning. She wasn't kidding. Every surface was filthy. Okan, Esin, and Adim , the manager, all helped me scrub everything in the room. While I was at the market, Esin attcked the bathroom with a vigor rivaling that of a German mother. Despite our work and copious amounts of bleach the smell of mildew is still overpowering two days later.
I retired to my room yesterday afternoon feeling overwhelmed with my inability to communicate or use the bus system, missing my family, frustrated that I can't figure out how to solve the simplest problems myself because of the language barrier, and upset about the disgusting mildew. Okan came by to invite me to dinner, and he could tell that I had been crying. Minutes later his mother came down. Although she can only count to ten in English, and my Turkish skills are lesser still, I could understand very clearly what she was saying. She saw that I had been upset, and then started crying herself. Although she was speaking only Turkish, her message transcended language. She wanted to know why I was spending time alone when I was unhappy and that I should always come knock on her door, anytime. She made it clear that I was to come with her where she could keep an eye on me while she cooked dinner.
Later during dinner, their friends came by one by one until there were six of us around the small table. We ate more good food, though I don't know what it was and, of course, drank tea. My colleague, Ferayal called to see if I needed anything or for her to take me anywhere. The funny thing is that she called Esin and Okan's room. Evidently she had called the manager who knew I was up in that room, and he forwarded the call. Small world.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Markets, Washing Machines, and Baby Sheep
I broke my jet lag avoidance rule and let myself take a nap yesterday, so here I am at 4:20 with ideas swirling around in my head, unable to sleep.
Yesterday Ferayal took me to the shopping mall where I bought home products (linens, dishes, food, etc.). She also took me to buy a cell phone, then helped me to choose a cell phone company that gave me my phone number and activated my phone, then she helped me buy contours, or phone credits so that my phone would work. Lastly we went to the market where we bought produce. She showed me how to buy produce –what is good, what isn’t – with much higher standards than we demand at our supermarkets. The villagers come in to town every Wednesday and Sunday to sell their produce and textiles at a huge husting open-air market..
Throughout the day she insisted on treating me; first it was lunch, then Turkish coffee, and then produce at the market. At the supermarket, I (rather skillfully, I thought) mimed to the clerk that I would pay for the drinks. Ferayal told her in Turkish that I was her guest, and the clerk promptly refused my money and took Ferayal’s instead. Turks have a strong ethic of taking care of their guests and showing them true hospitality.
Without Ferayal’s help, I have no idea how I would have done all of that. For instance, the cell phone system is extremely different here than it is in the U.S. Instead of signing up for a plan with a company, people buy counturs(sp) which are basically cell minute credits that must be used in 3 months. You continue to recharge your phone with these credits. Calls to cell phones of your provider are cheapest, calls to cell phone holders who use different providers are more, calls to land lines cost more still, and whether calling or receiving, out-of-country calls will cost you an arm and a leg. Although people know the gradation, no one really knows exactly how many contours for each item. As far as I can tell, it is a diabolical plan on the part of the cell phone companies.
When I got home I decided I’d take a try at the washing machine. The similarities the washers here share with the ones at home follow: they are white, box-shaped, and I’m pretty sure they use water and electricity. Beyond that, there were tons of buttons with bewildering pictures that are intuitive to some Turkish industrial designer. There were also a number of signs in the laundry room punctuated with copious exclamation points elaborating some message that all users should be aware of before doing laundry. My pocket dictionary contained about ¼ of the words on the sign.
One hour later, I had a still dirty and now half-soaked blanket. I caught up with a woman walking down the stairs and asked if she spoke English. Edin did not speak English, but she came up and mimed to me that the washer I had chose was broken. Only one of the set of three worked.
A few minutes later her son, Okan, knocked on my door. Edin had alerted her son that I needed remedial home-economics training. Her son speaks some English and he explained/mimed how to use the machine.
A few minutes later still, my landline rang for the first time. Okan wondered if I liked coffee and would I join them in room 206. I agreed. Since my room is 204, it seemed that their room, 206, should be rather near. Later I would find that it is two floors above me and on the other wing of the building. I couldn’t find it, so I returned to my room. About 15 minute later, Okan found me wandering around with a trash bag in my hand. Giving me a quizzical look after I put together what my dictionary and travel book represented as a well-formed sentence asking where I’d find the dumpster, he took the bags, walked across the street, and dumped them in the dumpster.
Okan, a Ph.D. candidate in statistics, shares a room the size of mine with his mother. The rooms in this building are the size of a small motel room with a bathroom, a mini-fridge, and a sink. Mine also has a bed, a chair that folds out to be a bed, a kitchen table/desk, two small chairs, and a bedside table. In my mind I had been going over plans to convince the powers that be that I needed something larger, but when I saw that both Okan and his mother lived in the same space that I live in, I became immediately more content with my lot. Okan has two computers, a huge flat-screen monitor on which he somehow gets television stations, and, wonder of all wonders, high-speed Internet. He assured me that he could help me get Internet in my room too. Tomorrow he will go out and buy the requisite cable and then help me to get hooked up. Skype, here I come.
We had apples, grapes, tea, and pastries. When I left Okan’s mother told him to tell me that I was her “baby sheep” while I was here, and that she would help me. If ever I was hungry, I should come by and she would cook for me. It reminded me of something I read once, that all travel is essentially meeting new people and convincing them that they want to take care of you. In Turkey it seems that one doesn’t have to do a lot of convincing.
Yesterday Ferayal took me to the shopping mall where I bought home products (linens, dishes, food, etc.). She also took me to buy a cell phone, then helped me to choose a cell phone company that gave me my phone number and activated my phone, then she helped me buy contours, or phone credits so that my phone would work. Lastly we went to the market where we bought produce. She showed me how to buy produce –what is good, what isn’t – with much higher standards than we demand at our supermarkets. The villagers come in to town every Wednesday and Sunday to sell their produce and textiles at a huge husting open-air market..
Throughout the day she insisted on treating me; first it was lunch, then Turkish coffee, and then produce at the market. At the supermarket, I (rather skillfully, I thought) mimed to the clerk that I would pay for the drinks. Ferayal told her in Turkish that I was her guest, and the clerk promptly refused my money and took Ferayal’s instead. Turks have a strong ethic of taking care of their guests and showing them true hospitality.
Without Ferayal’s help, I have no idea how I would have done all of that. For instance, the cell phone system is extremely different here than it is in the U.S. Instead of signing up for a plan with a company, people buy counturs(sp) which are basically cell minute credits that must be used in 3 months. You continue to recharge your phone with these credits. Calls to cell phones of your provider are cheapest, calls to cell phone holders who use different providers are more, calls to land lines cost more still, and whether calling or receiving, out-of-country calls will cost you an arm and a leg. Although people know the gradation, no one really knows exactly how many contours for each item. As far as I can tell, it is a diabolical plan on the part of the cell phone companies.
When I got home I decided I’d take a try at the washing machine. The similarities the washers here share with the ones at home follow: they are white, box-shaped, and I’m pretty sure they use water and electricity. Beyond that, there were tons of buttons with bewildering pictures that are intuitive to some Turkish industrial designer. There were also a number of signs in the laundry room punctuated with copious exclamation points elaborating some message that all users should be aware of before doing laundry. My pocket dictionary contained about ¼ of the words on the sign.
One hour later, I had a still dirty and now half-soaked blanket. I caught up with a woman walking down the stairs and asked if she spoke English. Edin did not speak English, but she came up and mimed to me that the washer I had chose was broken. Only one of the set of three worked.
A few minutes later her son, Okan, knocked on my door. Edin had alerted her son that I needed remedial home-economics training. Her son speaks some English and he explained/mimed how to use the machine.
A few minutes later still, my landline rang for the first time. Okan wondered if I liked coffee and would I join them in room 206. I agreed. Since my room is 204, it seemed that their room, 206, should be rather near. Later I would find that it is two floors above me and on the other wing of the building. I couldn’t find it, so I returned to my room. About 15 minute later, Okan found me wandering around with a trash bag in my hand. Giving me a quizzical look after I put together what my dictionary and travel book represented as a well-formed sentence asking where I’d find the dumpster, he took the bags, walked across the street, and dumped them in the dumpster.
Okan, a Ph.D. candidate in statistics, shares a room the size of mine with his mother. The rooms in this building are the size of a small motel room with a bathroom, a mini-fridge, and a sink. Mine also has a bed, a chair that folds out to be a bed, a kitchen table/desk, two small chairs, and a bedside table. In my mind I had been going over plans to convince the powers that be that I needed something larger, but when I saw that both Okan and his mother lived in the same space that I live in, I became immediately more content with my lot. Okan has two computers, a huge flat-screen monitor on which he somehow gets television stations, and, wonder of all wonders, high-speed Internet. He assured me that he could help me get Internet in my room too. Tomorrow he will go out and buy the requisite cable and then help me to get hooked up. Skype, here I come.
We had apples, grapes, tea, and pastries. When I left Okan’s mother told him to tell me that I was her “baby sheep” while I was here, and that she would help me. If ever I was hungry, I should come by and she would cook for me. It reminded me of something I read once, that all travel is essentially meeting new people and convincing them that they want to take care of you. In Turkey it seems that one doesn’t have to do a lot of convincing.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Turkish Hospitality, Ramazan, and Kurds
Today made me understand why everyone who has been to Turkey talks about how welcoming the Turks are. First Ahmet, a faculty member of the education department, came to pick me up at my place to take me to school, so that I wouldn’t have to take the bus on the first day. He drove me to school and even drove around the campus to show me the exact stop where I would be getting off the bus tomorrow.
He took me to my office which I share with Ferayal and another woman whom I’ve not yet met. Ferayal is a vivacious and extremely well-read professor in the education department. Her Ph.D. is in literature, but she teaches everything. My desk was ready for me with a computer and a high-speed Internet connection. Ferayal asked me when my birthday is (January 18th), and she promptly presented me with an early birthday gift – a small carpet to “add some color” to my room. I met Berna, the research assistant and another faculty member Nesryn, who just passed her Ph.D. oral defense.
When Ferayal noticed that I was having trouble navigating the computer menus in Turkish, she made a call to the computer lab and three computer students were promptly sent to fix the problem. While they were adjusting my settings to English, the girl’s stomach growled loudly. Ferayal offered her a piece of candy, but the young woman declined because she is fasting for Ramadan. Later Ferayal offered the young man fixing the computer something to eat, but he also declined. He said that although he was not fasting, out of respect for those who are, he preferred not to eat in front of them.
I later asked Nesryn about the meaning of Ramadan (Ramazan here in Turkey). Why do people fast? She explained that it is a lunar month set aside for fasting from sunset till sundown – that means no water, no food, no cigarettes, nothing. The fasting is to remind Muslims what it is like to go without. For one month a year, they are to experience what it feels like to be hungry so that they may build empathy for those who truly are. Women who are pregnant or nursing, children, the old, and the infirm are not expected to observe the fast. I think that few if any of my colleagues are fasting although I think they keep the spirit of Ramazan close to them.
At the end of Ramazan, a three-day festival called Baryan will be celebrated. Each household that can afford it slaughters a goat. The goat is to be divided into thirds. One-third goes to the poor. Nasryn says that some people are so destitute that this is the only time their families are able to eat meat. Another third goes to one’s neighbors, and the last third goes to the household for a feast. Neighbors then go door-to-door to share food and celebrate in everyone’s house. What important society values that Islam encourages – to care for people less fortunate, to share your bounty with them, and to engender community.
I am stunned at the level of sophistication of the teachers here. Although they seem to be relatively young, they are not only well-versed in their Ph.D. field, but they have an extremely in-depth knowledge of other fields such as linguistics, ESL, teaching methodology, as well as many publications to their names. Almost all teaching in higher-education here is in English. The faculty is completely fluent, and I expect that the students will also have excellent English skills.
Nasryn invited me to her home for lunch/dinner. She first walked me down the pedestrian mall (most neighborhoods have one), where you can buy just about anything you want. We stopped and she bought ingredients for kofta – a Turkish meatball. Nasryn is from southeastern Turkey and she is a Kurd. Although Kurds fought in the war for Turkish independence, they were not given the recognition or freedoms they were promised after the republic was established. In fact, they were persecuted in much the same way that blacks were in post-Civil War U.S. Until recently, it was illegal to teach the Kurdish language in schools. Even today the Kurds in Turkey have substandard schools and their home geographic regions have little infrastructure. The language is taught at only a few private schools, and their political parties are often abolished by the government as soon as they are formed. It was really interesting to speak with her because I was warned repeatedly not to broach the subject of Kurds or Armenians with (non-Kurdish) Turkish people.
Although I said that I would post pictures on my blog, my camera, unfortunately, bit the dust today. It has been slowly dying, but usually tapping it makes it work for a few more shots. I had to resort to rather hard “tapping”, and I don’t believe it will be working again.
He took me to my office which I share with Ferayal and another woman whom I’ve not yet met. Ferayal is a vivacious and extremely well-read professor in the education department. Her Ph.D. is in literature, but she teaches everything. My desk was ready for me with a computer and a high-speed Internet connection. Ferayal asked me when my birthday is (January 18th), and she promptly presented me with an early birthday gift – a small carpet to “add some color” to my room. I met Berna, the research assistant and another faculty member Nesryn, who just passed her Ph.D. oral defense.
When Ferayal noticed that I was having trouble navigating the computer menus in Turkish, she made a call to the computer lab and three computer students were promptly sent to fix the problem. While they were adjusting my settings to English, the girl’s stomach growled loudly. Ferayal offered her a piece of candy, but the young woman declined because she is fasting for Ramadan. Later Ferayal offered the young man fixing the computer something to eat, but he also declined. He said that although he was not fasting, out of respect for those who are, he preferred not to eat in front of them.
I later asked Nesryn about the meaning of Ramadan (Ramazan here in Turkey). Why do people fast? She explained that it is a lunar month set aside for fasting from sunset till sundown – that means no water, no food, no cigarettes, nothing. The fasting is to remind Muslims what it is like to go without. For one month a year, they are to experience what it feels like to be hungry so that they may build empathy for those who truly are. Women who are pregnant or nursing, children, the old, and the infirm are not expected to observe the fast. I think that few if any of my colleagues are fasting although I think they keep the spirit of Ramazan close to them.
At the end of Ramazan, a three-day festival called Baryan will be celebrated. Each household that can afford it slaughters a goat. The goat is to be divided into thirds. One-third goes to the poor. Nasryn says that some people are so destitute that this is the only time their families are able to eat meat. Another third goes to one’s neighbors, and the last third goes to the household for a feast. Neighbors then go door-to-door to share food and celebrate in everyone’s house. What important society values that Islam encourages – to care for people less fortunate, to share your bounty with them, and to engender community.
I am stunned at the level of sophistication of the teachers here. Although they seem to be relatively young, they are not only well-versed in their Ph.D. field, but they have an extremely in-depth knowledge of other fields such as linguistics, ESL, teaching methodology, as well as many publications to their names. Almost all teaching in higher-education here is in English. The faculty is completely fluent, and I expect that the students will also have excellent English skills.
Nasryn invited me to her home for lunch/dinner. She first walked me down the pedestrian mall (most neighborhoods have one), where you can buy just about anything you want. We stopped and she bought ingredients for kofta – a Turkish meatball. Nasryn is from southeastern Turkey and she is a Kurd. Although Kurds fought in the war for Turkish independence, they were not given the recognition or freedoms they were promised after the republic was established. In fact, they were persecuted in much the same way that blacks were in post-Civil War U.S. Until recently, it was illegal to teach the Kurdish language in schools. Even today the Kurds in Turkey have substandard schools and their home geographic regions have little infrastructure. The language is taught at only a few private schools, and their political parties are often abolished by the government as soon as they are formed. It was really interesting to speak with her because I was warned repeatedly not to broach the subject of Kurds or Armenians with (non-Kurdish) Turkish people.
Although I said that I would post pictures on my blog, my camera, unfortunately, bit the dust today. It has been slowly dying, but usually tapping it makes it work for a few more shots. I had to resort to rather hard “tapping”, and I don’t believe it will be working again.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Doubts
Ferayal came by around 9:30 p.m. and delivered groceries to me – water, apples, pizza, ice tea, and a delicious salad of tasty greens and tomatoes. I feel very alone right now. No Internet connection to talk to my family.
I’ve blown the power out in my room at least 20 times trying to find the right union between Turkish outlets, my adapters, my voltage converter, and my appliances. Seems some are grounded; others are not, and plugging in a grounded appliances to a non-grounded outlet has seriously bad consequences such as leaping sparks and loud cracks.
Still can’t get power to my laptop, so I am trying to use it judiciously.
I miss Duncan and Kirk, my friends, my family, my home. I am beginning to realize all of the good things I’ve given up to come here. I hope it is worth it.
I doubt there is any way I can get Internet in my room. The a/c doesn’t seem to work, and my screen won’t fit into my window. The maintenance man doesn’t speak English and my Turkish is abominable. I am not even sure if the infrastructure in Ïzmir would allow for a high-speed connection. That would sure be nice because I wouldn’t feel so isolated her at 3:24 in the morning, no one to talk to. What if I just ran out in the hallway and started screaming, would anybody come out to help?
I’ve blown the power out in my room at least 20 times trying to find the right union between Turkish outlets, my adapters, my voltage converter, and my appliances. Seems some are grounded; others are not, and plugging in a grounded appliances to a non-grounded outlet has seriously bad consequences such as leaping sparks and loud cracks.
Still can’t get power to my laptop, so I am trying to use it judiciously.
I miss Duncan and Kirk, my friends, my family, my home. I am beginning to realize all of the good things I’ve given up to come here. I hope it is worth it.
I doubt there is any way I can get Internet in my room. The a/c doesn’t seem to work, and my screen won’t fit into my window. The maintenance man doesn’t speak English and my Turkish is abominable. I am not even sure if the infrastructure in Ïzmir would allow for a high-speed connection. That would sure be nice because I wouldn’t feel so isolated her at 3:24 in the morning, no one to talk to. What if I just ran out in the hallway and started screaming, would anybody come out to help?
Monday, September 17, 2007
Arrival
I arrived in Izmir today after about 22 hours of travel. Professor Ferayal Çubukçu and Ahmet came to collect me and 150 lbs of luggage at the airport. They whisked me to my housing, and, assuming I’d be exhausted, left me here to sleep. Ferayal tried to make me promise not to leave the housing, but I knew that I’d need to go out and get some food or something, which I did. When they left, I walked into the bathroom and realized that while “freshening up” before meeting them at the airport I had put my shirt on wrong-side-out (and obviously so). So much for good impressions.
I am surprised at how little I can actually communicate here. At least in France, Spain, Italty, Germany. . .there are some cognates, but here, nothing is familiar. I managed to buy some ayran (a salty yogurt drink) olives, trash can, and toilet paper by pointing and mumbling something like “thank you”.
My studio is very small – the size of my kitchen at home, but I think it will be sufficient. On the plus side, I think it will be harder to lose things in a place this size, and cleaning should be easy.
I am surprised at how little I can actually communicate here. At least in France, Spain, Italty, Germany. . .there are some cognates, but here, nothing is familiar. I managed to buy some ayran (a salty yogurt drink) olives, trash can, and toilet paper by pointing and mumbling something like “thank you”.
My studio is very small – the size of my kitchen at home, but I think it will be sufficient. On the plus side, I think it will be harder to lose things in a place this size, and cleaning should be easy.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Information - finally
T minus 6 days and counting. After a little poking and prodding , I finally received information about where I will be staying in Izmir - the University Guest Rooms in Buca, which, I think, is a neighborhood in Izmir. My apartment will have a private bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. Although the bedroom and living room may be in the same room (studio-style), the place is partially furnished, so I won't have to worry about getting a bed or sofa.
Although I won't be near enough to see the ocean from my place, I will be about 2 minutes from campus and within a metro ride of Ikea! I've been hoping for Ikea to come to Denver for years; seems that I have to move to Turkey in order to have one in my city!
As soon as I get there and find an Internet connection, I will take some pictures and post them on my blog site.
Although I won't be near enough to see the ocean from my place, I will be about 2 minutes from campus and within a metro ride of Ikea! I've been hoping for Ikea to come to Denver for years; seems that I have to move to Turkey in order to have one in my city!
As soon as I get there and find an Internet connection, I will take some pictures and post them on my blog site.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Elections Tomorrow
Tomorrow Turkey will hold elections for its new president. Abdullah Gul from the AK Party is heavily favored, and the military has already released warnings stating that it will not let Gul take the country in a Islamist direction. Although 99% Muslim, Turkey has a secular government.
Gul is called a "former Islamist"; I am still unsure what that means. His wife dons the headscarf, a style that many Turks are uncomfortable with since the reforms enacted by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. These reforms included granting women the right to vote (1934) and banning the headscarf in public buildings.
The military has overthrown four governments in the past 60 years, so its discomfort with the ruling party's leanings is heeded by many.
Looks like September 16th is my leaving date. What a time to be in Turkey!
Gul is called a "former Islamist"; I am still unsure what that means. His wife dons the headscarf, a style that many Turks are uncomfortable with since the reforms enacted by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. These reforms included granting women the right to vote (1934) and banning the headscarf in public buildings.
The military has overthrown four governments in the past 60 years, so its discomfort with the ruling party's leanings is heeded by many.
Looks like September 16th is my leaving date. What a time to be in Turkey!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Pre-Departure Orientation
Here I am sitting at my desk in my hotel room in the Westin in downtown D.C. For the first time in my work life, I feel as if I am truly valued as a professional.
It may seem silly to my friends who work as architects, pilots, lawyers, but you have to know that we teachers don't often get to go to conferences. When we do, we often have to beg for the time away from the clasroom, supplement with our own money, share rooms, etc., etc. The unstated message is that teaching and teachers are not valued therefore, not funded. In U.S. culture and even in our own teaching institutions, we are often not afforded the status of true "professional".
Not so here. I have my own beautiful room with wifi, two very fluffy clean white beds, and I even had a 5-minute chair massage in the lounge this afternoon. In addition, each fellow's creativity is valued and encouraged. One of the major components of each person's post is to identify a need at the host institution and develop a project around that need. Each grant includes a budget to make that project a reality.
In addition, we were each given a generous allowance to choose books. My choices focus on pedagogy and language acquisition theory, as those are the classes I will be teaching in which I have the least experience.
Orientation sessions this week include topics such as public diplomacy, health benefit information, regional security briefings, and introductions to the many people at the embassy with whom we will be working.
There are 143 other fellows that are being placed all over the world. Fellows are working in countries such as the Ukraine, Syria, Egypt, Brazil, Guatemala. . .88 countries in all, and their bios are rather impressive. All posess master's degrees; many have Ph.D.s. Almost all have taught in many countries, speak at least two languages (one speaks eight!), and many have been Fullbright recipients and/or Peace Corps volunteers. I have to admit, I have had moments when I wondered how I was chosen to be among this class.
It may seem silly to my friends who work as architects, pilots, lawyers, but you have to know that we teachers don't often get to go to conferences. When we do, we often have to beg for the time away from the clasroom, supplement with our own money, share rooms, etc., etc. The unstated message is that teaching and teachers are not valued therefore, not funded. In U.S. culture and even in our own teaching institutions, we are often not afforded the status of true "professional".
Not so here. I have my own beautiful room with wifi, two very fluffy clean white beds, and I even had a 5-minute chair massage in the lounge this afternoon. In addition, each fellow's creativity is valued and encouraged. One of the major components of each person's post is to identify a need at the host institution and develop a project around that need. Each grant includes a budget to make that project a reality.
In addition, we were each given a generous allowance to choose books. My choices focus on pedagogy and language acquisition theory, as those are the classes I will be teaching in which I have the least experience.
Orientation sessions this week include topics such as public diplomacy, health benefit information, regional security briefings, and introductions to the many people at the embassy with whom we will be working.
There are 143 other fellows that are being placed all over the world. Fellows are working in countries such as the Ukraine, Syria, Egypt, Brazil, Guatemala. . .88 countries in all, and their bios are rather impressive. All posess master's degrees; many have Ph.D.s. Almost all have taught in many countries, speak at least two languages (one speaks eight!), and many have been Fullbright recipients and/or Peace Corps volunteers. I have to admit, I have had moments when I wondered how I was chosen to be among this class.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Academic Schedule for Dokuz Eylul, 2007/2008
I. Term Courses - 9/24/07 - 1/11/08
I. Term Final Exams - 1/14/08 - 1/26/08
Mid-term Holiday - 1/26/08 - 2/18/08
II. Term Courses - 2/18/08 - 5/30/08
II. Term Final Exams - 6/2/08 - 6/14/08
Holidays:
Ramadan Festival: 12-13-14 October 2007
Republic Festival: 29th October 2007
Muslim Festival of Sacrifices: 20-21-22-23rd December 2007
New Year Holiday: 1st of January 2008
I. Term Final Exams - 1/14/08 - 1/26/08
Mid-term Holiday - 1/26/08 - 2/18/08
II. Term Courses - 2/18/08 - 5/30/08
II. Term Final Exams - 6/2/08 - 6/14/08
Holidays:
Ramadan Festival: 12-13-14 October 2007
Republic Festival: 29th October 2007
Muslim Festival of Sacrifices: 20-21-22-23rd December 2007
New Year Holiday: 1st of January 2008
Friday, June 29, 2007
Unknowns
Well the time to leave is drawing near, and yet there are still so many unknowns. I have no idea where I'll be living, when I'll be leaving, what my work schedule will be, if I can bring my dog.
I have sent four emails to my contact in Turkey, and it is as if they went into a black hole. The current EL fellow in another part of Turkey told me that the Turks don't answer email. I thought she was overgeneralizing, but my experience is proving her right. She also told me that I wouldn't find out about school holidays until I show up to teach someday and find that classes have been cancelled and that I shouldn't plan to accomplish anything while I am there or it will, "break my heart". I am hoping she is wrong about the last two.
I did get a list of classes I would be teaching. I've requested the syllabi, but I am doubtful that I will get anything. I guess part of being a teacher is being a good actor. I will show up on the first day of my classes, not knowing anything about the content of the class or the books being used, and attempt to be confident.
I think the hardest thing is not hearing back about whether I can bring my dog Duncan. He brings so much joy to my life that I can't imagine leaving him behind. My mom and Jim have offered to watch him. I know he loves to visit there and play with their dogs. He will be happy, but I'll miss him terribly.
Nevertheless I look forward to something new and challenging. I have been practicing my Turkish on my bike rides to and from work each day. I listen to the audio files and then *try* to pronounce the words. To the people I pass by, I am sure I look a bit crazy muttering those unintelligible syllables.
I have sent four emails to my contact in Turkey, and it is as if they went into a black hole. The current EL fellow in another part of Turkey told me that the Turks don't answer email. I thought she was overgeneralizing, but my experience is proving her right. She also told me that I wouldn't find out about school holidays until I show up to teach someday and find that classes have been cancelled and that I shouldn't plan to accomplish anything while I am there or it will, "break my heart". I am hoping she is wrong about the last two.
I did get a list of classes I would be teaching. I've requested the syllabi, but I am doubtful that I will get anything. I guess part of being a teacher is being a good actor. I will show up on the first day of my classes, not knowing anything about the content of the class or the books being used, and attempt to be confident.
I think the hardest thing is not hearing back about whether I can bring my dog Duncan. He brings so much joy to my life that I can't imagine leaving him behind. My mom and Jim have offered to watch him. I know he loves to visit there and play with their dogs. He will be happy, but I'll miss him terribly.
Nevertheless I look forward to something new and challenging. I have been practicing my Turkish on my bike rides to and from work each day. I listen to the audio files and then *try* to pronounce the words. To the people I pass by, I am sure I look a bit crazy muttering those unintelligible syllables.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Going to Turkey!
Most of you already know by now, but as of September, 2007, I will be living and working in Izmir, Turkey as an English Language Fellow (you can now call me an ELF J).
The English Language Fellow program is run through the State Department and it coordinates with embassies and teaching institutions in other countries to set up 10-month teaching appointments. My position will include teaching English, linguistics, grammar, and teaching methodology to undergraduates at Dokuz Eylul University, which has a student body of about 40,000 students. In addition to teaching, I hope to learn a good bit of the language and do some traveling while I am there from September ‘07 – June ’08 (possibly longer).
If you’ve ever considered visiting Turkey, now is the time! Although my accommodations will probably be modest, I would be thrilled to host any of my friends or family who may visit. Izmir is a city of 3 million on the Aegean coast. Besides having beautiful weather, Izmir is also near many ruins and Greek islands.
Below is my new contact information including a phone number local to Denver that you will be able to reach me at throughout my time in Turkey.
Contact Me
Phone: (303)-800-6072
Skype melaniebrooks74
Email: melaniebrooks74@hotmail.com
Blog: http://itineranteacher.blogspot.com/
The English Language Fellow program is run through the State Department and it coordinates with embassies and teaching institutions in other countries to set up 10-month teaching appointments. My position will include teaching English, linguistics, grammar, and teaching methodology to undergraduates at Dokuz Eylul University, which has a student body of about 40,000 students. In addition to teaching, I hope to learn a good bit of the language and do some traveling while I am there from September ‘07 – June ’08 (possibly longer).
If you’ve ever considered visiting Turkey, now is the time! Although my accommodations will probably be modest, I would be thrilled to host any of my friends or family who may visit. Izmir is a city of 3 million on the Aegean coast. Besides having beautiful weather, Izmir is also near many ruins and Greek islands.
Below is my new contact information including a phone number local to Denver that you will be able to reach me at throughout my time in Turkey.
Contact Me
Phone: (303)-800-6072
Skype melaniebrooks74
Email: melaniebrooks74@hotmail.com
Blog: http://itineranteacher.blogspot.com/
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